Introduction to the Characteristics and Traits of the Potato Variety Mira
Origin: Bred in East Germany from a cross using "Capella" as the female parent and "B.R.A.9089" as the male parent, developed in 1952 and introduced to China in 1956. It remains one of the main varieties grown in the Enshi region of Hubei Province and the mountainous areas of southwest China.
Main traits: plant type spreading, medium number of branches, plant height about 60cm, stems green with purple at the base, relatively strong growth vigor; leaves green, medium pubescence, compound leaves medium in size, 4-5 pairs of lateral leaflets, medium spacing; inflorescence peduncle green, pedicel articulation colorless, corolla white, medium in size, no double petals, stamens orange-yellow, stigma 3-lobed, weak natural fruit set; berries green, small, with seeds; tubers long cylindrical, skin yellow, flesh yellow, skin relatively smooth but rougher at the top, eyes numerous, medium depth, tubers medium in size, tuber set relatively scattered; long dormancy period, good storage quality. Mid-late maturing, growing period about 115 days; excellent quality when steamed; processing quality: dry matter 25.6%, starch 17.5-18.2%, reducing sugar 0.25%, crude protein 1.1%, vitamin C 10.4mg/100g; resistant to late blight; highly resistant to wart disease, not resistant to powdery scab, lightly susceptible to leaf roll and mosaic virus diseases; average yield per 667 sq m is 1000-1500kg.
Suitable growing areas: This variety is suitable for planting in the single-cropping mountainous areas of southwest China with a long frost-free period, abundant rain and high humidity, where late blight is prone to occur; it is mainly distributed in Hubei, Guizhou, Sichuan, Yunnan and other places.
Key cultivation techniques: This variety is fertilizer-demanding, so attention should be paid to increasing fertilizer application during cultivation. When intercropping with corn, the row spacing should be appropriately widened to reduce shading of the corn. For single-row intercropping, a row spacing of 95cm can be used; for double-row intercropping, a row spacing of 166cm can be used. For monocropping, the suitable density is about 3500 plants per 667 sq m.