Yakutia’s Variety Testing Plot Harvests 14 Potato Varieties in Megino-Kangalassky District

According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Policy of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia), harvesting continues at the variety testing plot in Rassoloda, Megino-Kangalassky Ulus. This year, 14 potato varieties are being tested there, with another five grown for propagation. The total harvest is expected to reach 50–60 tonnes. The plot has operated since 1995, testing potato and open-field vegetable varieties and assessing their suitability for Yakutia’s harsh conditions. During harvest, the crop is weighed, separated into standard and non-standard fractions, after which yields are calculated and the data recorded.

Of the plot’s five hectares, four are planted with potatoes, while the remaining area is used for cabbage, beetroot, carrots, peppers, cucumbers, and tomatoes. Last year the plot received a potato harvester, and a 50-tonne storage facility was built for keeping and selecting seed potatoes. Specialists note local residents’ particular interest in the “Lyubava” variety, valued for its taste and good keeping quality. In spring, agricultural producers and residents alike come to the plot for seed potatoes grown there.