It is recommended to spray the field with an emergence-preventing herbicide licensed for sweet potatoes. Spraying is carried out two-three days before planting, and is followed by irrigation to activate the herbicide.

Sweet potato is, generally, a strong and resistant plant, but there are some pests that may cause severe damage to the yield and quality of the roots. Some soil-dwelling pests like soil-nematodes, wireworms or sweet potato weevil injure the roots. Larvae of some Lepidoptera moths such as armyworms (Spodoptera spp.), Plusia (Plusia spp,) and corn earworm (Heliothis zea), may infest the sweet potato plants and can cause damage both to the canopy and to the roots.

Pest monitoring should be carried out at least once a week during the growing season, and permissible pesticides applied according to findings.