By Blake Jackson
Sweet potato greens could become a valuable addition to the American diet while giving farmers an opportunity to generate two food products from one crop.
Researchers at Lincoln University of Missouri (LU), Waana Kaluwasha and Safiullah Pathan, recently studied the nutritional qualities of young sweet potato leaves and stems grown under different production and soil-management systems.
Sweet potato greens (SPG) are widely consumed in parts of Asia and Africa, where the tender leaves and stems are prepared as vegetables. They contain protein, fiber, minerals, essential amino acids and beneficial bioactive compounds, making them a potentially nutritious alternative to more familiar leafy vegetables such as spinach. Despite these qualities, SPG remain relatively uncommon among US consumers and producers.
“Increasing interest in the nutritional and health benefits of food has prompted researchers to explore non-traditional leafy greens such as SPG,” Pathan said. “A few studies have been done in the United States; however, further research is needed.”
The LU researchers evaluated three varieties Covington, Murasaki and White Bonita and compared plants grown under conventional and organic systems. They also examined whether adding a mustard cover crop affected nutritional composition.
The results showed that conventionally produced greens generally had higher amounts of protein, fiber, fat, minerals and essential amino acids. Organic production was associated with greater carbohydrate and copper levels.
However, the differences were relatively small overall. The researchers also found that cover crops had a limited effect on nutrient composition, although mustard cover crops produced modest increases in protein, iron, zinc and several essential amino acids.
The three varieties displayed broadly similar nutritional profiles, suggesting growers can select varieties according to other priorities, including yield, disease resistance and storage-root characteristics.
The researchers noted that conventional production combined with a cover crop produced the highest overall essential amino acid content.
SPG could also provide farmers with another source of revenue. Young shoots can be harvested early in the growing season, while storage roots can be collected later from the same plants. Sweet potatoes’ ability to withstand heat and drought further strengthens their potential as a climate-resilient crop.
“A multi-year, multi-location study across both research field and small-farmer fields, in addition to awareness initiatives, will help popularize SPG as an alternative leafy green vegetable,” the researchers commented.
Photo Credit: pexels-tyas-wahyu-p
Categories: Missouri, Crops, Fruits and Vegetables, Education