In 2020 year Potato Research Center named after A.G. Lorha (until August last year - the All-Russian Research Institute of Potato named after A.G. Lorch) celebrates a massive anniversary. And this is an important date not only for employees of this honored organization, the community of breeders and seed growers, but also for the entire industry. In fact, we are celebrating the centenary of the domestic scientific approach to potato growing. About how it all began and what tasks the Institute has to solve in the future, - in the story of the Director of the FIC them. Lorch Sergey Zhevora.
From World War I to the present day
- Tell us a little about the history of the All-Russian Research Institute of Potato Economics. A.G. Lorha. It all started with Korenovskaya potato breeding station?
- Perhaps a little earlier. At the beginning of the 1914th century, potatoes already had great economic significance for the Russian Empire. But by the time the country entered the First World War, the possibilities of purchasing foreign seed potatoes were largely limited. In those conditions, it was decided to organize in XNUMX in the Bronnitsky district of the Moscow province a special experimental site for potato culture.
In the post-revolutionary period, despite all its difficulties, the question of organizing a special experimental field for starting work on the selection of domestic potato varieties was considered among the most important. The project of developing a program for organizing a pilot field was entrusted to Alexander Georgievich Lorkh, then a young Moscow scientist (he was only 29 years old). And it was he who in April 1920 led the work of the newly created Regional Experimental Station, one of the divisions of which was the Potato Breeding Department. In the same year, the potato department was transferred to the Korenevo state farm.
In 1925 A.G. Lorch was able to bring to Korenevo special equipment to equip the laboratory and a rather rich (more than 800 samples) collection of foreign varieties, on the basis of which selection work and the development of potato cultivation technologies began. The efforts yielded results: the first domestic varieties of potato - Lorch and Korenevsky - were created in 1929. He was destined for a long and happy fate, especially the Lorch cultivar: for 40 years, its cultivation areas in the Soviet Union were stably at 500 thousand hectares.
In addition to direct breeding, studies on the physiology and genetics of potatoes were organized at the Station; flowering biology was studied, regularities were revealed and the nature of spontaneous mutations was revealed. During this period, a department of phytopathology was created, which was engaged in the study of potato diseases. For the first time in the country, work began on testing varieties for resistance to potato cancer.
Station staff also developed a methodology and principles for organizing a wide geographical testing of potatoes.
The successes of the scientists were highly appreciated, and in 1930 the Station was transformed into the Potato Research Institute.
The history of the Institute was not simple, as was the history of the country in which it worked. We had to overcome the difficulties of the war and post-war years, the period of reform. But the team passed all the tests. Together, scientists created new knowledge, varieties, technologies.
Recall that in the turning 1990s, the well-known variety Luck appeared. In addition, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay technologies were developed and introduced to evaluate for the presence of viral infection, and virus-free seed production technology was developed and introduced.
Modern challenges. The future is in purple
- Please indicate the main achievements of your research organization in recent years.
- In the early 2000s at the Institute. Lorha was created the Bank of healthy potato varieties, which currently provides high-quality certified source material to seed-growing enterprises throughout Russia.
Today, our research institute maintains an indicative genetic collection of potato varieties. Currently, its composition is about 700 genotypes. Based on the collection, an appropriate Collective Use Center has been created and operates, which is open to all who wish to conduct research on potato culture.
Our experts also develop and patent technologies for seed production of potatoes, aimed at increasing the yield of domestic varieties, work out protection methods based on the latest drugs.
But nevertheless, the main direction in the activities of the FIC remains breeding work. Every year, at least two new potato varieties created by our scientists are included in the State Register of selection achievements approved for use in Russia. These varieties are in no way inferior to foreign counterparts, and sometimes even surpass them. So, the Gulliver variety looks extremely promising, in terms of yield indicators, it overtakes many European ones (including those included in the list of leaders in terms of cultivation area in Russia today). The variety is distinguished by good keeping quality and high marketability.
Significant efforts of employees of the FIC potato them. Lorch are focused on creating highly productive varieties with high adaptive ability, as well as “colored” varieties (that is, colored pulp). Varieties Violet and Aurora Borealis have already been entered in the State Register. A number of varieties, as they say, "on the way." The difference between these varieties from the traditional ones is that they change the very idea of potatoes as a culinary product. It is generally accepted that potatoes are not a dietary product. However, these varieties - due to the high content of vitamin C and antioxidants (anthocyanins) - can be used in dietary and even therapeutic nutrition.
However, if the indicated “color” varieties still have to conquer the market (which they will undoubtedly do), then a number of achievements of the Institute’s selection are already in stable demand. First of all, we are talking about new varieties Grand, Gulliver, Sadon which are becoming popular among domestic agricultural producers. These varieties satisfy the basic requirements of consumers, demonstrating a fairly high marketability of the crop and keeping quality.
Cooperation with agricultural producers
- The Potato Institute is an ongoing participant in all major projects related to the selection and seed production of potatoes in the country. Which of them do you consider the most significant?
- Over the years of the Institute’s existence, its employees participated in the launch and development of dozens of “potato” projects throughout the country, and each such project, regardless of scale, remains important and significant for us.
Today, many people turn to the Institute for help. I will name only two of the most sought-after areas of our cooperation with agricultural producers. First: The Institute grows its own micro-plants and minitubers of varieties of its own selection, supplying customers with high-quality certified seed material. Recently, each batch has even been marked with the Institute's trademark, which confirms the high quality of the products.
Second: on an ongoing basis, the Institute holds continuing education courses for employees of seed-growing enterprises, as well as seminars and round tables on topics relevant to specialists. The Institute publishes information materials for the scientific support of the industry, organizes thematic exhibitions of scientific achievements.
Fitz potato named after A.G. Lorha
- The official name of the institute today is the A.G. Federal Potato Research Center Lorha (after the reorganization and accession to the VNIIKH of a number of other scientific organizations). Why was this done? What has changed in the work of all these institutions?
- On August 5, 2019, the Minister of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation signed an order on the reorganization of the All-Russian Scientific Research Institute of Agricultural Research by adding the Kaluga Research Institute of Agriculture to the Federal State Budgetary Scientific Institution, the Kostroma Scientific Research Institute of Agriculture Federal State Budgetary Institution and the Leningrad Scientific Research Federal State Budget Scientific Institution Institute of Agriculture "Belogorka".
The aim of such reorganizations is always the intensification of research conducted in the scientific organizations affected by them, the development of the personnel potential of the reorganized organizations and the modernization of their material and technical base. And this goal will be fulfilled. At the moment, the reorganization is not yet completed, but is already in the final stage.
As a result of the reorganization, the Development Program for the new Federal State Budgetary Institution of the Potato Potato named after A.G. Lorha ”, which will identify the tasks facing the joint institution, indicators that will need to be achieved, the resources required for this. The program is still under development.
However, one thing I can say for sure: all the activities carried out as part of the reorganization will be carried out in full respect for the historical heritage of the reorganized scientific organizations. Historical names and traditional lines of research will be preserved. Also, work will be carried out to preserve the existing potential of these scientific organizations, including personnel.
Subprogram "Development of selection and seed production of potatoes in the Russian Federation"
- FIC them. Lorha takes part in the implementation of the subprogram “Development of selection and seed production of potatoes in the Russian Federation” of the Federal Target Program for Agricultural Development of the Russian Federation for 2017-2025. Tell us about the Institute’s achievements in this area of work.
- The Institute acts as the coordinator of the scientific and methodological work carried out as part of the subprogram “Development of selection and seed production of potatoes in the Russian Federation” of the Federal Scientific and Technical Program for the Development of Agriculture for 2017-2025.
I note that the Subprogram itself is carried out by many research institutes, and the contribution of each of them is invaluable.
It is too early to take stock of this work - the Subprogram is being implemented only in the second year - but certain results have already been achieved. For example, three new varieties of potatoes were created (including Gulliver, which was mentioned above). Ecological and geographical tests of potato varieties are being carried out (several tens of varieties have passed them so far). The next stage of work will be production tests, the results of which, I am sure, will become a clear confirmation of the competitiveness of domestic varieties.
Within the framework of the Subprogram, active development and patenting of technologies in the field of potato seed production and the production of virus-free seed material is underway. Techniques are being developed for using aerohydroponic plants for growing new varieties of potatoes. New types of fertilizers and biological potato protection products are being created.
At the same time, fundamental research related to potato genetics is also underway. So, new markers responsible for economically valuable traits are highlighted, CRISP / CAS9 methods are improved to optimize their use in potato culture, marker-assisted selection methods are advanced.
It should be noted that the achievements of the institutes are focused on the final consumer - these are agricultural enterprises of any scale: from agricultural holdings to small farms. So, each agrarian who has the Internet can use the geoinformation system for determining the risks of late blight outbreaks or refer to the Solanum Tuberosum database, which were created thanks to the Subprogram.
International cooperation
- Tell us about the cooperation of FIC with foreign specialized organizations.
- The Institute is actively working on the formation of scientific ties between domestic and foreign potato growers. In fact, our scientists interact with three of the five continents inhabited by people.
The first in the list of foreign friends, of course, should be called the International Potato Center (CIP). An unlimited agreement on scientific and technical cooperation was concluded between this organization and our institute, within the framework of which an exchange and replenishment of the collections of potato genetic resources is carried out annually with forms that have specific characteristics and are resistant to a wide range of biotic and abiotic stresses.
The FRC also actively cooperates with the research company “Agvenchur Exploitation B.V. Solynta (Netherlands) and the Romanian National Institute for Potato Research and Development. Among the FIC partners from Asian countries, it is necessary to highlight the Heilongjiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences (Harbin, China), the Institute of Vegetables and Flowers of the Chinese Agricultural Academy (Beijing, China), the Vietnamese Genetic Institute of Agriculture (Hanoi, Vietnam).
Interaction is also developing with African countries: for example, an agreement on scientific and technical cooperation between the FIC and the National Seed Production Association (Angola) has been concluded, within the framework of which work is being done to create new varieties of potatoes and to organize elite seed production.
Of course, it should be noted and neighboring countries. The closest ties are established with Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. Joint research is being conducted with scientific organizations of these countries on a wide range of studies: from the selection of new varieties of potatoes to the introduction of these varieties into production, as well as the development of new technologies for seed production of potatoes.
Pandemic Anniversary
- The virus intervened in the plans for anniversary events in honor of the 100th anniversary of the Federal Potato Research Center. Tell us what has changed in the program?
- I believe that everything that happens is for the better! The Institute was forced to change the format of the celebration of the anniversary, but as a result, we received two events at once, two holidays.
We will meet the first one on July 16, 2020 at our base near the village of Kraskovo, where the Potato Field Day will be held. Potato varieties will be presented at the experimental sites of the Institute, the results of the use of cultivation technologies and potato protection systems will be demonstrated. A contest for farmers will also be held, the winners of which will receive valuable prizes and gifts.
The second stage will be held September 28-29 in Moscow. Within its framework, the International Scientific and Practical Congress (with the participation of leading foreign and domestic scientists), an exhibition and presentations of scientific and technical achievements will be organized.
- Anniversary suggests gifts. What gift would the Institute like to receive for the round date?
- A year ago, we had the idea to celebrate the centenary of the Potato Institute with the installation of a monument to the most important culture for us, whose historical role in human nutrition is highly regarded throughout the world. Unfortunately, while funds for the implementation of this project have not been enough collected, but work is underway to find sponsors. Taking this opportunity, I would like to appeal to all potato-growing enterprises with a request to provide support in resolving this issue.
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