Potato Karatop: variety characteristics, reviews, taste

Description of the potato variety Karatop

Karatop is a table potato, an early-ripening variety suitable for growing in temperate and warm climates. The main distribution of the culture: Moscow region, European part, Rostov region and Krasnodar region. The variety has proven itself well in the risky farming zone.

Karatop is a highly stress-resistant crop. Takes sudden drops and rises in temperature calmly. The variety is frost-resistant, is not afraid of return frosts, and after young growth is damaged, it completely forms a replacement within a week.

Karatop grows on any soil; fruiting on heavy, dense soils is lower than on fertile, well-aerated ones. Heavy soil is undesirable for potatoes; it retains water in the rainy season; during drought, compacted soil does not allow air to pass through well. According to the description of the variety and reviews from vegetable growers, Karatop potatoes produce record yields on neutral soils with moderate nitrogen content.

Karatope is a drought-resistant, light-loving potato. A short-term moisture deficit does not affect the degree of yield, but waterlogged soil can lead to rotting of the stem, root crop and even the death of the plant. The Karatop variety is not grown in the shade; photosynthesis slows down without sufficient ultraviolet radiation, small root crops are formed, the vegetative mass is not fully developed, the stems are thin and brittle. The color of the tops is light, the flowering is single.

Important! The vegetable crop is resistant to nematodes, leaf mosaic, cancer, and is affected by late blight only when the soil moisture is high.

External characteristics of the potato bush of the Karatop variety:

1. The bush consists of 5-6 stems, spreading, of medium height (60-65 cm).
2. The tops are thick, densely leafy, brittle when waterlogged, and the anthocyanin color is weak.
3. The leaves are intermediate in size, dark green, oblong, with a sharp tip and coarsely toothed edges. The surface is corrugated, with a network of pronounced veins.
4. The flowers are white with a lilac color on the edge, the middle is bright yellow. Panicle inflorescences consist of 6-8 flowers. Flowering is abundant, duration is 5 days.

Immunity

Modern varieties have special requirements. If earlier, at the time of the emergence of “potato fever,” the main goal of breeders was to develop productive and tasty potatoes, now they also add keeping quality, precocity and immunity to these points. Moreover, the last requirement, especially for commercial production, plays a vital role.

Fortunately, the Karatop variety has surprisingly high immunity. It resists well:

1. Potato cancer.
2. Golden nematode.
3. Mosaic.
4. Late blight of tops.

But tubers are affected by late blight more often. This will seem a little strange to many even experienced agronomists, since most existing varieties (Breeze, Zhuravinka, etc.), on the contrary, tolerate late blight of tubers well and are afraid of tops disease. Well, that’s the peculiarity of this variety.

Characteristics of potatoes Karatop

Karatop is an ultra-early ripening potato. Tubers reach technical ripeness in 45 days. Potatoes fully ripen in 2 months. The growth of the tubers is uniform, the fruits are of an even mass, and there are no more than 3% of illiquid root crops in the bush. Up to 20 ovaries are formed in one planting hole.

Description of potato tubers of the Karatop variety (pictured):

• oval or round shape, marketable fruit weight – 60-100 g;
• the peel is yellow, thin; with a lack of moisture, a mesh pattern may form on the surface; it does not reduce the commercial and nutritional value of the variety;
• ocelli are sparsely located, shallowly deepened;
• the flesh is dense, light beige or yellow.

Important! During culinary processing, peeled potatoes and cuts do not oxidize.

According to the tasting assessment, potatoes received 4.8 points out of 5. The content of dry substances in the composition is 17.5%, starch - 16%. During heat treatment, the tubers retain their integrity, are not hard, and are moderately crumbly. Used for preparing first and second courses. Potato tubers are boiled, baked, stewed and fried. The medium, leveled shape of the root crop is suitable for mechanized harvesting. The Karatop variety is cultivated in farmers' fields on a production scale. In the food industry, potatoes are used for the production of semi-finished products (mashed potatoes and chips).

Productivity

The crops are harvested from the fields and plots in August. Karatope can be stored for no more than 8 months, is transportable, the skin of the tubers is thin, but very durable, and resists mechanical damage well. The variety is high-yielding, the harvest from 1 bush is 2.5-3 kg.

Advantages and disadvantages

Potatoes of the Karatop variety respond poorly to wet soil and lack of lighting. These factors relate more to the biological characteristics of the crop than to the disadvantages of the variety. The potatoes did not show any obvious deficiencies during cultivation. The advantages of culture include:

• ultra-early ripening, allowing for two harvests in the South;
• a small percentage of non-marketable tubers;
• frost resistance;
• drought resistance;
• adaptability to temperate climate conditions;
• stress resistance with high immunity to viruses, fungi and bacteria;
• high gastronomic appreciation of the root vegetable;
• versatility of use;
• good transportability,
• long shelf life.

Key points of care

The timing of crop ripening depends not only on climatic factors, but also on how well the grower cares for the plant. In this matter, you need to know all the nuances in order to avoid mistakes, thereby causing harm and reducing the amount of harvest. It is unrealistic to completely abandon watering and fertilization, given modern environmental features.

Watering

It doesn’t matter what kind of potato grows in the garden, it is necessary to water this plant at the root. Why is this so? The first reason is that some people do not follow the recommendations and water the plant in the morning, but this should not be done, because the sun can leave burns on the leaves. Secondly, the crop is exposed to late blight, and if the plant is flooded with water, this is fraught with the development of the disease. Under normal climatic conditions, karat is watered once a week.

Fertilizer

Fertilizing plays one of the central roles in the process of obtaining a large harvest.

If the plant lacks certain elements, then it will not be able to develop normally. Excess also has a negative impact. The optimal solution would be:

1. At the beginning of the growing season until the beginning of flowering and budding, fertilize the tubers with phosphorus.
2. Once this need passes, potatoes need potassium to improve crop performance.
3. Some gardeners add fertilizer during watering, since on dry soil it can burn the lower leaves or roots.

Landing rules

Potatoes are planted with pre-sprouted seeds; this method will speed up the ripening of the variety. The planting material is pre-treated with an antifungal drug and left in an open area for the synthesis of corned beef; this enzyme will protect the potatoes from infection.

Recommended timing

The time for planting potatoes varies in different climate zones. In the South, planting begins in mid- or late April. In temperate climates, work is carried out when the weather has recovered and there is no threat of night frosts, approximately at the end of May. The soil temperature should not be lower than +16 0C.

Soil preparation

The site for Karatop is allocated in an open area, on a dry area. Autumn soil preparation consists of cultivation and application of fertilizers, if necessary, to neutralize the composition. Plowing is carried out 14 days before the onset of frost, organic matter and dolomite flour are added. In the spring, the area is cultivated 1 week before planting, and saltpeter is scattered.

How to plant correctly

Karatop is planted in pre-punched furrows or in holes under a shovel. Landing conditions:

• hole depth – 15-17 cm;
• width – 10-12 cm;
• row spacing – 45-50 cm;
• the interval between nests is 35 cm.

Place 2 tubers in the hole at a distance of 7-8 cm, cover the top with a mixture of compost, peat and ash, and cover with soil. Potatoes are not watered.

How to germinate seed

In order to become the owner of a good harvest, Karatop needs to be germinated before planting in open soil.

To do this, you will need land, a medium-sized box and the seed itself.

1. Moistened soil (up to 3 cm thick) is poured into the bottom of a shallow box. Make sure that the average soil temperature does not fall below 15 degrees.
2. The tubers are laid out with the eye facing up.
3. The soil is filled up to a thickness of 3 cm. Please note that in one box the number of layers should not exceed three.
4. The filled box is placed in a lighted room.

In order to increase germination, it is recommended to use copper sulfate. The proportionality is 1 gram of vitriol per half bucket of water (5 liters).

Features of cultivation

Karatop is a potato that does not require care. The variety's agricultural technology is standard and includes timely weeding, hilling and treatment of bushes from pests and possible infections. For better growing season, it is recommended to feed the plant.

Watering schedule

A variety with a record drought resistance. When seasonal precipitation is normal, potatoes are not watered. One rain every 2 weeks is enough. Moisture is necessary for potatoes during the formation of green mass and flowering. When Karatop has faded, watering will do more harm than good. In the dry season, water the plant after germination, at the time of bud formation and when the last flowers have faded. Work is carried out in the evening so that high daytime temperatures and high humidity do not damage the root system.

Loosening, weeding, hilling

Without weeding and hilling it is impossible to get the desired harvest. The first weeding is carried out immediately after germination, when the rows are well defined. Weeds are weeded between the rows using equipment and removed from the bush by hand. The potatoes are weeded again after 1 week.

The crop is hilled at the moment when the tops grow to 15 cm. If Karatop potatoes are planted in furrows, a ridge is made on both sides. When planting alone, the bush is hilled on all sides.

The height of the ridge is determined by the tops; after hilling, only the tops should remain on the surface, the rest is covered.

Advice! After a week, the embankment is loosened and the crumbled areas are corrected.

Do I need to feed

Fertilizer is applied to potatoes strictly according to the instructions for the preparation. Excess minerals, especially nitrogen, are undesirable for an early variety; the bush will begin to intensively grow green mass, rather than root crops. Feed potatoes 3 times per season:

• Before hilling, potassium and phosphate agents are added;
• during flowering - urea and nitrogen;
• After flowering, feed with organic matter.

With the first and last feeding, the potatoes are sprayed with superphosphate.

Pests and diseases

The Colorado potato beetle causes significant damage to vegetable crops; it is the only pest that parasitizes the Karatop variety. If measures are not taken in a timely manner, the larvae can destroy the planting completely. If the pest accumulation is insignificant, the larvae are collected manually and the eggs are destroyed. The beetles lay eggs on the lower part of the leaves. If necessary, potatoes are treated with “Prestige” or “Tiran”.

If there are signs of late blight, the bushes are sprayed with fungicides “Ditan M-45” and “Oxihumate”. The infection manifests itself as brown spots on leaves and stems; over time, the spots darken and the affected areas dry out.

Reviews from gardeners

There are not many reviews about potatoes online. A Siberian summer resident with the nickname Nature's Mystery shared her experience of growing crops on her plot. By the end of July, the tubers reached a diameter of 8-9 cm. By the time of digging in the second half of August, this size was minimal. The woman collected about 1 bucket of tubers from the bush. They tasted great, cooked quickly, and the overall yield impressed the farmer.

Ivan from the Moscow region noted: the Colorado potato beetle bypassed his bed of high-quality potatoes. Productivity was good, but not maximum. However, the gardener’s plot also has not very nutritious soil. Among the minuses, Ivan noted the poor keeping quality of the harvested crop. As the weather got colder, individual tubers began to deteriorate.

Karatop potatoes have decent characteristics. But judging by the reviews, it is not very popular among gardeners.

Harvesting and storage

Karatop is harvested in August, early ripening potato varieties are recommended to be dug up immediately after ripening, leaving them for a long time is undesirable; in rainy weather the tubers begin to rot, and in drought they are baked due to high temperatures. Sequence of work:

1. The dug up tubers are not left in the sun; the harvest is dumped in the shade or under a canopy to dry.
2. Potatoes are sorted by weight, those with mechanical damage are removed, such tubers are not stored.
3. They are poured into boxes or poured into a specially equipped room.
4. Potatoes are not washed before storing.

Storage conditions: temperature – +4-7 0C, humidity – 85%.