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In recent years, sweet potato has been cultivated not only in marginal lands but also in fertile plains in northern China. The fertile nitrogen (N)-rich soil may inhibit storage root formation. Cultivars with different N tolerances and split application of reduced N rates should be considered. To investigate the effects of N on the N utilization, root differentiation, and storage root formation of cultivars with different N tolerances, the cultivars Jishu26 (J26) and Xushu32 (X32) were treated with three N levels supplied by urea: 0 (N0), 200 (N1) and 400 mg kg-1 (N2). With increasing N rates, "X32" absorbed less N in plants and distributed more N to developing storage roots than "J26." The storage root development of "J26" was sensitive to both N1 and N2, while that of "X32" was only sensitive to N2. High N nutrition upregulated the expression of certain genes during storage root formation, such as PAL, CHI, F3H, C4 H, 4CL, CAD, α-amylase, and β-amylase. Under N1 and N2, "X32" led to an increased sugar supply in sink organs and downregulated the expression of genes related to lignin and flavonoid synthesis, which promoted the C flux toward starch metabolism, thus reducing lignification and promoting starch accumulation during storage root formation. These results provide evidence for the effects of N on the C distribution in different metabolic pathways by regulating the expression of related key genes. N-tolerant cultivars are suitable in fertile plain areas because of the earlier formation of storage roots under high N conditions.

To examine the effects of uniconazole (UCZ) on the distribution and transport of photosynthate in sweetpotatoes, three spraying levels of UCZ, 0 (control), 50 and 100 mg L−1, were exposed to an exp...

The root quality of sweet potato cultivated during the summer season is poor in northern China; thus, this study was conducted to determine whether root quality could be improved through mulching with plastic film (MPF). The effect of MPF on root starch and its composition, the activity of starch synthesis enzymes, and other quality-related parameters were investigated in two purple flesh sweet potato cultivars, Jishu 18 and Ayamurasaki (Aya). The results indicated that root dry matter, anthocyanin content, adenosine triphosphate (ATP), and starch content were higher in both cultivars under the MPF treatment than those under the control treatment. The root adenosine diphosphate glucose pyrophosphorylase/uridine diphosphate glucose pyrophosphorylase (ADPGPPase/UDPGPPase) activity and adenosine triphosphatease (ATPase) activity were increased using MPF. However, under the MPF treatment, the amylose content, soluble sugar content, and granule-bound synthase (GBSS) activity increased in Jishu 18 but decreased in Aya, and the amylopectin content, protein content, and soluble starch synthase (SSS) activity decreased in Jishu 18 but increased in Aya. Therefore, MPF seems benifit to improve the quality of sweet potato, but the effects of this treatment condition may be dependent on the cultivar.

Anthocyanidin in plants, an important pigment, is of great interest to researchers, consumers, and commercial entities due to its physiological functions. Anthocyanin content and mRNA levels of anthocynin biosynthesis genes were investigated in storage root of different purple-fleshed sweet potatoes (PFSP) genotypes to understand the regulation mechanism of anthocyanin under weak light conditions. Anthocyanin content, its amount of accumulation, and the expression of CHS, DFR, F3H, GT, and ANS genes in the PFSP storage root under weak light conditions were studied. The results demonstrated that the anthocyanin content of the treatments was decreased and was obviously lower than that of the control until 30 days after shading in Ayamurasaki, while it was lower than that of the control from the beginning of shading in Jishu 18. Their accumulation rates of both treatmeants were lower than its control before 10–20 d of shading in Jishu 18, while those of Ayamurasaki weren't in their treatments. This indicated that Jishu18 is more sensitive to light as compared to Ayamuraska. Under the different weak light conditions, mRNA levels for ibCHS, ibF3H, ibDFR, and ibANS were obviously decreased, while the expression of ibGT was increased. These results indicated that anthocyanin content was regulated by light at the mRNA levels and the enzymatic level in sweet potato. Therefore, the development dynamic response to anthocyanin content varied in different genotypes of PFSP, and mRNA levels of anthocyanin biosynthesis were inhibited under the weak light condition.

To characterize the differences in photosynthate distribution and transport between nitrogen(N)-tolerant and N-susceptible sweetpotato cultivars under different N conditions, three N levels, including 0 (N0), 120 (N120), and 240 kg ha-1 (N240), were used in field experiments with the Jishu26 (J26) and Xushu32 (X32) cultivars in 2015 and 2016. The results from both years revealed that high N application reduced the tuberous root yield, the tuber/vine rate of carbon-13 (13C), and top-to-base (three equal segments of stem divided from the fifth opened leaf of the shoot tip to the main stem, defined as the top, middle, and base parts, respectively) gradients such as sucrose, ammonia N and potassium along the stem. 'J26' showed a higher yield than 'X32' under N0 but lower yield than 'X32' under N120 and N240. It also exhibited a higher 13C distribution to tuberous roots compared with that of 'X32' under N0, and the opposite trend was observed under N120 and N240. Under N0, 'J26' showed a steep top-to-base amino acid gradient and a significantly lower top-to-base sucrose increase along the stem in the late growth stage. Under N120 and N240, 'X32' exhibited a greater top-to-base decrease in the ammonia N along the stem during the main growth stages, a steep top-to-base sucrose gradient along the stem in the early growth stage, and a lower top-to-base sucrose increase along the stem in the middle and late growth stages. The formation of a reasonable photosynthate distribution structure attributed to high yield was related to a desirable sucrose, ammonia N or K+ gradient downward along the stem. These results might help provide farmers with sweetpotato cultivars using less or no N fertilizer in soils of different fertility and enhance the knowledge of yield-related physiology.