Harvesting Swedish sweet potatoes in search of the varieties of the future
In long rows lie root vegetables in a remarkably wide range of colours and shapes: purple, red, orange, yellow, and white. Plump, thin, long, smooth, and crooked. The trial cultivation of new sweet potato varieties adapted to the Swedish climate is now being harvested.
The test field in Borgeby, in the south region of Scania, covers about half a hectare. Using a garden fork, the sweet potatoes are lifted from the soil, and each plant is carefully evaluated by Federico Diaz Trujillo, a postdoctoral researcher at SLU. Out of the more than 5,000 clones growing in the field, he will select 200–300 of the best. With 20 years of experience working with sweet potatoes at the International Potato Center (CIP), Diaz Trujillo is well suited for the task. The selected sweet potatoes are then packed and transported to SLU in Alnarp.
– I’m really pleased and surprised by the results, says Federico Diaz Trujillo. The trial has exceeded expectations given the challenges of a short growing season, relatively cool temperatures, and the long, bright nights here in Sweden.
One concern among the researchers was that the many hours of daylight might encourage the sweet potatoes to focus on leaf growth at the expense of root development. But in the field, many large roots can be seen.
– Now we’re transporting the selected varieties to Alnarp, where we’ll plant them in pots for storage in greenhouses over the winter, explains researcher Dennis Eriksson. In spring, we’ll propagate them for further field trials and selection in the next season.
– It will then take another four to five years before these new, traditionally bred varieties are expected to reach the market, adds Dennis Eriksson.
About the project
In the collaborative project between SLU and Lund University, new varieties of sweet potato are being developed that are well-suited for cultivation in the Swedish climate and that are also nutrient-rich.
Sweet potatoes are popular among Swedish consumers, but almost all the sweet potatoes found in shops are imported from Egypt or the USA, and the range of varieties is virtually non-existent.
Through a combination of traditional plant breeding and modern genetic techniques, the researchers are working to increase the iron content of the roots, develop early-maturing varieties, and replicate the mutation that has occurred in regular potatoes, allowing them to adapt to the long daylight hours of the Nordic region.
The project also combines professional field trials in collaboration with HIR Skåne, with citizen science, where growers receive cuttings to test in different locations and under varying conditions.
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