On October 20, Senior Cooperative Agricultural Research Center Research Scientist Ming Gao’s research group harvested their sweet potato hybrid lines, which are new purple-fleshed varieties. A total of 30 hybrid lines, which were selected from those obtained from hybridization in the previous two years, were grown in small blocks on the PVAMU farm to test their field performance and for their further selection. Two purple-fleshed and two orange-fleshed hybrids displayed strong field performance and have been selected for further variety trials next year.
The purple-fleshed sweet potato is becoming increasingly popular with consumers in the U.S. for its vibrant purple color and nutritional value especially in terms of its anthocyanin content, which has demonstrated ability to protect against a myriad of human diseases. However, current purple-fleshed sweet potato varieties have an unfavorable texture, and are not quite suited for fresh consumption. Gao’s ongoing breeding effort is focused on a new purple-fleshed hybrid that has better texture and mouth-feel when baked.
Ali Fares, Ph.D.
Interim Associate Director, Cooperative Agricultural Research Center
alfares@pvamu.edu
(936) 261-5019