This research was conducted to evaluate the response of local cultivars of sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas L) to sweet potato feathery mottle virus (SPFMV) infection. The treatments consisted of five local cultivars of sweet potato designated as CV1, CV2, CV3, CV4 and CV5 respectively. The experiment was laid out in Completely Randomized Design (CRD) and replicated three times. Result obtained from the statistical analysis of the field data indicated that there was a significant difference (P<0.05) among the five cultivars in their tolerance/resistance to the virus. The findings showed that CV1, CV3 and CV4 have the same mean severity score of (2) and therefore had some degree of resistance to SPFMV. Based on the statistical analysis it could be concluded that three local cultivars out of the five cultivars used for the research CV1, CV3 and CV4 have some degree of tolerance/resistance to SPFMV infection and were therefore recommended for use by the farmers in the study area.

Keywords: Cultivar, sweet-potato, sweet potato feathery mottle virus, disease resistance