A popular variety of potatoes with excellent taste and good keeping quality "Kievsky Svitanok"

Svitanok Kievsky is a standard Ukrainian potato variety. Initially, the crop was bred for cultivation in latitudes with a temperate climate, but thanks to the successful adaptation of the variety to any type of soil and any weather conditions, it became possible to grow these potatoes in almost all regions of Russia. Medium sized tubers have a pleasant pink skin color and yellow flesh with a high starch content.

From the article you will learn the pros and cons of the variety, the nuances of agricultural technology, methods of dealing with late blight, wireworm and Colorado potato beetle.

Description of the potato variety Kievsky Svitanok

The biologists of the Institute of Potato Growing of the Ukrainian Academy of Agrarian Sciences worked on the creation of the variety. The application for registration was filed in 1982, and five years later, in 1987, the crop was included in the State Register of Breeding Achievements.

The variety was highly appreciated by farmers and is considered one of the best so far, despite the variety of modern potato varieties and hybrids.

In the photo - Svitanok Kievsky potatoes.

Distinctive features of the variety are presented in the table.

The chemical composition of potatoes

The table shows the vitamin and mineral composition of raw, unpeeled tubers.

Reference. The calorie content of raw potatoes is 77 kcal, boiled without salt - 86 kcal per 100 g.

Growing region

The Svitanok Kievsky variety is adapted for cultivation on the territory of Russia in the North-West, Central, Middle Volga, Ural, West Siberian, Far Eastern macroregions.

Advantages and disadvantages

Variety advantages:

• increased amount of starch;
• reference taste;
• resistance to adverse climatic conditions;
• resistance to "potato" diseases;
• excellent presentation and keeping quality;
• high productivity with minimal maintenance.

According to the observations of farmers, there are no disadvantages in potatoes.

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Agrotechnics of culture

Svitanok Kievsky is grown on any type of soil, but the maximum result is obtained when planting in sandy loam soil, generously flavored with organic matter and minerals.

Planting care is minimal and does not require professional skills. It is enough to water the bushes in moderation, huddle the beds, loosen the soil, remove weeds and apply organic-mineral fertilizing.

Preparing for landing

Three weeks before planting in the ground, the selected tubers are taken out of the basement and taken out into the sunlight for germination. The material is treated with a pink solution of potassium permanganate, soaked in Fitosporin.

In practice, a disinfecting liquid is often used:

• potassium permanganate - 1 g;
• boric acid - 10 g;
• superphosphate - 60 g;
• urea - 40 g;
• copper sulfate - 5 g;
• hot water (80 ° С) - 10 l.

The components are thoroughly mixed until completely dissolved and the tubers are soaked in a warm solution for 20 minutes.

Immediately before planting in the ground, the seed is treated with germination stimulants "Zircon", "Epin", "Poteytin", "Fumar".

Timing, scheme and technology of landing

Potatoes are planted in the second decade of April or the first decade of May, depending on the climate. The soil temperature must be at least + 7 ° C.

In the fall, the site is dug up and fertilized:

• organic - cow (50-100 kg per 100 sq. M.) Or horse (40-80 kg per 100 sq. M.) Manure;
• minerals - superphosphate (2 kg per 100 sq. M) or potassium chloride (1.5 kg per 100 sq. M).

A month before the intended planting, the site is sown with green manure (lupine, rye, wheat, peas, flax), then mowed and buried in the soil. Overripe greens loosens the earth, saturates the air and prevents the growth of pathogenic fungi.

The seeds are planted to a depth of 10 cm, with an interval of 30-35 cm.The width between the rows is 70 cm.

A handful of wood ash and potato seedlings are placed in each hole. Large tubers are cut into pieces and sprinkled with ash.

Reference. Tubers of the Svitanok variety are not prone to degeneration and loss of their original qualities, therefore, seed replacement is not required.

Care

To get a rich harvest, follow the planting care rules:

1. Potatoes Svitanok prefers moderate watering - once every 10-12 days. An excess of moisture leads to the appearance of cracks in the tubers, and a deficiency leads to the death of the root system. The optimal solution is to install drip irrigation on the site.
2. So that a hard crust does not appear on the surface of the earth, loosening is carried out after watering.
3. Weeding begins seven days after planting.
4. Hilling the bushes is carried out twice: when the sprouts stretch 15 cm, and repeat during the flowering period.
5. Harrowing is carried out in areas of more than three acres. A harrow is hooked to a tractor or engine block, the tines of which tear out the weeds and loosen the soil deeply.
6. Potatoes gain green mass more actively and form tubers if you feed the bushes with foliar fertilizers. For example, Finnish farmers reap a record harvest by applying mineral foliage once every 10-14 days.

Recommended fertilization scheme:

• before flowering - 50 g of urea, 5 g of boric acid, 75 g of potassium monophosphate per 10 liters of water;
• during the flowering period - 20 g of superphosphate, 2 g of potassium chloride, 2 g of ammonium nitrate, 0.1 g of copper sulfate per 10 liters;
• after flowering - 5 g of boric acid, 2 g of potassium permanganate per 10 liters.

Council. If the seedlings have suffered from frost or hail, feed them with fertilizers "Zinc Chelate", "Brexil", "Reakom-SR-Potatoes" and growth stimulants "Poteytin", "Megafol".

Disease and pest control

The culture is immune to potato crayfish and black scab, moderately resistant to black leg, common scab and viruses, susceptible to late blight.

Phytophthora reproduces by zoospores, which survive even in an unfavorable environment and calmly winter in the soil, plant debris, on a working tool.At an air temperature of + 10 ° C and a humidity of 80-90%, spores germinate. The incubation period lasts from 3 to 16 days and is unnoticeable at first. Then dark brown spots and a whitish bloom appear on the back of the leaves. Brown spots and traces of rot are visible on the tubers.

Late blight is almost impossible to treat, so the main emphasis is on preventive measures:

• crop rotation;
• sparse fit;
• pre-planting treatment of tubers in Fitosporin, potassium permanganate or copper sulfate;
• timely harvesting of tops and tubers;
• top dressing with potassium-phosphorus fertilizers;
• treatment of plantings with preparations "Oxyhom", "Artsdil", milk serum with iodine.

Treatment:

• before flowering - "Artsdil" (50 g per 10 l), "Ridomil RC" (25 g per 10 l), "Oksikhom" (20 g per 10 l).
• after flowering - "Ditamin M-45" (20 g per 10 l), "Kuproksat" (25 g per 10 l);
• Pour 100 g of dry marsh horsetail with 1 liter of water, boil for half an hour and bring the volume to 5 liters, spray once a week;
• 1 kg of hay, a handful of urea per 10 liters, leave for 3-4 days, process the bushes once every 14 days.

Colorado beetles love to feast on potato tops, and wireworms like tubers.

To combat the striped pest, apply:

• insecticides "Aktara", "Lightning", "Apache", "Corado", "Commander";
• dusting with corn flour, birch tar or gypsum on wet tops;
• celandine broth (half a bucket of 10 liters with grass, pour water and boil for 30 minutes, cool and dilute with water 1:20);
• dandelion broth (200 g of flowers and leaves, 250 g of horsetail, pour 10 liters of water, cook for 30 minutes, cool and dilute with water 1: 5).

Agrotechnical techniques are effective against the wireworm:

• preliminary planting of peas, chickpeas, beans, mustard, clover, alfalfa, rapeseed, buckwheat on the site;
• frequent weeding;
• adding ash, eggshell powder, lime and chalk to the furrows during planting;
• landing between the beds of onions, carrots, marigolds to scare off the beetle;
• autumn digging of the garden to a depth of 20 cm, which allows the larvae to be raised to the surface.

For the destruction of wireworm larvae, the means "Tabu", "Prestige", "Aktara" are used.

Features of cultivation and possible difficulties

The variety Kievsky Svitanok is not caused by difficulties with cultivation and shows high yields both with traditional and alternative planting.... One of them is Igor Lyadov's method (planting in closed beds), which saves time and effort on work.

On the site, boxes are built without a bottom made of bricks or boards. The height of the sides is 20 cm, the width is 1.1 m. The bottom is lined with straw, grass, hay or paper, compost is laid out on top and earth from the aisles. In the future, the passages are sprinkled with sawdust or straw for ease of movement on the site.

When planting potatoes, the soil is not dug up, since organic matter lies at the bottom, which is undesirable to touch. They only loosen the soil. In the redistribution of the box, two rows are formed, and the holes are placed at a distance of 30–40 cm. The landing is carried out in a checkerboard pattern. Ash, chopped shells of chicken or quail eggs are placed on the tubers, and sprinkled with earth on top.

After the appearance of small bushes, weeding and mulching are carried out with dry leaves or straw.

Collection, storage and use of the crop

Harvesting is carried out in sunny, dry weather. The tubers are sorted, cleaned from the ground and laid out in one layer in a dark room to dry. Next, the potatoes are distributed in boxes or bags for further storage. The containers must not be in contact with the floor, otherwise the potatoes will freeze on the ice floor. It is better to place them on elevations made of foam or brick.

The crop is best stored with beets, which draw out excess moisture to prevent rotting. Apples are also placed in boxes to protect the tubers from germination.

The optimum storage temperature in the cellar or on the balcony is + 2-4 ° C, with a humidity of 70-80%.

Tubers are periodically sorted out, discarding rotten and green ones.

Special “balcony cellars” will help to keep the harvest on the balcony or loggia with glazing. It looks like an ordinary large backpack that can be mounted on a wall or placed on a stand. In fact, such a cellar works from the mains, maintaining the required temperature inside. Therefore, even if it is -40 ° C outside, the crop will not freeze.

Svitanok Kievsky potatoes are ideal for making mashed potatoes, which turns out to be appetizing, pleasant cream color. Steam cooking will help preserve the structure. Tubers contain 16-18% starch, non-watery, with a characteristic aroma.

Reviews

Reviews of the Svitanok variety are more than positive. Over the years of its existence, it managed to win the love of farmers and consumers.

Ekaterina, Izhevsk: “Kievsky Svitanok is my favorite potato variety. I have been growing it for 10 years in a row and will not trade it for anything. I think that yellow potatoes are the most delicious, and I do not plant varieties with white tuber on my site. The culture is slightly inferior in yield to other modern hybrids and varieties, but there is plenty of harvested crop for personal use, especially since the planting requires minimal care. "

Maria, Rostov-on-Don: "Three years ago I learned about this potato variety from a friend from Ukraine, where it is considered one of the best. I planted a few bushes at the dacha and was satisfied. The tubers are flat, with pink skin and yellow flesh, as I like. There are no special care requirements. For the prevention of late blight, I process the planting material in copper sulfate, feed the bushes with potassium and phosphorus, and that's enough. "

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Conclusion

The variety Kievsky Svitanok has received a high consumer rating for several decades due to its ease of cultivation, the ability to adapt to any climatic conditions, excellent taste and not prone to degeneration.

The culture is resistant to viral diseases, cancer and scab, but susceptible to late blight. Agrotechnical methods (potassium-phosphorus fertilizing, preventive treatments with copper-containing preparations, milk serum with iodine), therapeutic spraying with "Artsdil", "Kuproksat" help to fight infection.