N.I.Vavilov Institute of Plant Genetic Resources

Computerized information systems department

Head of the Department - Novikova Lubov

The Department was established in 1980 on the basis of the "methodology and applied mathematical methods group to develop an information system for VIR world collection. The objectives of the Department include both computerization of the Institute and creation of the automated database. Thus was the beginning of an integrated information management of VIR collection as a national plant genetic resources center. Main activities of the Department involve development of the VIR local area net: technical maintenance and software administration, creation of VIR databank in order to provide an access to the global information network and e-mail services, support of the Institute website; PC training. In 1995 staff of the Department ran a Web-site, in 2001 there was developed and launched on the Institute server an Internet portal. The site has been translated into English, it contains not only general information, but also passport data of VIR collection, various publications as well as historical reviews. The site is extremely popular both in Russia and abroad, it is among the five most advanced biological Internet resources of Russia. In 2006 the Department initiated creation of the Institute overall information retrieval system. At present the staff of the Department makes active efforts to modernize and update the corporative VIR website.

Tel.: +7 812 571-61-17 

Address: 190000, Russia, Saint-Petersburg, Bolshaya Morskaya str., 42

Department of planning

Head of the Department – Gaevskaya Elena

The Department was founded in 1967. The staff of the Department takes part in scientific and technical program formation. Based on both the State scientific and technical programs and development strategies of departments, laboratories and experiment station network Department compiles long-term and annual research programs; jointly with program managers and responsible executors Department staff participates in preparing reports. The Department participates in drafting of inter-agency coordination programs for fundamental and perspective applied research to provide scientific support for agricultural complex of Russia, forms a thematic unit plans and coordinates the work of executive institutions. The Department conducts comparative studies of research results obtained by the Institute with the results of similar works in the domestic and foreign practice, ensures preparation and submission of materials to the All-Russian scientific information center. The department is responsible for signing research agreements with experimental stations, arranges and monitors agreements with breeding centers and research institutions, promotes achievements of the Institute at both Russian and International exhibitions, prepares information booklets, conducts coordination meetings under the State scientific programs. The patent office, part of the Department, provides legal protection of technical solutions and breeding achievements developed by the co-workers of the Institute as well as scientific and technical expertise of discovery applications, inventions, patent research studies.

Tel.: +7 812 571-75-96

Address: 190000, Russia, Saint-Petersburg, Bolshaya Morskaya str., 44

Foreign relations department 

 Head of the Department - Sergey Alexanian

The Department was founded in 1960. International scientific and technical cooperation activity is considered to be one of the most significant VIR priorities as a scientific institution of the world importance. Coordination, strategic planning and technical support of these activities are delivered by the Department of foreign relations.

The Department coordinates international cooperation with foreign research institutions, it is actively engaged in collaborative exchange programs, takes part in joint research projects, organizes international symposia, conferences and workshops VIR is responsible for.

VIR staff is involved in the development of mechanisms for cooperation within frameworks of the integrated European GeneBank. The passport database of VIR`s world collection is included in the European electronic nomenclature of cultivated plants.

In various international framework agreements VIR is managing joint research projects. These projects provide an opportunity for parties to duplicate accessions on mutually beneficial terms, to conduct environmental geographical and environmental genetic tests, to provide applied and fundamental research activities. In addition, the Department organizes expeditions to collect plant diversity growing both on the territory of Russia and abroad.

The Department disposes of multilateral and bilateral agreements on joint activities in the area of plant genetic resources with the domestic and foreign institutions as well as genebanks. VIR is considered to be a head organization, methodical and training center as well as a provider of ex situ plant genetic resources for CIS countries.

Tel.: +7 812 315-50-93 

Address: 190000, Russia, Saint-Petersburg, Bolshaya Morskaya str., 42

Postgraduate courses department

Head of the Department - Farber Svetlana

VIR postgraduate courses department was established in 1929. At the present time more than 2000 highly qualified specialists have completed their postgraduate courses at VIR. Many of them significantly contributed to the development of science. Among VIR graduates there are such brilliant scientists as V.G. Konarev, K.Z. Budin, N.I. Koraskov, B.L. Vitkovsky, V.I. Krivchenko, V.F. Dorofeev, G.E. Shmaraev, V.M. Berlyand-Kozhevnikov, T.J. Zarubaylo.

VIR training staff carries out both full-time and correspondence courses, as well as doctoral studies. The Institute disposes of two thesis committees in 6 disciplines : "Molecular biology" - "Bioresources" - "Botany" - "Plant industry" - "Plant physiology and biochemistry" - "Plant protection" - "Genetics" - "Breeding and seed production - "Biotechnology" - "Meteorology, climatology, agrometeorology" - "Mathematical modeling, numerical methods and software complexes.

Tel.: +7 812 571-51-37 

Address: 190000, Russia, Saint-Petersburg, Bolshaya Morskaya str., 44

Agrometeorology group

Head of the Group - Viktor Dyubin

Agrometeorology Group is a successor of the Bureau of meteorology under the Scientific committee of the Department of agriculture of Russia, established in 1896. After 1917 the Bureau of meteorology was incorporated into the network of the State institute for experimental agronomy, later in 1926 it was renamed the Department of agrometeorology. In 19.., the Department turned into the Group of the agrometeorology.

Main research activities of the Group involve development of the theoretical basis and evaluation methods of the most important commercial traits of crops and their varieties under agrometeorological, agroclimatic and soil quality parameters. The Group provides algorithms for field experiment data processing with the purpose of revealing agrometeorological factors determining the variability of commercially important traits as well as computer-based variety selection methods for different agroclimatic zones.

Agroclimatic research conducted by the Group serves to determine an appropriate location for breeding centers across Russia. As a result of scientific activity there have been evaluated different types of variety resistance to severe climatic factors, including artificial climate chambers; agroclimatic locality justification for more than 30 crops (cereals, legumes, forage, potato, vegetable as well as fruit crops). There were defined objectives and concepts of computer-based analogue for agroecological breeding center passport.

Tel.: +7 812 314-46-14

Address: 190000, Russia, Saint-Petersburg, Bolshaya Morskaya str., 42

Department of plant phisiology

Head of the Department - Kosareva Irina

Department was established in 1924. Main research activities aim to evaluate plant genetic diversity preserved in VIR genebank on the most valuable traits such as: resistance to abiotic stresses (cold and winter hardness, drought-, salt- and acid- resistance), photoperiodic sensitivity as well as precocity. In recent years, there have elaborated and introduced new diagnostic methods for abiotic stresses resistance, photoperiodic sensitivity and precocity; obtained 9 invention patents. Collections of cereals, legumes, groat, technical, fodder and vegetable crops were used to identify a new initial breeding material. Acid resistance scale for cultivated plants was developed, there have been studied physiological and genetic mechanisms of photoperiodic sensitivity by creating a unique isogenic lines with different genes Ppd as well as ultra-lines of cereal crops with weak photoperiodic sensitivity; 4 lines and one variety protected with patents. The Department has a close collaboration both with scientific institutions in Russia and abroad.

Tel.: +7 812 476-63-36

Address: 196601, Russia, Saint-Petersburg, Pushkin district, Moskovskoe shosse, 11

Ecological genetic laboratory 

Head of the Department – Elza Goncharova 

The Department was established in 1925. Its research activities are based on the N.I. Vavilov concept in relation to the parallelism of hereditary variation and aimed to disclose genetic potential of cultivated plants and their wild relatives considering most important biological and agronomic traits. Using phenotypic, hybridological, population, cytogenetic and molecular genetic analysis rational approaches to allocation of valuable genotypes are being developed. The Department conducts studies on gene and polygenic complexes identification determining plant ontogeny, resistance to biotic and abiotic stresses as well as other valuable traits. Other objectives are targeted to reveal mechanisms of introgression for cultivated plant species while being hybridized with their wild relatives, to establish a genetic basis for plant recombination processes, to disclose interaction mechanisms of “plant – environment” and “plant – pest” types, to create new valuable recombinants and donor with the identified genetic material.

Tel.: +7 812 476-72-00

Address: 196601, Russia, Saint-Petersburg, Pushkin district, Moskovskoe shosse, 11

Molecular biology and biochemistry department

Head of the Department - Konarev Aleksey

The Department was founded in 1997. Main research activities involve molecular genetic analysis of gene pools of the most important species to process genotyping as well as to evaluate their diversity. The staff carries out both molecular and biochemical analysis for distinguishing genotypes valuable for breeding and commercial use.

Department consists of 2 Groups:

Biochemistry Group. Till 1997 - Department was founded by prof. N.N. Ivanov in 1922 (headed up to 1940). Main research areas - biochemical study of the diversity of cultivated plants and their wild relatives, identification of sources with optimal nutrient content and composition, study of their variability patterns, development of biochemical methods. From 1973 through 2007 there have been published 54 directories and 18 guidelines containing biochemical descriptions for accessions of the most important crops. The staff has created computerized databases of biochemical quality features.

Molecular biology Group. Till 1997 – the Department was established by prof. V.G. Konarev in 1967 (headed up to 1997). Main research activities – working out strategies in solving urgent problems of applied botany, genetics and breeding using molecular genetics methods. Achievements: genomic analysis and protein varietal identification, development of seed quality control methods etc. From 1967 till 2007 there have been published 7 monographs, 39 directories and guidelines, 67 directories describing VIR protein collection.

Tel.: +7 812 314-77-27

Address: 196601, Russia, Saint-Petersburg, Pushkin district, Moskovskoe shosse, 11

Plant introduction group

Head of the Group - Tatiana Ozerskaya

Plant introduction group was established in …

Basic methods for replenishing the Institute collection with new plant material engage collecting missions both in Russia and abroad, systematic exchange of seeds and planting material with domestic and foreign research institutions as well as seed companies.

During past years the Group replenished the VIR collection with more than 700 thousand accessions of cultivated plants and their wild relatives.

The Group disposes of exchange directories containing information about research institutions and foreign seed companies as well as botanical gardens, the staff of the Group is actively involved in development of both an electronic database of passport data of newly obtained accessions and a database of collecting missions conducted both in Russia and border countries.

The Group conducts plant material registration, organizes quarantine inspection and initial evaluation of foreign plant material at introductory and quarantine fields of VIR. For the exchange purposes the staff prepares and publishes «Delectus seminum» catalogue every 5 years.

Tel.: +7 812 571-92-96

Address: 190000, Russia, Saint-Petersburg, Bolshaya Morskaya str., 44

Adler experiment station

Director: Alexander Boyko

Adler experiment station was founded in 1932

Main research activities involve:

- recovery of seed germination as well as breeding of grain legume crops (soy-bean), vegetable crops (cucumber, tomato, pepper, eggplant, rare pumpkin crops, green and rare vegetables), technical crops (krotolyary, kanatnik, teasel, mallow and others)

- studies on genetic diversity of commercially valuable vegetable crops (cucumber, tomato, pepper)

- allocation of initial breeding material

- elaboration of production- and handling technologies of spicy fruits, vegetable, citrus, aroma-producing- and medical crops (Stevia and others), Actinidia Chinese (kiwifruit).

Employees of the Station have author`s certificates for the original development of the low-capacity hydroponic machine and working out a container method for vegetable and strawberry crop production under protected cultivation.

The staff has worked out an ecologically justified disease protection system for vegetable crop production under protected cultivation.

For development and introduction of the new in Russia fruit crop Actinidia Chinese (kiwifruit) employees of the Station were awarded the State prize of the Russian Federation.

Production activities of the Station: primary breeding of Actinidia, grape, fig, papaw, oriental persimmon, zizyphus, asiatic pear, avocado, feijoa

Tel.: +7 862 240-03-34

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Address: 353341 Adler, Krasnodarsky region, Lenina str. 95

Astrakhan experiment station

Director: Elena Miroshnichenko

Astrakhan experiment station was established in 1966

Main research activities aim:

- to maintain accessions in viable condition and to study them.

The staff of the station annually maintains germination of 2800 accessions of vegetables, melons, cereals, legumes, rice, cotton as well as other technical crops. Studies ondrought- and disease resistance of tomato, pepper, eggplant, haricot, melons and gourds are being conducted there. Employees of the station identify sources of valuable breeding traits and replenish the cotton trait collection.

Production activities of the station: primary and industrial seed production of vegetable and rice crops.

Tel.: +7 512 728-145

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Address: 416603 Yaksatovo village, Astrakhan region, Privolzhsky district

Dagestan experiment station

Director: Kishtili Kurkiev 

Dagestan Experiment station was founded in 1935

Main research activities engage:

- maintenance of accessions of wheat, aegilops, barley, oats and vegetable crops in viable condition

- preservation of grape and subtropical fruit crop collection

- creation of sources and donors of the most important commercial traits - studies on private genetics of tetraploid wheat, triticale, barley by valuable breeding traits (short-stem traits, disease- and salinity resistance, precocity and others)

- creation of the genetically diverse initial material for Triticale breeding

- studies on wheat phylogeny and elaboration of Triticale taxonomy

- collecting missions to Northern Caucasus and Transcaucasia for plant genetic resources being under the threat of disappearance.

Employees of the station have issued over 100 scientific works, among them - the monograph „Genetics of short-stem tetraploid wheat“.

At the station there were bred the following varieties of Triticale– PRAG 3, Uzor, Druzhba, Dagvo, of barley – the Dagestan Goldish, of Peking cabbage – Vorozheya, China cabbage – Pava, of salad – Azart.

Production activities of the Station: cereal crop production

Tel.: +7 872405-41-42 or +7 928803-95-21

Address: 368612 Dagestan, Vavilovo village, Derbentsky district

Ekaterininsk experiment station

Director: Gennady Gridnev 

Ekaterininsk experiment station was established in 1958

Main research activities involve:

- studies of more than 1,5 thousand accessions of different crops with the purpose of identification of the most productive initial material, precocity, large seeded varieties, fertility, disease- and pest resistance. Research activities of the station engage also identification of donors with valuable traits and breeding of new varieties.

In order to maintain germination and reproduction qualities of VIR`s world collection over 7 thousand accessions of cereal, legume, groat, technical, vegetable, tuber crops and perennial grasses are annually sowed.

Research results are reflected in different publications of the institute: “Cultivated Flora”, “Theoretical foundation for the breeding” and numerous issues of VIR`s catalogue. The station disposes of its own arboretum encompassing 350 unique tree varieties and bushes.

Production activities of the station: primary seedgrowing of winter wheat, spring barley, vegetable peas as well as potato to provide farms of the Central Chernozem zone with seeds of highest reproduction qualities.

Tel.: +7 475 363-42-23

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Address: 393012 Ekaterinino village, Tambovskaya region, Nikiforovsky district

Far east experiment station

Director: Pavel Chebukin

Far East experiment station was established in 1929

Main research activities engage:

- mobilization, preservation as well as study of genetic resources of soy-bean, potato, vegetable and fodder crops

- identification and use of initial breeding material.

Employees of the station conduct annual expeditions to Primorskiy and Khabarovskiy, Kamtchatskiy, Magadanskiy, Sahalinskiy, Amurskiy regions as well as in eastern Siberia with the purpose of collecting wild and local varieties.

The staff maintains accessions in viable condition and studies more than 1000 accessions of fruit- and fodder, vegetable and grape crops

Researchers conduct works on assembling genetic collection of soy-beans and disease-resistant potato varieties.

The station disposes of a unique genebank encompassing wild East Asia and local species of plum, cherry, apricot, bird cherry, honeysuckle, viburnum, currants, Actinidia, Chinese Schizandra, Amurskiy grape.

Employees of the station have bred more than 60 species of field-, vegetable-, fruit and berry and grape crops. 38 varieties have been included in the State register, among them - 29 fruit and berry and grape crops.

Production activities of the station: cereal, potato vegetable crops production.

Tel.: +7 423 252-18-59; Fax +7 423 452-19-23

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Address: 690024 Vladivostok, Vavilova str. 9 

Kuban experiment station

Director: Yuriy Elatskov

Kuban experiment station was opened in 1924

Main research activities include:

- maintenance in viable condition and study of maize, sorghum, cereal, legume, technical, oil crops as well as melons.

Employees of the station annually regenerate and study about 12 thousands accessions from VIR`s collection. 570 accessions are being evaluated on the quarantine nursery.

Scientists of Kuban experiment station have made a significant contribution to the study of genepool of maize, sorghum, sunflower, flax, palma christi. More than 30 hybrids grown at the station have been commercialized in 20 regions of the Russian Federation. Nowadays the station has 36 varieties of 16 cultivars included in the State register. Materials of the comprehensive collection`s study are reflected in the following scientific publications: “Scientific foundation of wheat breeding” by N.I. Vavilov, “Introduction to the ecology of wheat” by E.F. Palmova, “Wheats” by K.A. Flyaksberger,“Wheat in the USSA” by P.M. Zhukovskiy, ”Barley” by A.Y. Trafimovskiy, “”Soy” E.B.Enkin, “Lucerne” by P.P. Lubence, “Cytoplasmic male sterility of maize and its use in breeding” G.S. Galeev.

Production activities of the station: growing of high reproductive quality seeds of maize, wheat, melons and gourds

Tel.: +7 861 609-84-18

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Address: 352183 Botanika village, Krasnodarsky region, Gulkevichsky district

Maikop experiment station

Director: Yuri Sapiev 

Maikop experiment station was established in 1930

Main research activities involve:

- maintenance in viable condition and study of fruit-, vegetable-, fodder crops and other cultivars

At the station there has been assembled a unique the most complete in the country collection of apple-, pear crops as well as other fruit and berry crops (in all 5500 accessions)

The staff of the station continues commercializing broadly represented wild species, varieties and genera of Prunus and Pirus – valuable initial material in breeding tests for mushroom disease resistance.

Maikop experiment station as a part of VIR`s network is considered to be the main scientific base for maintenance in viable condition and study of tomato-, pepper-, eggplant-, onion-, carrot-, beet-, cabbage collections, green and rare vegetables. There have been carried out the comprehensive studies of manifestation and use of heterosis by vegetables and bred promising varieties and hybrids of tomato and pepper.

Production activities of the station: growing of cereal, potato, sunflower, vegetable peas

Tel.: +7 877 775-64-43

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Address: 385746 Shuntuk, Podgorny village, Maikopsky region, Republic Adygeya, Nauchnaya str. 1

Pavlovsk experiment station

Pavlovsk experiment station was founded in 1926

Main research activities engage:

- mobilization, study and maintenance of plant genetic resources in viable condition

- quarantine testing of accessions received from abroad

- primary and elite seed growing

The station is an originator of 21 varieties of diverse species (12 fruit- and 4 vegetable crops, 4 fodder crops, 1 cereal crop) based on the initial material bred from VIR`s collection.

On fields of the station there has been carried out an annual testing of more than 1,5 thousand accessions from 27-32 countries.

Production activities of the station: growing of highly reproductive seeds of potato, cereal, fodder-, fruit and berry crops.

Tel.: +7 812 465-12-03

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Address: 196620 Pavlovsk, Liningradskaya region, Gornaya str.

Polar experiment station

Director: Irina Mikhailova 

Polar experiment station was founded in 1923

Main research activities involve:

-         maintenance in viable condition and ecologo-geographical study of introduced potato accessions, fodder-, fruit and berry crops

-         plant breeding

The station is a kind of natural laboratory for studying crop variability and its physiological traits: photoperiodicity, cold and winter hardness, photosynthetic productivity, biochemical traits in arctic environment.

The staff of the Polar experiment station has bred more than 100 varieties including over 50 potato species. Employees of the station annually conduct expeditions with the purpose of collecting wild and cultivated plants both in Europe- and Far North regions, they take part in international scientific projects on development of agriculture in north regions of Russia organized by the research institutes of Scandinavian countries.

Tel.: +7 815557-29-89

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Address: 184200 Apatity, Murmansk region, Kozlova str. 2

Volgograd experiment station

Director: Elena Kantemirova 

Volgograd experiment station was opened in 1932

Basic research activities involve:

- maintenance, study and replenishment of vegetable-, fruit and berry-, cereal- and fodder crop collections

- breeding of vegetable-, fruit and berry crops

On the trial fields of the Station 2730 accessions of fruit and berry crops, about 1500 accessions of vegetable-, fodder and technical crops are maintained in viable condition.

The staff conducts annual studies of more than 1500 accessions under irrigation conditions in unfavorable environment of Povolzhe, including cold and winter hardness, drought- and salinity resistance.

Breeders of the Station have created and commercialized 46 varieties and hybrids of vegetable crops. Among them there are widely known tomato varieties Volgogradskiy 5/95 and Novitchok, cucumber variety Malyshok. In addition there have been bred 104 varieties of apple, plum, quince and cherry crops.

Production activities of the Station: vegetable and fodder crop production.

Tel.: +7 844 796-16-38

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Address: 404153 Krasnoslobodsk, Volgograd region, Sredneakhtubinsky district

Fruit crops genetic resources department

Head of the Department - Artem Sorokin

The Department was established in 1925.

Main objectives of the Department engage collection and preservation of the globe diversity of fruits, berries, nuts, grapes and ornamental plants, study of crops and detecting valuable genotypes, donors and sources for breeding purposes and practical use.

Over the years the Department has identified and introduced hundreds of genotypes to the scientific institutions of the country. There have been bred more than 330 new varieties, 80 of which were included in the State Register and more than 140 were commercialized.

The Department maintains collection of more than 24 thousand accessions, among them there are representatives of 317 species, 26 genera and 8 families of fruit, berry, nut crops and grapes. Ornamental plants are represented by 205 species belonging to 168 genera and 32 families.

The composition of the genepool is a unique one, it includes representatives of both wild flora, old local and new varieties. VIR genepool served to breeding institutions as a basis for creation of more than a thousand varieties.

Tel.: +7 812 315-56-11

Address: 190000, Russia, Saint-Petersburg, Bolshaya Morskaya str., 42

Groat crops genetic resources department

Head of the Department - Olga Romanova

The Department was established in 1926. The main objective of the Department involves comprehensive study of accessions, their breeding, maintenance in viable condition as well as introduction of the initial breeding material (valuable genetic resources and donors) to the breeding centers of Russia.

Theoretical studies carried out by the Department staff aimed to disclose phylogeny and systematics, laws of variation and inheritance of valuable breeding traits. The gene pool studies are focused on the creation of a new breeding material, characterized by drought and salinity resistance, indifference to the day length, advanced plant architectonic, aluminum ions resistance, melanosis, smut, piriculariosis, high quality/quantity of sugar and starch. Developed and implemented methods for breeding varieties and heterotic hybrids of sorghum and Sudan grass-based on Cytoplasmic male sterility.

The department conducts studies on the adaptive potential of both buck and Tatar wheat. There have been developed technologies "Sorghum sugar of Russia" as well as "Biofuel". The collection of maize and cereal crops was started in 1920. At present it is considered to be one of the most significant in the world both in its botanical composition, genetic and varietal diversity. The collection harbors about 47.8 thousand accessions of maize and cereal crops (buckwheat, millet, rice, sorghum, chumizy, Moghar, Piza, African millet and amaranth). The collection includes 30 species and 13 genera.

Tel.: +7 812 571-73-84

Address: 190000, Russia, Saint-Petersburg, Bolshaya Morskaya str., 44

Leguminous crops genetic resources department

Head of the Department - Margarita Vishnyakova

The Department was established in 1925.

Main objectives of the Department are targeted at collection, preservation and study of the world's plant genetic resources of leguminous crops for breeding proposes.

Study of the collection is aimed to reveal sources of valuable breeding traits, to define adaptive properties of accessions, to render classifications. Much attention has been paid to the agronomic crops area expansion problems and their spreading to the North as well as to prospective introduction of new species into cultivation.

A significant importance has an application of modern determination methods in revealing genetic relationship between accessions and identification of opportunities for new crop usage. Different varieties of beans such as Virovsky, Karadah, Ukrainskie slobodskie, of beans - Rebus, pea – Pervenets have been created in close cooperation with other scientific institutes.

Breeding institutions of the country obtain more than 3 thousand accessions every year. The Department participates in International collecting missions, joint projects and International workshops.

Europe's largest and richest collection of legume crops contains about 48 thousand accessions – represented by 207 species and 15 genera (peas, beans, soybean, lupine, vetch, beans, lentils, rank, chickpea, cowpea and their wild relatives).

Tel.: +7 812 314-47-32

Address: 190000, Russia, Saint-Petersburg, Bolshaya Morskaya str., 44

Oil and fiber crops genetic resources department

Head of the Department - Vera Gavrilova

The Department was established in 1925.

Main objectives of the Department engage genetics studies as well as maintenance of genetic resources collections of sunflower, flax, hemp and cotton.

Scientific activities of the Department aim to create components of CMS-Rf for sunflower and Brassica napus, to study cruciferous oil crops for biodiesel production, to study unconventional and neglected oil crops for production of vegetable oils with unique properties, to study cotton with natural-colored fibers.

The world collection of oil and fiber crops was founded in 1922. It encompasses over 24.4 thousand accessions represented by 184 species, 40 genera and 14 families.

Collection became a basis for more than 120 varieties in Russia, including varieties of cotton, hemp, linseed flax, castor, safflower, peanuts and a great part of flax varieties. 36 varieties have been created by the staff of the Department.

Among the latest are: - Icarus, Solnyshko, Krasavchik, "VIR-1 and VIR-2", Goliot, Spartak, Kinelsky 2000.

Tel.: +7 812 314-78-36

Address: 190000, Russia, Saint-Petersburg, Bolshaya Morskaya str., 44

Perrenial forage crops genetic resources department

Head of the Department - Nikolay Dzyubenko

Department was established in 1931.

Main research objectives of the Department are focused on mobilization and conservation of perennial forage crop genetic resources as well as their comprehensive study for breeding purposes.

Detailed study of the genepool of perennial forage crops allowed to specify their origin, to develop better classifications reflected in many scientific works.

The staff of the Department developed phylogeny scheme, genera and species taxonomy for a number of forage crop species. There has been developed ecological-geographical classification of the most important forage crops. Analytical reports prepared by the Department significantly contributed to the science. The staff regularly participates in collecting missions.

The perennial forage crop collection harbors over 29 000 accessions. They represented by 66 genera and 497 species of local and wild populations of alfalfa, clover, sweet clover, timothy, sainfoin, lyadventsa, fescue, rump, wheatgrass, hedgehogs, ryegrass, bluegrass, bent grass as well as innovative arid cultivars.

Tel.: +7 812 314-79-45

Address: 190000, Russia, Saint-Petersburg, Bolshaya Morskaya str., 44

Potato genetic resources department

Head of the Department – Stepan Kiru

The Department was established in 1935 (1921)

Basic activities of the Department involve mobilization of potato genetic resources, maintenance of accessions in viable condition, reproduction of seeds of cultivated plants and their wild relatives, comprehensive study of the collection to provide initial material for breeding purposes.

The Department annually introduces new accessions of breeding varieties of both cultivated and wild species as well as interspecific hybrids (donors of valuable breeding traits) to the breeding centers of the country.

The staff of the Department is actively involved in joint research projects with foreign potato genebanks of both the US and Europe.

At present the unique potato collection being preserved by the Department and experiment stations encompasses about 9000 accessions of wild and cultivated species, breeding varieties as well as hybrids.

VIR collection has served as a basis for creation of more than 300 varieties, 32 of which have been bred by the Department staff.

Tel.: +7 812 314-78-36

Address: 196601, Russia, Saint-Petersburg, Pushkin district, Moskovskoe shosse, 11

Rye, barley, oats genetic resources department

Head of the Department - Igor Loskutov

The Department was established in 1966.

Main research activities of the Department are focused on the development of the Vavilov ideas on evolution, systematics and phylogeny of oats, rye, and barley, on the original material doctrine development considering present day breeding requirements.

The Department successfully solves problems of disease resistance, precocity, short-stem traits, drought resistance, grain quality and productivity of both barley and oats. With the use of the short-stem dominant genes and rye disease resistance there have been developed breeding disease resistance technologies for this crop, as well as hybrid rye breeding techniques on the basis of cytoplasmic male sterility.

The Department saved the world collection of oats, rye and barley. This collection was established by R.E. Regel in 1894 - the first specialist and founder of barley collection, Head of the Bureau of Applied Botany. Today the collection harbors more than 38 thousand accessions, represented by 26 oats species, by 4 - rye species and 24 - barley species. This collection has been a basis for more than 200 varieties in domestic breeder practice, over 120 varieties were commercialized.

Tel.: +7 812 571-00-14

Address: 190000, Russia, Saint-Petersburg, Bolshaya Morskaya str., 44

Vegetable and melon genetic resources department

Head of the Department - Valentin Burenin 

The Department was established in 1925.

Main objectives of the Department involve collection, systematization and preservation of global diversity of vegetable and melon crops, allocation and use of genetic resources with valuable breeding traits, study of ecological and geographic variation and heredity.

Studies conducted by the Department specified centers of origin for vegetable plants, they served to work out botanical and ecological classification as well as to accumulate new data confirming the law of homologous series in hereditary variability.

A significant contribution was made to the development of theoretical foundations of plant breeding as well as study of special vegetable genetics.

The Department participates in a number of European cooperative programs. Over the last decade the staff of the Department took part in 6 international collecting missions, resulted in more than 2 thousand new accessions. The Department annually introduces 3-5 thousand accessions to the breeding centers of the country.

Vegetable genetic resources collection has over 49 thousand accessions represented by 27 families, 145 genera and 475 species.

More than half of currently commercialized varieties and hybrids were bred on the basis of VIR collection.

Tel.: +7 812 571-85-39

Address: 190000, Russia, Saint-Petersburg, Bolshaya Morskaya str., 42-44

Wheat genetic resources department

Head of the Department - Olga Mitrofanova

The Department was established in 1966. Activities of the Department are targeted at mobilization, maintenance in viable condition and comprehensive study of genepool of the genus Triticum L, its closest relative Aegilops L. as well as synthetic crop Triticale Wittm, at identification of sources and creation of donors of the most valuable commercial traits, organization of the safe preservation of accessions, creation of electronic documentation and effective collection management system.

Considerably much attention has been paid to the study and classification of the genetic diversity of local and breeding varieties of different wheat species using molecular markers and genealogical analysis.

Having been collected since 1901 wheat-, aegilops- and triticale collections are considered to be the best in the world both in volume and composition: the collection encompasses over 45 thousand accessions from more than 90 countries. They represent 53 synthetic form varieties and groups of different polyploidy levels. The Department has discovered a number of previously unknown wheat species and hundreds of new botanical varieties, which filled in the gaps within Vavilov homologous series of hereditary variability. Due to the Department staff efforts there were preserved such famous local varieties as Krymka, Beloturka, Girka, Banatka, Poltavka and Kubanka - ancestors of many breeding varieties in different countries.

Tel.: +7 812 571-82-74

Address: 190000, Russia, Saint-Petersburg, Bolshaya Morskaya str., 44