Features and technology of growing varieties of potato "Alvar"

Potatoes are present all year round on the table in the form of various dishes. A well-known folk saying has even called this vegetable "second bread."To the great joy of gardeners, this culture is unpretentious in the care. To grow a good crop of potatoes in the area will not be difficult, even for novice gardeners. A variety of varieties makes it possible to choose the most suitable for the qualities and properties of the type of root. This article will discuss the features of Alvar potato.

Potato "Alvar" refers to medium-early varieties. He was bred by German breeders in 1985. Authors are brothers Winfried and Frank Lange. The variety has successfully passed quality tests and very quickly gained popularity among farmers in Europe.

Somewhat later, "Alvar" came to Russia. According to the State Register, culture is recommended for cultivation mainly in the North-West and North-Caucasus regions.

The feedback from farmers and farmers on this crop is mostly positive. This root is able to grow and give a decent harvest on almost any soil. It is this feature that is often mentioned as a significant advantage.

The variety has the following characteristics and properties:

• the term of ripening of root crops is 70-80 days;
• the crop produces a fairly abundant crop (under optimal conditions, about 500 centners of fruit can be harvested from one hectare of plantings);
• 10-14 tubers are averaged from one bush;
• the variety has a high resistance to potato crayfish, scab, golden nematode;
• the culture is not susceptible to cellular degeneration;
• Alvar potato is resistant to dry weather, can do without additional watering.

Consider the description of the plant.

• Shrubs are relatively tall, upright or semi-upright. In height can reach 1.5 meters.
• The foliage is small or medium in size, with a slight waviness at the edges. The leaves have a dark green color. The sheet plates are smooth to the touch.
• During the growing season, the culture forms a thick and spreading tops.
• Flowers of a red-violet shade, are collected in inflorescences of the average size.

Fruit Description:

• potatoes are oval in shape, there are small eyes in the tubers;
• the peel of the fruit is smooth, red tint;
• the pulp has a light yellow color and a granular structure;
• potato mass on average is 90-105 g;
• the content of starch in the fruit - within 13-14%;
• tubers have an attractive presentation, well tolerated transportation;
• keeping quality of fruits - 90%.

Grade advantages:

• high yield;
• unpretentiousness to the conditions of cultivation and the type of soil;
• harvest can be used for planting season after season, the variety does not degenerate;
• culture can be cultivated on an industrial scale;
• good transportability and keeping quality of fruits;
• resistance to potato-typical diseases and pests.

Disadvantages:

• the relatively high price of the crop and seed material of this variety;
• "Alvar" is subject to attacks of fungal diseases and late blight.

Before planting seed tubers in the soil, it is necessary to germinate them. For this procedure, healthy and whole potatoes are selected. There should be no signs of rot or mechanical damage.

2-3 weeks before planting, the selected seed potatoes should be moved to a warm and well-lit room. The temperature during germination of tubers should be at least + 15 ° C. Fruits should not be heaped into a rack or placed in containers.

After the appearance of the sprouts, it is recommended to harden the seed potato 1-2 times.

The optimal time for planting culture is the beginning or middle of May. The air temperature should not be below + 18 °.

Germinated tubers are laid in prepared wells to a depth of 8-10 cm. The pits are covered with earth. The recommended landing pattern is 40x70 cm.

Potatoes respond positively to hilling. It should be carried out 2-3 times per season. The first hilling will be necessary when the shoots rise in height by 12-15 cm. The next hilling can be done in 2-3 weeks.

In terms of fertilizer, potatoes prefer organic matter (water mullein and poultry manure). The culture also responds well to the addition of urea. The first dressing can be done simultaneously with the first hilling. During the flowering of plants, it is recommended to add potassium sulfate and powder the root zone with ash.

Particularly common is the defeat of vegetable crops (including potatoes) late blight. The variety "Alvar" to this disease is not too good immunity. This fungal disease affects the root system and fruits in the soil. To combat late blight used a solution of lime and copper. For prevention, seed tubers before planting can be treated with one of the protective immunostimulatory compounds.

A serious enemy of the potato is also the Colorado potato beetle. Insect is very voracious and actively eats the tops of plants. If the pest is not destroyed, the plant will die within a few days. Prevention is the preplant treatment of tubers.

Brown spotting - a disease that affects the ground part of the plant. A sign are dark or brownish-yellow spots on the leaves and stems. To combat this disease in the soil must be fertilized with calcium.

Fungal rot affects root crops. It significantly affects the quality of the crop. Losses from this disease can be up to 40%. A good preventive measure is powder in the root zone of birch wood ash. Nutrient solutions containing calcium should be added to the soil.

Experts recommend not planting potatoes in the same area 2 seasons in a row. Legume crops, spicy herbs, and cucumbers are good predecessors for root vegetables. It is undesirable to plant potatoes in the place where the nightshade were cultivated.

You will learn more about the diseases of potatoes in the following video.