Introduction to the Characteristics of the Pushu 503 Sweetpotato Variety

Pushu 503 is a new high-quality sweetpotato variety for both table use and food-processing raw material, bred by hybridizing two typical high-quality varieties from China and abroad (Dananfu X American L4-5). It was approved in 2001 by the Putian City Crop and Livestock Variety Approval Committee.

Characteristics: Pushu 503 is a short-to-medium-vine, semi-erect type, with more branches per plant, medium stem thickness, heart-shaped leaves, and both stems and leaves green. Each plant sets 3-4 tubers, the storage roots swell relatively quickly in the early-to-mid stage, medium-sized tubers predominate, the tuber shape is downward spindle, the tuber base has a small soft tail root, the tuber shape is attractive, with purplish-red skin and orange-yellow flesh. Dry matter rate 32-35%, starch rate 14-16%, soluble sugar 5.57%, vitamin C 20.6mg/100g; boiled fresh tubers taste mealy, fragrant and sweet, and the dried tubers are of excellent quality. Used as a raw material variety for the food industry, foods such as "Xinghua Sweetpotato Preserves" have been developed, with high yield, bright color, good taste and rich nutrition. The tubers store fairly well, have good sprouting ability, are easy to raise seedlings, resist vine-cutting disease, resist scab, but are not resistant to sweetpotato blast. They tolerate moisture and fertilizer fairly well, but are not very tolerant of drought or poor soil.

Yield performance: When grown in spring and summer in various regions, the general yield is 2500kg per mu; when grown as an autumn-winter crop, the yield is about 2000kg per mu.

Cultivation points: As an early-to-mid maturing variety it should be harvested early, with a growth period of 130-150 days; if harvested late, fertilizer should be applied later to prevent premature senescence; the short vines tolerate fertilizer and temperature fairly well but are not very tolerant of drought or poor soil, so water and fertilizer management should be on the high side, with total fertilizer application increased by 10-20% compared with ordinary varieties, and more P and K fertilizer should be applied; it must not be planted in areas with severe blast.