Mid-season potato variety "Mayak" with good adaptation to growing conditions

Among the many varieties of potatoes, Mayak stands out. It is a table variety, characterized by adaptation to various climatic conditions and soils, productivity and ease of maintenance. Suitable for cultivation in home gardens and on an industrial scale.

Consider a detailed description of the variety and the nuances of its cultivation.

Description

Potatoes Mayak belongs to the medium early varieties. Bushes of medium height, tops are strong, semi-erect. The leaves are dark green, medium-sized, wavy. The flowers are pale lilac. The bush has a good root system, which allows 12-18 tubers to form under each plant.

The variety is easy to adapt to different soils and climatic conditions.

Origin and development

Potatoes Mayak is a table variety. It was developed by breeders of the Federal State Budgetary Scientific Institution “Ural Research Institute of Agriculture”.

Recommended for growing in the Volga-Vyatka region: Sverdlovsk, Kirov, Nizhny Novgorod regions, Perm Territory, the Republic of Mari El, the Chuvash and Udmurt republics.

Chemical composition, trace elements and vitamins

The starch content in Mayak tubers is in the range of 13-17.5%.

Potatoes contain a lot of proteins, carbohydrates, vitamins, micro- and macroelements.

Vitamin content in 100 g of raw potatoes:

• A - 2.83 mcg;
• B1 - 0.13 mg;
• B2 - 0.55 mg;
• B5 - 0.3 mg;
• B6 - 0.28 mg;
• B9 - 0.82 mg;
• C - 22.1 mg;
• E - 0.11 mg;
• PP - 1.32 mg;
• beta-carotene - 0.21 mcg.

Macronutrients:

• calcium - 11.2 mg;
• magnesium - 20 mg;
• sodium - 4.4 mg;
• potassium - 572 mg;
• phosphorus - 47 mg;
• sulfur - 28 mg;
• chlorine - 41 mg.

Trace elements:

• iron - 0.89 mg;
• zinc - 0.31 mg;
• iodine - 5.1 mcg;
• copper - 136 mcg;
• manganese - 0.15 mg;
• fluorine - 0.28 mg;
• boron - 0.12 mg;
• aluminum - 0.85 mg.

Calorie content - 74 kcal. Nutritional value per 100 g of product:

• proteins - 2.4 g;
• fats - 0.4 g;
• carbohydrates - 18.1 g;
• starch - 17 g;
• ash - 1 mg;
• water - 76 g;
• dietary fiber - 1.52 g;
• organic acids - 0.24 g

Ripening period and yield

The lighthouse belongs to the medium early varieties. From the moment of germination to harvest, 75-85 days pass.

Average yield indicators are 115-395 c / ha. The maximum yield indicators were achieved in the Perm Territory and amounted to 401 c / ha. The developers' declared yield is 450-500 c / ha.

Disease resistance

The variety is resistant to potato crayfish, gray and white rot, common scab, wrinkled and banded mosaics, damage by golden nematode. It has an average resistance to late blight.

Characteristics of tubers, description of appearance

Lighthouse's tubers are smooth, even, oval in shape, with small eyes on the surface. The peel has a reddish tint, the pulp is light yellow, almost white, does not darken when peeling. The mass of tubers is 100-155 g.

The variety is characterized by multi-tuberity - up to 18 of them are formed on one bush.The potatoes are characterized by good taste. Tuber vegetables are poorly boiled, suitable in boiled form for cutting into salads, baking, frying.

Advantages and disadvantages of the variety

The advantages of the variety include:

• high yield rates;
• good adaptation to different climatic conditions;
• unpretentiousness in growing;
• excellent keeping quality.

The disadvantages of the variety are:

• exactingness to moisture and soil quality (shows good yields only on fertile soils);
• average resistance to late blight.

Difference from other varieties

In comparison with other varieties, Mayak forms a large number of tubers. To obtain high yields, it needs well-prepared, fertile soils.

Features of planting and growing

For cultivating varieties, choose well-lit areas with fertile land. The soil should be breathable and loose. In packed soil, the tubers will deform.

Potatoes grow well in slightly acidic or neutral soil. If the acidity of the soil is increased, wood ash is added to it when digging.

Preparing for landing

For planting, select healthy, without mechanical damage, even tubers of the same size. 20-30 days before boarding germinate tubers, placing in a clean container in two layers and placing containers in a warm room.

Before germination, potatoes are kept in a solution of "Fitosporin" and a slightly blue solution of copper sulfate to prevent the formation of fungal diseases during the growing season. The sprouted potatoes are re-sorted before planting.

Attention! Tubers on which no sprouts have appeared are not suitable for planting.

When the length of the shoots reaches 1-1.5 cm, they begin planting in open ground. To stimulate growth, planting material is sprayed with a solution of "Epin" or "Zircon" before planting (4 drops of the drug per 1 liter of water).

Ground requirements

The variety is grown on any type of soil, but the best results are achieved on well-prepared, fertile, loose lands. A good harvest can be obtained when grown in black soil and sod soil.

To form a large number of tubers, the variety requires soil with the necessary amount of nutrients. Therefore, when digging up a plot, organic matter and mineral fertilizers.

Timing, scheme and landing rules

Planting of prepared tubers begins at the end of May, after the soil warms up to + 10 ° C to a depth of 12-15 cm. Planting dates vary in different areas depending on the onset of heat in the region.

For potato beds, choose a site well-lit by the sun. The land is dug up three weeks before planting with the introduction of urea and wood ash. When planting, it is useful to pour 100 g of compost into each hole.

Attention! Cow dung is not used during and after planting, since fresh organic matter will burn young shoots.

The holes are located at a distance of 28-30 cm from each other. A gap of 60-70 cm is left between the rows. Sprouted tubers are carefully placed so as not to damage the sprouts to a depth of 8-10 cm. Sprinkle with loose soil on top.

At first, when the temperature drops at night, the potato beds are covered with foil, if necessary.

Growing features

To protect against a wireworm invasion, potatoes are planted after cereals, legumes, annual grasses, and lupine.

When planting, leave wide aisles (60-70 cm) for the convenience of performing agrotechnical work, for better lighting and aeration of the bushes.

Important! The planting depth of tubers depends on the composition of the soil. In soddy soil and black earth, tubers are laid to a depth of 6-7 cm, in light sandy loam soils - by 10-12 cm.

Before landing, be sure to check the depth of groundwater. The water level should be at least 75-80 cm from the soil surface.

The soil for planting potatoes begins to be prepared in the fall.Thoroughly remove all plant residues and weeds, dig deep into the soil with the simultaneous introduction of organic matter and mineral fertilizers.

The main nuance in growing this variety is its need for good soil moisture. When watering, it should be borne in mind that the need for moisture changes during the growing season.

Good results are obtained by mulching the beds... A layer of 6-7 cm will prevent weeds from growing and protect the soil from drying out.

Watering mode

Before the emergence of seedlings, the soil is not moistened, since watering during this period will lead to superficial growth of the root system.

The first watering is carried out when the young tops reach 6-7 cm in height. Water the seedlings with small portions of warm water under each bush. Moreover, it is necessary to ensure that the water does not wash the tubers onto the surface. About 2 liters of water are poured under each plant.

Before flowering, potatoes are watered depending on the drying out of the soil, on average - 1 time in 8-9 days.

Reference. If there is sandy soil on the site, water it more often, since such land dries up faster than sod and black soil.

During the flowering period of the culture, plants need more moisture, since during this period tubers are formed. With a lack of moisture, the tubers will be few and they will not grow to the proper size.

During the formation of tubers, 9-10 liters of water are consumed for each bush. Watering is carried out every three days in the morning or in the evening, preferably by sprinkling. After the end of flowering, the volume of the liquid is increased to 15 liters.

The last watering is carried out after the lower leaves begin to dry out.

Top dressing

When seedlings appear, the culture is fed with fertilizers with nitrogen. To do this, use the composition: 10 g of ammonium nitrate and 10 g of ammonium sulfate per 10 liters of water. Mineral fertilizers are supplemented with organic matter.

Attention! An overabundance of organic matter leads to the formation of voids in the tubers, since the pulp does not have time to form after the active growth of tubers.

During flowering and tuber formation, superphosphate is used in the amount of 30 g per 10 l of water and potassium nitrate - 25 g per 10 l of water. Alternate with ash top dressing.

After the end of flowering, the culture is fed with a solution with the addition of 5 g of boric acid, which affects the quality of the fruit. Nitrogen fertilizing is stopped, as they cause rapid growth of tops to the detriment of tubers.

Weeding and hilling

Much attention is paid to cleaning the beds from weeds. The weed grows faster than the crop and takes food from the tubers. During weeding, the soil is simultaneously loosened to prevent crust formation and oxygenate the soil.

When loosening the bushes, they huddle, creating an embankment that keeps the tops in an upright position and makes the bush less spreading.

Reference. It is advisable to renew hilling after watering and rains.

Disease and pest control

The lighthouse is resistant to golden cyst nematode, potato crayfish, gray and white rot, common scab, wrinkled and banded mosaics.

The variety has medium resistance to late blight. The appearance of dark spots on the tops is a sign of the disease. In the absence of treatment, the disease passes to the tubers, where the process of decay begins.

For the treatment of the disease at the initial stage, a solution is used consisting of potassium permanganate, copper sulfate and boric acid, taken 5 g each and dissolved in 10 liters of water. The product is poured under the root. When the disease spreads, the culture is treated with Oxyhom and Ridomil fungicides. The preparations are diluted at the rate of 15-20 ml per 10 l of water and sprayed with tops.

For prophylaxis, planting material is processed in "Fitosporin M".

Fusarium is a fungal disease of potatoes. The first signs of fusarium appear during the flowering period. The tops begin to turn yellow and wither, as the mycelium of the fungus grows in the stems, which prevents the movement of nutrients. Affected bushes do not form tubers. Treatment is carried out with the drug "Trichoderma Veride" at the rate of 50 ml per 10 liters of water.

Potato pulp is the wireworm's favorite food. For destruction pest green manure plants are planted between the rows. The soil is treated with Topaz. A 2 ml ampoule of fungicide is dissolved in a bucket of water and the beds are watered.

The Colorado potato beetle destroys all the green mass of the bush. To combat it, the preparations "Commander" and "Iskra" are used: 1 ml of insecticide is dissolved in 5 liters of water and the plants are sprayed.

Growing difficulties

Since Mayak potatoes are dug up in September, when the period of autumn rains begins, it is not recommended to water the plantings after flowering due to the risk of tuber damage by late blight.

The bushes have high tops, so they need periodic hilling.

The variety forms a sufficient number of tubers only on fertile soils, therefore, much attention is paid to timely feeding.

Harvesting and storage

The potatoes planted at the end of May are fully ripe in September. For harvesting, dry weather is chosen so that it is convenient to remove the potatoes with a pitchfork, since it is difficult to dig wet soil.

Dug potatoes dried, sorted out and stored. Under proper conditions, the crop retains its presentation and taste until the next season.

How and when to collect

The term is determined by the appearance of the lower leaves on the tops. The yellowing of the foliage indicates that the potatoes are fully ripe. When all the tops turn yellow, harvesting begins.

In order not to damage the tubers with a shovel, pitchforks are preferred. The bush is lifted by the tops, the earth is shaken off and transferred to the prepared room.

Storage features and keeping quality of the variety

The harvested potatoes are laid out on a dry surface in a dark room for 7-10 days to dry. The room temperature is maintained at + 14 ... + 17 ° С. The room is regularly ventilated.

After drying, the potatoes are sorted. Rot damaged and dry tubers are discarded. Potatoes with mechanical damage during digging are selected for consumption first. Good places for long-term storage.

A microclimate is created in the vegetable storage with an air temperature of + 3 ... + 5 ° C, a humidity of 85-90% and regular air circulation. Subject to the recommended conditions, the Mayak variety is stored for 7-8 months. Keeping quality reaches 97%.

Tips from experienced gardeners and reviews of the Mayak variety

Experienced gardeners have noticed that the variety grows and bears fruit better if the first fertilizers are applied during planting, directly into the hole. For this, it is better to use humus or ash.

During sprouting of tubers, make sure that light evenly falls on the planting material. To do this, the layers of potatoes are periodically swapped.

Consumer reviews of the Mayak potato variety are mostly positive.

Svetlana, Tambov: «I bought this potato variety last season. Planted at the end of May. Despite the fact that I have clay soil on the site, the potatoes grew large, even. I collected 8-10 tubers under each bush ”.

Sergey, Saratov: “The cultivar was advised by a neighbor. Like him, I liked the number of tubers in each hole. The taste is good, especially when frying, it does not boil. "

Irina, Tver: “We have planted a new potato variety Mayak for us. In the fall, the harvest pleased with the amount. Root crops are even, as in the photo, it is very convenient to clean. Potatoes do not fall apart during cooking, I use them for salads and soups. Stores very well. "

Conclusion

Potatoes Mayak are in great demand among buyers due to their unpretentiousness and the possibility of growing in any climate. The variety attracts with its yield, keeping quality and disease resistance. Gardeners and farmers note the excellent taste and excellent presentation of Mayak potatoes.