Participatory Evaluation and Promotion of Orange Fleshed Sweetpotato Varieties and Their Utilization in Northwestern Ethiopia

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A participatory varietal selection (PVS) study was carried out during the 2022 main cropping season, followed by promotional and dissemination activities in 2023 and 2024 across West Belesa, East Belesa, Gondar Zuria, and Debark (Belese Kebele) districts. Six orange-fleshed sweetpotato varieties were evaluated using a randomized complete block design with three replications, following the mother–baby trial approach. Agronomic data were collected from the mother trials and analyzed using R software, while farmers’ preference data from baby trials were analyzed through pairwise ranking. The combined analysis of variance revealed significant differences among the tested varieties of terms of maturity date, plant height, root diameter, and total root yield per hectare. The highest mean root yield was recorded for the variety Kulfo (26.03 t ha⁻¹), followed by Dilla (23.54 t ha⁻¹), whereas the lowest yield was obtained from Tulla (13.54 t ha⁻¹). Farmers evaluated the varieties based on their selection criteria and ranked Kulfo, Tulla, and Burtiknie as first, second, and third, respectively. Kulfo and Tulla were subsequently selected for further demonstration and community seed production in the PVS sites and related agroecological zones. Across the promotion and scaling phases, Kulfo remained the most preferred variety, therefore, wider dissemination of the Kulfo variety is recommended in the study areas and with similar environments. farmer preference food recipe orange-fleshed sweetpotato varieties participatory variety selection root yield and vitamin A Figures Figure 1 Figure 2 Figure 3 1. Introduction Sweetpotato (Ipomoea batatas L.) is one of the world’s oldest domesticated crops; with evidence of cultivation dating back more than 5,000 years in tropical regions of the AmericasCentral America is widely regarded as its primary center of origin. The crop belongs to the family Convolvulaceae and is a starchy root of a vigorous perennial vine. Within the genus Ipomoea, which comprises over 600 species worldwide, only I. batatas is cultivated for food and economic purposes. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]. Globally, sweetpotato ranks as the seventh most important food crop after wheat, rice, maize, potato, barley, and cassava. Annual global production exceeds 119 million tons, with Asia accounting for about 70% of total output, followed by Africa (approximately 25%) and the Americas [ 4 ]. Asia is the world’s largest producing continent (70.5%), Africa 24.6%, and Eastern Africa 15.9% [ 5 ]. The average global yield of storage roots is estimated at 14.8 t ha⁻¹ [ 5 ]. In Africa, sweetpotato is the second most significant root crop after cassava, with production concentrated in East Africa and the Great Lakes region [ 6 ] and [ 7 ]. However, productivity remains low in most parts of sub-Saharan Africa, with yields typically ranging from 3 t ha⁻¹ in West Africa to about 8 t ha⁻¹ in East Africa, far below the global average [ 6 ]. In Ethiopia, sweetpotato is an important staple and cash crop grown mainly by smallholder farmers. The crop occupies about 81,000 hectares nationwide, yet average farm yields remain below 9 t ha⁻¹, compared with potential yields of 25–36 t ha⁻¹ recorded under research conditions [ 8 , 9 ]. It serves as a major source of carbohydrates for rural households and ranks third among root and tuber crops after Irishpotato and cassava in tropical Africa [ 10 ], and the third root and tuber crop after Irishpotato and cassava is consumed in tropical Africa [ 11 ]. Sweetpotato varieties, particularly the orange-fleshed types are nutritionally valuable sources of β-carotene, anthocyanins, phenolic compounds, dietary fiber, and essential vitamins such as A, C, and B6, along with minerals like iron and zinc, protein, and carbohydrates[ 4 ]. Sweetpotato root is used as food for humans and is one of the cheapest sources of vitamin A, and its leaves and vines are used as feed for livestock. The root is food for humans; in addition to being rooted in African countries, young leaves are cooked and eaten as vegetables [ 12 ]. Supplementing animal feed with sweetpotato vines has been shown to improve milk yield, demonstrating the crop’s multifaceted role in farming systems [ 13 ]. Orange-fleshed sweetpotato (OFSP) is a biofortified crop particularly rich in β-carotene, the precursor of vitamin A, and is therefore vital in addressing vitamin A deficiency (VAD) [ 14 ] and [ 15 ]. VAD affects an estimated 140 million school-aged children worldwide, primarily in Africa and Asia, where traditional white or yellow-fleshed sweet potato varieties dominate and contain low levels of provitamin A. Vitamin A insufficiency is a major public health problem associated with poor vision, decreased immunity, and increased mortality, particularly among children and pregnant women in Sub-Saharan Africa, including Ethiopia [ 6 ] and [ 16 ]. In addition to its nutritional importance, sweetpotato is recognized for its adaptability to harsh environments, thus contributing to improved food security, resilience, and nutritional security [ 1 ] and [ 17 ]. Sweetpotato is affected by drought stress during the establishment stage, up to six weeks after planting; however, after establishment, it becomes tolerant to drought stress through different response mechanisms, including morphological, molecular, biochemical, and physiological changes [1,2, [ 18 ]. Hence, it is considered an attractive food crop among farmers and growers because it requires less care and input [ 19 ] and [ 6 ]. High-yielding orange-fleshed varieties are an entry point for developing new uses for the crop to transform sweet potato from a low-input, low-yielding food security crop into a nutritious food with diverse uses and expanding markets. Sweetpotatoes continue to play a critical role in disaster relief and mitigation [ 20 ] and [ 21 ]. Participatory varietal selection (PVS) is an approach that engages farmers directly in identifying, testing, and evaluating new varieties based on local preferences and production conditions. This farmer-centered method enhances the relevance, adoption, and sustainability of agricultural innovations while accelerating the selection of preferred varieties when multiple options are available [ 22 ]. Although OFSP is cultivated in several parts of eastern Africa, its introduction and popularization remain limited in many areas of Ethiopia, particularly within the Amhara region. It is the most important root crop in Ethiopia and is produced primarily in southern Ethiopia and as part of Oromia; however, in the Amhara region, the orange-fleshed type of sweetpotato has not been introduced, grown, or popularized in the study areas or in the region. To address this gap, participatory evaluation, demonstration, and promotion of OFSP varieties were undertaken in the study areas to identify adaptable, high-yielding, and resilient cultivars that align with farmers’ preferences. 2. Materials and methods 2.1 . Description of the Experimental Site A participatory vein selection (PVS) experiment was conducted during the 2022 main cropping season, followed by promotion activities in 2023 and 2024 across the West Belesa, East Belesa, Gondar Zuria, and Debark (Belese Kebele) areas. When the areas for the on-farm trials were selected, a range of different agroecological factors (rainfall, soil type, and temperature) were included. All the experimental sites are described in Table 1 . Table 1 Description of the study areas Locations Soil type RF(mm) Tem. (°C) Alt. (m.a.s.l) Latitude Longitude Min Max Gondar Zuria clay loam 1025 13.02 27.72 2110 12.60° N 37.47° E E/Belesa Sandy loam 850 15.68 28.30 1900 12.98° N 37.80° E W/Belesa Sandy loam 700 15.5 30 1850 12.78° N 37.20° E *Source: Ethiopian meteorological station at each location 2.2. Experimental design and field management The experiment consisted of six orange-fleshed sweetpotato varieties (Kabode, Alamura, Dilla, Kulfo, Buritikanie, and Tulla), which were released by the Southern Agricultural Research Institute (SARI), Hawassa Agricultural Research Center, and Sirinka Agricultural Research Center. The experiment was carried out as mother and baby trials. The mother trial was arranged in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications. Thus, six treatments were performed in triplicate. The treatments were randomly allotted to each plot. The experimental plot had an area of 9 m 2 (3 m long × 3 m wide). The spaces between the replications and plots were 1.5 m and 1 m, respectively. The spaces between rows and plants were 60 cm and 30 cm, respectively. Data were collected on agronomic and yield parameters, such as days to 90% maturity, plant height (cm), number of roots per plant, root length (cm), root diameter (cm), and root yield (kg plot⁻¹), and finally converted to ton ha⁻¹. Plants in the three middle rows out of the five rows per plot constituted the net plot used as the sampling unit. The data for plant height, number of roots per plant, root length, and root diameter were taken from the average of the middle row's five randomly selected plants in plot − 1 for sampling and data analysis. The data for root yield and average root weight were taken from three central middle rows of the plot. To provide favorable conditions for vine and root growth, weeding and earthing were performed two times, 30 days and 60 days after planting. Fertilizer was applied at a rate of 175 kg NPS ha⁻¹ at planting and 80 kg urea ha⁻¹ four weeks after planting. Table 2 Description of sweetpotato varieties evaluated in a participatory trial. No. Variety Flesh color β-Carotene content (mg/100 g) RDMC (%) Origin 1 Dilla Deep orange 9.5 32.47 Ethiopia 2 Kulfo Intermediate orange 5.5 21.0 Ethiopia 3 Birtukanie Intermediate orange - - Ethiopia 4 Kabode Intermediate orange 11.0 30.5 Uganda 5 Alamura Deep orange 12.48 31.82 Ethiopia 6 Tulla Pale orange 9.5 28.5 Ethiopia *Sources ref. [ 6 ] and [ 23 ], RDMC = root dry matter content 2.3. Farmer Preferences for Varieties Evaluation Participatory variety selection was used in this research to identify farmers’ selection criteria and acceptable varieties to adapt and assimilate into the production system. The selection of varieties was performed on farms in Gondar Zuria, E/Belesa, and W/Belesa. Researchers from the research center, CIP researchers, experts from the woreda and kebele agricultural development office, and farmers in three areas participated in the selection of sweetpotato varieties. Among the participants, 26 farmers participated, of whom 16 were female and 10 were male. Before the evaluation of varieties, discussions on plant characteristics were conducted with the invited participants, and the farmers provided their opinions on the preferred attributes and identified traits such as root size, vine length, earliness to maturity, root yield, and taste. Farmer preference selection was conducted at the maturity stage, with yields/roots harvested from each variety on the basis of the farmer’s preferences/criteria. In general, according to agronomic data and farmer preference criteria such as high yield, earliness, large root size, high number of roots, good vine length, and good taste, varieties are considered good traits to be selected by farmers. For further technology, a field day was organized during the harvesting stage for taste preference and food recipe preparation products. Field-day event participants were targeted on the basis of sweetpotato production and food recipes during PVS, demonstrations, and community seed production. During the day of the field event, awareness of the OFSP used in different food products, such as mixing with wheat and teff flour for making bread, (Ethiopian pan cake/bread), and preparing jam, chips, porridge (genfo), and samosa (sambusa) for farmers and other stakeholders, was created. 2.4. OFSP food recipe OFSP mixtures with different proportions of other flour can be used to make bread and other products. The bread was made by substituting 50% of the wheat flour with OFSP puree. The flour processing procedures include the following steps: one. OFSP selection of materials, two. Cleaning, peeling, and trimming; three. Washing, four. Slicing/chipping, five. Drying, six. Milling and seven. Packing and storage. The proportions of OFSP pure, wheat flour, and other ingredients were as follows (Fig. 1). 2.5 Data analysis The collected agronomic and yield data were subjected to analysis of variance via R software. Least significant differences (LSD) were used to compare the treatments. The farmers’ perception data were analyzed via pairwise ranking. 3. Results and Discussions This study evaluated the performance of six orange-fleshed sweetpotato (OFSP) varieties across three locations (West Belesa, East Belesa, and Gondar Zuria) during the 2022/23 main cropping season. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) revealed a significant difference from P ≤ 0.001 to P ≤ 0.05 among the varieties in terms of root yield and yield-related traits among the tested varieties and across locations. 3.1. Analysis of Yield-Related Agronomic Traits The combined analysis across locations provides insight into the traits that contributed to the yield performance of the tested varieties. Significant variation (p < 0.05 or p < 0.001) was observed among the varieties for most of the measured traits, including days to maturity, vine length, root length, root diameter, number of roots per plant, and average root weight (Table 4 ). These components are known to have both direct and indirect contributions to the final root yield. Days to maturity There was a highly significant difference (p < 0.001) among the test varieties and testing locations regarding days to maturity. The number of days to maturity ranged from 136–157 days (Table 4 and Table 3 ). Kulfo was the earliest maturing variety (136 days), which is an important trait in regions prone to terminal droughts or erratic rainfall patterns, as they can escape end-of-season water stress. Despite being the earliest maturing variety, Kulfo yielded the highest yield, which indicates its efficiency in assimilate partitioning and fast root bulking during limited growing periods. In contrast, Dilla, Kabode, and Alamura matured later (152–157 days), potentially exposing them to end-of-season moisture stress, depending on the rainfall pattern. This result is similar to that of Aragaw et al. [ 6 ], who reported that Kulfo matured earlier (144 days) than did Alamura and Dilla (169.5 days). Days to maturity are affected by altitude and RF; altitude and RF amount decrease the maturity date of varieties earlier than increasing the altitude and rainfall amount (Table 1 and Table 3 ). This result agrees with the findings of Aragaw et al. [ 6 ] who reported that, at low and mid-altitudes, orange-fleshed sweetpotato varieties mature earlier than do those at high altitudes. Vine Length/Plant Height There was a significant difference (p < 0.01) in vine length among the test varieties. The Dilla variety presented the tallest plants (214.47 cm), followed by Alamura (190.62 cm), which could reflect strong vegetative growth (Table 4 ). However, taller plants do not necessarily correspond to higher yields. For example, Dilla was high yielding, but Alamura, despite its height, had a relatively low root yield (17.31 t ha⁻¹). Conversely, Kulfo had a shorter plant height (99.49 cm) but a greater yield than did the high vine length varieties. These results are similar to those of others Aragaw et al. [ 6 ] and Kuma & Chewaka [ 9 ] vegetative parameters, such as aboveground biomass yield, vine length, and internode diameter, were negatively correlated with root yield. The differences in vine length among the sweetpotato varieties might be due to the inherent characteristics of the varieties and the differences in the environment between the study areas. The present study results are in agreement with the results obtained by Abewoy et al. [ 24 ], Wube [ 25 ] and Aragaw et al. [ 6 ]. Root Length and Diameter Root length and diameter are key yield-contributing traits. Kabode had the longest roots (21.9 cm), whereas Tulla had the widest roots (10.43 cm), indicating strong sink development. However, Tulla produces fewer roots per plant (2.24), which likely contributes to its poor yield. Kulfo, with relatively moderate root length (14.54 cm) and high root diameter (9.02 cm), was more efficient at producing marketable storage roots (Table 4 ). This result is similar to Abewoy et al. [ 24 ], who reported that the maximum root diameter (8.19 cm) was obtained from the Kulfo variety, whereas the lowest (5.75 cm) was from the Dilla variety and the Alamura (5.97 cm) variety. Number of Roots per Plant The number of roots per plant is another important determinant of yield. Birtukanie had the highest number of roots per plant (4.11), followed by Kulfo (3.87). However, the relatively low average root weight (0.36 kg) of Birtukanie reduced its total yield. This finding shows that both root number and root weight must be considered together for effective selection. Average Root Weight Tulla had the highest average root weight (0.66 kg), even though it presented the lowest total yield. This suggests that despite the large individual roots, the low root number (2.24) and short root length (13.76 cm) limited total production. On the other hand, Kulfo showed a balance between moderate root number (3.87), good root diameter, and decent average weight (0.55 kg), resulting in its superior performance. Table 3 Mean root yield (t ha⁻¹) and days of maturity of the tested orange-fleshed sweetpotato varieties at three locations during the 2022/23 main cropping season root yield (t ha − 1 ) Days of maturity Varieties W/Belesa E/Belesa Gondar zuria Mean W/Belesa E/Belesa Gondar zuria Mean Dilla 21.36 25.74 23.53 23.54 154 153 163 157 Kulfo 23.97 32.04 22.08 26.03 133 134 142 136 Birtukanie 21.69 13.69 23.89 19.76 139 138 149 142 Kabode 15.22 16.46 22.96 18.21 148 149 159 152 Alamura 16.54 14.14 21.24 17.31 151 153 166 156 Tulla 14.33 12.64 13.65 13.54 137 132 146 138 Mean 18.85 19.11 21.23 19.73 144 143 154 147.35 CV (%) 17.45 16.04 20.23 18.20 2.26 2.5 2.64 2.48 LSD (5%) 5.98 5.58 7.81 3.46 5.93 6,5 7.43 3.53 Sig 5% ** ** * * *** *** *** *** * *, ** **, and ***** indicate significance at the 0.05, 0.01, and 0.001 probability levels, respectively; CV = coefficient of variation; and LSD = least significant difference. Table 4 Combined mean yield and yield-related traits of the tested orange-flesh sweetpotato varieties at W/Belesa, E/Belesa, and Gondar zuria during the 2022/23 main cropping season Varieties Days of maturity Vine length (cm) Root length (cm) Root diameter (cm) Root numbers plant − 1 Average root weight (kg) Root yield (t ha − 1 ) Dilla 157 214.47 17.84 6.77 3.22 0.44 23.54 Kulfo 136 99.49 14.54 9.02 3.87 0.55 26.03 Birtukanie 142 163.93 18.41 6.34 4.11 0.36 19.76 Kabode 152 82.73 21.9 5.76 2.87 0.39 18.21 Alamura 156 190.62 15.38 7.24 3.78 0.36 17.31 Tulla 138 91.64 13.76 10.43 2.24 0.66 13.54 Mean 147.35 140.48 16.97 7.59 3.35 0.46 19.73 CV (%) 2.48 13.74 19.03 22.89 29.17 31.01 30.20 LSD (5% 3.53 18.58 1.80 0.95 0.52 0.14 3.46 Varieties *** ** ** * * ** * Loc. *** NS NS NS NS NS * Varieties*Loc. NS NS NS NS NS NS NS * Where *, ** and *** indicate significance at 0.05, 0.01, and 0.001 probability levels, respectively, CV = coefficient of variation, LSD = least significant difference, and NS = no significance. 3.2. Root yield performance Root yield is the ultimate indicator of productivity in sweetpotato evaluation trials. There was a significant difference (p < 0.05) among the test varieties and testing locations in terms of root yield (Table 3 and Table 4 ), which may confirm the presence of substantial genetic variability and genotype‒environment interactions. The mean root yield across locations ranged from 12.64 t ha⁻¹ in the Tulla variety to 32.00 t ha⁻¹ in the Kulfo variety, with a grand mean of 19.73 t ha⁻¹ (Table 3 ). Separate analyses for each of the test locations revealed consistent variations in root yield among the test varieties (Table 3 ). Kulfo and Dilla consistently presented the highest root yields in all the testing areas. These two varieties consistently performed well across locations, indicating either wide adaptability or specific adaptability to favorable environments such as East Belesa. Notably, Kulfo peaked yield of 32.04 t ha⁻¹ in East Belesa, suggesting that this variety can exploit high-input or favorable moisture conditions effectively. In the moisture stress areas of both Belesa and Kulfo, the yield was highest, at 32.02 t ha⁻¹ and 23.97 t ha⁻¹ in E/Belesa and W/Belesa, respectively; this may be due to early maturity. In contrast, Tulla presented the lowest mean yield (13.54 t ha⁻¹) and consistently underperformed across all three locations, suggesting poor adaptability or unfavorable genotype‒environment interactions. Alamura and Kabode also presented lower yields (17.31 and 18.21 t ha⁻¹, respectively), although they presented moderate performance at Gondar Zuria, which generally presented higher average yields than did the other two sites. Birtukanie showed inconsistent performance, with a low yield (13.69 t ha⁻¹) at East Belesa but moderate to good yields at West Belesa (21.69 t ha⁻¹) and Gondar Zuria (23.89 t ha⁻¹). This pattern indicates that Birtukanie may be more suited to specific agroecological niches or may be more sensitive to local climate factors. The significant location × genotype interaction suggests that some varieties, such as Kulfo, may have specific adaptability, especially in East Belesa, where the highest location-specific yield (32.04 t ha⁻¹) was recorded. Abewoy et al. [ 24 ] reported that, similar to Kulfo variety presented the highest root yield (33.90 t ha-1), followed by the Kabode variety (31.90 t ha-1), Alammura variety (23.90 t ha-1), and Dilla variety (16.81 t ha-1). The highly significant differences among sweetpotato varieties might be due to the genetic differences in the development of these varieties Abewoy et al. [ 24 ], Kuma & Chewaka (2022) [ 9 ] and wube [ 25 ] reported that sweetpotato varieties significantly differ with respect to their roots and related traits. Among the three sites, Gondar Zuria had the highest overall mean root yield (21.23 t ha⁻¹), followed by East Belesa (19.11 t ha⁻¹) and West Belesa (18.85 t ha⁻¹). Gondar Zuria could be attributed to better rainfall distributions, optimal temperatures, or improved soil conditions, all of which can increase root development in sweetpotato. The combined analysis revealed that Kulfo was the top-performing variety with the highest mean yield (26.03 t ha⁻¹), followed by Dilla (23.54 t ha⁻¹), both of which significantly outperformed the other varieties. The poor yield performance of the Tulla variety was associated with root yield (13.54 t ha⁻¹); the other three varieties presented better mean root yield performance than did the Tulla varieties (Table 4 ). 3.3. Farmer Preferences for Orange-Fleshed Sweetpotato (OFSP) Varieties In addition to agronomic and yield data, farmer preferences offer critical insights into varietal adoption potential. Participatory varietal selection (PVS) integrates farmers’ experiential knowledge, sociocultural priorities, and market preferences into varietal evaluation. This approach enhances the relevance and sustainability of breeding outcomes, especially in smallholder farming systems where local preferences heavily influence adoption. The ultimate goal of participatory variety evaluation is to identify farmer-preferred traits that go beyond the breeder's perspective. In this study, the participating farmers ranked the traits they considered most important and evaluated the varieties on the basis of their own selection criteria. Tables 4 and 5 summarize the rankings of the six OFSP varieties based on five major selection criteria: earliness, root size, taste, plant height, and yield. Each criterion was assigned a weight to reflect its importance, and farmers rated the varieties on a scale from one (poor) to five (excellent). Total scores were calculated as the product of weight and rank and summed to derive an overall ranking (Table 5 ). In the moisture-stressed areas of both West Belesa and East Belesa, farmers ranked yield, earliness, root size, sweetness, and plant height/vine length as the first through fifth most important traits, respectively (Table 5 ). In East Belesa and West Belesa, Kulfo received the highest total score (71), followed by Tulla (61) and Birtukanie (50). The lowest ranked variety was Kabode (26), which was rated poorly across all the traits, particularly in yield (rank 6), root size (rank 6), and earliness (rank 6). Earliness is a critical trait for farmers in rain-dependent farming systems, especially in drought-prone areas such as Belesa. Kulfo (rank 1) was perceived as the earliest maturing variety, aligning with its agronomic maturity data (136 days in Table 4 ). Farmers recognized its early bulking and short growing cycle as essential for food security. Tulla also scored well (rank 2) on short maturity days (138), reinforcing its potential for fast field turnover or gap filling during cropping cycles. Farmers highly value large, market-preferred roots. Kulfo again ranked highest in terms of root size, matching its superior agronomic root diameter (9.02 cm). It also received the highest rating for yield, which is consistent with its top performance in Table 2 (26.03 t ha⁻¹). Tulla surprisingly received a yield rank of two from farmers despite its low measured yield (13.54 t ha⁻¹). This may reflect visual impressions of large individual roots (diameter of 10.43 cm and average weight of 0.66 kg), which can influence farmer perceptions regardless of total productivity. Taste is essential for household consumption and local markets. Interestingly, all varieties received a moderate taste rating, suggesting minor differences among them. Vine length, although less influential in terms of direct market value, was ranked highest in Dilla and Birtukanie, both of which are recognized for their vine length and biomass. However, this trait ranked lower in importance, indicating that root characteristics are more valuable (Table 5 ). In Gondar Zuria, root size and earliness were ranked equally important and often interchanged (Table 5 ). In Gondar Zuria, a similar trend was observed. Kulfo again received the highest score (86), affirming its broad-based acceptability. This was followed by Dilla (61), Tulla (58), and Birtukanie (42). Kabode was again the least preferred (26), highlighting consistent rejection due to poor performance in farmers’ eyes. Kulfo was top-ranked for earliness (1) and root size (1), reflecting its perceived suitability for short-season and food-insecure conditions. Tulla also received top marks for root size and early maturity, reflecting farmer satisfaction with individual root weight and maturity days. Overall, on the basis of these preferences, the Kulfo, Tulla, and Birtukanie varieties were selected as the first, second, and third choices, respectively, at both West Belesa and East Belesa, and the Kulfo, Dilla, and Tulla varieties were selected as the first, second, and third choices, respectively, at Gondar Zuria. The other varieties were less preferred because of their late maturity and lower yields. These findings are consistent with those of the study by Birhanu Lencha [ 26 ], who reported that Kulfo, Koka-6, and Hawassa-83 were among the varieties most preferred by farmers. Table 5 Farmers’ preferences for orange-fleshed sweetpotato varieties at both East and West Belesa testing locations in 2022/2023. Preference criteria’s Weight Rank Kulfo Kabode Alamura Dilla Burtiknie Tulla Earliness 4 5 1 3 3 3 4 Root size 3 5 1 2 3 3 3 Taste 1 3 3 2 2 3 3 Plant height 2 4 3 4 2 4 4 Yield 5 5 1 2 1 4 5 Total score 71 26 38 32 50 61 Sum rank 1 6 4 5 3 2 * Rank indicates 1 = poor, 2 = satisfactory, 3 = good, 4 = very good, 5 = excellent, and total score = weight *rank Table 6 Farmers’ preferences for orange-fleshed sweetpotato varieties at the Gondar zuria testing locations in 2022/2023. Preference criteria’s Weight Rank Kulfo Kabode Alamura Dilla Burtiknie Tulla Earliness 3 5 1 3 4 3 3 Root size 4 5 1 2 4 3 5 Taste 1 3 3 2 3 3 3 Plant height 2 4 3 4 5 4 3 Yield 5 5 1 2 4 4 4 Total score 86 26 37 61 42 58 Sum rank 1 6 5 2 4 3 * Rank indicates 1 = poor, 2 = satisfactory, 3 = good, 4 = very good, 5 = excellent, and total score = weight *rank 3.3.1. Farmer Preferences across Operations The consistency of Kulfo as the top-ranked variety at both sites demonstrates its wide adaptability and alignment with farmer priorities, including early maturity for moisture stress escape, large market-preferred roots with good shape and weight, high yield potential, support from both agronomic data and farmer evaluation, and acceptable taste, which is critical for household consumption. Despite Tulla’s poor agronomic yield, it was the second most preferred yield in Belesa and third most preferred yield in Gondar Zuria, highlighting that individual root size and visual traits strongly influence farmer choice—sometimes even more than total yield. This underscores the need for breeders to consider both quantitative data and qualitative farmer preferences. Varieties such as Kabode consistently received the lowest ranks and scores, both in scientific and farmer evaluations, suggesting limited potential for adoption unless improved. Dilla, with good yield and moderate ratings of other traits, remains a competitive option, especially in Gondar Zuria, where it was the second most preferred. 3.3.2. Demonstration, Promotion, and Farmer Feedback To accelerate the adoption of orange-fleshed sweetpotato (OFSP) varieties, particularly Kulfo and Tulla, targeted promotion and demonstration activities were conducted in 2023 and 2024 across four intervention sites, including Debark (Belese Kebele). These events included on-farm demonstrations, field days, and community seed production initiatives aimed at enhancing awareness, participatory evaluation, and sustainable seed dissemination. As shown in Fig. 2 , the yield comparison during the demonstration at Debark clearly indicated the superiority of Kulfo over Tulla. Kulfo consistently produced relatively high yields, which aligns well with previous multilocation trial results (Table 3 ), where Kulfo outperformed all other varieties, achieving a mean yield of 26.03 t ha⁻¹. This reinforced the perception of Kulfo as a more robust and productive variety, particularly under the challenging agroecological conditions of the area. The demonstration plots generated encouraging yields, reflecting the productive potential of the OFSP under farmer-managed conditions. These pilot-scale promotions built trust in the varieties and laid a foundation for further expansion. Table 7 Root yield data during the promotion years at Belesa Year Area/ha Participate Yield/ton 2023 0.25 20 5 2024 0.09 10 2 During 2023 and 2024, promotion work and field days were organized across the four study areas. The farmers consistently favored the Kulfo and Tulla varieties. Community seed production efforts were initiated with these varieties to ensure a sustainable supply. In 2023, 20 farmers cultivated Kulfo and Tulla on 0.25 hectares of land, yielding a total of 5 tons, or approximately 20 t/ha. In 2024, 10 farmers cultivated the varieties on 0.09 hectares and harvested 2 tons, indicating an even higher yield of approximately 22.2 t/ha (Table 7 ). Despite the small scale of these interventions, the demonstration plots not only confirmed the high productivity of Kulfo under farmer-managed conditions but also served as influential learning platforms for neighboring farmers and local authorities. Such demonstrations and promotions are essential for bridging the gap between research and adoption, especially in regions such as Belesa and Gondar Zuria, where awareness of the nutritional benefits and agronomic potential of OFSP is still emerging. The participatory nature of these activities allowed farmers to observe and judge performance firsthand, building trust in the varieties and increasing their willingness to adopt. 3.3.3. Farmer Feedback Drought tolerance and adaptability One of the most frequently mentioned advantages of the Kulfo variety is its greater tolerance to moisture stress. Farmers noted that Kulfo was more resilient during dry spells, maintained longer leaf turgor, and continued to produce sizeable roots even under suboptimal rainfall conditions. These observations align with the formal yield trials where Kulfo maintained high performance across diverse agroecologies (West Belesa, East Belesa, and Gondar Zuria), indicating broad adaptability. In drought-prone environments such as Belese Kebele, this trait is highly valued. Short growing seasons and unreliable rainfall are common constraints in Ethiopian agriculture and the study area, and early-maturing, stress-susceptible crops are essential for food security. Farmers confirmed that Kulfo matured earlier than other varieties did, allowing it to escape terminal drought, making it not only productive but also reliable. Dual-Purpose Use: Food and Fodder Another unique advantage of Kulfo, as highlighted by farmers, is its utility as both a food and a fodder crop. During the dry season, Kulfo vines remained green even at full maturity—a trait that is uncommon in most sweetpotato varieties. Farmers utilize fresh vines as livestock feed, particularly for dairy cows. Many notable improvements in milk production have been observed, especially when vines are used to supplement low-quality basal diets. This observation is supported by Etela et al. [ 13 ], who reported that sweetpotato vines significantly increase milk yield when used as a forage supplement. In smallholder mixed farming systems where crop‒livestock integration is vital, this multipurpose trait adds substantial value to the Kulfo variety. It not only addresses household food and nutritional needs but also contributes to livestock productivity and income diversification. Root Characteristics and Market Potential In addition to agronomic and fodder benefits, farmers highlighted the attractive root characteristics of Kulfo. Its large, uniform, and well-shaped roots were appreciated for both household consumption and market sales. Farmers described the taste of Kulfo as no longer different from that of Tulla and other varieties. These characteristics make it suitable for home use and potential processing into OFSP-based food products such as bread, chips, or flour, supporting the broader agenda of food fortification and vitamin A deficiency reduction. On the other hand, while Tulla is recognized for its individual root size and high average root weight, its total root number per plant. Nonetheless, tulla retained some preference among farmers, likely due to its visual appeal and large roots, which may be preferred in certain markets or for cultural dishes. The feedback collected during these events emphasized that the availability of quality planting material, technical support, and market linkages are essential for the widespread adoption of OFSP. 3.4. OFSP Food Recipe Bread food products are commonly important cereal-based products consumed by most individuals in sub-Saharan African countries, including Ethiopia. The current technology in bread formulation involves the incorporation of orange-fleshed sweetpotato puree with other cereal flour to alleviate nutritional insecurity, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa, where vitamin A deficiency (VAD) is a problem Owade et al., [ 27 ]. The promotion of orange-fleshed sweetpotato (OFSP) puree as a functional food in Ethiopia has proven to be a successful strategy for combating vitamin A deficiency. The incorporation of OFSP puree into various food products, such as bread, injera, and fruit jams, has served as an effective avenue for both food fortification and product diversification. Extending these efforts to other resource-poor countries holds great potential for improving the nutritional status of vulnerable communities. In particular, bread made by substituting 50% wheat flour with OFSP puree was found to be a good source of vitamin A and exhibited a deep yellow color, which was highly preferred by consumers during food demonstration events. These findings align with previous research: bread made by substituting wheat flour with OFSP puree was shown to contain high levels of vitamin A and was similarly well accepted for its appealing color and taste Owade et al. [ 27 ]. Like injera, substituting 30% of the teff flour with OFSP puree was found to be a good source of vitamin A. Other food products, such as fruit jam made by using fruit pectin and lime or vitamin C source products with OFSP puree, chips, samosa (sambusa), and porridge (genfo) made by only OFSP puree and mixed with rice, pasta, and cabbage substituting carrot Fig. 3 . 4. Conclusion This participatory research successfully identified and promoted adaptable orange-fleshed sweetpotato (OFSP) cultivars in Northwestern Ethiopia. Agronomic study indicated substantial differences among the six studied types, with Kulfo appearing as the superior genotype, combining the largest root output (26.03 t ha⁻¹) and early maturity (136 days), which is critical for alleviating terminal drought stress. The participatory varietal selection method, which is key to this study, revealed that farmer preferences are critical for adoption. Farmers regularly ranked Kulfo first, preferring its earliest maturity, great yield, desired root size, and acceptable flavor, followed by Tulla, which was chosen for its huge individual roots despite a lower overall output. Subsequent promotion and demonstration actions in 2023 and 2024 proved the Kulfo variety's adaptability and high farmer preference in real-world situations. OFSP's successful integration into a variety of local culinary recipes highlights its potential to increase dietary diversity and address vitamin A insufficiency. Generally, in this study we understood, engaging farmers in the selection process empowers local voices and ensures that crop varieties meet community needs. Leveraging bio-fortified crops like orange-fleshed sweetpotato can effectively combat nutritional deficiencies and enhance food security. Promoting high-yielding varieties, such as Kulfo, offers scalable solutions to improve productivity and nutrition in similar agro-ecological contexts. Declarations Acknowledgment We are grateful to the Amhara Agricultural Research Institute, Gonder Agricultural Research Center, for the facilities provided during the activities we performed. Special appreciation and appreciation to the International Potato Center (CIP), the Sekota Declaration project, and the HELEVETAS projects for providing financial support for the successful completion of this study and promotion. Authors’ contribution Azeze Wubie Kassa - corresponding author, carried out the study, analyzed and interpreted the data, and drafted the manuscript. All co- authors have read, manuscript edited and approved the final version of the manuscript for publication. Tegegne Ashagrie Endalew – co- author, participated in the study design and data collection and contributed to writing the manuscript. Asnakew Takle Negashe - co-author, participated in the study design and data collection and contributed to writing the manuscript. Hayat Yasin Mohamed -co-author, participated in the study design and data collection and contributed to writing the manuscript. Berhanu Amsalu Fenta -co-author, Supervised the overall research process, provided critical review and scientific editing of the final manuscript. Setegn Gebeyehu- co-author, Supervised the overall research process and project implementation. Nigatu Gebyehu Wassie- co-author, participated in the study design and data collection. Ayenew Meresa- co- author, Supported the implementation of the food recipe demonstration, community mobilization, and documentation of local knowledge. Eshetu Melese- co-author, Assisted in data collection and varietal performance evaluation. Semagn Asredie Kolch - co-author, anticipated in project administration, stakeholder engagement, and provided technical guidance during field implementation Alemayhu Asefa Belete - co-author, participated in the study design and facilitating project work. Mesfin Fenta Wale- co-author, Assisted in data collection and varietal performance evaluation. Disclosure statement : No potential conflict of interest. Ethical approval : Not Applicable. Consent to Participate deceleration : not applicable. Consent to publishing deceleration: not applicable. Funding: No funding/sponsored. Data availability statement : The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author, Azeze Wubie, upon reasonable request. Clinical Trial Number: Clinical trial number not applicable. References S. F. Makhubu, M. Laurie, E. Rauwane, “Trends and gaps in sweetpotato ( Ipomoea batatas L .) improvement in sub- ­ Saharan Africa : Drought tolerance breeding strategies,” no. January, pp. 1–21, 2024, doi: 10.1002/fes3.545. B. Swarcewicz et al. , “Effect of drought stress on metabolite contents in barley recombinant inbred line population revealed by untargeted GC–MS profiling,” Acta Physiol. Plant. , vol. 39, no. 8, p. 158, 2017, doi: 10.1007/s11738-017-2449-y. B. K. Mutai, E. N. Agunda, A. S. Muluvi, L. K. Kibet, and M. C. 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February, 2022, doi: 10.36348/gajab.2022.v04i01.002. B. M. Wube’, “Participatory variety selection of improved orange- fleshed sweet potato varieties at Gedeb district of Gedeo zone , Southern Ethiopia,” no. August 2021, 2021, doi: 10.31248/JASP2020.281. Birhanu Lencha, “Participatory Varieties Selection and Evaluation of Improved Sweetpotato Participatory Varieties Selection and Evaluation of Improved Sweet Potato ( Ipomoea batatas ( L .) On- Farm at Different Agro-ecologies in Wolaita Zones,” no. April, 2022, doi: 10.9734/jeai/2019/v40i230363. J. O. Owade, G. O. Abong, and M. W. Okoth, “Production, utilization and nutritional benefits of orangfleshed sweetpotato (OFSP) puree bread: A review,” Curr. Res. Nutr. Food Sci. , vol. 6, no. 3, pp. 644–655, 2018, doi: 10.12944/CRNFSJ.6.3.06. Additional Declarations No competing interests reported. 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1","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":110237,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003eOptimal formulation of OFSP bread ingredients\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"1.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7774866/v1/63cd3c0a2d9c60aa417dca7a.png"},{"id":94686232,"identity":"fa405836-e085-4dfe-a466-a727b5d223c1","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-10-29 15:29:21","extension":"png","order_by":2,"title":"Figure 2","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":91875,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003eRoot yield data for\u003cstrong\u003e \u003c/strong\u003ethe\u003cstrong\u003e \u003c/strong\u003eKulfo and Tulla varieties at Debark (belesekebele)\u003cstrong\u003e \u003c/strong\u003eat demonstration\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"2.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7774866/v1/275a0e8e90aa1f4b20b9a824.png"},{"id":94686234,"identity":"c67cfa1c-33fb-454d-9c22-2eae3fcb8bf7","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-10-29 15:29:21","extension":"png","order_by":3,"title":"Figure 3","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":4318728,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003eOFSP food recipe of different products\u003cstrong\u003e (\u003c/strong\u003emixes of rice and pasta, genfo, chips, jam, enjera, and bread) and photographs during food recipe events.\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"3.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7774866/v1/544336861727c83a9f344b6c.png"},{"id":94822703,"identity":"7b52ee22-70bc-4e0d-b781-7f69e058234a","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-10-31 06:42:07","extension":"pdf","order_by":0,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"manuscript-pdf","size":10142264,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"manuscript.pdf","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7774866/v1/f3b7e653-3886-4f48-94f3-cab7da875b31.pdf"}],"financialInterests":"No competing interests reported.","formattedTitle":"Participatory Evaluation and Promotion of Orange Fleshed Sweetpotato Varieties and Their Utilization in Northwestern Ethiopia","fulltext":[{"header":"1. Introduction","content":"\u003cp\u003eSweetpotato \u003cem\u003e(Ipomoea batatas\u003c/em\u003e L.) is one of the world\u0026rsquo;s oldest domesticated crops; with evidence of cultivation dating back more than 5,000 years in tropical regions of the AmericasCentral America is widely regarded as its primary center of origin. The crop belongs to the family Convolvulaceae and is a starchy root of a vigorous perennial vine. Within the genus Ipomoea, which comprises over 600 species worldwide, only I. batatas is cultivated for food and economic purposes. [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR1\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR2\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR3\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e3\u003c/span\u003e].\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eGlobally, sweetpotato ranks as the seventh most important food crop after wheat, rice, maize, potato, barley, and cassava. Annual global production exceeds 119\u0026nbsp;million tons, with Asia accounting for about 70% of total output, followed by Africa (approximately 25%) and the Americas [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR4\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e4\u003c/span\u003e]. Asia is the world\u0026rsquo;s largest producing continent (70.5%), Africa 24.6%, and Eastern Africa 15.9% [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR5\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e5\u003c/span\u003e]. The average global yield of storage roots is estimated at 14.8 t ha⁻\u0026sup1; [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR5\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e5\u003c/span\u003e]. In Africa, sweetpotato is the second most significant root crop after cassava, with production concentrated in East Africa and the Great Lakes region [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR6\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e6\u003c/span\u003e] and [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR7\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e7\u003c/span\u003e]. However, productivity remains low in most parts of sub-Saharan Africa, with yields typically ranging from 3 t ha⁻\u0026sup1; in West Africa to about 8 t ha⁻\u0026sup1; in East Africa, far below the global average [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR6\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e6\u003c/span\u003e]. In Ethiopia, sweetpotato is an important staple and cash crop grown mainly by smallholder farmers. The crop occupies about 81,000 hectares nationwide, yet average farm yields remain below 9 t ha⁻\u0026sup1;, compared with potential yields of 25\u0026ndash;36 t ha⁻\u0026sup1; recorded under research conditions [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR8\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e8\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR9\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e9\u003c/span\u003e]. It serves as a major source of carbohydrates for rural households and ranks third among root and tuber crops after Irishpotato and cassava in tropical Africa [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR10\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e10\u003c/span\u003e], and the third root and tuber crop after Irishpotato and cassava is consumed in tropical Africa [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR11\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e11\u003c/span\u003e].\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eSweetpotato varieties, particularly the orange-fleshed types are nutritionally valuable sources of β-carotene, anthocyanins, phenolic compounds, dietary fiber, and essential vitamins such as A, C, and B6, along with minerals like iron and zinc, protein, and carbohydrates[\u003cspan citationid=\"CR4\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e4\u003c/span\u003e]. Sweetpotato root is used as food for humans and is one of the cheapest sources of vitamin A, and its leaves and vines are used as feed for livestock. The root is food for humans; in addition to being rooted in African countries, young leaves are cooked and eaten as vegetables [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR12\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e12\u003c/span\u003e]. Supplementing animal feed with sweetpotato vines has been shown to improve milk yield, demonstrating the crop\u0026rsquo;s multifaceted role in farming systems [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR13\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e13\u003c/span\u003e]. Orange-fleshed sweetpotato (OFSP) is a biofortified crop particularly rich in β-carotene, the precursor of vitamin A, and is therefore vital in addressing vitamin A deficiency (VAD) [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR14\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e14\u003c/span\u003e] and [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR15\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e15\u003c/span\u003e]. VAD affects an estimated 140\u0026nbsp;million school-aged children worldwide, primarily in Africa and Asia, where traditional white or yellow-fleshed sweet potato varieties dominate and contain low levels of provitamin A. Vitamin A insufficiency is a major public health problem associated with poor vision, decreased immunity, and increased mortality, particularly among children and pregnant women in Sub-Saharan Africa, including Ethiopia [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR6\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e6\u003c/span\u003e] and [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR16\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e16\u003c/span\u003e]. In addition to its nutritional importance, sweetpotato is recognized for its adaptability to harsh environments, thus contributing to improved food security, resilience, and nutritional security [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR1\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1\u003c/span\u003e] and [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR17\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e17\u003c/span\u003e]. Sweetpotato is affected by drought stress during the establishment stage, up to six weeks after planting; however, after establishment, it becomes tolerant to drought stress through different response mechanisms, including morphological, molecular, biochemical, and physiological changes [1,2, [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR18\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e18\u003c/span\u003e]. Hence, it is considered an attractive food crop among farmers and growers because it requires less care and input [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR19\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e19\u003c/span\u003e] and [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR6\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e6\u003c/span\u003e]. High-yielding orange-fleshed varieties are an entry point for developing new uses for the crop to transform sweet potato from a low-input, low-yielding food security crop into a nutritious food with diverse uses and expanding markets. Sweetpotatoes continue to play a critical role in disaster relief and mitigation [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR20\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e20\u003c/span\u003e] and [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR21\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e21\u003c/span\u003e].\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e Participatory varietal selection (PVS) is an approach that engages farmers directly in identifying, testing, and evaluating new varieties based on local preferences and production conditions. This farmer-centered method enhances the relevance, adoption, and sustainability of agricultural innovations while accelerating the selection of preferred varieties when multiple options are available [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR22\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e22\u003c/span\u003e]. Although OFSP is cultivated in several parts of eastern Africa, its introduction and popularization remain limited in many areas of Ethiopia, particularly within the Amhara region. It is the most important root crop in Ethiopia and is produced primarily in southern Ethiopia and as part of Oromia; however, in the Amhara region, the orange-fleshed type of sweetpotato has not been introduced, grown, or popularized in the study areas or in the region. To address this gap, participatory evaluation, demonstration, and promotion of OFSP varieties were undertaken in the study areas to identify adaptable, high-yielding, and resilient cultivars that align with farmers\u0026rsquo; preferences.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"2. Materials and methods","content":"\u003cdiv id=\"Sec3\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e\u003ch2\u003e\u003cb\u003e2.1\u003c/b\u003e. Description of the Experimental Site\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eA participatory vein selection (PVS) experiment was conducted during the 2022 main cropping season, followed by promotion activities in 2023 and 2024 across the West Belesa, East Belesa, Gondar Zuria, and Debark (Belese Kebele) areas. When the areas for the on-farm trials were selected, a range of different agroecological factors (rainfall, soil type, and temperature) were included. All the experimental sites are described in Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab1\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e1\u003c/span\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003ctable float=\"Yes\" id=\"Tab1\" border=\"1\"\u003e\u003ccaption language=\"En\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 1\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eDescription of the study areas\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/caption\u003e\u003ccolgroup cols=\"8\"\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c1\" colnum=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c2\" colnum=\"2\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c3\" colnum=\"3\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c4\" colnum=\"4\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c5\" colnum=\"5\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c6\" colnum=\"6\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c7\" colnum=\"7\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c8\" colnum=\"8\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cthead\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"1\" rowspan=\"2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eLocations\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\" morerows=\"1\" rowspan=\"2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eSoil type\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\" morerows=\"1\" rowspan=\"2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eRF(mm)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c5\" namest=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eTem. (\u0026deg;C)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\" morerows=\"1\" rowspan=\"2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eAlt.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e(m.a.s.l)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\" morerows=\"1\" rowspan=\"2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eLatitude\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\" morerows=\"1\" rowspan=\"2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eLongitude\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eMin\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eMax\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/thead\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eGondar Zuria\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eclay loam\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1025\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e13.02\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e27.72\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2110\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e12.60\u0026deg; N\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e37.47\u0026deg; E\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eE/Belesa\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eSandy loam\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e850\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e15.68\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e28.30\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1900\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e12.98\u0026deg; N\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e37.80\u0026deg; E\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eW/Belesa\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eSandy loam\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e700\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e15.5\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e30\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1850\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e12.78\u0026deg; N\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e37.20\u0026deg; E\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/colgroup\u003e\u003ctfoot\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd colspan=\"8\"\u003e\u003cem\u003e*Source: Ethiopian meteorological station at each location\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tfoot\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv id=\"Sec4\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e\u003ch2\u003e2.2. Experimental design and field management\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe experiment consisted of six orange-fleshed sweetpotato varieties (Kabode, Alamura, Dilla, Kulfo, Buritikanie, and Tulla), which were released by the Southern Agricultural Research Institute (SARI), Hawassa Agricultural Research Center, and Sirinka Agricultural Research Center. The experiment was carried out as mother and baby trials. The mother trial was arranged in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications. Thus, six treatments were performed in triplicate. The treatments were randomly allotted to each plot. The experimental plot had an area of 9 m\u003csup\u003e2\u003c/sup\u003e (3 m long \u0026times; 3 m wide). The spaces between the replications and plots were 1.5 m and 1 m, respectively. The spaces between rows and plants were 60 cm and 30 cm, respectively. Data were collected on agronomic and yield parameters, such as days to 90% maturity, plant height (cm), number of roots per plant, root length (cm), root diameter (cm), and root yield (kg plot⁻\u0026sup1;), and finally converted to ton ha⁻\u0026sup1;. Plants in the three middle rows out of the five rows per plot constituted the net plot used as the sampling unit. The data for plant height, number of roots per plant, root length, and root diameter were taken from the average of the middle row's five randomly selected plants in plot\u003csup\u003e\u0026minus;\u0026thinsp;1\u003c/sup\u003e for sampling and data analysis. The data for root yield and average root weight were taken from three central middle rows of the plot. To provide favorable conditions for vine and root growth, weeding and earthing were performed two times, 30 days and 60 days after planting. Fertilizer was applied at a rate of 175 kg NPS ha⁻\u0026sup1; at planting and 80 kg urea ha⁻\u0026sup1; four weeks after planting.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003ctable float=\"Yes\" id=\"Tab2\" border=\"1\"\u003e\u003ccaption language=\"En\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 2\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eDescription of sweetpotato varieties evaluated in a participatory trial.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/caption\u003e\u003ccolgroup cols=\"6\"\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c1\" colnum=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c2\" colnum=\"2\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c3\" colnum=\"3\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c4\" colnum=\"4\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c5\" colnum=\"5\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c6\" colnum=\"6\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cthead\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eNo.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eVariety\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eFlesh color\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eβ-Carotene content\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e(mg/100 g)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eRDMC (%)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eOrigin\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/thead\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eDilla\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eDeep orange\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e9.5\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e32.47\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eEthiopia\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eKulfo\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eIntermediate orange\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e5.5\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e21.0\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eEthiopia\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e3\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eBirtukanie\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eIntermediate orange\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e-\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e-\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eEthiopia\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e4\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eKabode\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eIntermediate orange\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e11.0\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e30.5\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eUganda\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e5\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eAlamura\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eDeep orange\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e12.48\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e31.82\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eEthiopia\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e6\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eTulla\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003ePale orange\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e9.5\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e28.5\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eEthiopia\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/colgroup\u003e\u003ctfoot\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd colspan=\"6\"\u003e*Sources ref. [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR6\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e6\u003c/span\u003e] and [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR23\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e23\u003c/span\u003e], RDMC\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;root dry matter content\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tfoot\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv id=\"Sec5\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e\u003ch2\u003e2.3. Farmer Preferences for Varieties Evaluation\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003e Participatory variety selection was used in this research to identify farmers\u0026rsquo; selection criteria and acceptable varieties to adapt and assimilate into the production system. The selection of varieties was performed on farms in Gondar Zuria, E/Belesa, and W/Belesa. Researchers from the research center, CIP researchers, experts from the woreda and kebele agricultural development office, and farmers in three areas participated in the selection of sweetpotato varieties. Among the participants, 26 farmers participated, of whom 16 were female and 10 were male. Before the evaluation of varieties, discussions on plant characteristics were conducted with the invited participants, and the farmers provided their opinions on the preferred attributes and identified traits such as root size, vine length, earliness to maturity, root yield, and taste. Farmer preference selection was conducted at the maturity stage, with yields/roots harvested from each variety on the basis of the farmer\u0026rsquo;s preferences/criteria. In general, according to agronomic data and farmer preference criteria such as high yield, earliness, large root size, high number of roots, good vine length, and good taste, varieties are considered good traits to be selected by farmers. For further technology, a field day was organized during the harvesting stage for taste preference and food recipe preparation products. Field-day event participants were targeted on the basis of sweetpotato production and food recipes during PVS, demonstrations, and community seed production. During the day of the field event, awareness of the OFSP used in different food products, such as mixing with wheat and teff flour for making bread, (Ethiopian pan cake/bread), and preparing jam, chips, porridge (genfo), and samosa (sambusa) for farmers and other stakeholders, was created.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv id=\"Sec6\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e\u003ch2\u003e2.4. OFSP food recipe\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eOFSP mixtures with different proportions of other flour can be used to make bread and other products. The bread was made by substituting 50% of the wheat flour with OFSP puree. The flour processing procedures include the following steps: one. OFSP selection of materials, two. Cleaning, peeling, and trimming; three. Washing, four. Slicing/chipping, five. Drying, six. Milling and seven. Packing and storage. The proportions of OFSP pure, wheat flour, and other ingredients were as follows (Fig.\u0026nbsp;1).\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003e2.5 Data analysis\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe collected agronomic and yield data were subjected to analysis of variance via R software. Least significant differences (LSD) were used to compare the treatments. The farmers\u0026rsquo; perception data were analyzed via pairwise ranking.\u003c/p\u003e\n"},{"header":"3. Results and Discussions","content":"\u003cp\u003eThis study evaluated the performance of six orange-fleshed sweetpotato (OFSP) varieties across three locations (West Belesa, East Belesa, and Gondar Zuria) during the 2022/23 main cropping season. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) revealed a significant difference from P\u0026thinsp;\u0026le;\u0026thinsp;0.001 to P\u0026thinsp;\u0026le;\u0026thinsp;0.05 among the varieties in terms of root yield and yield-related traits among the tested varieties and across locations.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cdiv id=\"Sec9\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e\u003ch2\u003e3.1. Analysis of Yield-Related Agronomic Traits\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe combined analysis across locations provides insight into the traits that contributed to the yield performance of the tested varieties. Significant variation (p\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.05 or p\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.001) was observed among the varieties for most of the measured traits, including days to maturity, vine length, root length, root diameter, number of roots per plant, and average root weight (Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab4\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e4\u003c/span\u003e). These components are known to have both direct and indirect contributions to the final root yield.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eDays to maturity\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThere was a highly significant difference (p\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.001) among the test varieties and testing locations regarding days to maturity. The number of days to maturity ranged from 136\u0026ndash;157 days (Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab4\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e4\u003c/span\u003e and Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab3\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e3\u003c/span\u003e). Kulfo was the earliest maturing variety (136 days), which is an important trait in regions prone to terminal droughts or erratic rainfall patterns, as they can escape end-of-season water stress. Despite being the earliest maturing variety, Kulfo yielded the highest yield, which indicates its efficiency in assimilate partitioning and fast root bulking during limited growing periods. In contrast, Dilla, Kabode, and Alamura matured later (152\u0026ndash;157 days), potentially exposing them to end-of-season moisture stress, depending on the rainfall pattern. This result is similar to that of Aragaw et al. [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR6\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e6\u003c/span\u003e], who reported that Kulfo matured earlier (144 days) than did Alamura and Dilla (169.5 days). Days to maturity are affected by altitude and RF; altitude and RF amount decrease the maturity date of varieties earlier than increasing the altitude and rainfall amount (Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab1\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e1\u003c/span\u003e and Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab3\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e3\u003c/span\u003e). This result agrees with the findings of Aragaw et al. [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR6\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e6\u003c/span\u003e] who reported that, at low and mid-altitudes, orange-fleshed sweetpotato varieties mature earlier than do those at high altitudes.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eVine Length/Plant Height\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThere was a significant difference (p\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.01) in vine length among the test varieties. The Dilla variety presented the tallest plants (214.47 cm), followed by Alamura (190.62 cm), which could reflect strong vegetative growth (Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab4\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e4\u003c/span\u003e). However, taller plants do not necessarily correspond to higher yields. For example, Dilla was high yielding, but Alamura, despite its height, had a relatively low root yield (17.31 t ha⁻\u0026sup1;). Conversely, Kulfo had a shorter plant height (99.49 cm) but a greater yield than did the high vine length varieties. These results are similar to those of others Aragaw et al. [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR6\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e6\u003c/span\u003e] and Kuma \u0026amp; Chewaka [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR9\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e9\u003c/span\u003e] vegetative parameters, such as aboveground biomass yield, vine length, and internode diameter, were negatively correlated with root yield. The differences in vine length among the sweetpotato varieties might be due to the inherent characteristics of the varieties and the differences in the environment between the study areas. The present study results are in agreement with the results obtained by Abewoy et al. [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR24\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e24\u003c/span\u003e], Wube [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR25\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e25\u003c/span\u003e] and Aragaw et al. [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR6\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e6\u003c/span\u003e].\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eRoot Length and Diameter\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eRoot length and diameter are key yield-contributing traits. Kabode had the longest roots (21.9 cm), whereas Tulla had the widest roots (10.43 cm), indicating strong sink development. However, Tulla produces fewer roots per plant (2.24), which likely contributes to its poor yield. Kulfo, with relatively moderate root length (14.54 cm) and high root diameter (9.02 cm), was more efficient at producing marketable storage roots (Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab4\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e4\u003c/span\u003e). This result is similar to Abewoy et al. [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR24\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e24\u003c/span\u003e], who reported that the maximum root diameter (8.19 cm) was obtained from the Kulfo variety, whereas the lowest (5.75 cm) was from the Dilla variety and the Alamura (5.97 cm) variety.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eNumber of Roots per Plant\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe number of roots per plant is another important determinant of yield. Birtukanie had the highest number of roots per plant (4.11), followed by Kulfo (3.87). However, the relatively low average root weight (0.36 kg) of Birtukanie reduced its total yield. This finding shows that both root number and root weight must be considered together for effective selection.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eAverage Root Weight\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eTulla had the highest average root weight (0.66 kg), even though it presented the lowest total yield. This suggests that despite the large individual roots, the low root number (2.24) and short root length (13.76 cm) limited total production. On the other hand, Kulfo showed a balance between moderate root number (3.87), good root diameter, and decent average weight (0.55 kg), resulting in its superior performance.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003ctable float=\"Yes\" id=\"Tab3\" border=\"1\"\u003e\u003ccaption language=\"En\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 3\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eMean root yield (t ha⁻\u0026sup1;) and days of maturity of the tested orange-fleshed sweetpotato varieties at three locations during the 2022/23 main cropping season\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/caption\u003e\u003ccolgroup cols=\"9\"\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c1\" colnum=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c2\" colnum=\"2\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c3\" colnum=\"3\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c4\" colnum=\"4\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c5\" colnum=\"5\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c6\" colnum=\"6\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c7\" colnum=\"7\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c8\" colnum=\"8\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c9\" colnum=\"9\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cthead\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colspan=\"4\" nameend=\"c5\" namest=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eroot yield (t ha\u003csup\u003e\u0026minus;\u0026thinsp;1\u003c/sup\u003e)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colspan=\"4\" nameend=\"c9\" namest=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eDays of maturity\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/thead\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eVarieties\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eW/Belesa\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eE/Belesa\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eGondar zuria\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eMean\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eW/Belesa\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eE/Belesa\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eGondar zuria\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eMean\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eDilla\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e21.36\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e25.74\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e23.53\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e23.54\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e154\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e153\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e163\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e157\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eKulfo\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e23.97\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e32.04\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e22.08\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e26.03\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e133\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e134\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e142\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e136\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eBirtukanie\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e21.69\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e13.69\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e23.89\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e19.76\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e139\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e138\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e149\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e142\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eKabode\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e15.22\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e16.46\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e22.96\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e18.21\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e148\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e149\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e159\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e152\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eAlamura\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e16.54\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e14.14\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e21.24\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e17.31\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e151\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e153\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e166\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e156\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eTulla\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e14.33\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e12.64\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e13.65\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e13.54\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e137\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e132\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e146\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e138\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eMean\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e18.85\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e19.11\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e21.23\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e19.73\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e144\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e143\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e154\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e147.35\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eCV (%)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e17.45\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e16.04\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e20.23\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e18.20\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2.26\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2.5\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2.64\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2.48\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eLSD (5%)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e5.98\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e5.58\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e7.81\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e3.46\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e5.93\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e6,5\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e7.43\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e3.53\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eSig 5%\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e**\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e**\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e*\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e*\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e***\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e***\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e***\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e***\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/colgroup\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e* *, ** **, and ***** indicate significance at the 0.05, 0.01, and 0.001 probability levels, respectively; CV\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;coefficient of variation; and LSD\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;least significant difference.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003ctable float=\"Yes\" id=\"Tab4\" border=\"1\"\u003e\u003ccaption language=\"En\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 4\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eCombined mean yield and yield-related traits of the tested orange-flesh sweetpotato varieties at W/Belesa, E/Belesa, and Gondar zuria during the 2022/23 main cropping season\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/caption\u003e\u003ccolgroup cols=\"10\"\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c1\" colnum=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c2\" colnum=\"2\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c3\" colnum=\"3\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c4\" colnum=\"4\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c5\" colnum=\"5\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c6\" colnum=\"6\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c7\" colnum=\"7\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c8\" colnum=\"8\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c9\" colnum=\"9\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c10\" colnum=\"10\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cthead\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eVarieties\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c3\" namest=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eDays of maturity\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eVine length (cm)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eRoot length (cm)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eRoot diameter (cm)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eRoot numbers plant\u003csup\u003e\u0026minus;\u0026thinsp;1\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eAverage root weight (kg)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c10\" namest=\"c9\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eRoot yield\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e(t ha\u003csup\u003e\u0026minus;\u0026thinsp;1\u003c/sup\u003e)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/thead\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c2\" namest=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eDilla\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e157\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e214.47\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e17.84\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e6.77\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e3.22\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c9\" namest=\"c8\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.44\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c10\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e23.54\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c2\" namest=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eKulfo\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e136\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e99.49\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e14.54\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e9.02\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e3.87\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c9\" namest=\"c8\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.55\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c10\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e26.03\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c2\" namest=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eBirtukanie\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e142\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e163.93\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e18.41\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e6.34\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e4.11\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c9\" namest=\"c8\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.36\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c10\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e19.76\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c2\" namest=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eKabode\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e152\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e82.73\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e21.9\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e5.76\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2.87\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c9\" namest=\"c8\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.39\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c10\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e18.21\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c2\" namest=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eAlamura\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e156\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e190.62\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e15.38\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e7.24\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e3.78\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c9\" namest=\"c8\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.36\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c10\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e17.31\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c2\" namest=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eTulla\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e138\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e91.64\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e13.76\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e10.43\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2.24\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c9\" namest=\"c8\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.66\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c10\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e13.54\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c2\" namest=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eMean\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e147.35\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e140.48\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e16.97\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e7.59\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e3.35\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c9\" namest=\"c8\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.46\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c10\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e19.73\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c2\" namest=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eCV (%)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2.48\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e13.74\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e19.03\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e22.89\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e29.17\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c9\" namest=\"c8\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e31.01\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c10\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e30.20\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c2\" namest=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eLSD (5%\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e3.53\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e18.58\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1.80\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.95\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.52\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c9\" namest=\"c8\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.14\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c10\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e3.46\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c2\" namest=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eVarieties\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e***\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e**\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e**\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e*\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e*\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c9\" namest=\"c8\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e**\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c10\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e*\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c2\" namest=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eLoc.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e***\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eNS\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eNS\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eNS\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eNS\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c9\" namest=\"c8\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eNS\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c10\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e*\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c2\" namest=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eVarieties*Loc.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eNS\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eNS\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eNS\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eNS\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eNS\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c9\" namest=\"c8\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eNS\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c10\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eNS\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/colgroup\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e* Where *, ** and *** indicate significance at 0.05, 0.01, and 0.001 probability levels, respectively, CV\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;coefficient of variation, LSD\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;least significant difference, and NS\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;no significance.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv id=\"Sec10\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e\u003ch2\u003e3.2. Root \u003cb\u003eyield\u003c/b\u003e performance\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eRoot yield is the ultimate indicator of productivity in sweetpotato evaluation trials. There was a significant difference (p\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.05) among the test varieties and testing locations in terms of root yield (Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab3\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e3\u003c/span\u003e and Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab4\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e4\u003c/span\u003e), which may confirm the presence of substantial genetic variability and genotype‒environment interactions. The mean root yield across locations ranged from 12.64 t ha⁻\u0026sup1; in the Tulla variety to 32.00 t ha⁻\u0026sup1; in the Kulfo variety, with a grand mean of 19.73 t ha⁻\u0026sup1; (Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab3\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e3\u003c/span\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eSeparate analyses for each of the test locations revealed consistent variations in root yield among the test varieties (Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab3\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e3\u003c/span\u003e). Kulfo and Dilla consistently presented the highest root yields in all the testing areas. These two varieties consistently performed well across locations, indicating either wide adaptability or specific adaptability to favorable environments such as East Belesa. Notably, Kulfo peaked yield of 32.04 t ha⁻\u0026sup1; in East Belesa, suggesting that this variety can exploit high-input or favorable moisture conditions effectively. In the moisture stress areas of both Belesa and Kulfo, the yield was highest, at 32.02 t ha⁻\u0026sup1; and 23.97 t ha⁻\u0026sup1; in E/Belesa and W/Belesa, respectively; this may be due to early maturity. In contrast, Tulla presented the lowest mean yield (13.54 t ha⁻\u0026sup1;) and consistently underperformed across all three locations, suggesting poor adaptability or unfavorable genotype‒environment interactions. Alamura and Kabode also presented lower yields (17.31 and 18.21 t ha⁻\u0026sup1;, respectively), although they presented moderate performance at Gondar Zuria, which generally presented higher average yields than did the other two sites. Birtukanie showed inconsistent performance, with a low yield (13.69 t ha⁻\u0026sup1;) at East Belesa but moderate to good yields at West Belesa (21.69 t ha⁻\u0026sup1;) and Gondar Zuria (23.89 t ha⁻\u0026sup1;). This pattern indicates that Birtukanie may be more suited to specific agroecological niches or may be more sensitive to local climate factors. The significant location \u0026times; genotype interaction suggests that some varieties, such as Kulfo, may have specific adaptability, especially in East Belesa, where the highest location-specific yield (32.04 t ha⁻\u0026sup1;) was recorded. Abewoy et al. [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR24\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e24\u003c/span\u003e] reported that, similar to Kulfo variety presented the highest root yield (33.90 t ha-1), followed by the Kabode variety (31.90 t ha-1), Alammura variety (23.90 t ha-1), and Dilla variety (16.81 t ha-1). The highly significant differences among sweetpotato varieties might be due to the genetic differences in the development of these varieties Abewoy et al. [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR24\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e24\u003c/span\u003e], Kuma \u0026amp; Chewaka (2022) [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR9\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e9\u003c/span\u003e] and wube [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR25\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e25\u003c/span\u003e] reported that sweetpotato varieties significantly differ with respect to their roots and related traits. Among the three sites, Gondar Zuria had the highest overall mean root yield (21.23 t ha⁻\u0026sup1;), followed by East Belesa (19.11 t ha⁻\u0026sup1;) and West Belesa (18.85 t ha⁻\u0026sup1;). Gondar Zuria could be attributed to better rainfall distributions, optimal temperatures, or improved soil conditions, all of which can increase root development in sweetpotato.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe combined analysis revealed that Kulfo was the top-performing variety with the highest mean yield (26.03 t ha⁻\u0026sup1;), followed by Dilla (23.54 t ha⁻\u0026sup1;), both of which significantly outperformed the other varieties. The poor yield performance of the Tulla variety was associated with root yield (13.54 t ha⁻\u0026sup1;); the other three varieties presented better mean root yield performance than did the Tulla varieties (Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab4\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e4\u003c/span\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv id=\"Sec11\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e\u003ch2\u003e3.3. Farmer Preferences for Orange-Fleshed Sweetpotato (OFSP) Varieties\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn addition to agronomic and yield data, farmer preferences offer critical insights into varietal adoption potential. Participatory varietal selection (PVS) integrates farmers\u0026rsquo; experiential knowledge, sociocultural priorities, and market preferences into varietal evaluation. This approach enhances the relevance and sustainability of breeding outcomes, especially in smallholder farming systems where local preferences heavily influence adoption. The ultimate goal of participatory variety evaluation is to identify farmer-preferred traits that go beyond the breeder's perspective. In this study, the participating farmers ranked the traits they considered most important and evaluated the varieties on the basis of their own selection criteria. Tables\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab4\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e4\u003c/span\u003e and \u003cspan refid=\"Tab5\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e5\u003c/span\u003e summarize the rankings of the six OFSP varieties based on five major selection criteria: earliness, root size, taste, plant height, and yield. Each criterion was assigned a weight to reflect its importance, and farmers rated the varieties on a scale from one (poor) to five (excellent). Total scores were calculated as the product of weight and rank and summed to derive an overall ranking (Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab5\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e5\u003c/span\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn the moisture-stressed areas of both West Belesa and East Belesa, farmers ranked yield, earliness, root size, sweetness, and plant height/vine length as the first through fifth most important traits, respectively (Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab5\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e5\u003c/span\u003e). In East Belesa and West Belesa, Kulfo received the highest total score (71), followed by Tulla (61) and Birtukanie (50). The lowest ranked variety was Kabode (26), which was rated poorly across all the traits, particularly in yield (rank 6), root size (rank 6), and earliness (rank 6). Earliness is a critical trait for farmers in rain-dependent farming systems, especially in drought-prone areas such as Belesa. Kulfo (rank 1) was perceived as the earliest maturing variety, aligning with its agronomic maturity data (136 days in Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab4\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e4\u003c/span\u003e). Farmers recognized its early bulking and short growing cycle as essential for food security. Tulla also scored well (rank 2) on short maturity days (138), reinforcing its potential for fast field turnover or gap filling during cropping cycles.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eFarmers highly value large, market-preferred roots. Kulfo again ranked highest in terms of root size, matching its superior agronomic root diameter (9.02 cm). It also received the highest rating for yield, which is consistent with its top performance in Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab2\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e2\u003c/span\u003e (26.03 t ha⁻\u0026sup1;). Tulla surprisingly received a yield rank of two from farmers despite its low measured yield (13.54 t ha⁻\u0026sup1;). This may reflect visual impressions of large individual roots (diameter of 10.43 cm and average weight of 0.66 kg), which can influence farmer perceptions regardless of total productivity. Taste is essential for household consumption and local markets. Interestingly, all varieties received a moderate taste rating, suggesting minor differences among them. Vine length, although less influential in terms of direct market value, was ranked highest in Dilla and Birtukanie, both of which are recognized for their vine length and biomass. However, this trait ranked lower in importance, indicating that root characteristics are more valuable (Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab5\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e5\u003c/span\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn Gondar Zuria, root size and earliness were ranked equally important and often interchanged (Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab5\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e5\u003c/span\u003e). In Gondar Zuria, a similar trend was observed. Kulfo again received the highest score (86), affirming its broad-based acceptability. This was followed by Dilla (61), Tulla (58), and Birtukanie (42). Kabode was again the least preferred (26), highlighting consistent rejection due to poor performance in farmers\u0026rsquo; eyes. Kulfo was top-ranked for earliness (1) and root size (1), reflecting its perceived suitability for short-season and food-insecure conditions. Tulla also received top marks for root size and early maturity, reflecting farmer satisfaction with individual root weight and maturity days.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eOverall, on the basis of these preferences, the Kulfo, Tulla, and Birtukanie varieties were selected as the first, second, and third choices, respectively, at both West Belesa and East Belesa, and the Kulfo, Dilla, and Tulla varieties were selected as the first, second, and third choices, respectively, at Gondar Zuria. The other varieties were less preferred because of their late maturity and lower yields. These findings are consistent with those of the study by Birhanu Lencha [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR26\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e26\u003c/span\u003e], who reported that Kulfo, Koka-6, and Hawassa-83 were among the varieties most preferred by farmers.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003ctable float=\"Yes\" id=\"Tab5\" border=\"1\"\u003e\u003ccaption language=\"En\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 5\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eFarmers\u0026rsquo; preferences for orange-fleshed sweetpotato varieties at both East and West Belesa testing locations in 2022/2023.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/caption\u003e\u003ccolgroup cols=\"8\"\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c1\" colnum=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c2\" colnum=\"2\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c3\" colnum=\"3\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c4\" colnum=\"4\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c5\" colnum=\"5\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c6\" colnum=\"6\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c7\" colnum=\"7\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c8\" colnum=\"8\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cthead\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"1\" rowspan=\"2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003ePreference criteria\u0026rsquo;s\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\" morerows=\"1\" rowspan=\"2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eWeight\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colspan=\"6\" nameend=\"c8\" namest=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eRank\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eKulfo\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eKabode\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eAlamura\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eDilla\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eBurtiknie\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eTulla\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/thead\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eEarliness\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e4\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e5\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e3\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e3\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e3\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e4\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eRoot size\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e3\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e5\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e3\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e3\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e3\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eTaste\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e3\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e3\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e3\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e3\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003ePlant height\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e4\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e3\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e4\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e4\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e4\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eYield\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e5\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e5\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e4\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e5\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eTotal score\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e71\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e26\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e38\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e32\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e50\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e61\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eSum rank\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e6\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e4\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e5\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e3\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/colgroup\u003e\u003ctfoot\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd colspan=\"8\"\u003e*\u003cem\u003eRank indicates 1\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;poor, 2\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;satisfactory, 3\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;good, 4\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;very good, 5\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;excellent, and total score\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;weight *rank\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tfoot\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003ctable float=\"Yes\" id=\"Tab6\" border=\"1\"\u003e\u003ccaption language=\"En\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 6\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eFarmers\u0026rsquo; preferences for orange-fleshed sweetpotato varieties at the Gondar zuria testing locations in 2022/2023.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/caption\u003e\u003ccolgroup cols=\"8\"\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c1\" colnum=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c2\" colnum=\"2\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c3\" colnum=\"3\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c4\" colnum=\"4\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c5\" colnum=\"5\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c6\" colnum=\"6\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c7\" colnum=\"7\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c8\" colnum=\"8\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cthead\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"1\" rowspan=\"2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003ePreference criteria\u0026rsquo;s\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\" morerows=\"1\" rowspan=\"2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eWeight\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colspan=\"6\" nameend=\"c8\" namest=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eRank\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eKulfo\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eKabode\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eAlamura\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eDilla\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eBurtiknie\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eTulla\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/thead\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eEarliness\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e3\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e5\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e3\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e4\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e3\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e3\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eRoot size\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e4\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e5\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e4\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e3\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e5\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eTaste\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e3\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e3\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e3\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e3\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e3\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003ePlant height\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e4\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e3\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e4\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e5\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e4\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e3\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eYield\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e5\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e5\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e4\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e4\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e4\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eTotal score\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e86\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e26\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e37\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e61\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e42\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e58\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eSum rank\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e6\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e5\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e4\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e3\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/colgroup\u003e\u003ctfoot\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd colspan=\"8\"\u003e*\u003cem\u003eRank indicates 1\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;poor, 2\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;satisfactory, 3\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;good, 4\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;very good, 5\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;excellent, and total score\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;weight *rank\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tfoot\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cdiv id=\"Sec12\" class=\"Section3\"\u003e\u003ch2\u003e3.3.1. Farmer Preferences across Operations\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe consistency of Kulfo as the top-ranked variety at both sites demonstrates its wide adaptability and alignment with farmer priorities, including early maturity for moisture stress escape, large market-preferred roots with good shape and weight, high yield potential, support from both agronomic data and farmer evaluation, and acceptable taste, which is critical for household consumption. Despite Tulla\u0026rsquo;s poor agronomic yield, it was the second most preferred yield in Belesa and third most preferred yield in Gondar Zuria, highlighting that individual root size and visual traits strongly influence farmer choice\u0026mdash;sometimes even more than total yield. This underscores the need for breeders to consider both quantitative data and qualitative farmer preferences. Varieties such as Kabode consistently received the lowest ranks and scores, both in scientific and farmer evaluations, suggesting limited potential for adoption unless improved. Dilla, with good yield and moderate ratings of other traits, remains a competitive option, especially in Gondar Zuria, where it was the second most preferred.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv id=\"Sec13\" class=\"Section3\"\u003e\u003ch2\u003e3.3.2. Demonstration, Promotion, and Farmer Feedback\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eTo accelerate the adoption of orange-fleshed sweetpotato (OFSP) varieties, particularly Kulfo and Tulla, targeted promotion and demonstration activities were conducted in 2023 and 2024 across four intervention sites, including Debark (Belese Kebele). These events included on-farm demonstrations, field days, and community seed production initiatives aimed at enhancing awareness, participatory evaluation, and sustainable seed dissemination. As shown in Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig1\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e2\u003c/span\u003e, the yield comparison during the demonstration at Debark clearly indicated the superiority of Kulfo over Tulla. Kulfo consistently produced relatively high yields, which aligns well with previous multilocation trial results (Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab3\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e3\u003c/span\u003e), where Kulfo outperformed all other varieties, achieving a mean yield of 26.03 t ha⁻\u0026sup1;. This reinforced the perception of Kulfo as a more robust and productive variety, particularly under the challenging agroecological conditions of the area. The demonstration plots generated encouraging yields, reflecting the productive potential of the OFSP under farmer-managed conditions. These pilot-scale promotions built trust in the varieties and laid a foundation for further expansion.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003ctable float=\"Yes\" id=\"Tab7\" border=\"1\"\u003e\u003ccaption language=\"En\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 7\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eRoot yield data during the promotion years at Belesa\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/caption\u003e\u003ccolgroup cols=\"5\"\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c1\" colnum=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c2\" colnum=\"2\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c3\" colnum=\"3\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c4\" colnum=\"4\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c5\" colnum=\"5\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cthead\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eYear\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eArea/ha\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eParticipate\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c5\" namest=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eYield/ton\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/thead\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2023\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.25\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c4\" namest=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e20\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e5\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2024\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.09\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c4\" namest=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e10\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/colgroup\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eDuring 2023 and 2024, promotion work and field days were organized across the four study areas. The farmers consistently favored the Kulfo and Tulla varieties. Community seed production efforts were initiated with these varieties to ensure a sustainable supply. In 2023, 20 farmers cultivated Kulfo and Tulla on 0.25 hectares of land, yielding a total of 5 tons, or approximately 20 t/ha. In 2024, 10 farmers cultivated the varieties on 0.09 hectares and harvested 2 tons, indicating an even higher yield of approximately 22.2 t/ha (Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab7\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e7\u003c/span\u003e). Despite the small scale of these interventions, the demonstration plots not only confirmed the high productivity of Kulfo under farmer-managed conditions but also served as influential learning platforms for neighboring farmers and local authorities.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eSuch demonstrations and promotions are essential for bridging the gap between research and adoption, especially in regions such as Belesa and Gondar Zuria, where awareness of the nutritional benefits and agronomic potential of OFSP is still emerging. The participatory nature of these activities allowed farmers to observe and judge performance firsthand, building trust in the varieties and increasing their willingness to adopt.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv id=\"Sec14\" class=\"Section3\"\u003e\u003ch2\u003e3.3.3. Farmer Feedback\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eDrought tolerance and adaptability\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eOne of the most frequently mentioned advantages of the Kulfo variety is its greater tolerance to moisture stress. Farmers noted that Kulfo was more resilient during dry spells, maintained longer leaf turgor, and continued to produce sizeable roots even under suboptimal rainfall conditions. These observations align with the formal yield trials where Kulfo maintained high performance across diverse agroecologies (West Belesa, East Belesa, and Gondar Zuria), indicating broad adaptability. In drought-prone environments such as Belese Kebele, this trait is highly valued. Short growing seasons and unreliable rainfall are common constraints in Ethiopian agriculture and the study area, and early-maturing, stress-susceptible crops are essential for food security. Farmers confirmed that Kulfo matured earlier than other varieties did, allowing it to escape terminal drought, making it not only productive but also reliable.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eDual-Purpose Use: Food and Fodder\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAnother unique advantage of Kulfo, as highlighted by farmers, is its utility as both a food and a fodder crop. During the dry season, Kulfo vines remained green even at full maturity\u0026mdash;a trait that is uncommon in most sweetpotato varieties. Farmers utilize fresh vines as livestock feed, particularly for dairy cows. Many notable improvements in milk production have been observed, especially when vines are used to supplement low-quality basal diets. This observation is supported by Etela et al. [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR13\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e13\u003c/span\u003e], who reported that sweetpotato vines significantly increase milk yield when used as a forage supplement. In smallholder mixed farming systems where crop‒livestock integration is vital, this multipurpose trait adds substantial value to the Kulfo variety. It not only addresses household food and nutritional needs but also contributes to livestock productivity and income diversification.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eRoot Characteristics and Market Potential\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn addition to agronomic and fodder benefits, farmers highlighted the attractive root characteristics of Kulfo. Its large, uniform, and well-shaped roots were appreciated for both household consumption and market sales. Farmers described the taste of Kulfo as no longer different from that of Tulla and other varieties. These characteristics make it suitable for home use and potential processing into OFSP-based food products such as bread, chips, or flour, supporting the broader agenda of food fortification and vitamin A deficiency reduction.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eOn the other hand, while Tulla is recognized for its individual root size and high average root weight, its total root number per plant. Nonetheless, tulla retained some preference among farmers, likely due to its visual appeal and large roots, which may be preferred in certain markets or for cultural dishes.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe feedback collected during these events emphasized that the availability of quality planting material, technical support, and market linkages are essential for the widespread adoption of OFSP.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv id=\"Sec15\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e\u003ch2\u003e3.4. OFSP Food Recipe\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eBread food products are commonly important cereal-based products consumed by most individuals in sub-Saharan African countries, including Ethiopia. The current technology in bread formulation involves the incorporation of orange-fleshed sweetpotato puree with other cereal flour to alleviate nutritional insecurity, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa, where vitamin A deficiency (VAD) is a problem Owade et al., [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR27\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e27\u003c/span\u003e]. The promotion of orange-fleshed sweetpotato (OFSP) puree as a functional food in Ethiopia has proven to be a successful strategy for combating vitamin A deficiency. The incorporation of OFSP puree into various food products, such as bread, injera, and fruit jams, has served as an effective avenue for both food fortification and product diversification. Extending these efforts to other resource-poor countries holds great potential for improving the nutritional status of vulnerable communities.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn particular, bread made by substituting 50% wheat flour with OFSP puree was found to be a good source of vitamin A and exhibited a deep yellow color, which was highly preferred by consumers during food demonstration events. These findings align with previous research: bread made by substituting wheat flour with OFSP puree was shown to contain high levels of vitamin A and was similarly well accepted for its appealing color and taste Owade et al. [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR27\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e27\u003c/span\u003e]. Like injera, substituting 30% of the teff flour with OFSP puree was found to be a good source of vitamin A. Other food products, such as fruit jam made by using fruit pectin and lime or vitamin C source products with OFSP puree, chips, samosa (sambusa), and porridge (genfo) made by only OFSP puree and mixed with rice, pasta, and cabbage substituting carrot Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig2\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e3\u003c/span\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e"},{"header":"4. Conclusion","content":"\u003cp\u003eThis participatory research successfully identified and promoted adaptable orange-fleshed sweetpotato (OFSP) cultivars in Northwestern Ethiopia. Agronomic study indicated substantial differences among the six studied types, with Kulfo appearing as the superior genotype, combining the largest root output (26.03 t ha⁻\u0026sup1;) and early maturity (136 days), which is critical for alleviating terminal drought stress. The participatory varietal selection method, which is key to this study, revealed that farmer preferences are critical for adoption. Farmers regularly ranked Kulfo first, preferring its earliest maturity, great yield, desired root size, and acceptable flavor, followed by Tulla, which was chosen for its huge individual roots despite a lower overall output. Subsequent promotion and demonstration actions in 2023 and 2024 proved the Kulfo variety's adaptability and high farmer preference in real-world situations. OFSP's successful integration into a variety of local culinary recipes highlights its potential to increase dietary diversity and address vitamin A insufficiency. Generally, in this study we understood, engaging farmers in the selection process empowers local voices and ensures that crop varieties meet community needs. Leveraging bio-fortified crops like orange-fleshed sweetpotato can effectively combat nutritional deficiencies and enhance food security. Promoting high-yielding varieties, such as Kulfo, offers scalable solutions to improve productivity and nutrition in similar agro-ecological contexts.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"Declarations","content":"\u003cp\u003eAcknowledgment\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe are grateful to the Amhara Agricultural Research Institute, Gonder Agricultural Research Center, for the facilities provided during the activities we performed. Special appreciation and appreciation to the International Potato Center (CIP), the Sekota Declaration project, and the HELEVETAS projects for providing financial support for the successful completion of this study and promotion.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAuthors\u0026rsquo; contribution\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAzeze \u0026nbsp;Wubie Kassa - corresponding author, carried out the study, analyzed and interpreted the data, and drafted the manuscript. All co- authors have read, manuscript edited and approved the final version of the manuscript for publication.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTegegne Ashagrie Endalew \u0026ndash; co- author, participated in the study design and data collection and contributed to writing the manuscript.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;Asnakew Takle Negashe - co-author, participated in the study design and data collection and contributed to writing the manuscript.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHayat Yasin Mohamed -co-author, participated in the study design and data collection and contributed to writing the manuscript.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;Berhanu Amsalu Fenta -co-author, Supervised the overall research process, provided critical review and scientific editing of the final manuscript.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSetegn Gebeyehu- co-author, Supervised the overall research process and project implementation.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;Nigatu Gebyehu Wassie- co-author, participated in the study design and data collection.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAyenew Meresa- co- author, Supported the implementation of the food recipe demonstration, community mobilization, and documentation of local knowledge.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;Eshetu Melese- co-author, Assisted in data collection and varietal performance evaluation.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSemagn Asredie Kolch - co-author, anticipated in project administration, stakeholder engagement, and provided technical guidance during field implementation\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAlemayhu Asefa Belete - co-author, participated in the study design and facilitating project work.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMesfin Fenta Wale- co-author, Assisted in data collection and varietal performance evaluation.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDisclosure statement\u003c/strong\u003e: No potential conflict of interest.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eEthical approval\u003c/strong\u003e: Not Applicable.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eConsent to Participate deceleration\u003c/strong\u003e: not applicable.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eConsent to publishing deceleration:\u003c/strong\u003e not applicable.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFunding:\u003c/strong\u003e No funding/sponsored.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eData availability statement\u003c/strong\u003e: The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author, Azeze Wubie, upon reasonable request.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eClinical Trial Number:\u0026nbsp;\u003c/strong\u003eClinical trial number not applicable. \u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"References","content":"\u003col\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eS. 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Kavoo, \u0026ldquo;Appraisal of determinants of orange-fleshed sweetpotato production and utilization in Isiolo County , Kenya,\u0026rdquo; no. June, 2022, doi: 10.18697/ajfand.108.21210.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eI. Ahoudou \u003cem\u003eet al.\u003c/em\u003e, \u0026ldquo;A systematic review on the factors influencing adoption and consumption of orange-fleshed sweetpotato in sub-Saharan Africa,\u0026rdquo; no. April, 2025, doi: 10.3389/fsufs.2025.1545827.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eJ. R. Witcombe, \u0026ldquo;Participatory Approaches to Plant Breeding and Selection,\u0026rdquo; 1996.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eF. Gurmu, S. Hussein, and M. Laing, \u0026ldquo;Evaluation of candidate orange-fleshed sweetpotato clones for nutritional traits,\u0026rdquo; \u003cem\u003eActa Agric. Scand. Sect. B Soil Plant Sci.\u003c/em\u003e, vol. 67, no. 7, pp. 651\u0026ndash;659, 2017, doi: 10.1080/09064710.2017.1327081.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eD. Abewoy, H. G. Megersa, D. T. Lemma, and D. T. Banjaw, \u0026ldquo;Participatory Variety Selection of Orange Fleshed Sweetpotato ( Ipomoea batatas L .) Varieties at Wondo Genet and Koka Global Academic Journal of Agriculture and Bio sciences Participatory Variety Selection of Orange Fleshed Sweet Potato ( Ipomoea batata,\u0026rdquo; no. February, 2022, doi: 10.36348/gajab.2022.v04i01.002.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eB. M. Wube\u0026rsquo;, \u0026ldquo;Participatory variety selection of improved orange- fleshed sweet potato varieties at Gedeb district of Gedeo zone , Southern Ethiopia,\u0026rdquo; no. August 2021, 2021, doi: 10.31248/JASP2020.281.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBirhanu Lencha, \u0026ldquo;Participatory Varieties Selection and Evaluation of Improved Sweetpotato Participatory Varieties Selection and Evaluation of Improved Sweet Potato ( Ipomoea batatas ( L .) On- Farm at Different Agro-ecologies in Wolaita Zones,\u0026rdquo; no. April, 2022, doi: 10.9734/jeai/2019/v40i230363.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eJ. O. Owade, G. O. Abong, and M. W. Okoth, \u0026ldquo;Production, utilization and nutritional benefits of orangfleshed sweetpotato (OFSP) puree bread: A review,\u0026rdquo; \u003cem\u003eCurr. Res. Nutr. Food Sci.\u003c/em\u003e, vol. 6, no. 3, pp. 644\u0026ndash;655, 2018, doi: 10.12944/CRNFSJ.6.3.06.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ol\u003e"}],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":false,"hasManuscriptDocX":true,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":false,"hideJournal":false,"highlight":"","institution":"","isAcceptedByJournal":false,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":false,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":false,"isPdf":false,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"discover-agriculture","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"Learn more about [Discover Agriculture](https://www.springer.com/journal/44279)","snPcode":"44279","submissionUrl":"https://submission.nature.com/new-submission/44279/3","title":"Discover Agriculture","twitterHandle":"","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":true,"editorialSystem":"stoa","reportingPortfolio":"Discover Series","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true},"keywords":"farmer preference, food recipe, orange-fleshed sweetpotato varieties, participatory variety selection, root yield, and vitamin A","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-7774866/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-7774866/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"\u003cp\u003eOrange-fleshed sweetpotato is a nutrient-rich biofortified crop that plays an important role in reducing food and vitamin A deficiencies. A participatory varietal selection (PVS) study was carried out during the 2022 main cropping season, followed by promotional and dissemination activities in 2023 and 2024 across West Belesa, East Belesa, Gondar Zuria, and Debark (Belese Kebele) districts. Six orange-fleshed sweetpotato varieties were evaluated using a randomized complete block design with three replications, following the mother\u0026ndash;baby trial approach. Agronomic data were collected from the mother trials and analyzed using R software, while farmers\u0026rsquo; preference data from baby trials were analyzed through pairwise ranking. The combined analysis of variance revealed significant differences among the tested varieties of terms of maturity date, plant height, root diameter, and total root yield per hectare. The highest mean root yield was recorded for the variety Kulfo (26.03 t ha⁻\u0026sup1;), followed by Dilla (23.54 t ha⁻\u0026sup1;), whereas the lowest yield was obtained from Tulla (13.54 t ha⁻\u0026sup1;). Farmers evaluated the varieties based on their selection criteria and ranked Kulfo, Tulla, and Burtiknie as first, second, and third, respectively. Kulfo and Tulla were subsequently selected for further demonstration and community seed production in the PVS sites and related agroecological zones. Across the promotion and scaling phases, Kulfo remained the most preferred variety, therefore, wider dissemination of the Kulfo variety is recommended in the study areas and with similar environments.\u003c/p\u003e","manuscriptTitle":"Participatory Evaluation and Promotion of Orange Fleshed Sweetpotato Varieties and Their Utilization in Northwestern Ethiopia","msid":"","msnumber":"","nonDraftVersions":[{"code":1,"date":"2025-10-29 15:29:16","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-7774866/v1","editorialEvents":[{"type":"communityComments","content":0},{"type":"decision","content":"Revision requested","date":"2025-12-09T09:14:30+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorInvitedReview","content":"","date":"2025-12-09T09:12:31+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorInvitedReview","content":"","date":"2025-11-30T10:32:40+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorInvitedReview","content":"","date":"2025-11-28T19:57:03+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorInvitedReview","content":"","date":"2025-11-28T14:36:17+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorInvitedReview","content":"","date":"2025-11-17T07:39:09+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorInvitedReview","content":"","date":"2025-11-10T12:16:44+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"295013107370665881852903686475375338188","date":"2025-10-20T15:48:47+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"49251225006070465190465883499309994258","date":"2025-10-20T08:51:40+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"24494636505698587184039448525014038788","date":"2025-10-19T17:17:49+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"60922758260096188945479171826365361243","date":"2025-10-18T10:20:16+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"92694574252496728326034028547140420932","date":"2025-10-18T05:41:54+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"136524338930788430595836460578882241488","date":"2025-10-17T07:28:30+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"178422526407215728813726474300823688455","date":"2025-10-16T16:57:44+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"330450291173997942325763174535770692142","date":"2025-10-16T16:29:11+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"65490848536583175021211726580916927228","date":"2025-10-16T11:27:48+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewersInvited","content":"","date":"2025-10-16T05:52:36+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorAssigned","content":"","date":"2025-10-14T06:13:17+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"checksComplete","content":"","date":"2025-10-10T07:36:34+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"submitted","content":"Discover Agriculture","date":"2025-10-10T07:32:56+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""}],"status":"published","journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"discover-agriculture","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"Learn more about [Discover Agriculture](https://www.springer.com/journal/44279)","snPcode":"44279","submissionUrl":"https://submission.nature.com/new-submission/44279/3","title":"Discover Agriculture","twitterHandle":"","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":true,"editorialSystem":"stoa","reportingPortfolio":"Discover Series","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true}}],"origin":"","ownerIdentity":"d05f4e33-9903-4702-8739-fd08237dbbdd","owner":[],"postedDate":"October 29th, 2025","published":true,"recentEditorialEvents":[],"rejectedJournal":[],"revision":"","amendment":"","status":"in-revision","subjectAreas":[],"tags":[],"updatedAt":"2026-05-20T10:25:03+00:00","versionOfRecord":[],"versionCreatedAt":"2025-10-29 15:29:16","video":"","vorDoi":"","vorDoiUrl":"","workflowStages":[]},"version":"v1","identity":"rs-7774866","journalConfig":"researchsquare"},"__N_SSP":true},"page":"/article/[identity]/[[...version]]","query":{"redirect":"/article/rs-7774866","identity":"rs-7774866","version":["v1"]},"buildId":"8U1c8b4HqxoKbykW_rLl7","isFallback":false,"isExperimentalCompile":false,"dynamicIds":[84888],"gssp":true,"scriptLoader":[]}