Potato variety Queen Anna

Queen Anna is an early ripe potato variety (Solanum tuberosum) for table use. Bred by German specialists from Solana GmbH & CO KG in cooperation with Saka Pflanzenzucht GmbH & CO KG. More recently, in 2015, 3 years after filing an application for admission, it was included in the state register of breeding achievements of the Russian Federation. Zoned in eight regions of the country: North-West, Central, Volgo-Vyatka, Central Black Earth, North Caucasus, Middle Volga, West Siberian, East Siberian. It is famous for its excellent presentation of tubers, high yield and resistance to mechanical damage. Can grow on any soil suitable for potato cultivation.

The period from germination to full maturation is 80-90 days.

The plant is of medium height, stem type, semi-erect, spreading. The leaves are rather large, closed, dark green in color. The leaf plate is covered with fine hairs, the veins are clearly expressed. Flowers are white, numerous, collected in large corollas. The anthocyanin coloration of the inner side of the corolla is very weak or absent.

On one plant, 6-16 fairly large marketable tubers weighing 84-137 grams, sometimes up to 150 grams, are formed. They have an elongated-oval regular shape, a flat surface. The peel is firm, yellow in color, smooth to the touch. The flesh on the cut is yellow, with a dense structure. The eyes are small, superficial, almost invisible.

The marketable yield of potatoes Koroleva Anna, according to the results of state tests, is 113-304 c / ha, at the level of indicators Luck and 35 c / ha more results Arosa... During the first digging, on the 45th day after germination, it was possible to collect 56-140 c / ha, and on the second, on the 55th day - 82-215 c / ha. Both results are in line with the established standards. The largest amount of harvest was obtained in the Republic of Mordovia - 495 c / ha were harvested from one hectare of area, 58 c / ha more than Arosa. For an early-maturing variety, this is indeed a very impressive result, and it is thanks to this that our hero gained quite great popularity in a short period of its existence, displacing some other "older" varieties from the market.

The marketability of tubers is at a very high level - 82−96%. Queen Anna can rightfully be considered a "noble" potato because of the excellent appearance of its tubers - they are equal in size and weight, as in the selection, the correct shape without flaws, with a bright yellow skin and invisible eyes. All this in general makes them ideal for selling on store shelves. In addition, the tubers have excellent keeping quality - 93%. They can be stored for a long time without losing their consumer and commercial qualities.

Our hero's taste is on top! The tubers are medium-sized, ready-made, retain their shape, look very neat. In addition, the pulp does not lose its rich yellow color, so the finished dish looks very appetizing. The picture is complemented by a wonderful, truly "potato" aroma. As for the taste itself, it is without bitterness, moderately sweet, very pleasant and rich. The pulp is of normal consistency, without excessive dryness or wateriness, it contains about 13.1-14.4% starch. Tubers are suitable for preparing absolutely any dishes, but they will show themselves in the best way in fried and baked form, as well as in salads, soups and vegetable mixtures. Also great for deep-frying and pureeing. In a word, this variety in the kitchen is good in everything!

Features of agricultural technology

Plants thrive on any type of soil, in a wide variety of climatic latitudes. Of course, the best yield can be obtained on light, fertile soils, but with proper agricultural technology, this is also possible on heavy soils with a poor nutrient composition.Plants are unpretentious in their care, however, if you show a little attention to them, they will generously reward you! Below are some quick tips for growing the variety.

• Experts recommend pre-germinating Queen Anne tubers before planting, as they have a pronounced dormant period. This event will significantly improve germination and slightly shorten the growing season.
• Planting is carried out when the soil warms up to + 10-12 ° C and the danger of frost has passed. Some sources recommend planting tubers even later, in a warmer soil, but not every gardener can afford it due to the peculiarities of the region's climate.
• Before planting, it will be useful to pickle the tubers with agents against pests and diseases, as well as treat, if desired, with growth stimulants.
• You can grow potatoes using any technology, most often it is Dutch or traditional. You can also experiment with cultivation methods under straw, in tall beds, and even in bags.

• Plants do not need to create special growing conditions, but they respond well to watering and feeding. It is especially desirable to provide potatoes with mineral fertilizers in increased quantities, but you should not overdo it with organic matter. As for watering, it must be timely. So, in the southern regions this event should be carried out more often, and in the northern regions it may not be required at all. The main thing is to prevent severe drying out or waterlogging of the soil. According to some reports, the Koroleva Anna variety is quite resistant to short-term drought.
• Do not forget about standard agricultural practices, such as weeding, loosening the soil, and hilling. Preventive treatments for diseases and pests are also highly desirable.
• Maintain crop rotation. This will keep your plants from contracting diseases that are typical for nightshades. The best predecessors are crops such as beets, cabbage, squash, legumes, cucumber, garlic, onions, green manure.

Our hero is resistant to the causative agent of cancer, golden cyst nematode, wrinkled and banded mosaic, leaf-rolling virus, scab, black leg, rhizoctonia. Medium resistant to late blight in tops and tubers, with timely prevention it is not affected.

Advantages and disadvantages

Queen Anna has earned a huge number of positive and very admiring reviews from potato growers from many parts of Russia and beyond. Its excellent taste, high yield, amicable ripening, excellent presentation of tubers, their excellent keeping quality and transportability, as well as suitability for machine harvesting are very much appreciated. By the way, even large agricultural firms prefer this particular variety to many others because of its high marketability and resistance to mechanical damage, thanks to which tubers can easily tolerate washing, in addition to all of the above. And their excellent appearance has a positive effect on the success of implementation in retail chains.

Special attention should be paid to the undemandingness of plants to soils and climatic conditions, as well as their unpretentiousness in care. In addition, the yield of potatoes does not depend much on weather conditions, which is important. According to the observations of gardeners, even in the wettest or driest seasons, the harvest is still notable. Thus, the variety becomes promising for cultivation in almost all regions of Russia.

It should also be noted that plants are resistant to a wide range of diseases. The variety is suitable for organic farming, as it does not particularly need treatment with chemical protection agents.

As for the shortcomings of our hero, they have not yet been discovered. Many gardeners admire this "novelty" and, when compared with other varieties, put Queen Anna at the top of the list of favorites.What can we say, if the President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko himself preferred to grow this particular potato on his plot in the Drozdy residence.