Habitat of I. batatas
One of the major reasons why sweet potatoes
are so widely cultivated is because of
the large range of different environments that this plant
can flourish in. From cool temperate grassland to warm wet
tropical climates, this organism can grow just about anywhere.
However, sweet potatoes are mostly grown between latitudes 48
degrees N and 40 degrees S. This plant's growth is maximum at
temperatures above 25 degrees Celsius. Growth rate decreases
when temperatures fall below 12 degrees Celsius.
Sweet potato plants need full sun with well-drained, slightly acidic soil. Deep, easily crumbling sandy soil with a pH of 5.5 to 6.5 is ideal soil. It can tolerate a 30-50% reduction of full solar radiation. This plant grows best with a well distributed annual rainfall of 600-1600 mm. The growth of thick storage roots occurs best in dry weather but the plant cannot withstand long periods of drought. If you would like to learn more about perfect conditions for sweet potato growth, click here.
Sweet potatoes are being cultivated all over the world!
What's next in this sweet potato tour? Check out how this organism gets its nutrition!