TYPES OF SWEET POTATO (Part 1)

SWEET POTATO (Impomea batatas) is tuberous crop from the morning glory family Convolvulaceae native to Tropical regions in America. In Malaysia are known as 'Keledek' and planted for domestic market. There are 2,890 hectare area planted with sweet potato in 2018 producing 45,370 metrik tons. However in 2021 in Malaysia 3,062 hectare of sweet potato grown and producing 52,225 metric tons (Source: Food crop statistic booklet, Department of Agriculture, Malaysia 2021). Among popular variety grown in Malaysia are Keledek Bukit Naga, Keledek Ungu, Keledek Oren and few others. Sweet potato was believed to be domesticated in either South America or Central America. Sweet potato was domesticated in Central America 5,000 years ago. Sweet potato was found back 8,000 BC in South America. It is a perennial crop which is cultivated as an annual in tropical and temperate areas for its edible starchy tuberous root. China is the world’s largest producer of sweet potato in which the most popular sweet potato are red, purple, brown, yellow-brown and white in color.  Blog "Anim Agriculture Technology" write the types of sweet potato especially for orange flesh.

Types of sweet Potatoes
Few popular kinds of sweet potato which are known popular is USA or round the world are listed below. However there are many varieties of sweet potato recorded in different countries.  In the classification sweet potato are categorised by the flesh colour namely Orange Sweet Potato, Red Sweet Potato and White Sweet Potato.

(A) Orange Sweet Potatoes Varieties

1. Beauregard Sweet Potatoes

It is reddish-purple potatoes which has delicious and deep orange flesh. It has less difficulties with white-colored grubs when compared to others. The plant should get adequate sun to build up the extreme sweetness.

2. Allgold Sweet Potatoes

The culivation of Allgold sweet potato variety is in Oklahoma in USA popular by local farmers. It has tan skin with medium orange flesh and the flesh colour look like a gold. It provide sweet taste and easy to market.


3. Apache Sweet Potatoes

Apache sweet potato is pale orange both inside and outside. The size are mostly medium small and sweet. Easy to peel and fried.


4. Bunch Porto Rico Sweet Potatoes

It has light yellow – flesh colored skin. It is great for baking, consuming and cooking. It has purple stems with a bush type. It is suitable for garden with little space.


5. Centennial Sweet Potatoes

It has soft flesh. It is tolerable to clay soil. The inside color is similar to carrot. The reddish skin make this variety more popular and accepted by consumer.

6. Cherokee Sweet Potatoes

Cherokee type was not cultivated by the Cherokee Indians. It is not the variety of an heirloom. It has vibrant copper skin with orange flesh.


To consume sweet potato for health, balanced and delicious methods to add sweet potato in your diet because of Low Fat Mashed Sweet Potatoes that mashed sweet potatoes could be enjoyed with orange juice, brown sugar, spiced, ginger and cinnamon. Second is easy Low-Fat Baked Sweet Potato Fries. The fried baked sweet potatoes helps to lower the fat than usual fried. This recipe should be tried by those who want to have healthy fried baked sweet potato. Thrird is the spicy Braised Sweet Potatoes. The sweet potatoes could be seasoned with cayenne and paprika which should be simmered on the top of the stove. Fourth the Chicken Pot Pie with Sweet Potato Crust in which the chicken pot pie should be tried with some twist. The sweet potato crust has a orange color which is nutritious. Fifth is he Low Fat Sweet Potato and Apple Soup in which the sweet potatoes are complemented by the apples properly by making it spiced slightly and low fat soup. Thanks.This article divided in 3 segments namely Part 1, Part 2 and Part 3 respectively.

By,
M Anim,
Room 824, Thistle Hotel,
Johor Bahru, Johor,
Malaysia.
July 2020.

U[pdated on 29 September 2022.