Agricultural producers who are forced to work in risky farming areas need special varieties of second bread. The requirements are simple: precocity, resistance to diseases and pests, productivity, taste. By trial and error , a number of varieties that correspond to these parameters have been identified from the many proposed. Among them, one of the leading places is occupied by Scarlet potatoes. Description of grade, reviews large manufacturers and private business executives indicate that a certain attention to this overseas product lived up to expectations.
The correct name for the red-skinned variety is Red Scarlett. It was widely distributed after 2000, and was included in the State Register of the Russian Federation. Especially relevant were its advantages for cultivation in the middle lane and southern regions of Russia. A short time period, where the temperature regime favors the growth of potatoes, forces early large varieties of seeds to be acquired by large agricultural enterprises and medium ones.
Good results are obtained by summer residents who have tried on their sites potatoes of the "scarlet" variety. Can everyone boast good harvests of Dutch species? Not always and not all. The reason is simple: agronomists do not use the authors' methodology for growing potatoes. Not everywhere the soil has a loose structure, not all farms can maintain water balance during the growth of tubers. Do not always withstand the recommended row spacing when planting Dutch varieties. And the amount of light penetrating through the tops, greatly affects the result.
Scarlet potatoes: variety description
This potato is bred by Holland breeders. This is an early ripe variety of table destination. The bush is formed undersized. This is an upright plant with medium-sized green leaves and low undulation of their edges. It blooms with flowers of medium size. Petals are cast in reddish or lilac shades, sometimes purple components are present. White flowers should not be found on the plantation. The tops are growing fast. Under good conditions, a dense bush is formed.
This potato requires a sparse planting. Variety "red scarlet" forms tubers rapidly, laying a lot of tuberous buds. The expected yield is up to 400 kg from 0.1 ha.
Description of the tuber
The tuber peel is red or dark pink. The shape is oval, elongated, aligned. Eyes are small and shallow. The pulp on the cut is yellow. This potato (red scarlet variety) is well stored in a cool, dry place. High starchiness provides a good taste for tubers. They maintain a marketable aesthetic appearance for a long time. From 80 to 96% of tubers of the total potato crop of this variety have an optimal size for sale (80-150 g). The product tolerates transportation well.
In dishes, the tubers are slightly digested. Due to the starch content (16% by weight), the color of the finished dish remains creamy yellow.
Potatoes "red scarlet": characteristics
In the Netherlands, a pink-haired, round-oval "red scarlet" was bred for a very early and high yield. Vegetative development ends within 75 days. The plant tolerates short-term drought. Prefers well-cultivated soil, sparse planting. With long-term storage, 98% of the quality products of the Red Scarlet variety are preserved.
Potatoes (the description characterizes this variety as a table) is also suitable for industrial processing. The structure of the pulp of tubers allows you to maintain shape. Chips and french fries turn out crispy, do not absorb a lot of oil. Tubers do not change color during mechanical damage, tolerate washing well.
Grade Features
Resistant to:
- golden potato nematode;
- late blight of tops and tubers;
- the causative agent of cancer;
- PVYn virus.
Slightly weaker resistant to:
- potato scab;
- Alternariosis (prophylactic treatment reduces the risk if carried out at the beginning of flowering).
Comparative characteristics
In the State Register, the variety “scarlet” was introduced in 2000 in the Central (No. 3) region. He successfully passed the tests, was recommended for breeding in other areas of the Russian Federation. These are regions No. 2 (North-West), No. 4 (Volga-Vyatka), No. 10 (West-Siberian). In areas where there is a short summer, getting an early harvest solves the food problem.
The analysis showed that the commodity yield of the varieties “luck” and “early Zhukovsky” yielded to the same parameter corresponding to the type “scarlet”. The potato received good reviews, since at the experimental site the yield was higher by 22 kg / ha. In terms of yield, on the 45th day after full germination, the Scarlet potato was ahead of the Zhukovsky early potato by 24 kg / ha. Its indicator was 84 kg / ha. On day 55, the difference was 45 kg / ha, respectively. An experiment was conducted in the Moscow region. Smolensk region revealed the highest productivity of the variety "scarlet". The potato, the description of which attracted farmers, showed a crop at the level of the isora standard of 270 c / ha.
Grade advantage
The biggest advantage of Scarlet potatoes over other early varieties is the resistance of tubers to the golden potato nematode. The Latin name for the parasite is Globodera rostochiensis. This species of nematodes settles and affects all plants of the nightshade family, to which tomatoes, potatoes, and eggplants belong.
Nematodes are dangerous for small areas of private home ownership - where it is difficult to observe crop rotation with a 5-year break. Infected plants quickly fade, turn yellow, tubers develop poorly, and their number is minimal. Up to 80% of the crop can be lost if the planting of ordinary potatoes is returned to this place after 2 years. If the land after potatoes is planted by other representatives of nightshade, then their harvest will also be sharply reduced. Resistance to parasite is demonstrated by Scarlet potatoes. Description of the variety, reviews of potato producers confirm this. This compares it favorably with other varieties. Its dense skin does not attract nematodes, which saves the crop.
Dutch potatoes: care features
Varieties of potatoes bred in Holland showed their best side at the beginning of cultivation. Then interest in them declined markedly. Reviews of potato growers increasingly contained pessimistic notes. Doubts arose both in the variety's protection from insidious late blight and in yield. Potato “scarlet” did not stand out on this list either. Description of the variety, reviews of Dutch manufacturers promised abundant harvests precisely due to immunity to late blight. But in practice, the results were all lower, diseases were affected by more and more plants. There was information that the variety is degenerating. He began to leave the crop rotation.
Holland is a country with established traditions of growing such a crop as potatoes. Pedantically following the special rules of cultivation, she urged everyone to repeat their experience as accurately as possible. Three components of success: loose, structured soil that can deliver air to the roots of the plant, sufficient moisture at the time of laying the tubers, maximum light access to the stems and roots.
Catch up and overtake
Not every farm was capable of creating such conditions for the production of promising Dutch varieties. Acidic sandstones or peat lands, clayey dense soils did not meet the demands. A habit of decades! Remember the square-nested? The usual landing of 60 x 60 did not give air, light to the roots. When for early varieties the row spacing is taken equal to 80 cm, the depth of seed potatoes does not exceed 4 cm, and the ridges are formed 25 cm in height, the yield increases sharply.
The Dutch cope with weeds with the help of chemistry. A low level of disease is a consequence of a rigid treatment system. A strict alternation of special preparations and a 6-time treatment of potato areas save the plant from disease. Without observing these conditions, the “scarlet” potato, according to our gardeners, “picks up” late blight quickly, and there is no special immunity as such.
Planting material
Particular attention is required to the preparation of seed material. To increase the quality of the seed stock, maintain the normal frequency of planting. Each square meter is planted with 30 bushes. To get a similar result, select from the germinated tubers those that have woken up at least five eyes. The size of the tubers for planting is preferably 3-5 cm. Strictly monitor the purity of the variety. If the color of the potato on the site does not match the variety, remove the bush from the sown area. If this is a solitary plant, tear off the color, place the identifier and, when digging, remove from the control group. Subject to the above requirements, the quality of planting material will reach elite indicators.
A single treatment of tubers from viral infection will help preserve the crop. You need to do this before landing.
Cleaning time
A very early variety requires a responsible approach to the timing of the harvest, digging the seed stock. Has a feature and potatoes "scarlet". Description of the variety, reviews of potato growers suggest cleaning much earlier than usual. In late August or early September, table potatoes are removed from the field. For the seed fund, the deadline is in July - early August.
Leaves are removed 10 days before harvesting. This will accelerate the ripening, densification of the peel on the potato. The density of the skin will protect against possible mechanical damage during cleaning and storage.
After harvesting potatoes, sow rye and mustard. Good for one year to give the field under the lupine. These crops will enrich and cleanse the soil for future potato harvests. Planting nightshade alternate with sowing legumes. Only following all the requirements, you can appreciate the benefits of Dutch varieties.