On October 21, 2021, the VI All-Russian specialized forum on breeding and seed production “Russian Field 2021” took place at V.S. Pustovoit All-Russian Research Institute of Oil Crops.
The business program of the event included several panel discussions, where the following topics were discussed:
- “The role of variety trials in the development of competitive varieties/hybrids in a changing climate”.
As the participants of the panel discussions noted: “The ongoing climatic changes have a significant impact on the stability of the crop industry and require a timely and adequate response to them by introducing a number of new regulations governing the formation of the State Register of selection achievements, approving the procedure for testing varieties or hybrids on economically important traits and (or) properties, approval of the administrative regulations for the provision of the state service to introduce information about varieties and hybrids of agricultural crops in the State Register of selection achievements”.
- “Expansion of Rosselkhoznadzor authority in the field of seed production. Opportunities and risks”.
The participants of the panel discussion noted the insufficient awareness of agricultural producers on the order of organization and implementation of the state control (supervision) in the field of seed production due to changes in legislation in this field. In this connection, the participants supported the necessity of an arrangement of preventive measures aimed at prevention, detection, and suppression of violations in the field of seed production by unscrupulous market participants.
- What are “seeds of domestic breeding”?
During the panel discussion the participants noted the need to establish clear definition of the concepts: “seeds of domestic breeding”, “localization of seed production in Russia”. Without such definitions it is impossible to estimate accurately the fulfillment of the Food security doctrine criterion in the part of self-sufficiency in seeds of major agricultural crops of domestic breeding. It is important to work out the wording competently, so as not to allow the substitution of concepts, which can fundamentally distort the essence and meaning of the existing and adopted legislative initiatives.
Due to the unstable epidemiological situation, the forum was held via videoconference.