Hybrids of cucumbers and tomatoes in farmers greenhouses in Armenia.

     Traditional May Day trip to Yerevan and Echmiadzin. Two days of visits to greenhouses. It seems to be a little bit, but given the hospitality of the Armenian farmers, rather tedious exercise. In various villages of different types of film greenhouses, because of this large difference in the results from the farmers. In low greenhouses grow in a shorter turnover hybrids of cucumber salad. 3-5 years ago, while seed production was carried out trouble-free hybrid F1 Stella, grown in greenhouses in practice only this hybrid. This year, some farmers use the seeds from previous years of "Partenokarpik", and seeds from other companies. The latter is a criticism. We do not have to deal with this problem since the past two seasons do not offer the seeds of F1 Stella farmers in Armenia.
     Pleased that the greenhouse area under our range of hybrids F1 Ararat and F1 Aragats grow every year and some farmers have completely switched to the hybrids, getting a very good result. For example, in the village of Aras, a farmer Aram Piloyan, last year the yield of hybrid F1 Ararat exceeded 25 kg/m², and this year for the first 3 weeks already removed 3-4,5 kg/m² fruit, and there is reason to plan yields about 30 kg/m² at the end of the season. Marketability, keeping quality and taste of the fruit is very good. Of course, yield and timing of the first collection of largely depend on the individual characteristics of each farmer, greenhouse construction and the region. Someone by mid-May, three times collecting cucumbers, some 7-8 times, in a village are usually grown in two shortened turnover in the other - in the extended until September or October turnover But most importantly, that both cucumber F1 Ararat and F1 Aragats can get a good harvest in spring and in summer-fall turnover. In addition to these hybrids in Armenia are in demand as F1 Izumrud, F1 Blick and F1 Sirius, sales are stable for 2-3 years.

                    Tomato Life F1.                                                                                   Weightlifting team.

     Interestingly, at a vegetable market in Yerevan and Echmiadzin this year, the share of medium-sized cucumber fruit (F1 Ararat, F1 Aragats, F1 Sirius) caught up with the share of hybrid F1 Stella. In previous years 80-90% accounted for the final hybrid. In contrast to the Russian market here in Armenia, the price of medium and long cucumbers are the same. The emergence of new small-fruited F1 Miniararat did not affect the purchase price. Incidentally, this is our new hybrid shows good yield and the simultaneous ripening of fruits. Now go test it, but soon we hope to see him not only in Armenia.
     In Armenia, cucumber traditionally suffers from three diseases - askohitoz stem, fusarium wilt and bacterial spot angulate. The first disease is shown at the base of the stems first as basal rot. Gradually at the base of the stem is formed necrotic zone, which with the expansion causes wilting of the plant. To combat the disease all necrotic zones of stem should be promptly covered with a mixture of chalk and Rovral. Fusarium wilt is widespread and is associated with long-term monoculture of cucumber. This is clearly visible - older greenhouse, the more attacks the plants from the disease. To prevent Fusarium careful attention to soil enrichment of beneficial microorganisms, adding a well-decomposed compost, biological products (Alirin-B Gamair, Gliokladin) and seeded green manure crops - peas and vetch. Incidentally, this technique has already mastered by many growers in Armenia. Creating favorable conditions for beneficial microbiota, vegetable grower contributes to the displacement Fusarium from soil. To combat the angular bacterial spot, we recommend use of the drug Fitolavin, this drug should be periodically sprayed plants when a single yellow spots on leaves.
     Tomato in the first turnover grow less in the second reverse area planted tomato increases markedly. In previous years, the Armenian farmers used mostly to a hybrid - F1 Big Beef. Our company annually supplies to Armenia determinant tomatoes for the second turnover of F1 Longf and F1 Life. Last autumn, good results were obtained with the F1 Simon, it has a large fruit with a mass of about 300g. They are a little cracked and retain its presentation to six weeks. In the spring of this year's selection has grown from hybrids company Enza Zaden, besides hybrids F1 Longf and F1 Life began to grow in the first turnover, and preliminary results suggest the formation of a good harvest.

                   Artur Vardanyan and Yuri Alexeev                Ararat F1 is ready!                                          Cucumber Ararat F1

     In the Ararat valley every year we observe in the tomato one and the same complex diseases - gray rot of fruits and leaves, fusarium wilt and brown spotting. From botrytis affected fruit, which remains the corolla of flower. Rot starts under him and covered first base, and then the whole fruit. To combat the disease should stop using regulators of fruit formation or timely to remove the flowers. Seen losses from botrytis from year to year, as hives began to appear on bumblebees for pollination of tomato. Fusarium wilt has the same reasons as in cucumber. Control measures are the same, and preferably a cultivation of resistant hybrids, for example, F1 Gilgal, F1 Malika, F1 Castalia. Only resistant to brown spot hybrids are able to resist the disease, the use of plant protection products is inefficient, so for large fruit growing, we offer these three tomato hybrids as well as F1 Partner Semco, who for several years now cultivated in Armenia.
     Concluding the article, wish to acknowledge the great hospitality of all the Armenian farmers and, especially, our representative - Arthur Vardanyan. He puts a lot of effort and energy to promoting our hybrids in this region. In turn, within the 20 th anniversary of "Semco" the firm is taken over the patronage of rural sports by Sevan in the village Gegakert Echmiadzin region, specializing in training of weightlifters. Within the walls of this school produced several Olympic champions and world champions. We are pleased to note that the son of Arthur Vardanyan - Michael - became in 2011 the Armenian champion in the heavyweight category among the youths.