Initiating sweet potato propagation through the cultivation of sprouts, commonly referred to as “slips,” constitutes a fundamental horticultural practice. This process involves nurturing new plantlets from a mature sweet potato, thereby enabling vegetative propagation and the subsequent establishment of independent plants. An example is placing a sweet potato tuber in water to encourage sprouting, eventually yielding multiple slips ready for transplanting.
This method offers several advantages, including cost-effectiveness, genetic consistency with the parent plant, and the opportunity to extend the growing season. Historically, the cultivation of these sprouts has played a crucial role in ensuring a consistent supply of sweet potatoes, particularly in regions where direct seeding is less viable due to climatic or soil conditions. It also promotes the preservation of desired traits within specific sweet potato varieties.
