Tanzania Agricultural Research Institute

Researchers recommend use of vine cuttings with seven to eight buried nodes with the internodes length of 2-centimeters to improve yield and quality of sweet potato tuberous root in Dodoma.

The Recommendation comes as a result of research work of a team of three researchers whose study findings have been published recently in the International Journal of Research Publication with the title “Influence of Number of Buried Nodes and Sources of Potassium Fertilizers on Sweet Potato Growth and Yield in Dodoma, Tanzania”.

Among the three, two Researchers are from Tanzania Agricultural Research Institute (TARI) namely John K. Kigwinya from TARI-Makutupora Centre, Dodoma and Emmanuel A. Chilagane from TARI-Ilonga Centre, Morogoro in Collaboration with Cornel L. Rweyemamu from Sokoine University of Agriculture, Department of Crop Science and Horticulture, Morogoro, Tanzania.

The findings of the research work indicates that, number of nodes have significant results in the increase of yield where the highest yield of 15.91 tons per hectare was obtained from eight buried nodes and lowest total yield  of 11.68 tones per hector was obtained from four buried nodes.

Research on application of fertilizers in sweet potato production indicates that, use of Potassium nitrogen phosphate and potassium chloride at a rate of 120 kg per hector is recommended in soils deficient NPK mineral so as to improve the fertility status especially for poor resource farmers.

Two sweet potato varieties namely Kiegeya, Mataya and a local check known as Ukerewe were used in carrying out the trials. However, recommendations apply to any sweet potato variety which a farmer chooses to grow depending on palatability and marketability.