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Abstract
Sweetpotato [Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam.] is an economically important crop in the southeastern United States, and sustainable production practices that include reducing fertilizer costs and improving soil organic matter are needed. Field studies were conducted in the Spring of 2007 and 2008 to evaluate nitrogen fertilization requirements of sweetpotato. Treatments of 0, 50, and 101 kg·ha−1 nitrogen (from ammonium nitrate applied preplant broadcast) were applied following a crimson clover (Trifolium incarnatum L.) cover crop along with a conventional no cover crop treatment using 101 kg·ha−1 N (from ammonium nitrate). Sweetpotato yields for all rates of N fertilizer following the cover crop were similar (for ‘Beauregard’ in 2007) or greater (for ‘Xushu 18’ in 2008) than yields from plants grown using the conventional treatment. Percentage of dry matter of storage roots was not affected by treatment. Nitrogen fertilization can be reduced or eliminated when sweetpotatoes are produced following a crimson clover winter cover crop.