Laura

Laura potato variety — a mid-early table variety of German selection, developed by Europlant company. It is characterized by high yield and excellent taste qualities, making it popular among farmers and gardeners, especially in Baltic countries. The plants are strong with upright stems and dense dark green foliage, flowers are white or light-purple. Under each plant, 15–20 oval tubers with smooth red skin and a small number of eyes form, with an average weight of one tuber being 90–150 grams. The flesh is rich yellow, does not darken upon heat treatment, due to high starch content (15–17%). The vegetation period is 80–100 days, allowing for stable yield even in moderate climates. The Laura variety has high yield — up to 50 tons per hectare, and with proper agrotechnics, yield can reach 350–550 centners per hectare. The potato is resistant to common diseases such as late blight, phytophthora and viral infections, as well as mechanical damage, which facilitates harvesting and transportation. Tubers retain shape well during boiling and are suitable for various preparation methods: boiling, frying, baking, making mashed potatoes, french fries and chips. Due to its rich taste and ability to form a crispy crust during frying, this variety is popular in gastronomy. For planting Laura potato, it is recommended to prepare tubers including inspection, defect removal, sprouting, and treatment with insecticides and fungicides. Planting is conducted after soil warming to +7°C. The variety grows well on black soils, loams and sandy loams. Laura potato is characterized by excellent storability and can be stored for 6–7 months under proper storage conditions, without sprouting and retaining market appearance. It is important to avoid prolonged exposure of tubers to sunlight to prevent solanine formation.