Sweetpotato Diseases Research in Ethiopia

Sweetpotato [Ipomoa batatas (L) Lam] is among important crops in Ethiopia. It is annually produced on 53,000 hectares of land with total production around 4,240 tons and average productivity of 8 t ha-1. The productivity of the crop is extremely low as compared to the average world yield of 14.9 t ha-1 and potential yield of 45 t ha-1. One of the factors is the existence of sweetpotato diseases in the country. Hence, this paper reviews the types of diseases in Ethiopia, their status, prevalence, incidence and managements. Currently, virus is the major economically important disease in Ethiopia. Especially, since late 2004 to 2011 four types of viruses namely, Sweetpotato feathery mottle virus (SPFMV), Sweetpotato chlorotic stunt virus (SPCSV), Sweetpotato virus (SPVG) and Sweetpotato virus 2 (SPV2) were identified and recorded viral diseases in the country. Six viruses, namely, C-6 virus, Sweetpotato caulimo-like virus (SPCaLV), Sweetpotato chlorotic flecks virus (SPCFV, Sweetpotato latent virus (SPLV), Sweetpotato mild speckling virus (SPMSV), and Cucumber Mosaic Virus (CMV) were identified in 2012. In addition, sweetpotato stem blight caused by Alternaria spp., is also considered as intermediate and sometimes threatening sweetpotato production and productivity in the country. In order to manage these threatening diseases, it is recommended to strengthen local quarantine system, training of farmers, experts and multipliers. Moreover, it is also important to clean and distribute virus free planting materials to reduce the present status of the disease and its effect on the resource poor farmers and multipliers.