The Governor of the Moscow Region Andrey Vorobyov got acquainted with the new achievements in the work of the breeding and seed-growing enterprise Doka-Gennye Tekhnologii LLC, located in the Dmitrovsky city of O., and talked with the employees. Vorobyov, among other things, noted the export potential of potato planting material, the press service of the governor and the government of the region reports.
“There is a stereotype that we are very dependent on seeds, especially in vegetable and crop production. This is partly true, but in certain crops, for example, in potatoes, we already have our own strong material that has export potential. Right now, a breakthrough will also be provided for sugar beets. Biologists help to achieve this, technologists – science. And this enterprise in a few years will cover almost three-quarters of the needs of potato growing. This is not only planting material, elite, it is also various medicines. Because the diseases of a particular crop affect the yield,” Vorobyov said.
He stressed that today it is very pleasant to communicate with scientists, with people who are in demand in this field.
“Thank you for not standing still, developing the biotechnological direction. This is where brains and technology work. In terms of seeds, the state program provides opportunities for expansion and a breakthrough in seed production and genetics,” the governor added.
Doka-Gene Technologies LLC has implemented a complete technological chain in potato growing – from the release of its varieties to deliveries to consumers. More than 45 thousand tons of products are produced annually. The sown area is 3.4 thousand hectares.
“This year we launched a greenhouse hydroponic complex, which has its own technological equipment. It works almost year-round, unlike the old one. The processes taking place in it are computerized. This applies to plant nutrition, irrigation, nutrient solution management, microclimate maintenance, etc. Now the second stage of this complex is being built,” said Andrey Chuenko, General Director of Doka-Gene Technologies.
He added that a year-round greenhouse hydroponic facility has also been designed. All these measures over the next few years will ensure an almost tenfold increase in the production of mini-potato tubers. This will reduce the seed production scheme in the field by 2 years. Thanks to this, agricultural enterprises will be supplied with elite potato seeds not in 5 years, but in 3 years after the greenhouse production stage.
Import substitution
The enterprise is engaged in import substitution of seed potatoes. There is a center for diagnosing viral / bacterial diseases of vegetables and potatoes, which provides the agro-industrial complex of Russia with a modern research base, innovative preparations for protecting potatoes.
“Our company is engaged in the breeding of new varieties, but this part of the laboratory is precisely the development of biological plant protection products. Now – potatoes, and in the future – other crops, for example, tomatoes. We are developing RNA preparations to protect potatoes from the two most severe diseases: the Y virus and late blight, and in the future, using the same technology, from all other diseases,” said Nikolai Markin, senior researcher at the Doka-Gene Technologies laboratory.
Since 2014, the DokaGinn breeding and genetic center has been operating on the basis of the organization. They conduct their innovative research on potato breeding and genetics, using the latest achievements in the field of molecular biology. The best bred varieties have successfully passed state tests and entered the State Register of Breeding Achievements. Last year, Doka-Gene Technologies produced and certified 12,000 tons of high reproduction potato seeds.
Production at the enterprise
This year it is planned to produce 23 thousand tons of Elita potatoes and 4 thousand tons of seeds of high reproductions (seeds of the first three years of reproduction from collection material). This is 2 times more than in 2021. This volume will be enough to obtain 160 thousand tons of seeds, which will ensure the production of marketable potatoes within 1 million tons.
Every year, Doka-Gene Technologies LLC invests over 100 million rubles of its funds in the production, purchase of equipment, machinery, construction of storage facilities in addition to the loans and leasing received.
This year, the company put into operation a new container storage warehouse for seed potatoes with a modern microclimate control system with a capacity of 4,000 tons.
On average, the Moscow region consumes 766 thousand tons of potatoes annually, 556 thousand tons are produced in the region. Self-sufficiency is at the level of 70%.
