Sweet potato [Ipomoea batatas (L.) lam] plant is known to have the relatively tolerance soil moisture deficit compared to other upland crops. However, recently, it has been causing plant growth inhibition and decrease storage quality due to the drought during the growing season of sweetpotato in Korea. The response of root elongation, leaf and shoot growth of sweet potato plantlets, cultivated under different water potential conditions were observed. Six varieties, such as yellow fleshed (Jinhongmi), dark-yellow fleshed (Daeyumi), dark-orange fleshed (Juhwangmi), light-orange fleshed (Dahomi, Pungwonmi), and purple fleshed (Sinjami) were used in this experiment. Using the follow water osmotic potential (WOP) levels were 0 (control), -0.05, -0.1, -0.2, -0.3, -0.4, -0.5 MPa by polyethylene glycol (PEG). In in vitro culture condition, ‘Jinhongmi’ has been inhibited rooting number and number of leaves less than 2, although slightly low WOP of–0.05 and –0.1 MPa, and at –0.2 MPa. shoot was not growing. ‘Daeyumi’, Dahomi, and Juwhangmi’ produced 2 roots as a low WOP of –0.3 MPa. and at –0.2 MPa., it appeared 2 or 3 leaves. ‘Pungwonmi’ produced similar to root number 3.9 at –0.1 MPa compared to control, but root weight decreased 75% at - 0.1 MPa more than control. Root did not grow at – 0.2 MPa for ‘Sinjami’. In nursery bed culture condition, roots fresh weight, number of leaves, and shoot length were inhibited according to the decreases of water osmotic potential. In the case of leaf area, ‘Jinhongmi’ and ‘Daeyumi’ was a significantly difference to 8.4, 22.6 cm3 at –0.2 MPa compared to control, respectively. No difference were obsered for ‘Dahomi’ at -0.1 and –0.2 MPa. ‘Pungwonmi’ was decreased 86% at -0.1 MPa compared to the control. ‘Juhwangmi’ and ‘Sinjami’ was a significantly difference to 15.5, 3.6 cm3 at –0.1 MPa compared to control of 22.9, 16.8 cm3, respectively.