A young scientist from the Vitebsk Veterinary Academy received a presidential scholarship for a development in the field of breeding
She is a graduate of the Belarusian State Agricultural Academy, Candidate of Agricultural Sciences, and started working at the Department of Fodder Production of the Vitebsk State Academy of Veterinary Medicine only in August this year and was recognized as a valuable employee.
Recently, Maria became one of the best young scientists in the country, and next year she has been awarded a special scholarship from the President of the Republic of Belarus. The researcher-breeder was recognized for the development of a new hybrid sweet pepper F1 "Kashtouny".
– It differs from the initial varieties in its higher adaptability, early yield, and fruit quality. They are large, red, cubic in shape with a wall thickness of about 10 mm, characterized by an increased content of ascorbic acid and carotene. In this regard, "Kashtouny" surpassed "Tройка" – the existing standard for sweet pepper – by one and a half times, – explained Maria.
It took her about four years to create this useful and valuable hybrid, while it takes an average of seven years to breed a new variety of vegetable crops.
In total, during her research activities, Maria Moiseeva has received breeding certificates for tomato hybrids F1 "Agienchyk" and "Azart", as well as for the sweet pepper variety "Chyrvony Magnat" and the aforementioned hybrid "Kashtouny". Currently, 3 more varieties of sweet pepper and two varieties of tomatoes, in the creation of which the young scientist participated, are under trial.
Interestingly, one of the most difficult issues for breeders, as emphasized by Maria Moiseeva, is to name a new variety or hybrid. It should not repeat existing names, and all crops are taken into account. Therefore, when "naming" them, different opinions and even advice from acquaintances are considered.
– I know that at one time inspiration was drawn even from the Red Book of Belarus. Then the tomato variety "berkut" appeared. But more often, people turn to associations. "Kashtouny" was named so because it contains many useful substances, "chyrvony magnat" – because the fruits of this variety are quite large, firm, solid. We use the Belarusian language in order not to repeat ourselves and to emphasize the origin, – explained the breeder.
The Year of Science turned out to be quite eventful and fruitful for the young woman in terms of research activities. In December 2016, she defended her PhD thesis, and in March of this year, she received confirmation. Now, another pleasant piece of news – she has become a Presidential Scholar.
– As for further scientific plans, I continue to work on two topics at the Agricultural Academy in Gorki, and I have also submitted an application for the competition of young scientists of the Belarusian Republican Foundation for Fundamental Research with the topic "The Influence of Spectral Composition of Light on the Synthesis of Anthocyanins in Sweet Pepper during Breeding for Stress Resistance".
Currently, breeders are looking for mechanisms that will allow plants to better adapt to temperature fluctuations, and an increase in anthocyanins is one of these mechanisms. This is what I plan to study, – shared the young scientist.
Maria also said that anthocyanins provide the presence of antioxidants in fruits, and the ratio of enzymes determines their color. By the way, they exist in a wide variety. Sweet pepper can be chocolate, black, and even lilac; the latter, however, turns into a more familiar yellow as it ripens.
In addition to Maria Moiseeva, Yuri Kovalenok and Yaroslav Yaromchik from VGASVM, and five employees of the Vitebsk Medical University – Arina Kabanova, Anna Pavlyukevich, Marina Fomina, Elena Kostenkova, and Irina Sobolevskaya – were also recognized at the republican level.