1) The document evaluates stress resistant sweet potato varieties and their low-cost micropropagation in Ethiopia. Variety trials identified 6 varieties in southern Ethiopia and 4 in eastern Ethiopia that were resistant to drought and sweet potato weevil. 2) Low-cost media was developed for micropropagation using locally available materials like cassava flour, starch, and table sugar. The substituted media reduced costs by 59.2% while still supporting good plant growth. 3) The identified resistant varieties and low-cost micropropagation techniques show promise for improving sweet potato production and availability in Ethiopia. Further testing of micropropagated plants and releasing top varieties is recommended.

1. Evaluation of stress resistant Sweetpotato
Varieties and their Low cost Micro-
propagation: Ethiopian Experience
Emana Getu, Tileye Feyissa and Addisu Nega
Addis Ababa University, College of Natural
Sciences
First Bio-Innovate Regional Scientific Conference
United Nations Conference Centre (UNCC-ECA)
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 25-27 February 2013

2. Introduction

3. Objectives

4. Materials and Methods
1. Sweet potato varietal screening against
drought and sweetpotato weevil
• Twenty one varieties in southern Ethiopia
and nineteen varieties in eastern Ethiopia
were screened against drought and
sweetpotato weevil under field conditions
(at two sites in each region ) for two
seasons.

5. Materials and Methods
• The varieties tested were:
• Southern Ethiopia (PIPI, Kudade, Kero, Koka12, Koka6,
Boreda, Damota, Resisto, Eujumula, Temesgen, Dubo,
Ukerewe, Mayai, Orodollo, Beletch, Belela, Kulfo, Awassa83,
Guntute and Tulla)
• Eastern Ethiopia (Berkume, TIS 8250-7, Cuba-1, CN-1753-17, Korojo-2,
Korojo, Bekale-A, Bukariso, Bekale-B, TIS-9465-2, TIS9465-2, TIS-9068-8,
TIS-8250-1, Awassa-83, TIS-70357-5, CN-1752-9, TIS-9065-1, TIS8441-3
and TIS82/0602-11)
• Design used: RCBD with Replications
• Plot size: 6m X 2m
• Data collected: Stand count, Dry weight, Weevil density, tubers infested
by weevils, yield, etc.

6. Participatory evaluation

7. Participatory evaluation

8. Materials and Methods
2. Low Cost Micropropagation of Sweetpotato
• Four varieties of sweetpotato namely Awassa-83
and Beletech from HARC, and Adu and Barkumie
from Haramaya University were collected and
used as a stock source for micropropagation.
• For low cost micro-propagation study, so far
Beletech and Awassa-83 were used

9. Materials and Methods

10. Materials and Methods

11. Micro-propgation

12. Micro-propagation

13. Results and Discussion

14. Table 1. Performance of sweetpotato varieties
evaluated at Humbo
Varieties Sc (%) FE (1-5 scale) EE (1-5 scale) % tubers infested Yield (t/ha)
by SPw
Awassa-83 50±2.3a 1 1 5.00±0.20a 6.43±0.12a
Belela 50±2.3a 3 3 45.00±2.10b 4.17±0.01b
Beletch 65±3.2a 1 1 8.00±0.31a 6.35±0.12a
Kulfo 25±0.8b 1 1 3.00±0.11a 7.640.23a
Resisto 20±0.6b 1 1 6.50±0.28a 8.61±0.33a
Temesgen 65±3.2a 1 1 4.80±0.20a 7.35±0.34a
Tulla 40±1.8ab 1 1 9.70±0.4a 6.25±0.12a
Ordolo 0±0c - - - -
Falha 5±0.03c - - - -

15. Table 2. Performance of sweetpotato varieties
evaluated at Babile
Varieties Sc (%) FE (1-5 scale) EE (1-5 scale) Yield (t/ha)
Berkume 100.00±7a 2 2 12.44±0.8a
Tis-8250-7 100.00±7a 5 3 2.22±0.2d
Cuba-1 100.00±7a 3 5 7.97±0.5b
CN-1753-17 98.33±6.5a 5 3 4.47±0.3c
Korojo-2 98.33±6.5a 3 5 5.33±0.4c
CN-1753-14 95.00±5.8a 3 3 1.33±0.1d
Korojo 93.33±5.3a 5 5 1.11±0.1d
Bekale-A 95.00±5.8a 5 5 2.48±0.2d
Bukariso 98.33±6a 4 3 5.92±0.4c
Bekale-b 95.00±5.8a 4 3 2.56±0.2d
Tis-9465-2 98.33±a6 2 2 9.56±0.7a
Tis-9068-8 65.00±32b 4 3 3.81±0.2d
Tis-8250-1 93.04±5.7a 1 2 10.74±0.7a
Awassa-83 95.00±5.8a 3 2 5.22±0.4c
Tis-70357-5 100.00±7a 2 3 10.44±0.7a
CN-1752-9 100.00±7a 1 1 12.14±0.8a
Tis-9065-1 100.00±7a 3 2 7.33±0.5b
Tis-8441-3 88.21±5.6ab 5 5 2.44±0.2d
Tis-82/0602-11 98.33±6b 5 4 3.22±0.2d

16. Tab 3. Height, number off shoots /node, fresh and dry weight of shoots of 5 weeks
old Beletech variety grown on different low cost media, values given as mean ± SE
Media Height (cm) No Shoot/Node FW (g) DW(g)
M1 6.6±0.258a 2.90±0.475a 1.52±0.097a 0.1373±0.010a
M2 6.7±0.341ab 2.97±0.195ab 1.44±0.108ab 0.1230±0.008ab
M3 5.9±0.254abc 2.63±0.206abc 1.28±0.100abc 0.1109±0.009bc
M4 6.5±0.309acd 2.96±0.200abcd 1.36±0.137abcd 0.1248±0.012abcd
M5 5.7±0.343bcde 2.50±0.178abcde 1.32±0.086abcde 0.1120±0.007bcde
M6 5.7±0.257bcdef 2.27±0.209abcdef 1.18±0.064abcdef 0.1055±0.005bcdef
M7 5.8±0.280bcdef 2.67±0.175abcdef 1.42±0.084abcdef 0.1270±0.007bcdef
Means followed by the same letter (s) within a column are not significantly dfferent from
each other at 5% (LSD) .

17. Table 4.Height, number of shoots per node, fresh and dry weight of shoots of 5 weeks old
Awassa- 83 variety grown on different low cost medium, values given as mean ± SE.
Media Height (cm) No Shoot/Node FW (g) DW(g)
M1 7.4±0.362a 2.83±0.424a 1.69±0.140a 0.1480±0.012a
M2 6.9±0.406ab 2.73±0.159ab 1.58±0.114ab 0.1393±0.010ab
M3 5.6±0.392c 2.23±0.164abc 1.45±0.117abc 0.1226±0.009abc
M4 5.8±0.326cd 2.90±0.154abcd 1.51±0.119abcd 0.1260±0.009abcd
M5 5.8±0.317cde 2.43±0.207abcde 1.40±0.094abcde 0.1161±0.008bcde
M6 5.5±0.338cde 2.43±0.123abcdef 1.19±0.102cde 0.1052±0.008cdef
M7 6.5±0.342abcde 2.70±0.174abcdef 1.53±0.104abcde 0.1218±0.008abcdef
Means within each column connected by the same superscript (a-f) are not significantly
different at 5% probability level

18. Cost analysis of the substituted low cost medium
Table 5. Comparative costs of culture medium components
Component of Cost/Kg, L Conc./L (%, w/v) Cost/L (Birr) Cost reductions
the media (Birr) compared to the
standard (%)
Agar 2700 0.8 21 0
Starch 300 6 18 14.3
Cassava flour 10 8 0.80 96.2
Lab. Sucrose 640 3 19.20 0
Table sugar 14.50 3 0.44 97
ddH2O 5 5 0
Rain Water 0 0 100
Use of rain water instead of ddH2O; the substitution of laboratory grade sucrose with table
sugar; Substitution of gelling agents with cassava flour and starch alone reduced the cost of

19. Fig. 1. Comparative costs of culture medium
with various substituted components.
Medium
 Totally substituted medium M7 (rain water instead of ddH2O; table sugar as carbon
source and starch as a gelling agent) reduced the total cost of the medium by 59.2% and
 totally substituted medium M6 (rain water instead of ddH2O; table sugar as carbon

20. Conclusion and
Recommendation
Conclusion Recommendation
• 6 varieties in southern Ethiopia • The best varieties should
and 4 varieties from eastern go through national
Ethiopia were found to be
resistant to stresses
Variety release system and
• For all the parameter
be released
measured, the plantlets • Agronomic performance
obtained on all low cost media of sweetpotato derived
showed a good growth from low cost micro-
performance.
propagation should be
• The low cost media was
especially good for the number tested.
of shoots/ node.

21. Acknowledgment
• We are very much grateful to Bio-Innovate for
funding and Addis Ababa University for
hosting the project

22. Thank you very much!
Thank you for your Attention!