Sweet potato

JK 018 Sweet Potato (LSU Purple): Yield, Maturity and Characteristics

JK 018 is a registered sweet potato variety, also sold or known as LSU Purple or NSIC Sp 25. It was registered with the National Seed Industry Council in 2002 as NSIC 2002 Sp 25. Its record notes 11.68 tonnes per hectare on average in the trials.

4 min read Updated October 23, 2026 By the anee.io agriculture team Read it all with Libre + Anee
Kamote vines on long raised ridges in San Rafael, Bulacan, the kind of farm where JK 018 sweet potato is grown
Photo: Judgefloro, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons

The average and top yields in tonnes per hectare come from the trials each variety went through to be registered with the NSIC, and from what the seed companies say about their own seed.

What farmers harvest today can be different. Newer harvest records, the season, the place, the soil, the water and the care all move these numbers over time.

So use them to compare varieties, not as a promise for your field. Ask your seller or your agriculturist how the variety did on farms near you in the last few seasons.

If you came here looking for LSU Purple or NSIC Sp 25, this is the same sweet potato. Its seller and farm sources add notes, listed at the end. Compare it with the others in our sweet potato variety finder, or see every crop variety we list. For the crop itself, read our guide: Land preparation for root crops.

  • Yield: 11.68 tonnes per hectare on average in the trials.
  • Recommended for: anywhere in the country.
  • Local name: LSU Purple.

Key facts about JK 018 sweet potato

Key facts of JK 018
TraitWhat the record shows
RegistrationNSIC 2002 Sp 25
Year approved2002
Also known asLSU Purple, NSIC Sp 25, SP 25, purple kamote
Average yield11.68 t/ha
Recommended areaAnywhere in the country
Dry matter content36 percent
Starch content15.73
Flesh colorPurple
Root shapeLong Elliptic
Skin colorCream

How long does it take, and how much does it yield?

Its average yield of 11.68 t/ha trails the average of its group, 15.15. It sits in the lower quarter of its group. Trial yields come from well managed plots, so your own will depend on water, fertilizer, pests and timing.

Once you know the day count, anee.io dates every task from each lot's own planting day, with the growth stages and weather beside it.

Is it resistant to pests and diseases?

Reactions in trials, rated under natural field conditions
Pest or diseaseRatingWhat it means
ScabModerately resistantTook some damage but held up
WeevilModerately susceptibleTook clear damage

It was weak against weevil, so scout for it from the early weeks.

The pests and diseases that hit sweet potato fields most often: root knot nematode. Our pest finder and disease finder help you name what you see.

What the root is like

Its roots have purple flesh and cream skin. Dry matter is 36 percent. A higher dry matter cooks mealy and gives processors more flour or starch from each tonne. The starch content is 15.73 percent.

What its seller and farm sources say

  • Yield: 11.68 t/ha in registry trials, 8.32 t/ha in a 2025 Masbate college biofertilizer trial.
  • Fruit: Cream skin, purple flesh, long elliptic roots, dry matter about 36 percent.
  • Where: All regions of the Philippines.
  • Uses: Table, sweetpotato jam and other delicacies.
  • Moderately resistant to scab.
  • Moderately susceptible to weevil.

Why farmers know it: one of the four improved varieties Central Luzon growers kept after on farm testing, a purple fleshed table and jam type. Check these against what farmers near you have seen, because the same variety can do differently from one town to the next.

Where and when to plant JK 018 sweet potato

It is recommended for anywhere in the country. Pick by use and market: yellow or orange flesh for snacks and fries, purple for processing, white for boiling. Weevils are the main enemy, so plant clean cuttings and harvest on time.

Before you buy seed

  • Buy sealed packs or tagged sacks from an accredited dealer, and check the packing date and germination rate.
  • Ask your municipal agriculturist or nearby farmers how it did in your area last season.
  • Try it on a small area first, beside the variety you usually plant, before you switch the whole farm.
  • Write down the planting day, inputs and harvest, so you can compare varieties on your own ground. anee.io keeps these records for you.
Plan your next sweet potato season

Set the planting day of each lot and anee.io dates every task to harvest, with the weather beside it. Free on the Libre plan.

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Sweet potato varieties like this one

These are the closest matches among the sweet potato varieties we list. So if seed of this one is hard to find, compare these first.

Is LSU Purple the same as JK 018?
Yes. LSU Purple is another name for JK 018, registered as NSIC 2002 Sp 25. Seed sellers use both, so ask for either one.
What is its yield?
The record shows 11.68 tonnes per hectare on average in the trials. Your own yield depends on the soil, water, fertilizer and pests on your farm.
Where does it grow best?
It is recommended for anywhere in the country. Ask your municipal agriculturist how it has done in your town.
Where can I buy seed of JK 018?
Ask an accredited seed dealer in your province, the seller named on this page or your municipal agriculturist. Look for the certified seed tag or a sealed pack before you pay.

See how JK 018 will do on your farm

With Libre + Anee, see its full record: how it yields, its strengths and weaknesses against pests, diseases and the weather, and whether it fits your farm, your season and your soil.

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