Abstract:
The storage of sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas L.) is confronted with a myriad of post harvest challenges
resulting in heavy losses during marketing and storage in tropical Africa. In this study two storage
structures were evaluated and compared for the storage of two sweet potato varieties. A completely
randomized design (CRD) was used and the roots were stored for twelve (12) weeks in both storage
structures. The two storage structures improved the shelf life of sweet potato over 8 weeks. However, after
10 weeks of storage, the Purpose-Built Evaporative Cooling Barn (PBECB) stored sweet potato roots better
than Modified Pit Storage Structure (MPSS). The roots stored in the PBECB showed 66% wholesomeness,
53% weevil damage, 3.8% shrinkage, 30% weight loss, 58% sprouting and 52% decay compared with 60%
wholesomeness, 53% weevil damage, 4.1% shrinkage, 38% weight loss, 74% sprouting and 60% decay of
roots stored in the MPSS. TIS 2 sweet potato variety stored better than Ukerewe variety in both structures.
TIS 2 sweet potato stored for 3 months in the PBECB with 76% wholesomeness, 12% weight loss, 29%
decay and 3.4% shrinkage
