**9. Land preparation**

Sweet potato is planted on well-prepared flat land, on raised beds, on ridges or on mounds depending on the local soil and agroclimatic conditions. On sloping lands, contour ridges and furrows are formed to slow down the movement of rainwater and to minimize soil erosion. In the ridge-furrow system, the furrows are made gently sloping along the natural slope of the field to facilitate easy drainage of water during heavy rains. The highest yields were reported for crops planted on mounds in India [48] and in trenches in alluvial soil in Bangladesh [49]. Whatever be the system, it should enable good drainage and soil aeration and less soil compaction so as to facilitate the formation and bulking of storage roots.
