Biofortification of Sweetpotato (Ipomoea batatas [L.] Lam.) in Cuba

A breeding program was established in Cuba using 19 full-sib families of sweetpotato (Ipomoea batatas [L.] Lam.) introduced as botanical seed from the International Potato Center (CIP). The objective was to develop biofortified cultivars combining high yield, phenotypic stability, and high β-carotene content under tropical conditions. The program followed a four-stage pipeline: (1) F1 population establishment and visual selection (1732 plants) for morphological and pest/disease resistance traits; (2) initial clonal evaluation (C1) of 103 genotypes, estimation of genetic parameters, and multi-trait selection; (3) advanced evaluation of 19 elite genotypes, including analysis of genetic correlations and stability across two seasons; and (4) multi-environment trials (13 locations) with AMMI, GGE biplot, and MGIDI analyses. General and specific combining abilities were estimated, and broad-sense heritability (H2) was calculated. Three new biofortified cultivars ‘INICIP Dorado-4’, ‘INICIP B-30’, and ‘INICIP B-60’ were selected. These combine high yields, high β-carotene content, and distinct profiles for specific agronomic niches, with a total cumulative phenotypic gain of +352.8% achieved over four selection stages within a three-year period. This pipeline constitutes a replicable model for resource-constrained regions, demonstrating the potential of CIP germplasm to drive sweetpotato biofortification.