Potato "Romano": description of the variety and cultivation rules
Potato is one of the most common vegetable crops grown by Russian summer residents. Gardeners have the opportunity to choose from a huge variety of varieties that differ in taste, growing characteristics and other characteristics. Potato "Romano" is very popular, which has many positive qualities.
Variety Description
The above type of potato belongs to medium-early varieties. Due to the high and stable yield, the variety is used in the food industry. The fruits are characterized by large sizes and a smooth, even surface. This speaks to the marketability of the product. Experts recommend growing a variety not only on an industrial scale, but also on the basis of farmlands and private land areas.
Even during long-term transportation, the tubers retain their attractive appearance and taste. The dense peel reliably protects potatoes from blows and other damages.
The species remarkably tolerates high temperatures and drought, but is weak before frost.
Brief historical background
Experienced agronomists know that potato varieties that were bred by Dutch breeders are in great demand due to quality (taste, appearance, wear resistance). "Romano" refers specifically to the Dutch varieties. This variety was added to the Russian State Register of Breeding Achievements in 1994. After that, Russian specialists had the opportunity to breed and grow a variety in various regions of the country.
Characteristic
Potatoes of this variety are characterized by the following indicators:
- the average weight of tubers varies from 70 to 90 grams, the shape is close to rounded or oval.
- smooth surface;
- uniform light pink color;
- the standard color of the pulp is cream or light yellow;
- shrub shape - upright;
- the color of the leaves is saturated green, the size is medium, some waviness is characteristic of the foliage;
- bushes are compact, branches are not sprawling;
- the color of the inflorescences is purple with a red tint.
- the variety is characterized by rapid growth of tops;
- the view can be used from season to season, without mandatory renewal, due to non-susceptibility to degeneration;
- potatoes are highly sensitive to the nutrient components of the soil; if you grow a crop in an infertile area, it is unlikely that you will be able to achieve a rich harvest;
- rich taste, without wateriness;
- the fruits are ideal for making a homogeneous and tender puree, the variety is also used for other cooking options: frying, stewing;
- in the industrial sector, chips and french fries are made from this variety;
- a moderate amount of starch in fruits, the maximum rate of which reaches 13%, due to this characteristic, after cleaning, the roots do not darken for a long time.
yield
Due to the high yield, this potato variety is ideal for sale. With proper implementation of agricultural technology, a plentiful harvest is guaranteed. Excellent keeping quality makes it possible to store fruits for a long time without loss of quality.
With proper care and proper cultivation, up to 800 grams of root crops can be harvested from one potato bush, which is about 10 large tubers.
In the process of harvesting small root crops, you will hardly see. Productivity depends not only on agricultural technology, but also on the composition of the soil, microclimate and other factors. The maximum figure that can be achieved by the end of the harvest is 34 tons of vegetables per hectare. The average value is from 11 to 32 tons per hectare of plantations.
Disease Immunity
The species boasts excellent resistance to various diseases that often affect vegetable crops. Sometimes the plant is attacked by tobacco mosaic, late blight and potato cancer, however, if preventive measures are taken, these troubles can be avoided. If the conditions for growing potatoes are not suitable, the bushes may begin to get sick with a nematode or common scab.
Pros and cons
Among the huge variety of advantages, experts identify the following main factors:
- excellent gastronomic qualities;
- attractive presentation;
- minimum percentage of defective fruits;
- high and stable yield;
- keeping quality (the ability of vegetables to maintain their shape, taste and appearance during storage for a long time);
- hot weather and drought tolerance;
- responsiveness to various top dressings;
- strong immunity to a number of pests and diseases.
Flaws
As disadvantages, both experienced gardeners and beginners in this business note the following:
- frost intolerance;
- thick peel;
- the variety is subject to certain ailments indicated above.
The disadvantages listed are minor. If you take preventive measures in a timely manner and adhere to the rules of cultivation, all of the above shortcomings can be avoided. A thick peel during the transportation of fruits will be more of a plus.
Features of growing crops
The volume of the harvest directly depends on the choice of high-quality seed. Before proceeding directly to planting, it is necessary to sort out and be sure to prepare the "seeds".
The selection process must be guided by the following rules.
- "Seeds" of potatoes begin to prepare for germination in the fall, at a time when the process of collecting root crops is underway. The densest, lushest and thickest bushes are dug up, and the fruits are left on the ground to dry.
- When choosing root crops for planting, it is necessary to take into account their size and appearance. Potatoes that have various defects (cracks, damage, rot) cannot be used. The optimal size of the fetus is the size of a chicken egg.
- The material to be used for planting is left in a dry and warm room. It is necessary to ensure that direct sunlight does not fall on the tubers. Also, you can not mix potatoes for planting with the rest of the crop.
Council of Experts
There is an effective way to quickly and accurately determine whether a potato is healthy or not. To do this, you need to prepare a solution of urea. One and a half kilograms of the substance is diluted in 10 liters of water.Vegetables are dipped into the resulting composition. The potatoes that sink to the bottom can be safely used for planting. If the fruits float to the surface, this indicates disease and infection.
How to prepare tubers?
2-3 weeks before the start of planting fruits in the soil, the harvested resource is laid out in a dry room, without direct sunlight available. The optimum temperature for root crops to germinate and dry out is 18 to 20 degrees Celsius above zero.
During this period, make sure that the potatoes do not dry out, otherwise they will disappear. Periodically, it is necessary to spray the potatoes with water to maintain the necessary moisture balance. Use a root fungicide solution to protect future plants from various diseases and fungus development.
Experienced agronomists begin to feed the seed even before it is planted in open ground. Ash has become widespread. Wet root crops are sprinkled with ash and then left for about 10-15 minutes so that the material dries.
Soil preparation
The yield of vegetable crops significantly depends on the choice of land, and Romano potatoes are no exception. To achieve maximum fruiting, it is necessary to grow a vegetable in a well-lit area.
The process of preparing the soil for planting must begin in the fall. The first step is to dig up the future landing site and add some lime to the ground. For one square meter of land use 1 cup of the substance.
A complex mixture of fertilizers for potatoes is added to the soil with the advent of spring.
disembarkation
It is necessary to plant root crops only in warm soil. The threat of spring frosts should be completely over.The best temperature for planting varies from 15 to 20 degrees Celsius. If these conditions are met, the first shoots will appear in the shortest possible time, and the yield will be high. The ripening time takes from 65 to 80 days.
Sowing material should be sorted out in size, highlighting small, medium and large root crops. Plant one size in a separate row for uniform emergence.
When planting large root crops, they can be cut in half, saving on planting material. Only a sharp knife is used in the cutting process. The blade must be periodically dipped in a solution of potassium permanganate in a rich pink color.
Cut potatoes just before planting. If this is done in advance, it may deteriorate.
Care
Variety "Romano" is unpretentious in care, due to which it is often chosen by beginners for cultivation. If potatoes grow in a temperate climate, watering is not required, due to resistance to short-term droughts. Within the boundaries of drier regions, where precipitation in the form of rain is rare, two or three times watering is carried out.
Experienced summer residents recommend hilling the site 2-3 times during the entire growing season. A one-time fertilizer application is also performed. An ideal top dressing option is to add a complex composition to the soil before planting potatoes.
A week before harvesting, it is necessary to cut the tops. Thanks to this, the plant will transfer all the forces to the fruits. Removing branches will improve the appearance of root crops, their size and taste. Due to the resistance of the above variety to damage in the process of digging up the crop, it is not necessary to use special equipment.
Diseases and pests
As noted above, the variety has strong immunity.But plants have an average resistance to rhizoctoniosis and are highly susceptible to nematode and common scab. In some cases, the bushes are attacked by late blight. The disease is a danger only to the tops.
As a preventive method, before planting, experienced summer residents treat with compositions containing copper. It is also highly recommended to change the potato planting site every few years.
Early cabbage, legumes, phacelia, as well as oilseed radish can be planted in between potato rows to improve soil composition.
Fruit picking and storage
After digging up the root crops, they must be dried for several days (from 3 to 5). If the weather is sunny outside, you can dry vegetables on the furrows. In adverse weather conditions, potatoes must be protected by a canopy. The first fruits can be dug at the end of June. The main harvest time is at the beginning of autumn.
The choice of root crops for planting for the next season is carried out before sending the vegetables for storage. Make sure that the room where the potatoes will be stored does not exceed the optimum humidity level (90%).
Reviews
Given the opinion of experienced vegetable growers, we can say that this type of potato is in demand. Most of the reviews are positive reviews posted by users from different parts of the country. There are practically no negative opinions. Some only noted factors such as sensitivity to certain diseases. But the high yield, large fruit size, good taste qualities of Romano potatoes are attracting more and more interest to it.
See below for details.