We learned what Belarusian varieties of potatoes are promising for Sakhalin and what their advantages are

Why Belarusian varieties of potatoes are promising for Sakhalin, told in the RUE "Scientific and Practical Center of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus for Potato and Fruit and Vegetable Growing", BelTA writes.

Sakhalin is a unique platform for testing and assessing the resistance of Belarusian potato varieties to phytophthrosis, a dangerous potato disease. As noted in the SPC, the monsoon climate of the region, characterized by extreme humidity and abundance of precipitation, creates an environment for the development of this disease. Phytophthorosis cells reproduce sexually, constantly creating new combinations.

Cooperation of SPC with agricultural organizations of the Sakhalin region begins in 2016. Agreements on gratuitous scientific and technical cooperation in the field of potato breeding for the exchange of breeding material and environmental testing were concluded with the State Unitary Enterprise Sovkhoz Korsakovskiy (Korsakov district of the Sakhalin region) and ZAO Sovkhoz Zarechnoye (Tomarinsky district of the Sakhalin region). For environmental testing, the Belarusian side sent samples of potatoes of Skarb, Palats, Lel, Manifesto and Lileya varieties to ZAO Zarechnoye Sovkhoz. The best yield indicators were demonstrated by Skarb - 56 t / ha and Palats - 52 t / ha. The yield of the variety "Lel" was 35 t / ha, "Lilei" - 26 t / ha, "Manifesto" - 22 t / ha. In April 2016, 150 tons of Breeze (super-elite) grade were delivered to ZAO Zarechnoye for production tests. According to the results of 2016-2017, its yield was 35-38 tons / ha.

A new round of cooperation began in 2025, when an agreement on scientific cooperation was signed with the Sakhalin Research Institute of Agriculture (SakhNIISH), a branch of the Federal Research Center of the All-Russian Institute of Plant Genetic Resources named after N.I. Vavilov. 15 modern varieties of Belarusian breeding were transferred to the Institute: early "Pershatsvet", "Julia", "Umka", "Beauty", "Zorachka", middle-early "Breeze", "Mastak", "Phoenix", "Nesterka", "Ten", "Karsan" and medium-ripe "Scarb", "Venus", "Vilia", "Veles". Russian scientists recognized promising for growing in the Sakhalin region varieties “Umka”, “Yulia”, “Breeze” and “Lilea”. They are distinguished by a yield of over 30 t / ha, high marketability of tubers (more than 75%) and relative resistance to the main pathogens of potatoes. Testing of Belarusian varieties continues this year.

Also, the employees of the SPC for potato growing and fruit and vegetable growing noted that for 2026 31 Belarusian varieties of potatoes were allowed to be used in the agricultural production of Russia in nine zones of the state register of selection achievements of Russia. In addition, during 2021-2026, varieties were transferred to Uzbekistan (20 varieties), Sudan (4 varieties), China (19 varieties) and Nicaragua (12 varieties).

In Belarus collected 50 thousand tons of vegetables grown in the open ground