Effects of single-node cutting method on the propagation and storage root growth of sweetpotato seedlings

Authors

  • Kaixuan Shi Key Laboratory of Agricultural Engineering in Structure and Environment of MARA, College of Water Resources & Civil Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100083, China
  • Xuan Sun Key Laboratory of Agricultural Engineering in Structure and Environment of MARA, College of Water Resources & Civil Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100083, China
  • Dongxian He Key Laboratory of Agricultural Engineering in Structure and Environment of MARA, College of Water Resources & Civil Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100083, China

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.25165/ijabe.v18i5.9575

Keywords:

sweetpotato, single-node cutting method, tuberous root propagation method, photosynthesis, transplant quality, yield and quality of storage roots

Abstract

The efficient propagation of virus-free sweetpotato seedlings is a critical challenge for maintaining stable production. This study evaluated two propagation methods—single-node cutting (SNC) and tuberous root propagation (TRP)—in two cultivars (Beniharuka and Himeayaka). Compared to TRP, SNC significantly improved seedling propagation efficiency, producing over 12 times more transplants in 70 days. SNC seedlings also showed enhanced photosynthetic performance before transplanting. After transplanting to the field, SNC seedlings achieved significantly higher storage root yield (30%-50% increase) without compromising root quality, including starch and sugar content. These findings demonstrate that the SNC method is a highly efficient and practical approach for sweetpotato seedling production. The adoption of this method could contribute significantly to improving the sustainability and productivity of sweetpotato cultivation globally. Keywords: sweetpotato, single-node cutting method, tuberous root propagation method, photosynthesis, transplant quality, yield and quality of storage roots DOI: 10.25165/j.ijabe.20251805.9575 Citation: Shi K X, Sun X, He D X. Effects of single-node cutting method on the propagation and storage root growth of sweetpotato seedlings. Int J Agric & Biol Eng, 2025; 18(5): 59–68.

References

Hu R S, Liu Y, Meng Z F. Preservation of sweetpotato in postharvest handling, transportation, and storage: A review. Food Reviews International, 2025; 1–43. doi: 10.1080/87559129.2025.2525425.

Rickman T E, Adams A K, Wadl P A, Yencho G C, Olukolu B A. Genome-wide associations of sweetpotato metabolites enhance genomic prediction and identify genes in metabolic and regulatory pathways. Scientific Reports, 2025; 15(1): 9657.

FAO. FAOSTAT. 2023. Available: https://www.fao.org/faostat/zh/#data/QCL. Accessed on [2024-04-27]

Tadda S A, Kui X H, Yang H J, Li M, Huang Z H, Chen X Y, et al. The response of vegetable sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas Lam) nodes to different concentrations of encapsulation agent and ms salts. Agronomy, 2021; 12(1): 19.

Chun C, Kozai T. A closed-type transplant production system. Progress in Biotechnology, 2001; 18: 375–384.

Liu X, Xiao G B, Li Y Z, Xiao F L, Li H, Xiao X J, et al. Plug seedling production of short vine type sweet potato variety ‘Ganshu No. 2’. Agricultural Biotechnology, 2018; 7(6): 208–212.

Guo S G, Yang L M, Wu W M, Lin J H, Zeng J. Sweet potato cultivation applying root apical seedling technique. Fujian Journal of Agricultural Sciences, 2011; 26(4): 567–571. (in Chinese)

Kozai T. Development of a mathematical model for vegetative propagation: simulated sweetpotato cutting production as affected by propagation methods and environmental conditions. Acta Horticulturae, 2000; 519: 65–72.

Mortley D G, Bonsi C K, Loretan P A, Morris C E, Hill W A, Ogbuehi C R. Evaluation of sweet potato genotypes for adaptability to hydroponic systems. Crop Science, 1991; 31(3): 845–847.

Hill W A, Mortley D G, MacKowiak C L, Loretan P A, Tibbitts T W, Wheeler R M, et al. Growing root, tuber and nut crops hydroponically for celss. Advances in Space Research, 1992; 12(5): 125–131.

Bejerman N, Zanini A, Pardina P R, Di Feo L. Use of 454-pyrosequencing for the characterization of sweet potato virus c and sweet potato feathery mottle virus isolates from argentina and development of a multiplex one-step rt-pcr for their simultaneous detection. Journal of phytopathology, 2016; 164(6): 386–394.

Clark C A, Hoy M W. Effects of common viruses on yield and quality of beauregard sweetpotato in louisiana. Plant Dis, 2006; 90(1): 83–88.

Akomeah B, Quain M D, Ramesh S A, Anand L, Rodríguez López C M. Common garden experiment reveals altered nutritional values and dna methylation profiles in micropropagated three elite ghanaian sweet potato genotypes. PLoS One, 2019; 14(4): e0208214.

Andreason S A, Olaniyi O G, Gilliard A C, Wadl P A, Williams L H, Jackson D M, et al. Large-Scale seedling grow-out experiments do not support seed transmission of sweet potato leaf curl virus in sweet potato. Plants (Basel), 2021; 10(1): 139.

Gao F, Gong Y, Zhang P. Production and deployment of virus-free sweetpotato in china. Crop Protection, 2000; 19(2): 105–111.

Behera S, Chauhan V B S, Pati K, Bansode V, Nedunchezhiyan M, Verma A K, et al. Biology and biotechnological aspect of sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas L.): A commercially important tuber crop. Planta, 2022; 256(2): 40.

Ying D Q, Ying Z, Davenport T L. Meristem-Tip culture boosts yield of sweetpotato cv. picadita in south florida. Proceedings of the Florida State Horticultural Society, Florida, USA, 2004.

Flexas J, Carriqui M. Photosynthesis and photosynthetic efficiencies along the terrestrial plant’s phylogeny: Lessons for improving crop photosynthesis. Plant J, 2020; 101(4): 964–978.

Ren X X, Liu Y, Jeong H K, Jeong B R. Supplementary light source affects the growth and development of codonopsis lanceolata seedlings. Int J Mol Sci, 2018; 19(10): 3074.

Liu Y, Ren X X, Byoung R J. Carbon dioxide enrichment combined with supplemental light improve growth and quality of plug seedlings of astragalus membranaceus bunge and codonopsis lanceolata benth. et Hook. f. Agronomy, 2019; 9(11): 75. doi: 10.3390/agronomy9110715.

Bhagsari A S, Ashley D A. Relationship of photosynthesis and harvest index to sweet potato yield. Journal of the American Society for Horticultural Science, 1990; 115(2): 288–293.

He D X, Yan Z N, Sun X, Yang P. Leaf development and energy yield of hydroponic sweetpotato seedlings using single-node cutting as influenced by light intensity and led spectrum. Journal of Plant Physiology, 2020; 254: 153274.

Arnon D I. Copper enzymes in isolated chloroplasts. Polyphenoloxidase in Beta Vulgaris. Plant Physiol, 1949; 24(1): 1–15.

Wang X K, Huang J L. Principles and techniques of plant physiology and biochemistry experiments. Beijing: Higher Education Press, 2015. (in Chinese)

Fujiwara M, Kubota C, Kozai T, Sakami K. Air temperature effect on leaf development in vegetative propagation of sweetpotato single node cutting under artificial lighting. Scientia Horticulturae, 2004; 99(3): 249–256.

Saiful Islam A F M, Kubota C, Takagaki M, Kozai T. Sweetpotato growth and yield from plug transplants of different volumes, planted intact or without roots. Crop Science, 2002; 42(3): 822–826.

Yamori W, Kondo E, Sugiura D, Terashima I, Suzuki Y, Makino A. Enhanced leaf photosynthesis as a target to increase grain yield: insights from transgenic rice lines with variable rieske fes protein content in the cytochrome b6 /f complex. Plant Cell Environ, 2016; 39(1): 80–87.

Yamori W, Shikanai T. Physiological functions of cyclic electron transport around photosystem i in sustaining photosynthesis and plant growth. Annu Rev Plant Biol, 2016; 67: 81–106.

Gajanayake B, Reddy K R. Sweetpotato responses to mid- and late-season soil moisture deficits. Crop Science, 2016; 56(4): 1865–1877.

Sung F J M. The effect of leaf water status on stomatal activity, transpiration and nitrate reductase of sweet potato. Agricultural Water Management, 1981; 4(4): 465–470.

Xiong H F, Ma F S, Mu M D, Wang J W, Wei Y M. Coordinated diffusional and biochemical limitations underlie age-related decline in photosynthetic capacity of rice leaves. Photosynthesis Research, 2025; 163: 41.

Van Heerden P D R, Laurie R. Effects of prolonged restriction in water supply on photosynthesis, shoot development and storage root yield in sweet potato. Physiol Plant, 2008; 134(1): 99–109.

Lin K H, Hwang W C, Lo H F. Chilling stress and chilling tolerance of sweet potato as sensed by chlorophyll fluorescence. Photosynthetica, 2007; 45(4): 628–632.

Baker N R. Chlorophyll fluorescence: A probe of photosynthesis in vivo. Annu Rev Plant Biol, 2008; 59: 89–113.

Ma J, Aloni R, Villordon A, Labonte D, Kfir Y, Zemach H, et al. Adventitious root primordia formation and development in stem nodes of ‘georgia jet’ sweetpotato, ipomoea batatas. American Journal of Botany, 2015; 102(7): 1040–1049.

Zong X F, Zhang J K, Zhou Q Y, Wang J C, Feng B, Wang X F. A preliminary study on the relationship between photosynthesis indexes and dry matter yield of tuber in sweet potato. Journal of Southwest University (Natural Science Edition), 2001; 3: 216–218. (in Chinese)

Kaur P, Kaila T, Dhkal M, Gaikwad K. Chapter 26 - Chloroplast genome and plant–Virus interaction. In: Sharma P, Yadav D, Gaur R K, editors. Bioinformatics in Agriculture. Academic Press, 2022; pp.419–436.

Wang K L, Deng Q Q, Chen J W, Shen W K. Physiological and molecular mechanisms governing the effect of virus-free chewing cane seedlings on yield and quality. Sci Rep, 2020; 10: 10306.

Chen M C, Zhang M X, Kong X S, Miao Y F, Li Y J. Mechanism of yield-increasing of virus free sweet potato. Journal of Hubei Agricultural College, 2000; 1: 13–15. (in Chinese)

Wang J G, Zhao T T, Yang B P, Cai W W, Feng C L, Zeng J, et al. Expression of invertase genes in virus-free sugarcane. Agricultural Biotechnology, 2017; 6(4): 1–5. (in Chinese)

Alayouni R, Moyo M, Muzhingi T, Nakitto M, Baride A, Yao T M, et al. Structural, physicochemical, and digestion properties of sweetpotato starches. Food Bioscience, 2025; 68: 106755.

Li C Y, Song W H, Wang D D, Li C, Tang W, Gao R F, et al. The IbMYB52/IbARF11L-IbDRM1 module negatively regulates the root development of sweetpotato. Plant Physiology and Biochemistry, 2025; 228: 110250.

Downloads

Published

2025-10-27

How to Cite

Shi, K., Sun, X., & He, D. (2025). Effects of single-node cutting method on the propagation and storage root growth of sweetpotato seedlings. International Journal of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, 18(5), 59–68. https://doi.org/10.25165/ijabe.v18i5.9575

Issue

Section

Animal, Plant and Facility Systems