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Interest in the potential of sweetpotato (Ipomoea batatas) for the production of industrial products is increasing. As part of an effort to evaluate the potential of sweetpotatoes for starch and anthocyanin production in the southeastern United States, a 5 × 5 North Carolina mating design II (NCII mating design) was developed to estimate the relative importance of general and specific combining abilities for dry matter (DM) content, total monomeric anthocyanin (TMA) concentration, fresh yield, and total DM and anthocyanin yields. All five traits had significant general combining abilities (GCA). Yield and DM yield had significant specific combining abilities. Significant differences among parents were observed for all traits. Yield, DM content, DM yield, and TMA yield were significantly impacted by spatial gradients within the field, but TMA concentration was not. Many trait-pairs of interest had either genotypic and/or phenotypic correlations. Phenotypic and family mean correlations among yield, DM content, and DM yield; as well as among yield, TMA, and TMA yield suggested that improving one trait will not negatively impact other traits of importance.

‘Covington’ is an orange-fleshed, smooth-skinned, rose-colored, table-stock sweetpotato [Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam.] developed by North Carolina State University (NCSU). ‘Covington’, named after the late Henry M. Covington, an esteemed sweetpotato scientist at North Carolina State, was evaluated as NC98-608 in multiple state and regional yield trials during 2001 to 2006. ‘Covington’ produces yields equal to ‘Beauregard’, a dominant sweetpotato variety produced in the United States, but it is typically 5 to 10 days later in maturity. ‘Covington’ typically sizes its storage roots more evenly than ‘Beauregard’ resulting in fewer jumbo class roots and a higher percentage of number one roots. Total yields are similar for the two clones with the dry matter content of ‘Covington’ storage roots typically being 1 to 2 points higher than that of ‘Beauregard’. ‘Covington’ is resistant to fusarium wilt [Fusarium oxysporum Schlect. f.sp. batatas (Wollenw.) Snyd. & Hans.], southern root-knot nematode [Meloidogyne incognita (Kofoid & White 1919) Chitwood 1949 race 3], and moderately resistant to streptomyces soil rot [Streptomyces ipomoeae (Person & W.J. Martin) Wakswan & Henrici]. Symptoms of the russet crack strain of Sweet Potato Feathery Mottle Virus have not been observed in ‘Covington’. The flavor of the baked storage roots of ‘Covington’ has been rated as very good by standardized and informal taste panels and typically scores as well or better in this regard when compared with ‘Beauregard’.

Studies were conducted in 2012 and 2013 to compare Evangeline to various sweetpotato (Ipomoea batatas) varieties (Bayou Belle, Beauregard, Bonita, Covington, NC05-198, and Orleans) for commercial production in North Carolina. In another study, microwaved and oven-baked ‘Evangeline’ and ‘Covington’ sweetpotato roots were subjected to analysis of chemical and physical properties [color, dry matter (DM), texture, and sugar] and to sensory evaluation for determining consumer acceptance. ‘NC05-198’ produced the highest no. 1 grade sweetpotato 600 bushels [bu (50 lb)] per acre and total marketable storage root yield was similar to ‘Bayou Belle’ and ‘Beauregard’ (841, 775, and 759 bu/acre, respectively). No. 1 and marketable root yields were similar between ‘Orleans’ and ‘Beauregard’. However, ‘Orleans’ produced more uniform roots than ‘Beauregard’, in which the latter had higher cull production. ‘Evangeline’ was comparable to no. 1 yield of ‘Bayou Belle’, ‘Orleans’, and ‘Covington’, which indicates the ability of this variety to produce acceptable yields in North Carolina conditions. ‘Covington’ had slightly higher DM than ‘Evangeline’, but instrumental texture analysis showed that these varieties did not differ significantly in firmness after cooking. However, microwaved roots were measurably firmer than oven-baked roots for both varieties. In this study, ‘Evangeline’ had higher levels of fructose and glucose, with similar levels of sucrose and maltose to ‘Covington’. Consumers (n = 100) indicated no difference between varieties in their “just about right” moisture level, texture, and flavor ratings, but showed a preference for Evangeline flesh color over Covington. Consumers in this study preferred oven-baked over microwaved sweetpotato (regardless of variety) and indicated that Evangeline is as acceptable as the standard variety Covington when grown in the North Carolina environment.