Comprehensive Evaluation of Raw Eating Quality in 81 Sweet Potato (Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam) Varieties

The raw eating quality of sweet potato is complex. As consumers start paying more attention to the raw eating quality of tuberous roots in sweet potato, the evaluation of the raw eating quality of sweet potato is becoming an important issue. Therefore, we measured 16 quality indicators in 81 varieties of sweet potato. It was found that these 16 quality traits had different coefficients of variation (C.V.). Among them, the C.V. of fructose, glucose, and adhesiveness were the largest: 87.95%, 87.43% and 55.09%, respectively. The cluster analysis method was used to define six categories of the different tuberous roots of sweet potato. Group I, III, and IV had a stronger hardness and higher starch and cellulose content. Groups II, V, and VI were softer, with a high moisture and soluble sugar content. The principal component analysis method was used to comprehensively evaluate 16 quality indicators of 81 sweet potato varieties. It was found that Futian1, Taishu14, and Nanshu022 are good varieties in terms of raw eating quality. These varieties have low hardness, high adhesiveness in texture, high soluble sugar content, and low starch and cellulose. Future research should focus on improving the raw eating quality of sweet potato by reducing hardness, starch, and cellulose, while increasing adhesiveness, soluble sugar, and moisture content.