Potato Sparta

Sparta potato is a medium-early table variety with a vegetation period of 80-95 days. The plant is of medium height, semi-upright, with light green leaves and slightly wavy edges. Tubers are oval-round in shape, with medium-depth eyes, smooth, slightly rough yellow skin, and light-yellow flesh. Marketable tuber weight ranges from 92 to 132 grams, with starch content of 14.0-16.2%. The variety has good taste and belongs to the culinary type BC, making it suitable for frying, boiling, baking, as well as processing into potato products and semi-finished goods. The yield of the Sparta variety is high and stable: marketable yield ranges from 254 to 391 centners per hectare, which is 77-164 centners higher than the Bronnitsky standard, with maximum yield reaching 462 centners per hectare. Tubers have a marketability of 88-95% and storability of 92%, ensuring good storage. The number of tubers per plant is 9-12. The variety is recommended for cultivation in various regions of Russia, including Central, Volga-Vyatka, and North-Western. Sparta potato exhibits resistance to the potato cancer pathogen (pathotype I), significantly reducing the risk of yield loss. However, the variety is susceptible to golden potato cyst nematode and suffers severe damage from common scab. According to the VNIIF's phytosanitary data, Sparta shows moderate susceptibility to late blight both in foliage and tubers. For successful cultivation, standard agronomic practices should be followed to fully utilize the variety's potential and achieve a high-quality yield.