Home > Crops & Livestock > Crops > Sweet Potatoes > Sweet Potato Variety Descriptions Information about sweet potato varieties and summary data on susceptibility/resistance to common diseases. Varieties of sweet potatoes include: Evangeline Sweet Potato™, Bonita, Murasaki-29, Beauregard "B-63", Beauregard "B-14", O-Henry, Bienville, Hernandez, Heartogold, Porto Rico (PR-6), Texas Porto Rico (TX PR), Jewel,LA 07-146, Orleans . Sanitation in the Sweet Potato Packinghouse [Image: sanitation in packinghouses] The proper curing, storage and handling of sweet potatoes are the first steps in the management of post-harvest diseases. The importance of packinghouse sanitation should not be overlooked, however. Use these recommendations to prevent sanitation problems in your packinghouse. (PDF Format Only) Reducing Damage to Sweet Potatoes on the Sweet Potato Packing Line [Image: sweet potato packing line] The market demand for uniform appearance of sweet potatoes often brings about the use of long and complicated packing lines to allow for grading and sizing of the roots. This unfortunately results in many opportunities for mechanical damage to the roots including skinning, cuts, bruises and breaking of ends that detract from the appearance of the roots and increase the possibility of disease development. Use these recommendations to reduce damage on packing lines. (PDF format only) The Sweet Truth about Sweet Potato Production in Louisiana [Image: Sweet Potato Harvest] How do sweet potatoes get from the field to your table? This video explains the amazing multi-step, labor intensive process to producing sweet potatoes. It's your chance to learn the "sweet truth" about sweet potato production in Louisiana.  more articles... Sweet potato, rice crops take hit from Gustav [Image: looking at potatoes] (Distributed 09/11/08) Earl Fontenot may have to wait a month before any losses are apparent in his sweet potato crop after Hurricane Gustav. “It’s too early to tell if we’re going to have some loss,” he said. “But it’s not looking good. They are under stressful conditions now.” Nematodes in Sweet Potatoes [Image: Sweet potato with root-knot nematode] Nematodes are a serious pest to both our sweet potato industry and for those people growing them in a home garden. These pests affect the total production and quality of the sweet potato. Since the damage occurs to roots below ground, they are often not recognized as being a problem. Weed Management in Sweet Potatoes [Image: sweet potato weed mgmt] Effective weed management is a critical aspect to successful sweet potato production since weeds compete for nutrients, water and sunlight and impair crop yield and quality. Perennial weed management, preplant burndown and in-season management included. (PDF format only) Sweet Potato News [Image: sweet potato news] Louisiana Sweet Potato News aims to update and inform all those associated with or interested in Louisiana sweet potatoes. Among the topics featured in this newsletter are such items as crop profiles, information related to various aspects of sweet potato production, the latest details on insect, weed and disease management, and current industry news and events. Environmental Best Management Practices for Sweet Potato Cultivation [Image: sweet potato bmp] Sweet potatoes are an important commodity in Louisiana. These best management practices, also known as BMPs, provide sweet potato growers guidelines on what practices they can implement to reduce the effect agricultural practices may have on the environment. (PDF Format Only) Sweet Potato Diseases Provides information and symptions related to several common diseases in sweet potatoes. Curing and Storing Sweet Potatoes Sweet potatoes are not very sweet or moist when first dug. It takes six to eight weeks of proper curing and storage before they have the sweet, moist taste and texture desired when baked, says LSU AgCenter horticulturist Dr. Tom Koske. Irrigation Pond Saves Groundwater Irrigation ponds can irrigate fields during the summer without resorting to pumping water from wells. Sweet Potato New Varieties Get Patents (Distributed 04/08/04) Two sweet potato varieties developed by the LSU AgCenter recently were awarded U.S. patents – the first ones given to sweet potatoes. AgCenter Faculty Meet In ‘Food Summit’ Stressing that production agriculture alone is not enough to sustain rural economies, a leading food science expert said farm productivity needs to be converted to consumer-ready products.