The Importance of Sweet Potatoes for Addressing the Climate Change and Food Security

Sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas L.) is a globally important root vegetable crop, highly valued as a food crop in developing countries due to its high yield and drought resistance, so it plays a crucial role in enhancing food security in response to climate change. Sweet potatoes can help address nutritional deficiencies as they contain starch, fiber, protein, and various vitamins and minerals. Particularly, orange-fleshed sweet potatoes (OFSP) are effective in preventing vitamin A deficiency due to their high β-carotene content, while purple-fleshed sweet potatoes (PFSP) can offer antioxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits thanks to their anthocyanin content. Additionally, sweet potatoes can be processed into various functional foods and beverages post-harvest, contributing to income generation and increasing commercial value. However, the breeding of sweet potatoes is complex due to their high heterozygosity and hexaploid genome, presenting challenges to traditional breeding methods. Therefore, recent studies have been applying advanced technologies such as next-generation sequencing (NGS), high-throughput technologies and CRISPR/Cas9-mediated gene editing. These technologies provide new tools and resources for sweet potato genetics and genomics research, accelerating genetic and phenotypic improvements and promoting sustainable production. Therefore, sweet potatoes, with their high nutritional value, diverse functionalities, and environmental adaptability, are vital in addressing food security issues related to population growth and climate change. Continuous research and technological advancements are necessary to maximize the potential of sweet potatoes and respond to impending challenges.