Productive and undemanding potato BP 808: description of the variety, its characteristics, photo

Potato BP 808: variety description

“BP 808” is a mid-early variety; the period of formation of technically mature tubers from the appearance of the first shoots is approximately 70-80 days.

There is a distinction between technical maturity and conditional maturity. When technically ripe, potatoes are ready for long-term storage - they have normal sizes and a thick skin. At conditional maturity, which occurs earlier than technical maturity, most potatoes have normal sizes and thin, easily peeled skin; such potatoes are not stored for a long time, they are used for food immediately.

Young potatoes are popular among gardeners; there are many recipes for preparing young potatoes. The shape of the tubers of this variety is oval, oblong . The sizes are medium or large - very long tubers are noted. Weight - from 80 g to 110 g.

The peel is smooth, dense, yellow, and has small superficial eyes, which greatly facilitates washing, peeling and other procedures with potatoes. The pulp is yellow in color. The yellow color of potatoes is formed due to a large amount of pigment - carotene , which plays the role of an antioxidant in the body.

The starch content is from 16 to 19% - a high level. The higher the starch content, the tastier the potatoes. Potatoes with a high starch content are used for mashed potatoes; they boil well. Starch lowers cholesterol levels.

You can compare characteristics of potatoes such as their starch content using the table below:

The shoot is a medium-height bush consisting of several smooth stems with leaves. Erect or semi-erect. The leaves are located intermediately, have a typical potato shape, large sizes, color - light green, structure - wrinkled, no pubescence. There are many flowers, the corolla is white.

Reference. Infusions of potato flowers lower blood pressure and help with tumors.

Basics of agricultural technology

The Rodrigo variety does not have any special requirements for soil. But, like other potatoes, they grow better on fertile sandy loams and absolutely cannot tolerate acidic or soggy soils.

The site should be prepared in advance, preferably in the fall. Dig or plow to a depth of 25-30 cm, if necessary add per 1 square meter. m area:

• 1-2 buckets of ripened humus or mineral fertilizers;
• on acidic soils - 0.5-1 liters of lime;
• For dense loams you will need sand.

IMPORTANT! Fresh manure is not applied to potatoes.

Tuber preparation

If the Rodrigo variety was grown with little care, potatoes weighing 90-150 g were dug up; for planting, you can take the smallest ones - up to 100 g inclusive. And plant without cutting.

When the average weight of tubers reaches 250 g, there is no need to specially select fines. In this particular case, it will be substandard and will not produce a good harvest. There is nothing wrong with cutting large potatoes into several pieces. You just need to dry the tubers a little before planting:

• the wounds will be covered with cork;
• no infection will get there.

Potatoes are removed from storage about a month before planting the tubers:

• sort through;
• wash;
• warm up (42-45° C);
• pickled;
• turn green;
• germinate.

IMPORTANT! Divide the potatoes into parts 2-3 days before planting and lay them out to dry with the cuts facing up. Each piece should have a sprouted eye.

Landing

The timing of planting Rodrigo potatoes depends on the region and weather. Work begins when the ground warms up to at least 7° C.

If a sudden cold snap occurs, even the temperature drops below zero, nothing will happen to the Rodrigo tubers. Frosts are only dangerous for potato seedlings.

The variety can be planted and grown in any convenient way:

• square-nested;
• in continuous furrows, as farms usually do;
• under straw;
• on high ridges.

Distance:

• between bushes - at least 30-35 cm;
• in rows – 70-75 cm.

Potato planting depth:

• light soils – 10-12 cm;
• heavy soil – 4-6 cm.

Care

Agricultural technology of the Rodrigo variety is usual for the crop:

1. More than moderate watering. The need for water increases only during flowering. The rest of the time, irrigation should be done only in hot, dry summer, 1-2 times per season.
2. If fertilizing was applied before digging or during planting, there is no need to fertilize the Rodrigo variety any more - this is an early potato with a short growing season, there will be enough nutrients. When this has not been done, fertilizers are applied in liquid form by digging a trench between the rows. Only the emphasis needs to be placed on phosphorus and potassium; you can’t go overboard with nitrogen, as it will be worse for storage, you may get scab, and will “drive” the tops instead of growing tubers.
3. Weeding.
4. Peeling the soil.
5. When the potato tops reach a height of 15 cm, hilling begins. By the time of harvest, the mound should be at least 20 cm.

IMPORTANT! Weeds pose a huge problem for farmers. A field planted with Rodrigo potatoes can be safely treated with metribuzin - the variety is insensitive to the drug.

Harvesting

The operation is carried out in dry weather, when the tops have fallen and turned at least 80% yellow, there has been no rain or watering for at least 2 weeks:

• dig up potatoes;
• leave to dry on the bed for 2-3 hours;
• shake off the earth;
• transferred under a canopy;
• after 2 weeks they sort and sort;
• put into storage.

COMMENT! Rodrigo is a variety resistant to mechanical damage.

Country of origin and growing area

It has excellent cultivation results in the Central Black Earth and North Caucasus regions, “BP 808” is not picky about the type of soil, and is suitable for all regions of the Russian Federation and nearby territories and other European countries. The variety was bred by plant breeders from a German-Dutch company. Patent holder - KWS Potato BV Included in the State Register for the Central Black Earth and North Caucasus regions in 2013.

Characteristics

Productivity

Has a yield that meets the standards. In the southern regions, higher yields are possible. On average - 245 centners per hectare. The marketable yield is about 200 centners per hectare, which is ahead of the standards for the first time. The purpose of "BP 808" is universal - suitable for consumption in food, for the production of starch and alcohol components . Great for making chips.

Raw potato juice and decoctions of leaves or flowers are used for medical and cosmetic purposes. Potatoes contain a large amount of useful substances (potassium, vitamin C, carotene, phosphorus).

Taste qualities

Gardeners note the high taste qualities of yellow tuber varieties.

"BP 808" has a rich taste, the puree will be delicious and aromatic . The high starch content contributes to good stickiness; dishes such as potato pancakes can be obtained without adding flour. The healthiest way to prepare potatoes is baking or boiling them in their skins. Most vitamins are contained in potato peels.

Distinctive features of the variety

Despite the fact that Russian gardeners have been growing Rodrigo potatoes on their plots only recently, this variety has already earned a lot of positive reviews and is becoming increasingly popular.

The variety showed excellent results in the southern regions, as well as in areas with more severe climatic conditions. However, the catalogs indicate that experts recommend growing the Rodrigo potato variety in the middle Volga region.

Rodrigo is a mid-early variety in terms of ripening time. The growing season ranges from 70 to 85 days. This is exactly how long it takes for the skin of a potato of this variety to become sufficiently dense and tough. However, just 2-2.5 months after planting, you can already try the first young potatoes by digging up several bushes.

According to the description of the variety and reviews (which is clearly visible in the photo), the bushes of the Rodrigo potato consist of an average of 3-5 shoots. The stems are tall, reaching 75-80 cm. As the potatoes ripen, the bush gradually disintegrates and the stems droop.

Rodrigo does not have many leaves, but they are large, with barely noticeable wavy folds along the edges. During flowering, the number of inflorescences is insignificant. The petals are pale lilac, sometimes reddish with a pink tint.

According to the description of the variety, the tubers of Rodrigo potatoes in the full maturity phase reach a weight of 90-150 grams. However, in reality, many gardeners note that if you follow the rules of agricultural cultivation, you can reap a richer harvest. Some tubers reach a weight of 300-350 grams, and even up to 0.5 kg.

From one bush you can collect 7-10 potatoes. There are no small and gnarled tubers observed. For the most part, all potatoes of this variety are medium or large in size, smooth, without flaws, elongated, oval in shape.

The skin of Rodrigo potatoes is pale raspberry or dark pink in color, smooth to the touch, and quite dense to withstand a long shelf life. A small number of ocelli are located on the surface, without excessive depression. Any housewife will appreciate this feature of the variety, since peeling potatoes will not take much time.

The flesh of Rodrigo potatoes is yellowish-cream in color. The starch content is low, at the level of 12.5-15.5%, which determines a wide range of its application. It doesn’t get soft or crumble when cooked, it keeps its shape perfectly.

Photo

The photo shows the potato variety BP 808:

Advantages and disadvantages

Disadvantages include average resistance to mechanical damage. The advantages are as follows :

• bountiful harvest;
• high level of marketable yield;
• large tubers;
• high taste qualities;
• undemanding to soil type;
• long-term storage;
• high resistance to diseases;
• drought-resistant.

Read more about temperature and shelf life, and the problems that arise. And also about how to store root vegetables, peeled and in the refrigerator, in winter, in boxes and on the balcony.

Growing and care

The variety is drought-resistant, but during prolonged droughts and during budding it needs watering. Use lukewarm water and water abundantly, up to 50 cm deep. Irrigation is necessary for young bushes and plants after flowering.

Without moisture during the flowering period, the bush will form few tubers.

Periodically loosen the soil (usually when weeding). At the same time as watering, fertilizing is applied. During the development of the bush, the soil is fed with solutions of mullein or chicken droppings, and with the beginning of budding - potassium sulfate and superphosphate. After flowering, prepare a solution of 250 ml mullein and 1 tbsp. l. superphosphate per bucket of water.

Features of cultivation

Agricultural technology is standard. Small, good, undamaged tubers are selected for planting. A week or two before planting, “BP 808” must be illuminated with sunlight, this promotes the formation of sprouts and further good development. The soil for potatoes can be of any type; it must be prepared in the fall - the weeds are removed, disinfectants and fertilizers are added, and in the spring you just need to dig it up.

Potatoes BP 808 cannot be planted on soil areas where tomatoes were previously planted (no earlier than a year later), they have common pests and diseases.

Attention! You cannot plant potatoes near apple trees and tomatoes for open ground. Potato variety BP 808 loves rested soil - after growing legumes and grains.

Potato planting begins at the end of April . A neutral temperature is needed - not too low and not too high. At a depth of 8 - 10 cm, the optimal temperature is 13 degrees Celsius. Potatoes are planted in furrows or beds.

In highly humid areas, potatoes are planted on hills. The distance between plants should be at least 20 cm; “BP 808” develops many tubers. “BP 808” reacts poorly to anti-weed agents; if such substances are used, then at the very beginning of the growing season, when the sprouts have not yet sprouted. Further care for this variety is no different from others: hilling, mulching, watering.

Potatoes are responsive to fertilizers. In our articles you will find detailed information on what to feed potatoes, when and how to apply fertilizers, and how to do it correctly when planting.

In addition to the use of fertilizers, other agrotechnical methods are often used when growing potatoes. On our website you will find useful information about how the use of herbicides and fungicides affects potato yields.

Important! You cannot keep potatoes in the ground, or dig them after the development period has expired. Potatoes love potash fertilizers.

Correct fit

How to plant potatoes “BP 808”:

• As planting material, select medium-sized healthy tubers without damage. Two weeks before planting, the seed material is exposed to sunlight. This has a positive effect on the formation of mouths and further good development;
• Any type of soil that needs to be prepared in the fall is suitable for growing BP 808. Weeds are removed from the area, disinfectants are added and food is fed. In spring, the soil is dug up again;
• “BP 808” should not be grown in areas after tomatoes, since they have common pests and diseases;
• Planting begins at the end of April. The temperature should be neutral - not too high and not too low. Planted in soil heated at a depth of 8-10 cm to +13 ºС. Seed material is planted in furrows or beds. The distance between bushes should be at least 20 cm, since “BP 808” is characterized by the formation of many root crops.

HELP: It is not recommended to grow potatoes next to apple trees. The variety needs rested soil where legumes and grains were previously planted.

Storage

“BP 808” is stored perfectly, the shelf life percentage is above 95%. It is necessary to observe storage standards for a good result - a dark place, a temperature of about 3 degrees Celsius, it should be constant. "BP 808" develops a dense skin early, which ensures healthy roots. Contains more dry matter than other potato varieties.

The table below shows the keeping quality indicators of other potato varieties:

Harvesting and storage

Rodrigo is a mid-early variety, completely ready for harvesting 70–90 days after planting. A sign of full ripening is the beginning of yellowing of the tops. Digging potatoes in dry weather. Before storing, be sure to dry them for several days in the shade and sort them. Store potatoes in a well-ventilated dry cellar at a temperature of +2..+4°C. When sorting, damaged and diseased tubers are separated, as well as ugly, too small and too large. All this substandard material is used first, without being left for storage.

For planting, tubers are selected from the most productive bushes

In order to maintain high yields from year to year, it is important to properly select planting material. Ideally, when harvesting, each bush is dug up separately to assess the yield and quality of the tubers. From the best bushes that produced the largest number of one-dimensional tubers typical for the variety, planting material is selected for the next year. The ideal size for planting potatoes is the size of a chicken egg or slightly larger. It’s a big mistake to constantly leave unsalable trifles for planting, so you can personally develop a “particularly small-fruited” variety, and then complain that “the variety has degenerated.” Potatoes for seed purposes are selected with some reserve in quantity, only healthy, undamaged tubers. It is very advisable to green seed potatoes by keeping them in one layer in the light (but not in the hot sun) for a week. Such green potatoes are less damaged during storage.

Potatoes that have turned green in the light cannot be used for food or livestock feed; they contain the toxic substance solanine.

Rodrigo potatoes keep well

Diseases and pests

The variety has excellent resistance against potato cancer and golden cyst nematode. Moderately resistant to late blight of tubers and mosaic. Preventive spraying should be carried out against pests and other diseases.

Read more about diseases such as Alternaria, Fusarium, late blight, Verticillium, and scab.

Frequent weeding helps against wireworms. Folk remedies and chemicals will help in the fight against the Colorado potato beetle.

“BP 808” is another excellent option for yellow potatoes, which does not require too complex agricultural techniques for excellent results.

We bring to your attention interesting materials on how to turn potato growing into a business and how to properly grow potatoes from seeds.

Planting and caring for Rodrigo potatoes

To get a good harvest of Rodrigo potatoes, gardeners must know some nuances.

Selection and preparation of a landing site

Although this potato variety is considered unpretentious, it has been noted that it grows well on loamy and sandy loam soils with acidity varying from 5.5 to 7.

Before planting the Rodrigo variety, the area is cleared of weeds, branches and last year's debris. When digging in spring, the soil is saturated with humus and wood ash.

For 1 m2 you will need:

• humus - 0.5 buckets;
• ash – 200 g;
• supersulfate – 30 g;
• ammonium nitrate – 15 g;
• potassium chloride – 10 g.

All necessary inclusions are distributed evenly around the entire perimeter, and the area is dug up. Important! Manure should not be fresh, as this may negatively affect the quality of the crop. You should also know that you cannot plant Rodrigo potatoes more than twice in one place. Good results can be obtained on soils after growing cabbage, pumpkin and legumes.

Preparation of planting material

Small tubers are selected for seeds. The ideal size of planting material is considered to be a root crop the size of a chicken egg.

To get an early harvest of Rodrigo potatoes, the tubers are exposed to warm temperatures (+15 o C) for germination. The room should be bright. During the germination of sprouts, it is necessary to inspect and remove affected tubers. If seed potatoes are wrinkled, they can be irrigated periodically with water.

It is worth noting that choosing the required sizes of planting material in this variety is quite difficult. Since planting 200, 500, 800 g of tubers is not economical, each potato can be cut into 2 - 3 parts.

Landing rules

To obtain the highest quality harvest of Rodrigo potatoes in large volumes, you should follow the scheme of experienced home gardeners:

• marking is carried out on the dug up area using two stakes and a cord;
• maintain a distance between rows of 70 cm;
• grooves are dug under the cord with a depth of up to 15 cm;
• Seeds are laid along the recess (at a distance of 30 cm);
• pay attention to the cut - it should be at the bottom;
• fall asleep with caution - there should be at least 7 cm of soil above the tuber.

It is worth noting that if the soil is light and sandy, the layer for covering the seeds can reach 12 cm.

If planting is carried out in excessively damp soil, you should immediately notice that the potatoes are not cut in this case. It is advisable to prepare ridges at the site of future grooves for planting in the fall. Since such mounds warm up faster in the spring, seeds are planted in them.

If the above-ground part is frozen, it turns black and disappears. Potatoes in the ground will continue to develop, but at a slower pace. The output yield will be significantly lower than expected.

Watering and fertilizing

Tubers are formed before flowering begins. At this stage it is important that the soil is moist. Before the heat sets in, the potatoes are fully formed. At +25 o C the growth process slows down. During a period of drought, in the absence of watering, there is a high probability of obtaining a small harvest.

If there is no rain and is not expected, then it is recommended to irrigate once a week, until the soil is wet by 20 cm. The best way to moisturize is drip irrigation. When resorting to sprinkling, you need to know that there is no late blight on the site. This method is only permissible at the beginning of the growing season.

During the growth process, Rodrigo potatoes need to be fed. For this purpose, organic fertilizers (ash, urea) and mineral fertilizers (superphosphate, potassium chloride) are used. How to properly saturate the soil is indicated on the packaging.

Fertilizing is done three times:

1. With the growth of stems and greenery.
2. During the formation of buds.
3. During the flowering phase.

This provides ideal conditions for tuber formation.

Additional information on watering and fertilizing is in the video:

Loosening and weeding

Weeds are a source of dangerous plant diseases. It is important to ensure that there are no weeds between the potato bushes. Deep loosening promotes normal crop growth.

Typically, loosening the soil is indicated after rain, but in dense soils you should not wait for precipitation.

Hilling

Along with the first weeding, when the stems grow up to 20 cm high, it is recommended to hill up the bushes. The event allows you to achieve optimal soil moisture at the base of the stems, which subsequently has a positive effect on the formation of tubers. To form mounds, the soil is raked up to the stems with a hiller.

Useful video

Watch the video: how to grow potatoes from a peephole

We also suggest that you familiarize yourself with other potato varieties that have different ripening periods: