NCPN- Sweetpotato: Opportunity and Accomplishments Chris Clark, Professor, LSU, and Chair NCPN-SP NCPN-SP meeting Jan 2017, San Diego, CA

Sweetpotato Industry Industry is growing rapidly each state or region uses different cultivars, cultural practices Practical and regulatory restrictions on moving planting materials Like strawberries - We need huge numbers of clean plants: Perennial but grown as an annual – 13,000 plants per acre per year Rate of virus re-infection can be very rapid – need to continually flush system Unlike strawberries – there is little to no established private nursery industry Most growers increase on farm.

NCPN-SP: Brief History Joined 2015 Four meetings Raleigh, NC, Organizing meeting 2015; Toured MPRU Beltsville, MD, Virus testing standards meeting; Toured APHIS Chase, LA, Toured Sweet potato research station San Diego, CA; conjunction with National SP Council Convention Six centers – NC, LA, CA, MS, AR, HI Developed Logo, Trifold, website

NCPN-SP: Centers Centers are very diverse AR – target clientele is small, underprivileged farmers (< 5 acres) HI – targeting heirloom cultivars, Pacific Island farmers MS – great potential for growth in supply and demand CA - established, focusing on improvements NC – established, potential for growth in demand LSU – established, potential for growth in supply (aeroponics)

NCPN-SP: Opportunity State Acres Planted # Plants required if 50% acreage was planted with clean plants # Clean Tissue Culture Plants Produced # Clean Greenhouse Plants Produced1 # Estimated clean plants available2 North Carolina 87,000 565,500,000 20 10,000 339,300,000 Mississippi3 27,000 175,500,000 18 92,000 31,200,000 California 18,500 120,250,000 10 60,000 192,400,000 Louisiana4 65,000,000 ~2,000 150,000 13,866,667 Florida 5,600 36,400,000 Arkansas 4,000 26,000,000 ~1,200 39,000 Alabama 2,600 16,900,000 New Jersey 1,200 7,800,000 Hawaii(*2011) 1,100 7,150,000 05 Texas 1,000 6,500,000 Total 157,600 1,027,000,000   341,000 384,366,667 There is a huge opportunity to greatly improve the state of the sweetpotato industry in the US.

NCPN-SP: Centers

NCPN-SP: Accomplishments 1) Developed virus testing protocols collaboratively Compared current testing protocols Recommended protocol and panel of viruses to test for Paper – minimum virus testing protocols. Resulted in procedural changes in each center For ex. At FPS more virus types were included in panel; tests run on indicator plants Better able to recommend procedures to new centers.

NCPN-SP: Accomplishments 2) Production of Clean Stock Increased Facilities improvements (supplemental lights,…… Procedural improvement (aeroponics… Sharing results with other centers

NCPN-SP: Accomplishments 3) Outreach Efforts begun ‘Benefits of Virus Tested Planting Stock’ Fact Sheet

NCPN-SP: Accomplishments 4) Unified Proposal 2018-19 Consistent reporting across centers for Anticipated Accomplishments and Accomplishment Reports reflect the way different centers are addressing the varying needs of the stakeholders they serve.

NCPN-SP: Future plans Hawaii is proposing therapy, maintenance, virus testing, and providing clean plants to growers. Cultivars are unique to Hawaii Mississippi is broadening long-standing collaboration with Louisiana to re-test foundation planting materials. Plans to increase collaboration between established and newer centers to aid newer centers. Travel, technical training and outreach efforts will be discussed at meeting in January in NC Additional outreach materials (virtual tours, videos)