Harvest backed by science

How to fulfil the President’s demand to increase the share of Belarusian seeds
in the cultivation of crops

The main goal of the presidential experimental fields is precisely to rely on science, introduce new varieties of seeds
and technologies, get better results and then replicate this experience throughout the country.
In the photo: Aleksei Slesarev — chief agronomist of Aleksandriyskoye agricultural enterprise, Mogilev Region

During his visit to the Brest and Grodno Regions in early August, President of Belarus Aleksandr Lukashenko demanded a wider use of domestic seeds in the cultivation of crops. This approach is used by the Head of State in all spheres, and life confirms his correctness. But once upon a time, some experts professed the following point of view: why do we need to produce our own, if we can buy everything abroad. Firstly, this requires a foreign currency. Secondly, as the events of recent years show, even if it is available, not everything can be purchased due to sanctions. Belarus has a well-developed agricultural machinery industry, and with our equipment we can perform all operations in the fields. There are also enough seeds of domestic selection. But quantity does not equal quality. With an excess of their supply, some agricultural producers turn towards foreign varieties. Why do they use imports? What are the problems here, and how are they solved?

The eye of the problem
The President got acquainted with the harvesting of wheat of the ‘bonanza’ variety of German selection at the field of OAO Belovezhsky on August 1st. The average yield is 70 centners per hectare, and some areas, where there was more moisture, yielded up to 120. Rapeseed reached 65 centners. And again, from imported seeds. Why are they preferred?
 Aleksandr Buynichenko, Deputy General Director for Crop Production of OAO Belovezhsky, Kamenets District, 
“A few years ago, Belarusian and foreign varieties were grown, but then they came to the conclusion that imported ones give a higher yield on our lands. Therefore, the Belarusians were abandoned. But that doesn’t mean it’s permanent. If our breeders present such varieties that will produce yields, I repeat, in our farm, higher than foreign ones, of course, we will use them.”


Problem depth
Experts estimate the scope of imported seeds used in our country for the cultivation of crops in different ways. It all depends on the calculation method: by total weight or sown hectares. That’s why disagreements are inevitable.  
The point of view of the Research Centre for Agriculture at the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus
About 3 percent of seeds from the total demand for grain crops are purchased annually. In the future, they are propagated on the spot, the ratio is growing, but approximately 78 percent remains with the Belarusian varieties. In general, the country needs 830 thousand tonnes, about 6 thousand tonnes are being purchased. The largest share of foreign varieties in sown areas is in winter wheat — 57 percent. Winter rape has 52.
Emphasis of the Agriculture and Food Ministry 
There are fewer foreign seeds, in particular rape hybrids, for sowing than Belarusian ones. They have a very high degree of calibration, pre-sowing encrustation was carried out. Therefore, the seeding rate is up to 2 kilogrammes per hectare. We most often cook in the traditional way, and we use three times more per hectare. There is work to be done here.
The estimated figure of all seeds is 830 thousand tonnes. But this includes the insurance fund. Nevertheless, it is actually used for sowing 480-490 thousand tonnes. Based on this, the total amount of imported seeds of rapeseed, corn, cereals and legumes is 5 percent of the total weight. And, for example, winter crops — only 1.3 percent. However, high reproductions, which are already multiplying in our farms. And all the seeds of foreign varieties, taking into account those propagated in our country, are sown 160 thousand tonnes. That is about a third.



Don’t stop and don’t fall behind
There are 46 seed lines in the country. The Law ‘On Selection and Seed Production of Agricultural Plants’ was adopted. Of the 380 farms that were engaged in the production of seeds, 46 remained, which increased their quality by an order of magnitude.
Thanks to the new equipment, the SPC of the National Academy of Sciences for Agriculture will have the opportunity to engage in selection in greenhouse conditions this winter. It is planned to encrust the seeds. This is an agrotechnological technique involving the application of protective, nutritious and stimulating substances with a dye using a film former to their surface.


Wishes to scientists
Nikolai Leshik, Head of the Main Department of Crop Production of the Belarusian Agriculture and Food Ministry, 
“With the observance of the technology, Belarusian varieties of grain crops are able to form decent yields in the region — 100 centners per hectare. But at the same time, some of them are sometimes prone to lodging, the stem cannot withstand a heavy ear. Foreign ones are more stable. Our breeders need to overcome this problem.
For many years, good varieties of rapeseed have been bred. And abroad, more attention was paid to the creation of hybrids that yield much higher yields. Our breeders also began to create hybrids, but have not yet reached the foreign level. We must work in this direction.”
Yulia Goncharova, an agronomist-seed grower of OAO Gastellovskoye, Minsk Region, 
“Belarusian winter wheat ‘amelia’ produced 113 centners per hectare last year. Imported varieties — from 108 to 114 centners. Winter triticale ‘grodno’ — 120, imported — 115. As you can see, there is practically no difference. Therefore, we actively use Belarusian varieties. But our winter barley is the only one. And it takes a lot to have a choice.” 

What is being done?
Director General of the Research and Practical Centre for Arable Farming of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus Sergei Kravtsov,
“It is right that the President demands from us, scientists, not to sit still and report on successes, but to conduct a constant scientific search, to produce such varieties of agricultural crops that would do honour to our country and would be in demand in the world.Our scientists submitted for variety testing a super-early winter barley variety, which can be harvested as early as June, one week earlier than those used now. Its vegetation begins at a temperature of 3 degrees Celsius, but not 5, as in the current. 
We have high hopes for him. Also this year, Belarusian naked barley was zoned and tested: its grains do not have a membranous shell, mechanical peeling is not needed.
Experiments continue with various varieties of the leguminous group: peas, maple pea, lupine, sunflower... Some of them contain up to 45 percent protein, like soybeans. According to preliminary calculations, our country needs about 300 thousand hectares of leguminous crops in order to completely abandon the purchase of foreign soybeans. Now there are about 90 thousand hectares.”

Conclusions
It should be reminded that last year OAO Gastellovskoye in the Minsk Region had the highest yield of cereals and legumes — more than 100 centners per hectare. Therefore, the high assessment of the agronomist of the farm of the Belarusian wheat variety means a lot. This opinion is shared by other experts. This suggests that it is not necessary to persuade to buy a high quality product. They will ask for it themselves. Wishes to scientists: create more of these varieties and hybrids, advertise them, encrust, make the product attractive.

By Alena Yasko, Vasily Gedroits
Photos by Yegor Yermalitskiy, Aleksandr Kulevsky, belta