Sweetpotato (Ipomoea batatas [L.] Lam., Convolvulacea) is a crucial food crop in many regions, especially for smallholder farmers in Asia, Africa, South America, and the Caribbean. However, its production is significantly impacted by abiotic stresses, particularly heat, which can limit root bulking and overall yield. Given the growing challenges of climate change and rising global temperatures, developing heat-tolerant sweetpotato varieties is essential for maintaining stable yields and ensuring food security.

In a mass field experiment, 1973 sweetpotato cultivars from CIP genebank were evaluated for heat tolerance to address the growing threat of climatic variability, particularly extreme heat events, to global food security. This subset contains 86 accessions that demonstrated the highest level of tolerance to heat stress (list from 1 to 86 in decreasing order of tolerance), showcasing their potential for breeding programs aimed at enhancing climate resilience.

Further information can be found at Heider, B., Struelens, Q., Faye, É. et al. Intraspecific diversity as a reservoir for heat-stress tolerance in sweet potato. Nat. Clim. Chang. 11, 64–69 (2021). 10.1038/s41558-020-00924-4