Fried, boiled, mashed potatoes, french fries, potato cakes with meat and mushrooms, potato pancakes, stewed prunes, shangi ... Remember the list of recipes from all your favorite root vegetables, which was listed by a graduate of the Sevastopol culinary school Tosya Kislitsyina in “Good advice ?
There are actually a lot of them, because this vegetable has firmly entered the culinary routine of the Slavs, and we can safely say: the love for it among us, Belarusians, is already laid at the genetic level.
Employees of the Vitebsk Zonal Institute of Agriculture of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus suggested tasting boiled potatoes of eight varieties of Belarusian selection. It is in this institution that accelerated microclonal propagation of this culture is carried out on the basis of biotechnological methods in the seed production system, which allows the cultivation of virus-free seed potatoes and high yields. From January to April, the second bread is propagated by the method of cuttings in specially equipped boxes at the institute. Before each plant gives tubers, it is first grown in test tubes in the plant rooms of the Institute’s laboratory, and then relocated to greenhouses.
“The idea to arrange a mass tasting of potatoes, and not just for the institute’s employees, appeared a few years ago,” notes Andrei Balysh, director of the institute. - The more people try our products, the better: we will know the preferences of customers and consumer demand. After all, each variety is distinguished not only by productivity, resistance to disease, but also by taste in cooking. Personally, I like Breeze and Vector.
According to Andrei Ivanovich, there is already a certain agreement with the republican scientific and practical center for potato growing on the implementation of a joint project, the purpose of which is the production of new varieties of potatoes on the basis of the institute in large volumes.
Potatoes were tasted not only by specially invited guests, among whom were the head of the department of agriculture, crop production, fodder production of the committee on agriculture and food of the regional executive committee Ivan Boris, the director of the regional design and survey station for the chemicalization of agriculture Vasily Leontyev, deputy director of the regional inspection for seed production, quarantine and plant protection Nikolay Ugolev, but also ordinary residents of the agro-town of Tulovo.
Already in the hall of the institute, a pleasant appetizing smell was perceived, according to which everyone could unmistakably come to the assembly hall to try boiled potatoes, beautifully laid out in varieties and ripeness groups in dishes. Root crops were cooked under the same conditions without the addition of salt and any spices. Also, for tasting, the institute staff offered potato pancakes with a golden brown crust. From those who wanted to taste Belarusian potatoes, an instantly lined up line: people tried, exchanged opinions and voted.
- I love this vegetable, so I gladly came for a tasting. I want to evaluate all varieties now, in order to know which one to buy next for the next summer season, ”shared the clerk of the Tulovsky Village Council Elena Shamshura.
According to the results of the voting, Lileya potato was won. It was for him that the majority of those who had cast their vote. The second place was occupied by the variety of the middle group of ripeness “Nara”, the third, surprisingly, was the standard of the Belarusian potato “Skarb”.
A scientific conference was later held. According to Oleg Ravbis, head of the Institute’s potato department, over the past 5 years, employees have conducted more than 80 scientific studies, and many articles have been written on this topic. Nine varieties of this crop have been launched into production, and 9 varietal samples are tested on the experimental field, including those with an unconventional color of the peel and pulp. Even when cooking, one of them remains saturated purple. The emphasis is on obtaining varieties that yield a high yield and are resistant to diseases, viruses and mechanical damage, many of which - Manifesto, Vector, Breeze - are widely used by Belarusian manufacturers of chips in the form of plates.
Summing up the results of the event, Andrei Balysh noted that the institute’s work will continue to be aimed at obtaining the cleanest seed material, which, in addition to the main buyers, the Tolochinsky cannery, the Olgovskoe production cooperative and the Rudakovo branch of the Milk OJSC in Vitebsk, - ordinary summer residents, as well as owners of personal plots will be able to purchase.
By the way. Potatoes are considered the smartest vegetable; in terms of the number of chromosomes, it is ahead of its relatives. Here it is, our Belarusian potato, not only tasty, but also smart!
Source: http://www.vitbichi.by