more... > Louisiana Agriculture Magazine > Past Issues > What's New? News articles from the spring 2009 issue of Louisiana Agriculture Ornamental sweet potato options continue to expand [Image: Photo of Allen Owings] Ornamental sweet potatoes have gained considerable interest among land¬scape industry professionals and home gardeners over the past 10 years. Varieties include plants that are chartreuse-lime green (Margarita), blackish purple (Blackie) and tricolored (Pink Frost). Managing Weeds in Louisiana Sweet Potatoes [Image: Cultivation] Weeds compete with sweet potato plants for nutrients, water and sunlight and impair crop yield and quality, makingeffective weed management a critical aspect to successful production. Harvesting Sweet Potatoes [Image: shaker harvest] Commercially produced sweet potatoes in Louisiana are most often harvested using a two-row mechanical chain harvester,more commonly known as a two-row sweet potato digger.With this method, roots are exposed and then conveyed along a chain, where workers on each side of the equipment sort the roots into various grades  more articles... Nitrogen Management: New Insights and Opportunities [Image: Figure 1.] Sustainable and profitable commercial sweet potato productionrequires optimum nitrogen fertilizer. Although sweet potatoes can be grown in marginal production environments, a certain amount of nitrogen is necessary for normal shoot development and photosynthetic activity required for storage-root growth. Season-long Management of the Banded Cucumber Beetle in Louisiana Sweet Potatoes [Image: Cucumber Bettle] Several insects feed on the foliage and roots of sweet potatoes throughout the growing season. The sweet potato root can be injured by several soil insects,including sweetpotato weevils, rootworms, sugarcane beetles, wireworms,whitefringed beetles, white grubs and flea beetles. GIS/GPS Techniques help evaluate soil insect and nematode pest control strategies in sweet potatoes [Image: Figure 1.] Manag­ing crops on the loess soils of the Mid­south is difficult because they contain little organic matter and erode easily. Generally, these fields are small com­pared to delta alluvial fields; however, they often have considerable variability in soil texture. The variability is often created by land-leveling for irrigation and drainage. Variability presents producers with an opportunity to manage these problems in a site-specific manner. Individual Shrink-wrapping of Sweet Potatoes: An Emerging Value-added Marketing Technique [Image: test of shrinkwrapping] The majority of sweet potatoes consumedin the United States are purchased through retail fresh market outlets. They have traditionally been marketed in the form of individual roots stacked in bulk displays and priced per pound. Resistant Starch and the Sweet Potato Finding new uses for sweet potato components, such as starch, would increasethe demand for sweet potatoes and save processors money by finding a use for the waste produced during cutting and canning. Nutraceutical Compounds and Antioxidant Content of Sweet Potatoes [Image: baked sweet potato] Sweet potatoes are regarded as one of the most nutritious vegetable crops. They are known to be an excellent source of vitamin A (orange-flesh types) and dietary fiber and contain significant amounts of vitamin C, vitamin E, vitaminB9 (folate) and various minerals. Research Verification Program for Louisiana Sweet Potato Production [Image: verification of a plot] In 2007, the LSU AgCenter started a verification program for sweet potatoes, similar to the programs for rice, soybean and corn. These verification programs are conducted in collaboration with growers to test AgCenter recommendations. ‘Or you can call me Yam. . .’ [Image: sweet potato] In the 1970s, actor Bill Saluga used the line: “You can call me Ray, or you can call me Jay. . .” When talking about Louisiana sweet potatoes or yams, there seems to be a similar confusion. Sweet Potato Scientist: Chris Clark devotes career to better production, higher yields [Image: Photo of Chris Clark] There was a time in Chris Clark’s life that sweet potatoes made a one-time annual appearance – the Thanksgiving table. Little did he know that this delicious, nutritious menu item would help define his career. Managing Rhizopus Soft Rot on Sweet Potatoes [Image: Table] Sweet potatoes are susceptible to Rhizopus soft rot, a disease caused by a common fungus that can destroy sweet potatoes after they are removed from storage and washed but before they arrive at the market. Click for more information...