This manual is for researchers in the Pacific region who are starting sweet potato breeding programmes but lack training and experience in genetics and plant breeding. It is also for researchers and extension workers who are evaluating local and newly introduced sweet potato germplasm. It may also be useful to teachers and students of crop improvement courses at the diploma, degree, and postgraduate levels.

The objective of this manual is to provide you with the methods and techniques needed to carry out a sweet potato breeding programme. Practical aspects of breeding are emphasised, rather than theory. Use of technical terminology is minimized. To keep the manual concise, detailed explanations are avoided when possible, and many concepts are simplified. After learning the material presented here, you may want to read other texts to gain a more complete understanding of plant breeding.