The Meteor potato variety is a very early table variety, distinguished by high yield and excellent marketability. Tubers have an oval-round shape, smooth thin yellow skin, and a medium weight ranging from 102 to 147 grams. The flesh is light yellow, moderately dense, with a starch content of 12-14.9%, does not darken when cut or boiled, making this variety versatile for various cooking methods. Tubers retain their shape well during thermal processing, allowing them to be used for salads, soups, baking, and frying. The taste qualities are high, and the potato is moderately soft, making it suitable for various culinary purposes, though for mashed potatoes, more soft varieties are preferable.
The Meteor plant is tall, semi-erect, with abundant green mass and dark green leaves. Flowers are small, white, with minimal or absent anthocyanin pigmentation. The maturity period is very early — from the emergence of full seedlings to maturity, it takes about 60 days, and the first harvest can be taken as early as the 45th day of vegetation. Approximately 10-12 large tubers form per cluster, well-sized and uniform. This variety is resistant to drought, heat, late blight, potato cancer, and other diseases, significantly simplifying its cultivation.
Meteor is adapted to various soil-climatic conditions and is successfully grown in various regions of Russia, including Central, Volga-Vyatka, West Siberian, and others. The best yields are achieved on sandy loam and light loamy soils, although the variety shows good performance on other soil types with minimal care. Yields vary from 209 to 404 centners per hectare, with maximum yields reaching 450 centners per hectare. Tubers' marketability is 88-98%, and storability is 95%, confirming the high quality and commercial attractiveness of the variety.
