Abstract:
Sweet potato is a significant root crop that can be used for both food and feed. Bench-Sheko zone mid-altitudes, in
general, are among the most important sweet potato growing regions in southwest Ethiopia. During the 2017 and
2018 growing seasons, a study was carried out in the Semen-Bench district of the Bench-sheko zone, southwestern
Ethiopia, to investigate the adaptability and performance of improved sweet potato varieties and to identify the
best performer variety. A randomized complete block design with three replications was used to compare the
performance of five improved (viz., Awassa-83, Beletch, Berkume, Kulfo, Tula) and one Local sweet potato va-
riety. The results of both years and over year combined statistical analysis indicated that the varieties significantly
varied in terms of all yield and yield-related traits. As a result, the Awassa-83 variety acquired the greatest values
of average root diameter in both the 2017 (11.9 cm) and 2018 (10.1 cm) growing seasons, followed by the
Berkume variety. In both 2017 and 2018 growing seasons and over year combined analysis, the highest average
storage root length (21.5 cm), marketable storage root yield (29.06 ton/ha), total storage root yield (43.22 ton/
ha), and storage root dry weight (42%) was recorded from variety Awassa-83. Variety Beletech and Berkume were
found to be statistically similar and the next highest in terms of marketable storage root yield, and total storage
root yield; moreover, variety Berkume was found to be the next highest in terms of storage root dry weight in two
years combined result. On the other hand, the variety Beletech, which was closely followed by Awassa-83, had the
highest average number of roots per plant (8.28) and the greatest number of marketable roots per plant (7.04).
Therefore, considering overall traits Awassa-83 was found to be superior in overall performance and can be
recommended for production in the study area and related agro-ecologies.
