Sweetpotatoes (Ipomoea batatas) have become increasingly popular over the last two decades. It is higher in beta-carotene than many other vegetables and a source of potassium, fiber, and vitamins A and C. Orange-fleshed varieties have a significant role in addressing vitamin A deficiencies, especially in pregnant women and children in developing countries. Sweetpotatoes are vegetatively propagated and susceptible to viruses that accumulate with each planting cycle (generation), leading to cultivar decline. This can affect the yield and quality of the sweetpotato roots. Over 30 viruses have been identified in sweetpotato. In U.S. commercial production fields, four potyviruses such as Sweetpotato feathery mottle virus (SPFMV), Sweetpotato virus G (SPVG), Sweetpotato virus 2 (SPV2), and Sweetpotato virus C (SPVC) are often commonly found. Potyviruses are aphid transmitted in a non-persistent manner. The potyvirus, Sweetpotato feathery mottle virus (SPFMV), is, by far, the most common sweetpotato virus. The objectives of the study are to compare the level of virus infection in five different generations (G1, G2, G3, G4, G6) with the yield performance in the Beauregard variety under field conditions. The different generation roots were collected from the previous experiments, and slips were multiplied under greenhouse conditions of the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff (UAPB) farm. The slips were planted 12 inches apart with a 30-inch row spacing in four replications using a randomized block design during the summer of 2023. The roots were collected and cured to measure the various yield parameters like total marketable yield, U.S. No. 1, Jumbos Canners, and Culls. The random roots were selected to quantify the viral infections across the five generations using multiplex Reverse Transcription-Polymerase Chain Reaction (mRT-PCR). We observed significant differences in the U.S. No. 1 roots and Canners across the generations. In total marketable yield, 42.5% reduction was observed between the younger generation (G1, G2) and the older (G6) generation. Here, SPFMV was found to be dominant across the generations. Overall, a higher rate of virus infections was detected in the older generation (G6) than in younger generations (G1, G2).
