Deciphering the Origins of Commercial Sweetpotato Genotypes Using International Genebank Data

Area of Science:

• Agricultural Science
• Plant Genetics
• Molecular Biology

Background:

• Sweetpotato (Ipomoea batatas) cultivars are often misidentified due to vegetative propagation, hindering traceability and commercialization.
• Accurate characterization is crucial for formal registration and strengthening the sweetpotato value chain in Brazil, a major producer.

Purpose of the Study:

• To accurately characterize and identify key sweetpotato genotypes circulating in Brazil using molecular and morphological markers.
• To compare Brazilian accessions with the global collection at the International Potato Center (CIP).

Main Methods:

• Collection of 37 sweetpotato samples from four Brazilian states.
• Evaluation using Simple Sequence Repeat (SSR) molecular markers and morphological traits.
• Virus cleaning and comparison with the CIP global sweetpotato collection.

Main Results:

• SSR markers effectively distinguished between sweetpotato accessions.
• The genotype 'Canadense' was genetically and morphologically similar to CIP accession 'Blesbok'.
• Several 'white skin sweetpotato' accessions from Sergipe did not match known CIP accessions, suggesting unique regional genotypes.

Conclusions:

• The study identified key sweetpotato genotypes supporting their official registration in Brazil.
• Formalizing 'Canadense'/'Blesbok' facilitates commercialization of cuttings and roots.
• Molecular and trait-based classification aids crop improvement programs in selecting parent lines.