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Improving Seed Quality on US Sweetpotato Operations

Rebecca Wasserman-Olin

Summary

Sweetpotato production in the United States relies on vegetative propagation, making crops vulnerable to virus accumulation and yield decline as seed stock is reused over multiple seasons. Although clean planting material is available through the USDA-APHIS National Clean Plant Network (NCPN), the cost of replacement often leads growers to retain seed beyond its economically optimal lifespan. This project integrates multi-state horticultural trial data from five NCPN sweetpotato centers with economic analysis to evaluate seed-replacement trade-offs. Yield degradation associated with seed age is translated into economic metrics relevant to producer decision-making and extension programming. Results are delivered through fact sheets, extension reports, and an interactive decision-support tool that allows growers to evaluate replacement scenarios using farm-specific data. By aligning economic analysis with seed certification discussions, this work supports grower profitability and strengthens evidence-based extension recommendations.

Details

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