Somatic Hybridization in Ipomoea (Sweet Potato) Species

Sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas) is a trailing vine of the morning glory or bineweed family, Convulvulaceae. Ipomoea is a pantropical genus with more than 500 species recognized, and displays a polyploid series of 2n = 30, 60, and 90 (Austin 1987). The domesticated sweet potato is the only hexaploid in the section that produces edible storage roots. The sweet potato grows in a wide range of climates and soils. It can tolerate a low fertilizer input and irregular water supply; hence, the sweet potato is a popular crop for small farmers in many parts of the tropics and subtropics.