Soil-Plant Nutrition of Sweet Potato and Minor Tuber Crops: A Review

Abstract

Among the tropical tuber crops, sweet potato is the most nutritious in terms of macro and micronutrients contained in both the tubers and the green leaves. Owing to these good quality traits, it is valued as a secondary staple in many underdeveloped and developing countries viz., China, Africa, South America, South East Asia, Oceania etc., Nutrient management is one of the important topics that is intensively researched as it directly contributes to higher productivity and produce quality. Research on soil-plant nutrition undertaken in different sweet potato growing countries, the various soil factors influencing yield as well as quality of tubers, nutrient requirement, crop response to nutrients, nutrient management strategies, index leaf, critical nutrient concentration, nutritional disorders etc., are reviewed in this paper. Minor tuber crops like arrowroot, Chinese potato, yam bean etc., are also important from the nutraceutical point of view, but yet to be explored to unravel the potential of these crops for various medicinal uses. The available literature on minor tuber crops that indicate their positive response to manures and fertilizers are also discussed.