Anim Agriculture Technology: SWEET POTATO VARIETY IN MALAYSIA

SWEET POTATO (Impomea batatas) or localy known as KELEDEK are a tubers crop planted sweet potato are under family Convulvulaceae. Sweet potato rich with Carbohydrate and Vitamin A. Our Malaysian climate are suitable for sweet potato growing activity due to 3 months long hot tropical temperature and adequate sunlight throughout the years. This crop are not suitable to survive on waterlogged area and require excellent drainage system. The bests condition is to grow sweet potato on raised bed system about 2 - 3 feet height. The best soil was a loamy sandy soil with enough organic material. From my observation on sweet potato plantation in Johor and Selangor, the poor yield expected from heavy clay soil but moderate on peat soils. The heavy sandy soil or bris soils aor under tin mining area the longshape tubers may appear. This article I would to share my experience to elaborate the most planted sweet potato variety in Malaysia in th. pertanian iaitu 'Anim Agculture Technology'.

There are 10 popular sweet potato variety recommended to grow in Malaysia based on the information released by Department of Agriculture. The information can be accessed from the national listing of crop variety from their website for our reference. Among 10 variety listed, from my profesional examination only 2 variety are the most accetped variety for commercial growing by most farmers that was Keledek Gendut (MSP 94) and Keledek Cina. Other reference book mention about the simple grouping of sweet potato in Malaysia as Watery Variety (eg. keledek Cina variety) and Dry Variety (eg Keledek Gendut). Below among 10 popular variety of sweet potato begin from Keledek 57 Tainung, Keledek Banting, Keledek Biru Jepun, Keledek Biru Johor, Keledek CH Purple, Keledek CH Red, Keledek Guan, Keledek Hao Pao/ Kuala Bikam, Keledek Indonesia and Keledek Jalomas

1. Sweet Potato Variety : 57 Tainung / Taiwan