Role of preharvest sprays of growth retardants on sweet potato

Sweet potato put forth luxuriant shoot growth under favourable conditions, which may be at the expense of their tuber yield potential. A balanced partioning of photosynthates towards root and shoot development is important in deciding the ultimate tuber yield of sweet potato. The scope of improving this partioning efficiency by restricting shoot growth through foliar sprays of growth regulators such as Maleic hydrazide (MH) and Cycocel (CCC).Great deal of losses occurs in sweet potato due to improper post harvest handling and sprouting behaviour during storage and storage method. Hence, the preharvest sprays of Maleic hydrazide (MH) and Cycocel (CCC) helps to reduce excessive vine growth, sprouting and shriveling during the storage period and also improving the quality and increase the yield of promising varieties.