INTERMEDIATE CLEANING RESULTS
In 2022, NORIKA-SLAVIA LLC established demonstration plots of NORIKA potato varieties in 12 regions of the Russian Federation. We are ready to share the first preliminary results obtained in the southern regions: Astrakhan, Volgograd, Rostov regions; Krasnodar and Stavropol Territories; Republic of Crimea.
The main task of testing in the south of Russia is to determine the "portfolio of varieties" of potatoes from NORIKA for the spring and summer planting periods (with a maximum yield of potato fraction 50+ mm).
During the growing season, the specialists of our company (agricultural department) monitor the phases of potato development, as well as the final control digging to obtain complete information about the behavior and technological scheme that is used on the farm (new varieties are on an equal footing with existing ones).
Spring planting is carried out from late February to March, summer - from late June to early July. Some southern farms carry out only one planting - spring.
As a rule, agricultural enterprises grow several varieties of different ripeness periods, which contributes to the systematic distribution of time and equipment during harvesting. Read more about the principles of selection of varieties in the article “We form a varietal conveyor” (Potato System magazine, No. 2/2022, p. 40-41).
Recall that when harvesting it is extremely important to collect grown potatoes with minimal losses: yield indicators depend on this; in addition, tubers left in the field can cause harm in the future (they will contribute to an increase in the nematode population, become a source of late blight, etc.). It is also necessary at all stages of work to make every effort to reduce the number of tubers with mechanical damage.
Favorable harvesting weather conditions and a well-designed work plan (taking into account the ripening time of varieties, data from dynamic digging) are necessary conditions for maintaining a high quality crop. During harvesting, both the collective and well-coordinated work of potato harvesters in the field and the prompt transport of products to storage for an organized treatment period are important.
At the time of writing, there are still no complete data on harvesting in the southern regions of our country, but we can share the intermediate results of this season (the information has already been used to make adjustments to the plan for the order of harvesting varieties of NORIKA selection).
On demonstration plantings, we planted the following varieties:
- - early: Akseniya;
- – mid-early: Gala, Baltic Rose;
- - mid-season (listed in order from earliest to latest): Inara, Vega, Wendy, Merlot.
It is worth noting that the harvesting conveyor, despite the identical set of varieties, changed slightly at different demo sites, based on the data on dynamic digging, so once again we urge you to pay attention to this technique when organizing a harvesting session.
So, for example, in the Rostov region, the varieties are distributed in turn for harvesting in the following order: Akseniya, Inara, Gala, Baltic Rose, Vega, Wendy, Merlot.
In the Dzhansky district of the Republic of Crimea, Akseniya and Baltic Rose took the first places in terms of harvesting (these are the results of spring planting, data for summer will be later).
In the Astrakhan region, the varieties Akseniya, Baltic Rose and Inara were the first to reach maturity.
We will also provide data on biological yield and the percentage of the 50+ fraction in the crop structure (for 70 days of vegetation).
According to the first indicator, the Inara variety is in the lead - 53,2 t / ha, tubers of the 50+ fraction make up about 47,4% of the collection volume. In the variety Akseniya, the percentage of large tubers is at the level of 64,6%, in Baltic Rose - 61,3%.
It is too early to harvest the mid-season variety Vega, but the yield already reaches 47,32 t/ha.
We wish all agricultural producers good weather for crop formation and, of course, excellent conditions for harvesting! The specialists of our company are always ready to answer questions about varieties of NORIKA selection.