Ipomoea batatas - breeding of Sweet Potato - Camote - New Zealand

[Richard Watson]

Ray - your frost free season is about the same as mine and going by the two in my tunnelhouse where every day would be 45degC or more I'm sure there would be some seed grown clones that would do well for you. Yesterday we topped out at 38C deg outside, inside would have been getting high 40's yet they showed no sign of stress, they are very tough.

[reed]

And that was when there was only the one clone with a flower and one flower only, so does that mean that 'BB cuzzie' is self compatible

Sure sounds like it, I knew some were self compatible. I'd kinda like to know for sure which in my collection are but so far it's been more trouble than it's worth to do all the isolation and hand pollinating to find out. I have theory that some are only compatible with some other particular one and maybe even in one specific direction but that is way over my ability to figure out unless I devote most of my space and time to just sweet potatoes and I can't do that.

They are very tough when it comes to heat and very tolerant of dry spells. Purple ones especially will wilt in hot afternoon sun but doesn't seem to hurt them at all. Dry spells don't bother them either.

That said, they also seem perfectly happy in some shade. I think I figured being tropical and liking heat meant they need full sun but then I realized just cause they are tropical doesn't mean they have to have full sun. There are probably lots of shade loving tropical plants. I think a general rule might be hot climate, some shade is OK, cool climate, more sun but here they do fine either way. Good sized roots maturing in short season is the most important thing to work on, I think. Well' besides producing seeds.

[Raymondo]

Ray - your frost free season is about the same as mine and going by the two in my tunnelhouse where every day would be 45degC or more I'm sure there would be some seed grown clones that would do well for you. Yesterday we topped out at 38C deg outside, inside would have been getting high 40's yet they showed no sign of stress, they are very tough.

I should try to convince my son to grow a few different ones and see if we can get some viable seed. They almost always flower in his garden but he's never taken any notice. At worst, he gets a load of sweet potatoes to eat!

[Richard Watson]

Just a case of whither or not they are capable of setting seed Ray. Love to see you have a go.

[gmuller]

I've got a purchased plant in a pot that I must put out in the ground. I grew a plant a few years ago with some success. Can't wait to retire and really get to work
GM

[Richard Watson]

I've got a purchased plant in a pot that I must put out in the ground. I grew a plant a few years ago with some success. Can't wait to retire and really get to work
GM

What are the importation requirements for Ipomoea batatas into Australia?

[Raymondo]

What are the importation requirements for Ipomoea batatas into Australia?

Tubers can only be imported at great cost. Seed imports are not mentioned which means by default they are prohibited entry.

[Richard Watson]

Tubers can only be imported at great cost. Seed imports are not mentioned which means by default they are prohibited entry.

That's a real bugger. Just hope the clones you already have i oz are not like the NZ Kumara clones and you are able to get some pollination.

[reed]

Richard, are the seed capsules filling out good? 

[Richard Watson]

Bbcuzzie as it will be called is an interesting plant, the first flowers grew on stems that only had one to three flowers, these early stems went dry and fall off. but now the plant is growing up to 12 flower buds per stem, talking with Chris about this yesterday, I think having each individual stem that is able to grow younger flowers well after the first ones have done there thing should help keep that stem alive allowing the first seed pods to grow. Bubbles bees love Bbcuzzie but I'm noticing that once they have done the rounds they fly off and not go to the other Camote plants as the flowers on them are sparse. Thinking that if I dont manage seed this summer and seeing Bbcuzzie is the premier flower producer next summer I should plant cuttings from it and intersperse them in between the other clone cuttings, but its a matter of seeing how this summer goes first.

[Richard Watson]

... also Chris now has some well developed rooted cuttings, so hopefully he can get some crossing with his Kumara clone.

[reed]

Bbcuzzie has the look of those that have about a 50/50 chance of having good roots but it's OK if it doesn't cause it also has the look of those that I think have the ability to unlock seediness in those it crosses with. I'm glad it has heart shaped leaves instead of lobed cause I think that means it descended from a cross rather than a selfed seed. If so that means it's seeds might segregate into all kinds of things.

The picture looks like lots of flowers are getting pollinated, are you of a mind that they are being selfed rather than crossed to the others? I'v noticed the bees tend to visit each flower only once. Apparently they can tell some how, they will buzz close to a flower but move on without landing if another bee has already been there.

[Richard Watson]

The one bubble bee I was watching yesterday was going back over flowers it had already been to, but it was the speed in which it was darting between flowers, it was like the bubble bee was having a race, but not spending much time inside each flower

Plant #6 has also reached the stage where its putting out 10+ flower bud stem, so at least some of my plants are now reaching the full on flowering stage.

I look back to the photos I post here 14 days ago and man there's been some growth since then, its been quite a run of hot weather this month. That link you sent me reed-  ventusky.com its been a few degrees lower most days than what the temps have been, there's been a lots of days around the 30C mark.

Your thoughts on Bbcuzzie are pleasing to know, its a must grow for wintering over as a cutting, but no point growing cuttings from the two that are not flowering

[Richard Watson]

I just noticed all my plants have heart shaped leaves

[Chris Morrison]

The Bbcuzzie that arrived here 2 days ago is about to flower, and should co-incide nicely with 2 multi-flowered 'hydras' on my Reds. So... the mating begins... hopefully! https://ibb.co/bgwb3vP