【Objective】The objective of the current study was to develop a fast method for production of high quality sweet potato seedlings， and to provide scientific basis for its rapid propagation. 【Method】Biological characteristics of sweet potato seedling were investigated using three different seedling cultivation methods，viz.，floating culture system，solid substrate culture system and soil-bed culture system. The status of growth and development of hairy root in axillary buds of sweet potato stem were recorded. 【Result】Culturing sweet potatoes in floating culture system showed the lowest time of sprouting （6 d），  the highest survival rate （85.0%） and root number （9.7 roots）， and the longest root length （6.2 cm）， compared to the other systems. 【Conclusion】Culturing sweet potato seedlings in floating culture system decreased sprouting time， improved the growth of seedlings and reduced the cost of management. Further， by using this technique， plantlets can be produced in one month only， which is advantageous for rapid propagation of sweet potato seedling. Floating culture system due to its time and cost saving characteristics is worth for popularization in sweet potato seedling productions.