Svetlana Konstantinova, Head of the Potato Breeding and Seed Group, Chuvash Research Institute of Agriculture - branch of the FGBNU FARC of the North-East
Scientists of the Chuvash Research Institute of Agriculture conduct scientific research in the field of breeding and seed production of grain and leguminous crops, perennial grasses, soybeans, hops and potatoes.
The institute began to engage in potato breeding in 2010, this is a relatively young area of activity for our scientific organization and for Chuvashia as a whole. The work is being carried out jointly with specialists from the Federal Potato Research Center named after V.I. A.G. Lorkha: on our order, they send single-tuber hybrids with certain varietal characteristics to the Research Institute of Agriculture.
As a rule, we request early and mid-early varieties, since mid-season varieties in the Volga-Vyatka region cannot always fully realize their potential due to weather conditions, there are early frosts.
If we talk about the destination, we give preference to table varieties, although the market is gradually changing, consumers are beginning to be interested in varieties for deep processing, vacuum packaging. We take into account the color of the peel and pulp, the depth of the eyes. Now varieties with white skin and yellow flesh are more in demand, but three or four years ago varieties with red skin and white flesh were more popular. Also of great importance is resistance to late blight, Alternaria and other common diseases.
From the resulting hybrids, we select the most promising for our region. From the second year of cultivation, we select samples for preliminary testing (the selection is carried out according to more than 50 criteria: we pay attention to the compactness of the bush, the number of tubers, etc.). Then the leaders of this stage move on to the main tests, and then to the competitive ones. Those options that ultimately show better results in comparison with the standards existing in our region, we submit for state variety testing. This is a long and very labor intensive job.
In the piggy bank of the breeders of the Chuvash Research Institute of Agriculture, so far there is only one potato variety - Avan (a patent for a breeding achievement was received in 2020). Avan from Chuvash means good, healthy. Mid-early, table variety. It has an excellent presentation: the skin is pink, the flesh is white. In the nest, on average, from 8 to 12 large tubers (small ones, weighing less than 30 g, may not be at all).
The variety is not whimsical to weather conditions, gives a good harvest both in dry years and in seasons with high humidity. Resistant to phytophthora (including tops), due to the dense skin suitable for mechanical harvesting.
But we don't stop. In 2021, 14 numbers were selected based on the results of the competitive test. At the end of winter our experts will evaluate how the accessions survived the storage period: those that germinated early will be rejected (such varieties may be prone to secondary tuberization).
In addition to breeding work, the Chuvash Research Institute of Agriculture is engaged in primary seed production of seven varieties of potatoes: Zhukovsky early, Avan, Vineta, Courage, Irbitsky, Vympel, Reggi.
We produce seed material (elite category potatoes go on sale) mainly for potato farms of the Chuvash Republic, there are also regular customers in the Samara region and the Republic of Kazakhstan. Among the buyers there are also private individuals (LPH).
So far, there is enough production volume for everyone, even now, when there is not much left until spring, we have a certain reserve. But it is important to take into account that for several years in a row the prices for table potatoes in both Russia and Kazakhstan were at a very low level, and few people wanted to deal with this crop. Last year, the cost of potatoes went up, and the demand for seeds immediately increased.
In the future, I think, the direction will definitely develop, there are all opportunities for growing seed potatoes in the republic.