Genotype, mulching, and cropping system interactions drivevegetative growth and storage root yield in temperate-grownsweetpotatoNeji, Mohamed (Avtor) Meglič, Vladimir (Avtor) Kunstelj, Nataša (Avtor) Pipan, Barbara (Avtor) Sinkovič, Lovro (Avtor) sweetpotatogenotypeenvironmentmanagementclimate variabilityAbstractUnderstanding interactions among genotype, environment, and management iscrucial for optimizing crop performance under climate variability. Sweetpotato (Ipo-moea batatas (L.) Lam.), a nutrient-rich root crop increasingly cultivated in temperateregions, exhibits complex source-sink dynamics that remain insufficiently character-ized in organic and mulch-based systems. This study evaluated vegetative growth andstorage root yield of four varieties (Martina, Janja, Lučka, and Purple Speclet) grownunder conventional and organic production, with and without polyethylene mulch,across two contrasting seasons (2021–2022) in Slovenia. A randomized completeblock design with four replications was used to assess 15 agro-morphological traits,and linear mixed-effects models and multivariate analyses quantified factor effectsand interactions. Variety and cultivation method predominantly influenced vegetativetraits (η2 = 30.26% and 24.85%), while variety and growing season contributed mostto yield variance (35.56% and 20.88%). Polyethylene mulch significantly increasedabove-ground biomass (677–1329 g plant−1 ) and total storage root yield (922–1548 gplant−1 ), confirming its role in improving the soil-plant microenvironment. Mar-tina showed the highest and most stable yield across systems. Pearson correlationsindicated strong positive relationship among yield components (r = 0.77–0.93) andmoderate positive correlations between vegetative biomass and yield (r = 0.49–0.60),reflecting coordinated yet distinct source-sink patterns. Principal component analysisseparated treatment combinations and revealed significant genotype × management× season interactions, particularly under mulch in 2022. Overall, combining suit-able varieties with polyethylene mulch substantially enhanced productivity, reducingthe organic-conventional yield gap to ∼11%. These results support climate-adapted strategies based on efficient resource use and optimized biomass partitioning intemperate agroeccosystems.20262026-05-21 11:52:32Neznano29491UDK: 575ISSN pri članku: 1435-0653DOI: 10.1002/csc2.70303COBISS_ID: 278914563sl