Abstract
The tubers of a collection of cultivars from North Simbu in the Papua New Guinea highlands were analysed for dry matter, fibre, ash, protein and amino acids. Levels determined for most parameters were in fairly close agreement with others previously reported in Papua New Guinea and elsewhere. Protein values, which are of major importance in North Simbu, where sweet potato provides a high proportion of the dietary protein, were generally rather low, although 5.3wt% on a dry matter basis (1.82wt% of fresh weight) was recorded for one cultivar. All cultivars showed a deficiency in sulphur-containing amino acids, in particular in cystline/cysteine. Tryptophan levels, however, which have been reported as low in the US were found to be more than adequate in North Simbu.
