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2019 SASHA Brief 10. Is sweetpotato root production cost-effective when using planting material conserved in protected structures in high virus pressure areas?

Two methods of protected vine conservation beds (insect protected net tunnel (Fig. 1) and miniscreenhouse (Fig. 2)) were compared with an open field control to assess cost effectiveness for quality seed production and subsequent root production. Mean percent Sweet Potato Virus Disease (SPVD) infection was not significantly different across methods of protected and open field conservation; however, there was increasing virus infection from generation 0 to generation 2 for each method. Although net tunnels produced more cuttings per unit area. Sweetpotato planting material sourced from the mini-screenhouse produced higher root yields (14.2 t/ha) than the net tunnel (11.5 t/ha) or open field (9.3 t/ha). Sweetpotato root production (per kilogram) is cost-effective and root producers can reduce their production costs by 21% if they buy planting material from commercial multipliers who use miniscreenhouses for conservation of planting material. In high sweetpotato virus disease pressure areas, support for the use of protected structures by medium to large scale multipliers is justified to increase availability of quality basic seed for farmers.

Authors: Sam Namanda , Srinivasulu Rajendran, Joseph Kasekende

Subjects: Crop protection, Seed systems, Sweetpotatoes, Sweetpotato agri-food systems

Pages: 3

Publisher: International Potato Center

Publication Date: August 31, 2019

Identifier: https://hdl.handle.net/10568/105963

Rights: Open access: CC-BY-4.0

Keywords: Research briefs, Seed systems

HOW TO CITE

International Potato Center. 2019. SASHA Brief 10. Is sweetpotato root production cost-effective when using planting material conserved in protected structures in high virus pressure areas? Sweetpotato Action for Security and Health in Africa Project (SASHA). CIP. 3 p