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SWEET POTATO
Scientific name: Ipomoea Batatas
Family: Morning Glory, Convolvulaceae
Duration: Annual
Origin: South America (Possibly Mexico)
Sweet potato is actually a perennial, viney plant that is widely cultivated as an
annual in the tropics, where it serves as a major food source. In Sierra Leone,
sweet potato is grown for both the leaves, which are used as greens, and the tuber,
a high carbohydrate & beta carotene source. There are several varieties grown
in Sierra Leone, with skin color ranging from yellow to orange-red to purple. Just
as Cassava is categorized into sweet and bitter types, sweet potato is also classified
as either dry or moist, according to its flesh type. This categorization is usually
used to differentiate the varieties; the varieties with moist flesh are moist after
cooking, whereas the dry flesh types consist of a mealy texture after cooking.
The cultivation of both sweet potato types is mostly done vegetatively, in both
the wet and dry seasons. However, production is more successful in the wet season.
Cuttings for the wet season planting are obtained from parent plants that are grown
in the swamp during the dry season. Since sweet potato cannot tolerate water logging,
the swamp is drained by digging open channels and constructing raised mounds, or
ridges. Most families in Sierra Leone farm on a subsistence basis and irrigation
equipment is way beyond their financial ability. Therefore, the swamp is the most
feasible environment in which to grow the plant during the dry season, due to its
water-holding capacity. This in situ propagation -- preservation of the seed material
in place -- provides enough stock for the favorable growing conditions that will
occur during the coming wet season.
Growing Method:
Cuttings, which range from 6-10 inches in length, are inserted to a depth of half
their length in prepared ridges or mounds, at a space of 8-12 inches apart. Composted
animal manures are added before planting, boosting early vegetative growth which
is especially desirable if leaves are to be harvested as greens.
Harvest:
Leaves (used for greens) may be harvested 30-40 days after planting. Tubers are
harvested 90 days after planting, by digging. Leaves may be cut for approximately
a month, after which they become tough. Heavy leaf harvesting will also decrease
growth of the tuber. For this reason, plants grown only for tuber production remain
unpicked through maturity.
Common Uses:
Greens are used as a steamed vegetable, cooked with palm oil in combination with
okra, lima beans, hot peppers and smoked fish -- usually served over rice. Tubers
may be peeled and boiled, with other root crops, such as cassava, to prepare “yebbeh”,
a heartymeal. The tubers are also used to make French fries, served with a gravy
made of fried onions, egg plant and peppers.
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