The Chungbuk Agricultural Research and Extension Services (Director Cho Eun-hee) is spearheading the spread of new sweet potato varieties by supplying disease-free seed sweet potatoes produced through the 'New Sweet Potato Variety Utilization Promotion Project.'

Recently, the number of farms seeking seed sweet potatoes of new varieties has been on the rise, but existing supply volumes have fallen short of meeting demand.

In response, the Provincial Agricultural Research and Extension Services, in cooperation with the Rural Development Administration, is supplying 1.5 tons of 'Hopungmi' disease-free seed sweet potatoes—produced directly in experimental plots—free of charge to farmers via agricultural technology centers across 11 cities and counties in the province. Applications must be submitted to the agricultural technology center having jurisdiction over the farm's location by November 20, with distribution scheduled for November 30.

'Hopungmi' is a sweet potato variety bred by crossing 'Pungwonmi' and 'Hogammi' by the Rural Development Administration. It is an excellent new variety featuring high marketability due to its red skin and uniform shape, alongside a high yield of approximately 3,400 kg per 10a.

The supply of disease-free seed sweet potatoes is also crucial for preserving both the yield and quality of the crop. If seed sweet potatoes are replanted year after year, viral infections are passed down and intensify over time, leading to reduced yields and lower marketability. Therefore, periodic renewal with disease-free seed sweet potatoes is essential to maintain the original characteristics of the variety.

"We will continue to supply healthy seed sweet potatoes so that domestic new sweet potato varieties can be more widely cultivated in the Chungbuk region as well," said Cho Do-yeon, a researcher at the Crop Research Division of the Provincial Agricultural Research and Extension Services. "We will also strengthen on-site technical support to ensure stable cultivation for the farms that receive the supply."

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