News
April 11, 2025
The scientific approach to help provide the Karelian market with locally produced potatoes more efficiently

KarRC RAS scientists are working on a technology to ensure continuous supply of locally produced potatoes to the regional market. It is a pipeline of industrial-scale production of potatoes of different cultivars with different ripening dates. To this end, specialists of Vilga Agrotechnology Laboratory studied the released and introduced cultivars with high yield, marketability, average weight per tuber and determined the ones most suitable for our region.
The marketable potato production pipeline was devised to include cultivars of the early-season group Meteor harvested on the 70th day after planting, Red Scarlett, Feloks - on the 80th day, medium-early-season varieties Ryabinushka, Radonezhsky, Sante - on the 90th day, and the medium-season variety Lugovskoy - on the 100th day. Scientists argue that the cultivation of varieties differing in ripening and bulking rates will help supply fresh produce to the regional market earlier. Another effect will be the establishment of an efficient sales system to increase potato sales and reduce the costs.

With a view to subsequent use in the regional crop cultivation process, the scientists performed agroecological testing of 20 zone-adjusted and introduced potato cultivars. As a result, the cultivars featuring both high yields and ecological plasticity were commended: Latona, Udacha, Impala, Fresco, Radonezhsky and Red Scarlett.

The exploratory research is carried out in the laboratory and in the field. Sterile laminar flow boxes are used for microclonal propagation of infection-free plants on a balanced medium including macro- and micronutrients, vitamins, growth regulators, carbohydrates. In May, the plants from test tubes are transferred to the greenhouse to grow minitubers, which are planted out in the field in the following year.

Previously, the scientists described the effectiveness of plant improvement selection in minituber production. The results of this study were published in the journal “Vestnik of the Russian Agricultural Science”. After two years of the study, the improving selection based on visual diagnosis resulted in the Red Scarlett, Latona, and Impala cultivars yielding more productive vegetative progenies facilitating efficient original potato seed production.

Cultivars respond differently to edaphic conditions and fluctuations in meteorological factors during the growing season. If these factors are taken into account, the first harvest of early potato cultivars can be obtained as early as in the 20th of July.

– Potatoes can be harvested earlier if the crops are additionally sheltered with a covering material. The best results in the early-season group were demonstrated by the Latona cultivar, which is characterized by high plasticity. After growing for 90 days, it produced a yield of about 30 tons per hectare, – told Principal Researcher of the Vilga Agrotechnology Laboratory of KarRC RAS Department for Multidisciplinary Research Lyubov Evstratova to the Vesti – Karelia TV program crew.

See also:

June 26, 2025
Ice-related phenomena on rivers emptying into the White Sea now last three weeks less than 60 years before

Ice on northern rivers now forms later while ice-off occurs earlier. Karelian scientists confirmed this having analyzed 64 years of marine and meteorological data from the estuaries of rivers draining into the White Sea along its western coast. Climate change has bit three weeks off the ice-covered period on these rivers. The reductions have been the most significant in the last 30 years, aligning with global warming trends in Arctic water bodies.
June 23, 2025
Citizen science and web technologies help researchers study insects of Karelia

More than 30 insect species not encountered in Karelia previously have been revealed by entomologists from KarRC RAS during their expeditions and using data communicated by active participants of the iNaturalist portal – an open platform for collecting biodiversity data.
June 20, 2025
Application process for 2025/2026 Doctoral Studies started at KarRC RAS

On June 20, Karelian Research Centre RAS began accepting papers from applicants for its Doctoral Courses. This year, university graduates can choose from ten academic specialties in the STEM, natural sciences, humanities, and social sciences.
June 17, 2025
An important phase of the KarRC RAS Director General election procedure completed

The Electoral Commission has summarized the results of the voting for the election of the Director General of KarRC RAS. The turnout exceeded 80% of the Center's employees. The majority of votes, 391, were cast for Alexander Kryshen, Director of the Forest Research Institute. Acting Director General Olga Bakhmet was supported by 252 voters, and Deputy Director General Yuri Zaika received 17 votes. The Electoral Commission documented these results in its report, which will be submitted to the HR Policy Department of the Federal Ministry of Science and Higher Education. The candidacies will now undergo the procedure of approval by federal agencies, after which the employment contract will be signed with the winner of the competition.
June 11, 2025
Posseidon research vessel is back from this season’s first integrated expedition

Employees of the Northern Water Problems Institute KarRC RAS completed an expedition around Lake Onego on board the Posseidon research vessel. The expedition covered 19 sites in bays, Central Onego, and Kizhi Skerries region. Scientists have sampled water for chemical and biological analyses.