Facing food security risks: The rise and rise of the sweet potato in the Pacific Islands

Optimization of media formulation for axillary shoot multiplication of the red-peeled sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas [L.] Lam.) ‘Abees’

“…Sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas [L.] Lam; Convolvulaceae) is among the world's most important and versatile food crops (Bovell-Benjamin, 2007;Iese et al, 2018), ranking seventh among the most important food crops (Mukherjee et al, 2012) and third among the most important tuber and root food crops, after potato and cassava (FAOSTAT, 2016). Sweet potato is considered an important staple food and has been consumed and cultivated for more than 5000 yr (Bovell-Benjamin, 2007;Loebenstein, 2009).…”

“…Sweet potato is considered an important staple food and has been consumed and cultivated for more than 5000 yr (Bovell-Benjamin, 2007;Loebenstein, 2009). For these reasons, sweet potato is attractive to agriculturist, ecologists, and economists that are interested in developing sustainable food production systems in the tropics (Bovell-Benjamin, 2007;Loebenstein, 2009;Mukherjee et al, 2012;Iese et al, 2018).…”

Unlocking the inherent potential of plant genetic resources: food security and climate adaptation strategy in Fiji and the Pacific

“…The agriculture sector including forestry and fisheries holds special significance in the Pacific region. Subsistence food production forms a significant part of household income, sometimes being more than 50%, although it varies widely among and within countries (McGregor et al 2009 ), and is as high as 80% in PNG (Iese et al 2018 ). Agriculture is a valuable source of livelihood in Tonga, Samoa, Timor-Leste, Cook Islands, Kiribati, Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) and Tuvalu.…”

“…Agriculture is a valuable source of livelihood in Tonga, Samoa, Timor-Leste, Cook Islands, Kiribati, Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) and Tuvalu. The dependence on farming as a percentage of the rural population is around 80% in Solomon Islands, 70–80% in Vanuatu and 50–60% in Tonga (Iese et al 2018 ). In Niue and Marshall Islands, the economic contribution of agriculture is limited whist in Nauru, Palau and atolls of the Pacific it is insignificant (SPC 2011 ).…”

Effect of Combined Organic and Inorganic Fertilizer Application on Soil Attributes, Yield and Quality of Sweet Potato (Ipomoea batatas L.)

“…The importance of this crop includes nutritional and health benefits related to the consumption of the tuberous root. According to Chueyen and Eun (2013), sweet potato possesses phenolic compounds, anthocyanins, sporamins, carotenoids (Hussein et al, 2014), vitamins A, B, C, K, and E, which are important in the prevention of several diseases, contributing to food security in some regions (Low et al, 2017;Iese et al, 2018). Furthermore, sweet potato is a highly energetic food due to its high starch content, and can also be used in the biodiesel and bioethanol industry (Silva et al, 2018a).…”