Potential of experimental clones of sweet potato for ethanol production

Sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam.) Has been reported as one of the plant species with great ability to convert biomass into feedstock for ethanol production. The objective of this work was to evaluate the potential of sweet potato clones for ethanol production. Twenty-six sweet potato clones were evaluated for root productivity, root starch content, starch yield, bark and pulp color, and ethanol yield. Clone BDTO # 122.32 and cultivars Ana Clara and Carolina Vitoria averaging 46.77; 42.75 and 41.25 t ha(-1), respectively, were the ones that were able to accumulate biomass in the root form. The clones presenting the highest starch productivity per hectare were BDTO # 144.22 and BDTO # 100.23, with values of 15.46 and 14.16% t ha(-1), with ethanol yields of 8.33 and 7.63 m(3) ha-(1). The clones BDTO # 144.22 and BDTO # 100.23 showed the highest averages of starch productivity per hectare and yield of ethanol, thus being the most promising for the production of ethanol.