Breaking Records: Ukrainian “Knyaginya” Potatoes Yield Exceptionally High Harvests
27 June 11:19
The Ukrainian potato variety “Knyaginya,” which combines the genetics of “Slavyanka” and the Belarusian “Beloros,” ranked among the top five in demonstration fields out of 90 international varieties. At certain locations, it achieved a record yield of 110 metric tons per hectare, demonstrating the high potential of Ukrainian plant breeding. This was reported by "Komersant Ukrainian", citing AgroTimes.
Generally, the traditional breeding process for a new variety takes 8 to 10 years. However, if scientists incorporate wild species to achieve strong resistance, this process can take up to 25 years. At the Institute of Potato Science of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, researchers grow disease-free material in test tubes in vitro and produce the first mini-tubers weighing up to 3 grams to protect the future crop from viruses capable of destroying up to 90% of the harvest.
“Every variety that comes out is like a child. You can’t tell children that some are favorites and others aren’t… They’re all children. You treat them all with love because you’ve poured your soul, heart, labor, and time into them,” said Mykola Furdyga, director of the institute.
In addition, due to climate change, the research institute has begun work on adapting niche crops that are non-traditional for the Polissya region. Currently, specialists are testing peanuts, yacon, and 19 promising sweet potato varieties in both open-field and greenhouse conditions.
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