Bhu Sona
A biofortified CTCRI variety with deep orange flesh very rich in beta-carotene (about 14 mg/100 g), released for nutrition programmes and the health-food market — matures in about 105–110 days.
Quick facts
- Type
- Vine cutting (biofortified variety)
- Season
- Kharif
- Maturity period
- 105–110 days
- Expected yield
- 18–22 t/ha
- Suitable soil
- Sandy / light soil
- Release
- Released by ICAR-Central Tuber Crops Research Institute (CTCRI), Thiruvananthapuram — biofortified for beta-carotene
About this variety
Bhu Sona is a biofortified sweet potato from ICAR-CTCRI, Thiruvananthapuram, with deep orange flesh very rich in beta-carotene — about 14 mg per 100 g, several times the level of an ordinary orange-fleshed variety. It was released for nutrition programmes tackling vitamin A deficiency and for the health-food and processing market. It matures in about 105–110 days. Plant from clean, weevil-free apical vine cuttings.
Key characteristics
Yield & maturity
Maturity period
105–110 days
Expected yield
18–22 t/ha
Actual yield depends on sowing time, soil, irrigation, weather, seed quality and crop management.
Pest & disease considerations
Major diseases
- No special resistance claimed
Advantages & considerations
Why farmers may choose it
- Very high beta-carotene (~14 mg/100 g) — a strong vitamin A source
- Deep orange flesh for the nutrition, health-food and processing market
- A named, released biofortified variety with certified planting material available
Things to consider
- Slightly lower tuber yield than the plain table varieties
- No special disease or weevil resistance — clean cuttings and earthing-up essential
Suitable regions
States this variety is recommended for — check locally, since a state can have more than one recommended zone.
- Odisha
- Kerala
- Tamil Nadu
- Karnataka