Potato seed tuber "Marabel" 5 kg

Early, plentiful, quality table potatoes.
Marabel is a high yielding, early eating variety with excellent quality. The shallow bud pits give the potatoes a smooth and shiny skin, which makes them beautiful and easy to wash, making them an excellent choice for packers.
Soil
Marabel is demanding on the soil. On light soils, care must be taken to manage the soil for starch storage and plug formation (mosaic virus).
Planting
Marabel is a variety with medium germination. If no germination is observed in the buds 3 weeks before planting, the tubers should be stimulated by heat treatment at 20 Co for 2-4 days to accelerate the germination process, then stored in a cool, dry, airy place until planting. With optimum preparation, the seed tubers will produce 1-2mm long, stable sprouts, so planting can be done earlier. Unstimulated tubers should be planted in soil with a minimum temperature of 8 Co. Marabel has a high tuber setting rate,the recommended number of plants per ha of the variety:
Target:ware potatoes (large tubers): 40,000 tubers/ha 32-34cm row spacing and 75cm row spacing
Potatoes for eating (40-60mm): 43000 tubers/ha 30-32cm d.o.b. and 75cm row spacing.
Marabel is a relatively compact variety. It forms tuber nests close to the ear, so a normal planting depth is recommended. Care must be taken to plant accurately, in the middle!
Nutrient supply
Because of its rapid foliage formation and early tuber growth, Marabel needs to have nutrients available early. To determine the exact amount of fertilizer to be applied, the existing nutrient content of the soil must be taken into account (soil test!). A basic amount of 120 kg N/ha (including Nmin) is used for harmonic N fertilization, which satisfies the high N-fixing capacity of Marabel. In some places it is necessary to use foliar N fertilizer to stimulate foliar growth but before tying. An additional +20 kg N/ha can be added to ensure high yields (45t/ha). In livestock farms (manure and slurry available in the long term) or in case of green manure application, the total amount of 80-100 kg N (including soil Nmin) should be reduced accordingly. In crop production, an adequate supply of nutrients (total required amount 60-80 kg including Nmin) will ensure a high yield average. Due to the balanced starch content, K fertilisation should not be overdone.In addition to K supplementation, attention should be paid to P and Mg supplementation. K and Mg should be applied preferably in the form of K-sulphate in spring (e.g. Patentkali30+10), especially on light soils.K-chloride top-ups should only be used for K2O < 100 kg, at least 6-8 weeks before planting.Pre-sowing and organic fertiliser should be included in the amount to be applied.P enhances binding and tuber volume. It should be applied in a soluble form (Triple-, Superphosphate, Di-ammonium phosphate) that is easily absorbed by the potato. On soils with nutrient deficiencies, Mg can be supplemented by adding bitter salt at 10-20 kg/ha, with the first and third Phytophthora sprays in one pass. The use of organic fertilisers in potato production is fundamentally problematic. Quantities and nutrient replenishment are often underestimated or not given enough attention. Therefore, nutrient replenishment and organic fertilisation is very important and must be planned and balanced accurately, otherwise quality problems are a certainty! A well adjusted nutrient supplementation is beneficial for early ripening, improves peelability (skin maturity) and increases the marketable price ratio,good quality.
Plant protection
Spraying against Rhizoctonia is recommended to ensure quality, liquid sprays are preferable. For foliar and tuber infections, prevention should be considered in the routine spraying programme. The first spraying should be started shortly after row closure or as Phytophthora is predicted. In the choice of products, a distinction should be made between contact, deep penetration (local systemic) and absorption (systemic) products. To avoid resistance, attention should be paid to switching between active substances. Absorbents (systemic) are recommended for use on ware potatoes only once or twice during the period of maximum foliage area. Closing sprays in combination with a spore-killing agent are a good practice. If there is drought on light soils at the time of early joint formation in the Marabel variety (when the first stems thicken), irrigation is of great importance to avoid scab. Furthermore, on soils prone to scab, early irrigation or pre-germination (to take advantage of winter soil moisture), N fertilisation at planting with a sulphuric acid ammonia derivative is necessary. Avoid the application of organic fertilizers on such soils!
Harvest
To facilitate harvesting and ensure quality, appropriate options for defoliation should be considered. The Marabel variety should not be defoliated too early, as starch incorporation occurs only later in the growth stage and reaches a rate of more than 11% (it may be worth measuring starch content before defoliation). Harvesting conditions should also be optimum because of the low susceptibility to black spot. This means that soil temperatures should be above 12Co, possibly only harvesting in the afternoon. Proper 'gentle' setting of the picker (speed, correct rotation of the rotor chain and a 'soil cushion' of sufficient thickness) is important and necessary for damage-free picking.