The Experimental Station on Sugar Beet was established in January, 1928 in Nesvizh, Minsk region.
The Experimental Station on Sugar Beet is a state research organization. Its founding body is the Research and Practical Center of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus for Arable Farming. The running of the Experimental Station is overseen by the Research and Practical Center for Arable Farming and the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus. The Experimental Station on Sugar Beet is headed by the Director who together with the Department of Administration is responsible for the current business of the management.
The Experimental Station on Sugar Beet is the only specialized institution in the republic which carries out the whole complex of research on sugar beet focusing on breeding, biotechnology, plant protection, molecular plant physiology and genetic resources. The Experimental Station places a lot of emphasis on the development of sugar beet sector in Belarus. Its main priority is combination of fundamental research with applied innovative developments which are successfully introduced into production.
The research departments and laboratories of the Experimental Station:
· Sugar Beet Breeding Department;
· Sugar Beet Agricultural Technology Department;
· Mineral Nutrition Department;
· In Vitro Laboratory;
· Phytophathology and Immunity Laboratory;
· Technological Qualities Laboratory
The main research directions
· Creation and introduction into production of new competitive high yield hybrids of sugar beet resistant to changing climate conditions and dangerous pathogens;
· Development of new breeding materials of sugar beet resistant to unfavorable environmental conditions;
· Collection, conservation and mobilization of sugar beet genetic resources for their further study, evaluation and use for breeding of new hybrids;
· Development of resource and energy saving, environmentally friendly profitable technologies for sugar beet cultivation;
· Evaluation of the yield of sugar beet hybrids, study of the influence of growing conditions (soil, weather conditions, cultivars, agricultural techniques etc.) on the technological qualities of root crops;
· Development of modern resource saving technologies to apply organic, mineral fertilizers and microfertilizers to sugar beet on the basis of soil fertility preservation and increase;
· Development of the techniques for managing the yield formation and sugar accumulation on the basis of macro-and microelements nutrition, its control and correction;
· Development of the technologies for sustainable cultivation of sugar beet with the integrated management of phytosanitary state of agrophytocenosis, effective systems for providing nutrition elements, improved protection from pests, weeds and diseases.
Currently the research is being conducted on the application and adaptation of the best practices and technical solutions of foreign countries (for example, the technology of cultivation of sugar beet hybrids resistant to herbicides on the basis of sulphonylurea).
The researchers of the Experimental Station are provided with all the facilities for working and carrying out studies:
· Experimental fields and plots of 636 ha for conducting research;
· A wide range of agricultural machines including compact ones for field works;
· Phytotron facility for conducting experimental, breeding and genetic research;
· Equipment for carrying out various analyses in breeding;
· Automatic line for analyzing technological qualities of sugar beet: sugar content, content of potassium, sodium and alfa-amino nitrogen;
· Portable laboratory “Aquadonis” for determining the lack or surplus of the elements of mineral nutrition in plants on the basis of leaf diagnosis on chloroplast phytochemical activity.
The Experimental Station collaborates closely with leading and internationally renowned sugar beet research organizations of Serbia, Poland, Russia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan and others. It aims at promoting an international exchange of scientific knowledge and experience. The Experimental Station on Sugar Beet is always ready for collaboration, establishing new relations and strengthening existing ones within the framework of bilateral agreements.
Contacts:
Ozernaya st., 1, 222603, Nesvizh,
Minsk region, Republic of Belarus
+3751770 53119 e-mail: bel-os@tut.by