‘Bellevue’ Sweetpotato

Abstract

disease resistance, cultivar 'Bellevue' sweetpotato [Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam.] was developed by the Louisiana Agricultural Experiment Station to provide an orange-fleshed, copper-skinned cultivar with superior storage root shape, skin smoothness, disease resistance, and southern root-knot nematode resistance. 'Bellevue' is weak in production beds, although adequate plant numbers can be achieved with proper presprouting. 'Bellevue' can be harvested up to 10 days earlier than the 'Covington' 'Bellevue' and 'Beauregard' The roots are elliptical and consistent in shape in varied soil types. It has a superior shape without lobing, and yields are equal and superior to 'Beauregard' for the U.S. no. 1 grade (5.1-8.9 cm diameter, 7.6-22.9 cm long) in California and in the Gulf South production region. The skin of 'Bellevue' is very smooth and remarkably free of lenticels, eyes, or fine root hairs. 'Bellevue' is highly resistant to southern root-knot nematode and well suited to sandy soils typical for the production area in California.