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As a result of the work of breeders, many new interesting varieties of vegetable crops appear, surprising with their appearance and taste. One of them is Snowy Eggplant, which has a pure white skin. This is surprising, since the vegetable is usually called “blue” – for the characteristic color of the fruit. The new variety completely refutes such a popular definition, while retaining all the characteristics of the eggplant so beloved by gardeners and gardeners.
Description of eggplant Snowy
The eggplant variety Snezhny was bred as a hybrid of purple eggplant at the All- Research Institute of Vegetable Breeding and Seed Production. In 2000, he was entered in the State Register of the Federation. It is recommended for cultivation in the conditions of film shelters on garden plots, in farms.
Snezhny eggplant is an annual herbaceous plant of a semi-spreading type, whose height reaches 1 m, belongs to indeterminate (having unlimited growth). The stem first has a grassy structure, and at the age of two months it becomes woody. The leaves are alternate, medium, rough and slightly prickly, with small notches along the edges, the plates are thick and soft. Foliage color is light green. The root system develops poorly at first, later it begins to grow rapidly and reaches a depth of up to 0,5 m. Its main part is located no deeper than 30 cm. The roots are extremely sensitive to overdrying of the soil and a lack of nutrients in it.
Eggplant flowers of Snezhny variety – both sexes, white, large, diameter – 3 cm, located in inflorescences. Their anthers are yellow, two-chambered, and are on the same level with the stigma of the pistil, so self-pollination is almost always complete. The calyx of the fetus does not have thorns. The eggplant variety Snezhny is early ripe. The fruits ripen 106 days after sowing. Seeds are small, flat, creamy. They ripen in August.
Growing in most of the Federation is possible only under film cover, in the southern regions – in open ground.
Description of fruits
White eggplant was bred by scientists to improve the palatability of conventional varieties that contain anthocyanins. It is thanks to him that the fruits of the plant have the usual purple color, and a bitter taste due to the presence of corned beef. As a result of selection work, white eggplants of the Snezhny variety are deprived of these two substances. It became possible to use them fresh.
Ripe fruits have an elongated (up to 25 cm) curved cylindrical shape. The weight of one fruit is about 300 g. The skin is smooth, glossy, snow-white, very thin. The flesh of eggplant Snowy is dense, having a creamy hue. Bitterness is absent.
Characteristics of a variety
According to the photo and description of the Snezhny eggplant, you can evaluate the characteristics of the variety, which has its own characteristics and properties:
- ripening time – early;
- purpose – universal;
- productivity is high;
- commodity and taste qualities are excellent;
- place of cultivation – open and closed ground.
yield, fruiting
Sowing eggplant Snezhny is carried out in late February – early March. In the phase of two leaves, the plants dive. In mid-May, seedlings are planted in a greenhouse. Variety Snezhny begins fruiting 100-105 days after germination. The mass of one fruit of technical ripeness reaches 300 g. Eggplant yield is about 5 kg / sq. m. m.
Variety Snezhny is very demanding on conditions and care. Yield is influenced by several factors:
- temperature;
- lighting;
- transplant quality;
- landing density;
- soil composition.
With sharp fluctuations in temperature, the ovaries may fall off. With a long decrease in it, the plants die, and the seeds do not germinate. According to the growing conditions, the air temperature is considered to be -25 ⁰С.
Seedlings are harmful as strong sunlight, from which you can get a leaf burn, and prolonged cloudy weather.
Snezhny eggplant does not tolerate picking and transplanting. If the root system is damaged, its survival rate is reduced.
Thickening during planting is unacceptable, as this will negatively affect the yield and size of the fruit.
Snowy eggplant is most successful in light, well-drained soils.
Application area
Snezhny eggplant has a mild taste without bitterness. With proper preparation, the vegetable acquires a flavor of mushrooms or chicken. It can be fried, stewed, grilled, marinated, cooked caviar and salads, eaten raw.
Freezing white eggplant does not lose its beneficial properties. After defrosting, you can cook casseroles, rolls, snacks from them. The vegetable has a lot of fiber, which has a beneficial effect on the work of the gastrointestinal tract.
Fruit powder and juice are used in medicine, since their use makes it possible to reduce the level of “bad” cholesterol. They help with gout, atherosclerosis, diseases of the liver, kidneys.
Disease and pest resistance
Snow eggplant is a hybrid, so it is more resistant to diseases than the main varieties. But fungal and viral diseases affect the fruits and leaves of the plant. Among them:
- mosaic;
- stolbur;
- gray rot;
- bacterial spotting;
- blackleg;
- late blight;
- white rot;
- fusariosis;
- cercosporosis;
- anthracnose.
To combat the black leg, soil disinfection with a bleach solution and ash treatment is used. Using a solution of hydrochloric acid, you can process inventory and eggplant seeds from mosaics. Stolbur is carried by cicadas, so the fight against the disease consists in the destruction of insects.
You can grow healthy plants by observing agricultural technology:
- processing seeds before sowing;
- isolating plants that can attract pests;
- disinfecting or replacing the soil before planting seedlings;
- controlling the microclimate in the greenhouse;
- regularly inspecting plants;
- timely and carefully removing weeds;
- periodically making top dressing;
- observing the mode of ventilation of the greenhouse and watering the plants.
Among the parasites that affect the Snezhny Eggplant:
- aphid;
- slippery;
- spider mite;
- bear;
- Colorado beetle;
- whitefly.
Methods of dealing with them are reduced to the use of traps, manual collection and the use of insecticides. Gardeners and gardeners, leaving reviews with photos about Snezhny eggplant, note the effectiveness of folk methods in the fight against pests and diseases.
Advantages and disadvantages of the variety
Despite the fact that white eggplants of the Snezhny variety were bred on the basis of purple ones, they have their pros and cons. Among the advantages:
- pleasant taste without bitterness;
- delicate structure;
- thin skin;
- a small amount or complete absence of seeds;
- versatility of application;
- low calorie product;
- benefits for the body due to the large amount of fiber in fruits;
- high content of micro and macro elements.
The disadvantages of the Snow variety include:
- short shelf life of vegetables;
- the complexity of transportation;
- the need for soil with high quality indicators for growing crops;
- poor plant resistance to temperature extremes;
- inability to collect seed material;
- poor tolerance to high temperatures (more than 25 ⁰С).
Features of planting and care
To get an eggplant harvest as early as possible, use the seedling method. Sowing of seeds is carried out in late February-early March. After 50 days, seedlings are planted in closed ground.
Cultivation takes place according to the plan:
- Sorting – immerse the seeds in a saline solution (1,3%) for 5 minutes. Rinse and dry the grains that have settled to the bottom.
- Disinfection – place the seeds in a 1% potassium permanganate solution for 20 minutes.
- Hardening – a week before sowing for 48 hours, put in the fruit compartment of the refrigerator.
- Soaking – dip in a growth stimulator solution according to the instructions.
- Prepare the soil mixture – peat, humus and sand.
- Sowing – in separate glasses, plant three seeds at a depth of 1 cm.
- Place the container in a warm place (25 ⁰С).
- Watering – periodically, with warm water, using a spray bottle.
- Backlight – provide additional lighting for 12 hours.
- Top dressing – spend every two weeks.
Planting technology for the Snezhny variety:
- Make beds 1 meter wide.
- Mark the holes in two rows according to the scheme 60 x 40 cm.
- Rinse wells with warm water.
- Plant plants, deepening the neck by 2 cm.
- Water.
In the future, caring for the Snezhny eggplant, you must perform the following steps:
- Mulch the soil under the plants with hay, straw, needles or other materials.
- Organize regular watering of plants.
- Feed them twice a month.
- Remove some of the ovaries to get larger fruits.
Conclusion
Snowy eggplant is a healthy vegetable with an interesting mild taste without bitterness. It is suitable for use both raw and after heat treatment. Growing requires painstaking work, but caring for white eggplant Snowy is no more difficult than caring for purple varieties. Wonderful appearance, excellent taste, productivity of the Snezhny variety are good reasons for growing crops on your site.