Chronica - Acta Horticulturae

Onion seed production.
bulbs and high dry matter content, suitable for
dried onion production, as well as on gene
resources, resistant to Botrytis sp.
Regeneration in callus culture of potato.
Potato Program
Bulgaria is at the border area of optimal conditions
for potato growing. The most important
limiting factor for potato production is aphids
as virus vectors causing degeneration of seed
potatoes. In this respect the Institute is a pioneer
in elaborating a strategic breeding program
in the 1960s for the creation of virus-resistant
cultivars and technology for virus-free
seed production.
Genes for virus resistance were transferred from
different wild species such as Solanum acaule,
S. demissum, S. sisimbrifolium, S. chacoense, S.
stoloniferum to S. tuberosum materials.
Valuable breeding lines and cultivars (‘Iverze’
and ‘Nadejda 25’) were created with high productivity,
earliness and good organoleptic properties.
In order to increase the genetic diversity
and to create initial materials with complex
immunity to virus diseases and late blight
(Phytophthora infestans) an International
Station was founded in Rodopa Mountain with
Bulgarian and German collaboration. A network
for virus-free seed production was elaborated
and consisted of a tissue culture laboratory for
virus free initial materials, insect-proof greenhouses
and high land farms with low aphid
infestation.
The current potato program places special
emphasis upon introducing resistance to cyst
nematodes (Globodera rostochiensis) in valuable
and widely used cultivars. The Plant Tissue
Culture Labatory uses experimental mutagenesis
to increase genetic diversity, mainly to separate
early forms. Serious damage to potato production
due to climate changes impose a new
trend in the breeding program: creation of breeding
lines and cultivars tolerant to high temperature
and drought. This program is a collaboration
of the Physiology and Cytogenetics
Laboratories. The potato team is currently working
on the creation of specialized cultivars for
boiled potatoes and puree, French fries and
chips, in order to respond to the new requirements
of the processing industry in Bulgaria. To
ameliorate and to increase the quality and
quantity of yield from early potatoes, the
Agrotechnology Unit is researching the application
of nonwoven plant covers.
PROSPECTS FOR FUTURE
RESEARCH
Because of the forthcoming membership of
Bulgaria in the European Union there are
several important research objectives for future
research.
■ Transfer the recent achievements of European
knowledge in the field of plant genetics, fruit
quality, integrated pest management (IPM) to
Bulgaria. This will be achieved by courses,
conducted by prominent European lecturers
and by short-term visits of young PhD students
and researchers of the Institute to
European Institutes.
■ Develop Maritsa Institute as a promoter of
Vegetable Crops Improvement Linkage (VCI
Inner Linkage and VCI Balkan Linkage) in
order to integrate research and researchers in
Bulgaria and in the Balkan region.
■ Create motivated young researchers, disseminate
the scientific information and results,
and facilitate communication and collaboration
between Balkan countries with similar
scientific interests in the field of vegetable
science.
One of the contributions of the VCI Inner
Linkage will be the elaboration of strategy for
Bulgarian vegetable science that will be relevant
to Europe. The Inner Linkage will also be exploited
as a social instrument for elaboration and
diffusion of technology and knowledge transfer
programme for farmers, seed producers, and
processors. The most important achievement of
VCI Balkan Linkage will be to bring in contact
scientists from the Balkan region in order to join
their research efforts for creation of high quality
vegetable technology, based on existing
germplasm. Wide range of local germplasm,
possessed by Institutes in this region, will be
exchanged offering new qualities and traits for
investigations.
CONTACT
Maritsa Vegetable Crops Research Institute, 32
Brezovsko shosse, 4003 Plovdiv, Bulgaria,
Phone: +359 32 952296; +359 32 951227,
Fax: +359 32 960177,
email: izk@plov.omega.bg
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