Sweet Potato Growth Parameters, Yield Components and Nutritive value for CELSS Applications

Sweet potatoes have been grown hydropon-Ically using the nutrient film technique (NFT) to provide a potential food source for long-term manned space missions. Experiments in both sand and NFT with ‘Georgia Jet’ and ‘TI-155’ cultivars have produced up to 1790 g/plant of fresh storage root with an edible biomass index ranging from 60-89% and edible biomass linear growth rates of 39-66 g m⁻² d⁻¹ in 105 to 130 days. Experiments with different cultivars, nutrient solution compositions and application rates, air and root temperatures, photoperiods and light intensities indicate good potential for sweet potatoes in Controlled Ecological Life Support Systems (CELSS).