1. NCPN- Sweetpotato: Opportunity and Accomplishments
Chris Clark, Professor, LSU, and Chair NCPN-SP
NCPN-SP meeting Jan 2017, San Diego, CA

2. Sweetpotato Industry Industry is growing rapidly
each state or region uses different cultivars, cultural practices
Practical and regulatory restrictions on moving planting materials
Like strawberries - We need huge numbers of clean plants:
Perennial but grown as an annual – 13,000 plants per acre per year
Rate of virus re-infection can be very rapid – need to continually flush system
Unlike strawberries – there is little to no established private nursery industry
Most growers increase on farm.

3. NCPN-SP: Brief History
Joined 2015
Four meetings
Raleigh, NC, Organizing meeting 2015; Toured MPRU
Beltsville, MD, Virus testing standards meeting; Toured APHIS
Chase, LA, Toured Sweet potato research station
San Diego, CA; conjunction with National SP Council Convention
Six centers – NC, LA, CA, MS, AR, HI
Developed Logo, Trifold, website

4. NCPN-SP: Centers Centers are very diverse
AR – target clientele is small, underprivileged farmers (< 5 acres)
HI – targeting heirloom cultivars, Pacific Island farmers
MS – great potential for growth in supply and demand
CA - established, focusing on improvements
NC – established, potential for growth in demand
LSU – established, potential for growth in supply (aeroponics)

5. NCPN-SP: Opportunity
State
Acres Planted
# Plants required if 50% acreage was planted with clean plants
# Clean Tissue Culture Plants Produced
# Clean Greenhouse Plants Produced1
# Estimated clean plants available2
North Carolina
87,000
565,500,000 20
10,000
339,300,000
Mississippi3
27,000
175,500,000 18
92,000
31,200,000
California
18,500
120,250,000 10
60,000
192,400,000
Louisiana4
65,000,000
~2,000
150,000
13,866,667
Florida
5,600
36,400,000
Arkansas
4,000
26,000,000
~1,200
39,000
Alabama
2,600
16,900,000
New Jersey
1,200
7,800,000
Hawaii(*2011)
1,100
7,150,000 05
Texas
1,000
6,500,000
Total
157,600
1,027,000,000
341,000
384,366,667
There is a huge opportunity to greatly improve the state of the sweetpotato industry in the US.

6. NCPN-SP: Centers

7. NCPN-SP: Accomplishments
1) Developed virus testing protocols collaboratively
Compared current testing protocols
Recommended protocol and panel of viruses to test for
Paper – minimum virus testing protocols.
Resulted in procedural changes in each center
For ex. At FPS more virus types were included in panel; tests run on indicator plants
Better able to recommend procedures to new centers.

8. NCPN-SP: Accomplishments
2) Production of Clean Stock Increased
Facilities improvements (supplemental lights,……
Procedural improvement (aeroponics…
Sharing results with other centers

9. NCPN-SP: Accomplishments
3) Outreach Efforts begun
‘Benefits of Virus Tested Planting Stock’ Fact Sheet

10. NCPN-SP: Accomplishments
4) Unified Proposal
Consistent reporting across centers for Anticipated Accomplishments and Accomplishment Reports reflect the way different centers are addressing the varying needs of the stakeholders they serve.

11. NCPN-SP: Future plans
Hawaii is proposing therapy, maintenance, virus testing, and providing clean plants to growers. Cultivars are unique to Hawaii
Mississippi is broadening long-standing collaboration with Louisiana to re-test foundation planting materials.
Plans to increase collaboration between established and newer centers to aid newer centers. Travel, technical training and outreach efforts will be discussed at meeting in January in NC
Additional outreach materials (virtual tours, videos)