The Laboratory of Agricultural Biotechnology

The laboratory works on:

– improving biotechnological methods for creating soybean genotypes with a complex of economically important traits;

– developing new methods for inducing genetic variability based on cell engineering for the creation of buckwheat plants with adaptive traits;

– creating starting material for rice breeding by the methods of androgenic haploids and molecular markers.

Research is conducted on the main agricultural crops in Primorsky krai: soybean, rice, potato, buckwheat.

Soybean. Our scientists successfully performed experiments on the regeneration of soybean plants by two methods: from the tissue of cotyledonary node (organogenesis) and from the tissue of the cotyledons of immature embryos (somatic embryogenesis). Primorskaya 81 is the first soybean variety that was created using the method of biotechnology in Russia. It was released in Primorsky krai in 2004.

Buckwheat. A new method for regenerating buckwheat plants was devised allowing to obtain new plant forms (somaclones), which are characterized by a complex of economically important traits. This invention is protected by a patent (“Method for micropropagating buckwheat in vitro to develop somaclones valuable for breeding”, 2004). Our researchers conducted experiments on the regeneration of buckwheat plants from callus, which was placed on selective media with heavy metal ions. The laboratory obtained a patent on the invention “Method for propagating buckwheat in vitro” in 2014. As the result of breeding evaluation of new starting buckwheat material, which was tolerant to heavy metals, our researchers selected highly productive samples with large grains and a different degree of resistance to stress factors and a different level of ecological plasticity.

Rice. The laboratory determined what composition of the medium is optimal for regenerating plants from callus and achieving a high yield of green shoots while cultivating anthers of Far Eastern genotypes. Seeds of rice regenerants from 300 lines, which are characterized by a maximal number of grains per panicle, large grain size and resistance to grain shedding, were sent to breeders for testing in field nurseries. Our researchers perform experiments on the molecular mapping of economically important traits of Far Eastern rice varieties using PCR analysis.

Potato. Certified test-tube material of virus-free potato micro-plants from the Russian Potato Research Center (Moscow) and 21 local varieties that were bred in FSBSI “FSC of Agricultural Biotechnology named after A.K. Chaiki” comprise our in vitro collection. They are propagated and subsequently planted in greenhouses in order to obtain mini-tubers.

Stevia. Introducing stevia to Primorsky krai, our scientists determined parameters of the main elements of a technology for its cultivation. Variety Primorskaya slastyona was included in the State Register of Selection Achievements admitted to use in the Russian Federation in 2016 (patent No. 8465 dated 22.04.2016). Annually 20-22 kg of dry stevia leaf is produced to meet the demand from local customers.

Mushrooms. The laboratory maintains a collection of edible mushrooms (wood-decay fungus). The collection is comprised by 23 strains in the test-tube culture. Grain spawn of the Oyster, Shiitake and Pholiota mushrooms is popular among amateur mushroom farmers in Primorsky krai.