HortScience· 2026Q2
Effect of In-row Spacing on Sweetpotato Yield in Northwest Washington
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- Q2SCImago
- 2026year
Short summary
A 25-cm in-row spacing for sweetpotatoes yielded more per hectare than closer spacings (20 or 30 cm) in Northwest Washington, particularly during warmer growing seasons, while reducing production costs.
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Key points
- Sweetpotato yield per hectare was greatest at 20-cm and 25-cm in-row spacings in a warmer 2023 growing season.
- Yield per plant decreased with narrower in-row spacing (20 cm), but increased plant density offset this in total hectare yield.
- A 25-cm in-row spacing is recommended for Northwest Washington due to similar hectare yields as 20-cm spacing but lower costs for slips and labor.
- All tested cultivars (Beauregard, Cascade, Covington, Monaco) showed similar responses to in-row spacing.
AI-generated from the title and abstract; the full text is not read.
Abstract
Sweetpotato ( Ipomoea batatas ) is a new crop to Northwest Washington and is gaining popularity among small, organic farmers in the region. Production success has been mixed in part as a result of the lack of information about optimal practices for the region. A field study was conducted in Mount Vernon, WA, USA, in 2023 and 2024 to evaluate the impact of three in-row spacings (20, 25, and 30 cm) on root yield and size for sweetpotato cultivars Beauregard, Cascade, Covington, and Monaco. Root yield was significantly greater in 2023, which had a warmer growing season than 2024, and the effect of in-row spacing on yield was more pronounced in 2023. US no. 1, marketable, and total yields per plant decreased with narrower in-row spacing in both years. The increase in plant density offset the decrease in yield per plant, resulting in greater total and marketable yields per hectare at the 20- and 25-cm in-row spacing in 2023, although in 2024 there were no differences resulting from spacing. The cultivars in this study all showed the same trends with in-row spacing and yield, so the same in-row spacing is recommended for all cultivars in this region. Although yield per hectare was similar between the 20- and 25-cm in-row spacing, the costs of slips as well as transplanting and weeding labor is less with the 25-cm in-row spacing; thus, a 25-cm in-row spacing is recommended in Northwest Washington.
The authors' abstract, as published at the source. HortScience, 2026 · DOI ↗
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HorticultureAgricultural and Biological Sciences