The Ukrainian Potato Research Institute has resumed full operations following the demining of its fields
9 August 20:04
The Institute of Potato Science of the National Academy of Agrarian Sciences of Ukraine, located in the village of Nemishaieve, has fully resumed its operations following the occupation and the demining of 800 hectares of land, and is returning to its pre-war level of activity. This was reported by "Komersant Ukrainian", citing AgroTimes.
According to Mykola Furdyga, director of the Potato Research Institute, scientists managed to preserve a unique gene pool of 3,400 samples, which were hidden and transported to safe regions during the occupation. Thanks to 4 million hryvnias in international humanitarian aid, the research institute has restored its laboratories and greenhouses and purchased new agricultural equipment, including a tractor, sorting machines, and fertilizer application equipment.
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Currently, the institute develops new varieties every year that are adapted to different regions of Ukraine, including varieties for making potato chips, French fries, and diet-friendly varieties.
“Seed production begins in the laboratory and then continues in greenhouses. We treat the seed material for viral diseases using biotechnological methods, including chemotherapy and thermotherapy. As a result, we obtain healthy seed material with high yield potential, which we supply to farmers,” said Tetyana Kupriyanova, head of the Department of Biotechnology and Plant Breeding.
Using domestically produced seed material allows farmers to significantly reduce production costs.
“I don’t tell farmers, ‘Let’s buy our potatoes out of patriotism.’ Make money if this variety allows you to lower production costs and get a yield that’s no worse than that of foreign counterparts. Some of our varieties can yield up to 100 metric tons per hectare,” emphasized Mykola Furdyga, director of the Institute of Potato Growing.
Also, with the support of the International Committee of the Red Cross, the institute’s elite seeds are being purchased and distributed for planting in communities near the front lines.
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