SENSITIVITY OF 4 SWEET-POTATO CLONES TO METRIBUZIN HERBICIDE

Four sweetpotato [Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam.] clones were evaluated for metribuzin tolerance in greenhouse and field experiments. W-262 exhib ited metribuzin response similar to the highly tolerant clone Tinian ( U.S.P.I. 153655), SC 1149-19 was highly sensitive to metribuzin, and t he commercial cultivar Jewel was intermediate in tolerance. Due to its more desirable horticultural characteristics and higher yields, W-262 is superior to Tinian as a source of metribuzin tolerance in sweetpot ato breeding. Chemical name used: ethylethyl)-3-(methylthio)-1,2,4-tri azin-5(4H)-one (metribuzin).