What is the scientific name of the sweet potato?
The scientific name of the sweet potato is Ipomoea batatas. It belongs to the morning glory family known as Convolvulaceae.
Questions about Sweet potato
Short answers, pulled from the story.
Where did the sweet potato originate and when was it domesticated?
The sweet potato originates in South America within present-day Ecuador. Domestication occurred at least 5,000 years ago between the Yucatán Peninsula of Mexico and the mouth of the Orinoco River in Venezuela.
How many tonnes of sweet potatoes were produced globally in 2020?
Global production of sweet potatoes reached 89 million tonnes in 2020. China led this total with 55% of the world output while Malawi, Tanzania, and Nigeria served as secondary producers.
Why are sweet potatoes considered naturally transgenic food crops?
Sweet potatoes contain DNA sequences from Agrobacterium specifically related to Rhizobium rhizogenes that remain actively expressed in the plant genome. This natural genetic modification makes them the first known example of a naturally transgenic food crop.
What nutrients does baked sweet potato provide per 100 grams?
A 100-gram reference amount of baked sweet potato provides 86 kcal of energy along with rich contents of vitamin A at 120% DV and vitamin C at 24% DV. It also supplies manganese at 24% DV and vitamin B6 at 20% DV.