Selection of sweetpotato clones with high ß-carotene for processing of nutritious food products

S.L. Tan, A.M. Abdul Aziz, A. Zaharah, O. Salma and I. Khatijah

Abstract

ß-carotene, a precursor of Vitamin A, can be easily found in sweetpotato germplasm. While carrot, one of the traditional sources of ß-carotene, cannot grow in the tropical humid lowlands of Malaysia, sweetpotato thrives. In an attempt to partially substitute the imports of carrot and to popularize the use of orange sweetpotato in wholesome food products, a breeding and selection programme for sweetpotato clones with ß-carotene was initiated by MARDI. A series of trials was carried out on 13 clones together with two checks over six sites, one each located on tin-tailings and acid sulphate soils, and two sites each on upland mineral soils and bris. Combined analyses of variance showed that clones Merah Manis, Tainung No. 64, Guan and Caromex all gave root yields in excess of 15 t/ha after 3½– 4 months, with Merah Manis (26.2 t/ha) significantly outyielding the check Gendut (15.8 t/ha) over the six sites. Caromex, which ranked third or fourth at the marginal soil sites, had a higher ß-carotene content (6.18 mg/100 g) than the check Kuala Bikam 2 (5.81 mg/100 g). Initial testing of the four shortlisted clones for making juice showed promise in terms of taste and colour. With further product development work, this may lead to popularizing orange sweetpotato juice in place of carrot juice. Similarly, there is potential in using sweetpotato flour in place of wheat flour in making a more nutritious cake.

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