Romano potatoes

Potatoes are one of the main vegetable crops in agriculture. When choosing a variety for cultivation, attention is paid to yield, resistance to diseases, frosts and other parameters. According to many of them, Romano potatoes are considered one of the best.

The first mentions of the Romano potato variety appeared 7-9 millennia ago in South America. There he was used not only as food, but also as an object of worship.

It was patented in Holland. In 1994, it was entered into the State Register of Russia, which made it possible to grow it on the territory of the country.

Romano belongs to medium early potato varieties. It is appreciated for its high yield, attractive appearance of tubers and ample opportunities for implementation.

Advantages of the variety:

• taste of root crops;

• suitable for sale, as the tubers have a good appearance;

• long storage;

• drought resistance;

• has immunity to many diseases;

• due to its dense peel, it is not very susceptible to mechanical damage.

Disadvantages:

• poor resistance to frost;

• prone to nematode.

Potato bushes are erect, not spreading, can be medium and tall. The flowers are medium, the color is red-violet. The leaves are dark green, do not curl. There are few berries, they are not large.

Tubers are medium, weight up to 70-80 g. In shape, oval or round, even. The rind is pink and quite dense, which helps to protect the tubers from damage when dug up. There are few eyes, the color is dark pink. The pulp is light yellow, creamy.

Potatoes contain a sufficient amount of starch. It boils well during heat treatment. The most successful will be mashed potatoes. It turns out to be tender, homogeneous, without lumps. And also suitable for frying, stewing. Chips are often prepared.

Table variety, medium early. The average ripening period is 65-80 days. The first crop can be harvested at the end of June. Potatoes are completely dug out in late August or early September.

Up to 800 g (8-13 potatoes) are harvested from one bush. In industrial volumes, it can ripen up to 32 tons per hectare.

The variety is excellent for growing in the Central, Central Black Earth, Volgo-Vyatka, Far Eastern regions, in the south. It tolerates drought well, but badly - frosts.

Planting of Romano potatoes begins in mid-April, depending on the growing region. They are planted in warm soil, after all frosts. The optimum temperature for planting is 15-20 degrees.

- Preparing for landing

Seed tubers are selected in autumn. They should be medium, without damage. If they were too large in size, then immediately before seating they need to be cut in half so that each part has eyes.

Before planting, they are germinated in a bright place in order to improve germination.

If desired, it can be treated with growth enhancers and drugs that increase immunity against diseases and the Colorado potato beetle.If there are no special means, then a solution of wood ash can replace them.

The best option for a landing site is sunny, with loose soil, and well fertilized. It is recommended to plant legumes and early cabbage between rows.

- Landing methods

Comb. In advance, before planting, high ridges are prepared, into which potatoes are later planted.

This planting option is suitable for heavy soils and places where groundwater is close. There is a significant drawback: since the combs dry out quickly, constant watering is required.

Smooth. The easiest and most primitive way. Previously, the site is plowed, then shallow holes (5-10 cm) are dug at a distance of about 30 cm, and potatoes are planted in them.

Trench. Tubers are planted in pre-prepared trenches. Plant fertilizers from the site are placed on their bottom, then a layer of earth, and potatoes are already placed on it.

This method is suitable for use on sandy soils, on heavy soils - potatoes will not be able to germinate. And it will also be difficult to use it on large areas.

The first hilling is carried out after the emergence of shoots up to about 10 cm.

The bushes are watered three times during growth. After watering, fertilize is applied. This should be done three times: after the germination of the tops, during flowering and 2 weeks after it.

After watering, it is also recommended to loosen the soil after a few days and remove weeds.

To increase the yield of Romano potatoes, planting is carried out only in warm soil. It is better to cut large tubers into halves. Each should be with a peephole.

The soil must be free from diseases to which the variety is susceptible.

The tops are mowed a week before harvest. This will help the tubers become denser and improve their appearance.

After digging up the crop of this crop, the tubers are recommended to dry for several days so that they do not deteriorate during storage. For the next plantings, choose medium potatoes, smooth, without damage. If there were only small tubers in the harvest, you should not neglect them, they are also suitable as seed material.

This variety can grow on almost all types of soil, but some require preliminary preparation.

Lime or dolomite flour is added to acidic soil. Clay and loamy - peat addition. Sand is added to the peat soils.

Romano potatoes are well resistant to late blight, scab, tobacco mosaic, some viruses and cancer.

However, it is strongly affected by the potato nematode.

Reviews

Those who have come across the cultivation of Romano potatoes speak positively about it. They pay special attention to its fertility and good preservation until the next planting. And also the excellent taste of potatoes, the possibility of preparing various dishes from it are noted.

However, some have noted disadvantages as well. For example, a thick peel, which is rather difficult to peel. But a sharp knife can help with this. Although not everyone marks it as a disadvantage. Someone notes that thanks to the rather dense peel, the tubers are less susceptible to mechanical stress during digging.