An experiment was conducted under field conditions to assess the incidence of viral diseases in 20 accessions of sweet potato [Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam.]. Using symptomatology, biological indexing, nitrocellulose membrane ELISA (NCM-ELISA) and PCR, the accessions were assessed for disease incidence and symptom severity. Symptom expression varied among the accessions with severity index ranging from 2.24 in UK/BNARI at eight weeks after planting (wap) to 3.63 in US029 at 12 wap. Mean disease incidence varied significantly among the accessions, ranging from 43.2% to 96.3%.