Updates on Sweet Potatoes
The Philippine Root Crop Research and Training Center(PhilRootcrops for short) has gone a long way in improving the productivity as well as the taste and other qualities of the lowly camote or sweet potato.
Long before the research and training center was established in 1977. farmers used to harvest an average of eight tons of roots per hectare from their favorite varieties. Today, the yield has increased to an average of 12 to 15 tons per hectare. Of course, there are varieties that give much higher yields like VSPI which gives an average of 21.90 tons per hectare, thanks to the researchers.
In the beginning, the target of the researchers was to produce hybrids that will produce high yields, says Dr. Jose Bacusmo, the president of Visayas State University (VSU), who has been involved in the sweet potato research program from the beginning up to now. He still acts as the project leader of the research program although other staff acts as head of the center. The present head is Dr. Julieta Roa.
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