At the end of December, the "Potato System" magazine organized a webinar dedicated to modern promising potato varieties. The webinar was attended by representatives of well-known breeding and seed companies operating in the Russian market. Each company told the audience about the benefits and features of the two varieties in their lineup.
We decided to keep this useful information for our readers by publishing it on the site as a series of articles.
The first article in this series is dedicated to the early maturing RIVIERA and EVOLUTION varieties of the AGRICO HOLLAND selection. Speaker: Alexander Volodin, Commercial Director of AGRICO EURASIA LLC.
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AGRICO HOLLAND is a large Dutch seed-breeding company that brings together about 2 farmers and produces 000 tons of seed potatoes annually, sold in more than 600 countries around the world.
LLC "AGRICO EURASIA" is the official representative of AGRICO HOLLAND on the territory of the Russian Federation, the Republic of Belarus and the Republic of Kazakhstan.
Since the beginning of the 80s of the last century, AGRICO EURASIA LLC has been providing imports of Dutch seed potatoes to more than 35 regions of Russia and the CIS countries. The company is also engaged in the production of elite and reproductive potatoes in Russia.
The reputation that the varieties RIVIERA, EVOLUSHEN, ARIZONA, ALUET, IMPALA, PICASSO, ARTEMIS, FONTANE, ARSENAL enjoy among potato growers is well deserved: they have high plasticity, are well stored, are characterized by exceptional taste, high yield and resistance to most diseases. pests.
RIVIERA
Table variety. Very early (growing season: 55-60 days or 9 points out of 9), high-yielding, with attractive tubers. Designed for the early potato market, washed and packaged.
The variety tolerates high temperatures during the growing season and is resistant to the Y virus. It can be grown on most types of soil. Forms an average number of tubers (about 12 per bush), an average dry matter content of 18%.
Features of agricultural technology
To obtain an early harvest, it is recommended to subject the tubers to a temperature shock (in other words, tubers taken out of storage, where they were stored at a temperature of about + 4 ... 5 ° С, must be warmed up to + 15 ... 18 ° С).
You can do without preliminary germination, so as not to weaken the mother tuber.
Planting rate for seed purposes: 60-66 thousand pieces / ha, planting rate for table purposes: up to 50 thousand pieces / ha.
Fertilizers: a standard approach adopted by the region, taking into account soil analysis.
The plant develops quite quickly, the tops are medium or small, the soil cover is medium.
The variety is quite resistant to the use of metribuzin (8 points out of 9), the use of this herbicide does not lead to discoloration of the tops and a decrease in yield. It takes up to two weeks to form the peel.
Since the variety is not resistant to late blight of foliage (3 points out of 9) and slightly resistant to late blight of tubers (5 points out of 9), preventive treatments against late blight and Alternaria are recommended.
If these small conditions are observed, the variety fully realizes its potential and will allow the farm to achieve its goals (getting early production or the maximum yield of marketable tubers).
Evolution
Table variety. Early ripe, (growing season: 70-80 days or 6,5 points out of 9).
Fairly high yielding, with attractive red tubers. It is intended for selling early products on the market, selling washed and packaged.
The tubers are beautiful, oval-elongated, the average number from one bush is 15-16 pieces. The dry matter content is 18-19%.
The cultivar shows an average disease resistance.
Features of agricultural technology
For an early harvest, it is recommended to subject the tubers to temperature shock.
If the planting was preceded by the breaking off of the shoots, and the tubers were not warmed up, uneven seedlings are possible, but they will level out by the end of the growing season.
If the sprouts have been broken off more than twice, the grower may experience a decrease in germination rates.
Planting rate for table potatoes: 50-53 thousand pieces / ha. Planting rate for seed purposes: 60 thousand pieces / ha.
Fertilizers: it is recommended to apply nitrogen 10% less than the standard, phosphorus - in accordance with the standard, potassium + 20% to the standard.
Let us clarify that by the standard we mean the following values: nitrogen: 120-150 kg a.i., depending on the purpose of growing; phosphorus: up to 150 kg on a.d. basis; potassium: 200-250 kg d.v.
The variety is moderately resistant to metribuzin (6 points out of 9). The use of this herbicide can lead to partial discoloration of the tops, but without a noticeable decrease in yield.
Plants develop early, forming dense, lush tops. Accordingly, prophylactic protection against late blight and alternaria is recommended.
It is very important: the tops remain viable until the end of the growing season, therefore the desiccation date is determined by the results of the trial digging: if 70% of the tubers in the nest have reached the desired fraction, it is time to start desiccation. Note that tubers of this variety develop very quickly by the end of the season. If the manufacturer hesitates to make a decision, the excellent marketable fraction may outgrow.
It takes up to three weeks for the skin to form. Accordingly, the formula for success in working with this variety is very simple: the optimal planting rate (50-53 thousand pcs / ha), nitrogen application of less than 10% and timely desiccation.