Potato variety Azhur: characteristics, cultivation, reviews of taste

Description

Azhur is a mid-early table variety that produces a good harvest. From the moment of sprouting until the potatoes are fully ripened, 75-85 days pass. But you can start digging it 20-25 days earlier.

The plant forms a spreading, vigorous bush that can reach up to 45-55 cm in height. Large, dark green leaves grow unevenly on it. They have a wrinkled structure and a slightly wavy edge. At the top of the bush there are inflorescences of large, light lilac flowers.

Azhur tubers are medium in size and oval in shape. The thick peel is dark pink. The surface of the potato is smooth, the eyes are small and shallow. The pulp contains a large amount of carotene, so it has a straw color. The taste is rich, with a pronounced aroma.

The mass of tubers is in the range of 100-120 grams. One bush can produce 8-15 root crops. On average, gardeners receive 45-50 tons of harvest from one hectare. Small potatoes are rare; almost all potatoes are the same size.

Potatoes of this variety are characterized by a high starch content (about 14-16%), so they are widely used in cooking. Ideal for frying, preparing salads and soups.

Attention! After cooking, the flesh does not darken.

When to plant and dig openwork potatoes

Seed root crops are planted from mid-April to mid-May. A prerequisite is soil warmed to 12 degrees. It is necessary to avoid sudden changes in temperature, otherwise the changes will negatively affect the rate of germination of tubers.

The ripe crop is dug up 75-85 days after the first shoots appear. It is allowed to extract individual root crops from the ground earlier in food - the ripening period begins 20-25 days earlier than the harvesting of the main plantings. During the same period, you can trim the tops - this technique allows the tubers to increase their mass. Digging occurs at the end of June or mid-July.

Advantages and disadvantages

Potatoes of this variety are very young, but promising. Openwork is characterized by a number of advantages:

• Early maturation. Potatoes for food are dug up at the end of June - the first half of July.
• Excellent presentation and taste. Suitable for sale.
• High yield.
• The keeping quality of root crops is 95%. If favorable conditions are created, potatoes of this variety can be stored for a long time without spoiling.
• It tolerates drought well and does not require frequent watering.
• Unpretentious to soil composition.
• It is not affected by potato cancer and scab, and has average resistance to late blight.

The disadvantages of the Azhur potato include its susceptibility to the golden nematode. Plantings are often attacked by Colorado potato beetles, wireworms and moths. To prevent diseases, it is recommended to treat bushes with special preparations. Young tubers are subject to mechanical damage, as they have thin and delicate skin.

Characteristics of the potato variety Azhur

Potato Azhur tolerates short-term frosts and drought well. Keeping quality is satisfactory - 94%, subject to storage conditions. However, the tubers are not transportable: the skin is thin and can crack during transportation. Area of ​​application - category A and B: for okroshka soups, boiling, frying, stewing and baking.

Productivity

Azhur potatoes ripen in 2.5-3 months after emergence. 7-13 moderately large tubers are formed on 1 bush. Yield indicators are:

• 0.7-1.5 kg from 1 bush;
• 1.9-4.1 kg per 1 m2;
• 190-410 kg per 1 hundred square meters.

The yield record according to the State Register is 443 kg per hundred square meters. You can achieve normal indicators by following standard recommendations for growing Azhur potatoes:

• watering (only during drought);
• hilling: 2-3 times per season;
• feeding - also 2 or 3 times;
• loosening and weeding - regularly;
• compliance with crop rotation and other preventive measures to protect Azhur potatoes from diseases and pests.

Advantages and disadvantages

The Azhur potato was recently bred, so it has not yet become widespread among summer residents. However, the tests carried out show that the variety is promising - it is distinguished by both good yield and pleasant taste.

Potato Azhur has an attractive appearance

pros

• excellent taste;
• attractive presentation;
• good yield;
• relatively early ripening;
• marketable condition;
• normal keeping quality;
• immunity to many diseases.

Minuses

• not resistant to golden nematode;
• may suffer from late blight;
• approved for cultivation only in the middle zone;
• tubers may crack - they are not transportable.

Attention! The unpretentiousness of the Azhur potato variety does not exclude the possibility of growing it in other regions - for example, in the North-West of Russia, the Urals and southern Siberia.

Landing

Potatoes of the Azhur variety are planted in April-May, when the earth warms up to +12 degrees. It is not advisable to delay the landing. High or low air temperature has a negative effect on tuber germination. Potatoes are planted on a flat, well-lit area. The best crop predecessors are winter crops and legumes. Planting potatoes of the Azhur variety should not be located next to tomatoes and apple trees.

In autumn, humus or peat is added to the site at the rate of 1 bucket per 1 m2. Mineral fertilizers are also added: superphosphate, potassium sulfate and wood ash. After applying fertilizers, the soil is disinfected, dug up and weeds are removed. There is no need to break the lumps. In spring, the ground is loosened and leveled with a rake. The procedure facilitates access of water and air to the roots of the plant.

Attention! Fresh manure should not be used for fertilizer. Otherwise, the tubers will be watery and tasteless.

15 days before planting, Azhur potatoes begin to germinate. Tubers are sorted and diseased and damaged ones are discarded. They are then cleaned and washed, as bacteria may remain in the soil. The selected seed material is disinfected in a solution of boric acid (1 tablespoon of powder per bucket of water). To activate growth processes, tubers are sprayed with a solution of potassium permanganate (2 g per 10 liters of water) or infusion of ash (2 cups per 4 liters of water). The potatoes are dried and put in a bright place. The air temperature in the room should be from +12 to +16 degrees.

Azhur tubers are planted in holes or grooves to a depth of 5-10 cm. The interval between bushes should be about 25 cm, and between rows - 55-60 cm. If fertilizers were not applied during autumn digging, they should be poured separately into each hole. This potato variety loves potash fertilizers.

Characteristics

It is considered a high-yielding variety. Under favorable conditions and proper care, it is possible to collect up to 50 tons from 1 hectare. During the first harvest when the potatoes are about 40 days old, you can collect about 130 quintals per hectare. There are practically no small tubers, the potatoes are uniform in size.

Productivity is one of the main indicators when growing potatoes. Compare this characteristic of the Azhur variety with other varieties:

"Azhur" is a table variety. Due to the average starch content, the tubers do not become overcooked; they are ideal for making soups, salads, whole cooking, and frying. “Azhur” does not darken after cooking.

Attention! Potato skin contains more beneficial microelements than the tuber itself. The most useful cooking method is boiling or baking in the skin.

Potatoes contain a lot of useful substances, most of all vitamin C. Raw potato juice will help lower blood pressure. It is used in cosmetology as a mask for swelling and for skin whitening. “Azhur” has a rich taste and pronounced aroma. Reviews about the taste of potatoes are only positive.

Why is solanine dangerous, what are the benefits and harms of raw potatoes, what are the health benefits of the juice and sprouts of this vegetable.

Care

Potatoes of the Azhur variety are unpretentious, so it is enough to provide them with minimal care. It includes hilling, watering, loosening and weed removal.

Watering and loosening

Despite the fact that this variety tolerates a lack of moisture well, in dry and hot summers watering will only be beneficial. Irrigation is carried out during the period when the sun is least active - in the early morning or late evening. On average, about 45-50 liters of water are required per 1 m2. Typically, the crop is irrigated once every 10-14 days, and during drought every 4-5 days. If there is sufficient rainfall, you can limit yourself to three waterings per season.

A few days after irrigation, the soil must be loosened, otherwise a crust will form on the surface of the earth. Gardeners also recommend mulching between rows. The procedure will help retain moisture and prevent the appearance of weeds.

Hilling

Potatoes of the Azhur variety require at least two hillings with an interval of 21 days. In some cases, the number of procedures can increase up to four times. Work is carried out in cloudy weather, and the ground should be wet.

The bushes begin to earth up when they grow to 8-12 cm. Repeated earthing up is carried out when the shoots reach 25 cm in height. But before the planting procedure, they are cleared of weeds.

Important! During flowering of potatoes, hilling should be carried out carefully, since tubers are formed during this period. Any careless action may damage them.

Top dressing

The Azhur variety has a positive attitude towards fertilization. In order to achieve the desired effect, potatoes need to be fed at each stage of their ripening. After germination, organic matter is added to the soil. Manure or bird droppings are diluted in water in a ratio of 1:15 and infused for two days.

Before flowering, potatoes are fertilized with a solution of 1 tbsp. l. potassium sulfate, 3 tbsp. l. wood ash and 10 liters of water. Some gardeners prefer to spray the bushes with a urea solution (300 g per 10 liters of water).

During the flowering period, both mineral and organic fertilizers can be added to the soil. You can use the following composition: two tablespoons of superphosphate, a bucket of water and mullein.

Features of cultivation

“Azhur”, like most varieties, needs to be illuminated by sunlight; this must be done 2 weeks before planting. Several times a season during warm winters it is necessary to pick off the sprouts. Planting is carried out from late April to May, when the soil temperature at a depth of 10 cm is about 13 degrees.

ATTENTION! You should not wait for hot days; elevated temperatures, like lower ones, will negatively affect the germination and further development of root crops.

In the fall, the soil must be disinfected, fertilized and dug up to remove weeds. In the spring you just need to dig it up and loosen it.

IMPORTANT! Potato planting areas should not border on tomato plantings; potatoes should also be planted away from apple trees.

Mulching
Potatoes respond well to rested soil, after winter crops and legumes. Potatoes are planted in furrows or holes to a depth of 10 cm with the addition of wood ash. The distance between plants should exceed 20 cm. “Azhur” loves potash fertilizers .
Read more about how to feed potatoes, when and how to apply fertilizers, and how to do it correctly when planting.

After planting, potatoes can be treated with agents to remove and slow down the growth of weeds. When the first shoots appear, this will no longer be possible. To prevent the appearance of new weeds, mulch the rows. "Azhur" tolerates drought well, but in dry summers some irrigation will not hurt.

Potatoes should be hilled, loosened, and excess grass removed. with microbiological fertilizers is necessary several times during the season (1 - at the emergence of seedlings, 2 - during the flowering period). The flowers should be removed so that all growth goes into the roots.

We have prepared for you a whole series of articles about ways to grow potatoes. Read all about the modern potato business and Dutch technologies, how to grow early varieties and get a harvest without weeding and hilling. And also interesting methods: under straw, in barrels, in bags, in boxes and from seeds.

Diseases and pests

The Azhur variety is resistant to potato cancer and scab. But it can be affected by golden nematode and late blight.

The photo shows a potato affected by the golden nematode.

Let's look at the most common diseases of Azhur potatoes in the table:

Among the pests, Azhur potato bushes are usually affected by Colorado potato beetles, wireworms, mole crickets and moths. The most effective drugs against them are Aktara, Prestige, Corado and Regent.

Description of the potato variety Azhur

Potato Azhur is a relatively new variety, included in the register of breeding achievements in 2022. Bred by employees of the Russian agricultural sector (Moscow region, Domodedovo):

• Shanina E.P.;
• Seregina N.I.;
• Dubinin S.V.

Approved for cultivation in the central region - Moscow region, middle zone. It is unpretentious to care, therefore it produces stable yields in the temperate climate zone of Russia.

Main characteristics of Azhur potatoes:

• mid-early (ripens in 70-80 days);
• table (mass fraction of starch 13.5-16.5%);
• medium height (50-60 cm);
• plant of intermediate type.

Potato bushes Azhur are moderately spreading, semi-erect. The leaves are medium, intermediate type, dark green in color. The corollas are also medium-sized, red-violet. The tubers are elongated-oval, the surface is red, smooth, the eyes are weakly expressed, the depth is shallow. The weight is quite large - on average 100-130 g, diameter 3-5 cm. The pulp is light yellow in color and holds its shape well even during prolonged cooking and baking. The taste according to the state register is “good” and “excellent”.

Important! The yield of commercial Azhur potato tubers ranges from 78% to 98%. If agricultural techniques are followed, growing for sale becomes profitable.

Potato Azhur passed successful tests in 2014-2017

Harvesting

Early potatoes for food are dug up at the end of June - the first half of July. During this period, the bushes fade and the foliage withers. The ripened crop is harvested in August. Potatoes are fully ripe when the tops wither. When harvesting, carefully dig up the bush with a pitchfork and pull it out by the tops.

Before storage, the tubers are sorted out, rotten and diseased ones are thrown away. Then the potatoes are put into the cellar or into a special pit lined with boards. The air temperature should be from +2 to +4. If it is higher, the tubers will sprout. Potatoes of the Azhur variety can be stored for a long time.

The best varieties by ripening time

Depending on the ripening period, the following potato varieties are distinguished:

• early ripening (the harvest is obtained in 70-80 days);
• mid-early (potatoes are ready for harvesting in 80-90 days);
• mid-ripening (ripening lasts 90-100 days);
• medium-late (potato harvest is harvested in 100-120 days);
• late-ripening varieties (potatoes are harvested after 120-140 days).

The best varieties of early ripening species include the following:

Early Bryansk. The ripening period is 60-70 days. Potatoes of this variety have a good taste. It is suitable for baking, frying, salads. Percentage of keeping quality – 93%. Early Bryansk tolerates hot weather well and is immune to many diseases.

Uladar. The ripening of potatoes of this variety takes only 45 days. The tubers are unpretentious to the type of soil and can be stored for a long time.

Ariel. Potatoes of this variety ripen even before there is a threat of late blight infection. Tuber ripening lasts 45-50 days. Thanks to such record-breaking deadlines, 2-3 harvests can be harvested during the summer-autumn period.

Red Sonya. This variety ripens in 50-65 days. It can be grown in any soil and in any climate. The Red Sonya variety is resistant to viruses and nematodes, and exhibits average resistance to late blight and common scab.

Jewel. The ripening period is 50-65 days. It tolerates drought well and can produce two harvests per season. Jewell adapts to any soil and climate and is resistant to cancer and potato nematode. It has a mediocre taste, suitable for boiling and frying.

Gulliver. Ripening time is up to 60-70 days. It is immune to most common diseases and has good taste. Potatoes of the Gulliver variety keep well.

Well-known mid-season potato varieties include:

Queen Anne. Ripening period is 80-85 days. This is a mid-early variety that produces a good harvest - up to 457 centners per hectare. Queen Anna potatoes have a good taste and are characterized by a high shelf life. During transportation, the tubers do not deteriorate and do not lose their presentation.

Romano. This variety produces a harvest of delicious root vegetables that are suitable for preparing any dishes. The ripening period is 65-80 days. The vegetable has a good taste, is well stored and transported thanks to its thick peel.

Laura. This is a mid-early red potato variety. Ripening period is 70-80 days. Yields up to 510 centners per hectare. Laura variety potatoes have a pleasant taste and are suitable for boiling, frying, making salads, as well as French fries and chips.

Openwork. Potatoes of this variety are mid-early. The tubers are beautiful, oval. The ripening period is 70-85 days, although the first digging is possible already on the 45th day.

Late types of potatoes that are especially popular are:

Melody. A mid-late variety that is suitable for preparing any dishes. The ripening period is 115-120 days. The variety is resistant to most diseases that affect this crop. Melody potatoes keep well.

Ivan da Marya. Can be grown in different climate zones. The ripening period is from 120 to 150 days. It has a good taste and is suitable for preparing any dishes. During the dry season, potatoes of this variety definitely require watering, otherwise the bush dries out.

Picasso. The variety is resistant to elevated temperatures and drought. Ripening time is 110-130 days. In addition to excellent taste, potatoes of this type are characterized by good yield: you can get from 200 to 500 centners of potatoes per hectare. Keeping quality is 90%.

Manifesto. It is a mid-late vegetable variety. After ripening, a lot of tubers are obtained; the potatoes store well and are suitable for preparing any dishes. Productivity per hectare is up to 737 centners. The ripening period is 90-110 days. The Manifesto variety is highly resistant to viral diseases, moderately resistant to common scab and late blight.

A wide selection of potato varieties will allow you to choose the optimal one to obtain a good harvest within the required period.

What to plant on clay soils and sandy soils?

Clay and sand are not the best companions for growing potatoes. Sandy soils do not retain moisture and nutrients, while clayey soils, on the contrary, experience stagnation of water. Both conditions are not suitable for growing crops. So which varieties should you choose to always have a harvest?

Adretta

Refers to a table variety of German selection with a mid-early ripening period. They need to be planted in April, and then the tubers can be harvested in July.

Due to the starch content, the edible nutritious pulp is soft and crumbly when cooked. Many people are attracted by the yellowness of the flesh. The tubers are oval-shaped, yellow skin, sprouts are barely noticeable. The average weight of a tuber is 120 g.

Potato variety Adretta

Advantages:

• high productivity;
• unpretentiousness to growing conditions;
• presentation of tubers;
• resistance to certain diseases.

A characteristic feature of the Adretta variety is that even if the tubers are exposed to frost, in rare cases they acquire a sweetish taste. Disadvantages include poor resistance to common scab, late blight and blackleg.

Elizabeth

Proven potatoes of Russian selection. The bushes are strong, branched, heavily leafy. It takes 90 days from sowing to harvest.

The pulp of the imperial variety tubers is painted in a dazzling white color and is used in the preparation of culinary delights. The variety can be grown commercially.

Potato variety Elizabeth

Advantages:

• good yield;
• resistance to everything: viral and fungal diseases;
• good keeping quality;
• the weight of large tubers varies between 85-130 g;
• the eyes are located superficially, inconspicuously and uncolored;
• Tubers contain protein, vitamins and valuable amino acids.

A table variety with a yield of 290-350 c/ha has high transportability.

Aspia

A mid-season variety, it takes 3-3.5 months from sowing to harvest. The light beige tubers have small pink eyes. Potato weight – 80-110 g.

Aspia potato variety

He is not afraid of late blight, diseases caused by viruses, and fungal diseases. Gives a stable and annual harvest. The tubers have a highly rated taste.

Tandem

It has only recently entered the market, but in a short time it has managed to establish itself as a potato with resistance to drought and sultry heat. The tubers are small, so the bushes do not need abundant watering and fertilization. For depleted soils - the best specimen, but with one note, if the summer resident is satisfied with the weight of the tubers, which barely reaches 80 g.

The above varieties guarantee a good harvest only if agrotechnical growing methods are followed. You can increase the yield by following the rules: watering, loosening the soil, fertilizing, pest control. Comprehensive care will help you reap a good harvest from the area allocated for growing potatoes.

Advantages, disadvantages and taste

Potatoes of the “Azhur” variety have the following advantages:

1. High productivity;
2. Excellent marketability of root crops;
3. Ability for long-term storage;
4. Resistant to dry periods;
5. Undemanding in frequent watering;
6. Unpretentiousness to soil nutrition;
7. Immunity to a number of diseases.

The disadvantage of the Azhur variety is its instability to the golden nematode.

The table presents data on the mass of marketable tubers (grams) of different varieties:

Botanical description

Potatoes are a perennial. Its leaves die off after flowering and tuber formation. Flowers are pollinated by bumblebees and other insects. After flowering, small round green fruits form on the stems. Each of them contains about 300 seeds.

New potato varieties are obtained from seeds. Subsequently, the resulting variety reproduces, like the others, vegetatively, by planting tubers or their fragments. To form a bush, the fragment needs to have 3-4 eyes. Bushes propagated from tubers are clones of the parent plant.

Important! Early varieties are eaten first. Their peel is thinner than the later ones, and this significantly affects the keeping quality of the tubers.

Tubers

The variety is distinguished by medium-sized, uniform tubers weighing from 100 to 120 g. One Azhura bush will provide 10–13 identical potatoes. According to the results of the tests that any variety undergoes before registration in the State Register, the yield was 187–410 c/ha. Azhur showed maximum productivity in the Bryansk region. But mainly it depends on the climate, as well as on the fertility of the soil.

Characteristics of tubers:

• basic: homogeneous, approximately the same weight 100–120 g;
• peel color: pink;
• pulp color: light cream;
• shape: oval;
• eyes: small.

Important! Individuals diagnosed with diabetes need to control their blood sugar levels by consuming potatoes. Its glycemic index is 95 GI, which is almost 2 times higher than the norm for diabetics.

Kustov

The Azhur bush is spreading and vigorous, reaching a height of 55 cm. The leaves are large. The edge of the leaf blade is wavy, slightly jagged. Color - dark green. Flowers are purple. There may not be so many of them, but this does not affect the yield.