To achieve these targets, scientists, in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture and Food, have updated and scientifically grounded the structure of cropland. This year, cereals and leguminous crops cover 2.4 million hectares. According to Erom Urban, First Deputy Director General for Scientific Work at the Scientific and Practical Centre of the National Academy of Sciences for Agriculture, the current land allocation strategy is aimed at increasing the area under winter crops. While previously they accounted for only half of the total area, today this figure stands at 70%. This approach is a response to climate change. Winter crops cope better with spring moisture shortages and are more productive than spring crops. This year, the area under winter wheat has increased, as it is the most economically viable crop. The area under winter barley has also grown significantly: this year it covers 260.7 hectares, whereas just 5–7 years ago it was sown on no more than 20–30,000 hectares. Plans are in place to further increase the area under this crop, which has received considerable attention in recent years. For example, while the first domestic variety, «Buslik», has been included in the register in 2022, this year 10 new varieties are already undergoing state variety testing.
Extensive work is underway to develop hybrids of winter rye, rapeseed, sugar beet and maize. In 2022, the ‘BelGi’ winter rye hybrid, with a yield of up to 10 q/ha, was included in the register, while the latest variety, following state trials in 2026, has demonstrated a yield of 10.7 q/ha.
Science in Support of Farmers
Ambitious plans to increase total grain output year by year and reach 10 million tons by 2030 are based on scientific forecasts and actual data. Over the past decade, there has been a clear upward trend in crop yields in Belarus. From 1999 to 2025, the annual increase in total grain output has averaged around 122,000 tons, with yields rising by 0.6 q/ha annually. This has been achieved through advances in plant breeding, the renewal of crop varieties, the expansion of areas under high-yielding crops (triticale, wheat, grain maize), the modernisation of infrastructure and agricultural machinery, and improvements in technology.
Scientists at the Scientific and Practical Centre for Agriculture have achieved significant results in plant breeding. They have developed a system for creating next-generation varieties based on genetic and biotechnological methods. In particular, methods have been developed for the in vitro cultivation of pollen grains and immature embryos of cereals, legumes and rapeseed. The research centre operates a modern phytotron and greenhouse complex for conducting breeding and genetic research and accelerating the development of high-yielding varieties. Its use makes it possible to shorten field trial periods by 2–3 years, develop new-generation varieties resistant to diseases and adverse environmental conditions, and reduce the use of crop protection products.
The specific needs of farmers must also be taken into account. For light sandy and sandy loam soils, which account for around 70% of the country’s land, crops adapted to these conditions are required. Scientists have developed varieties that outperform Western European counterparts in terms of quality, stability, and resistance to drought and disease.
The breeding process is aimed at improving grain quality characteristics, with varieties being developed for specific uses in bread-making, feed production and malting. For instance, active breeding efforts are underway for spring wheat intended for pasta production. One such development is the ‘Gaina’ variety, with a maximum yield of 8.25 q/ha. This exceeds that of an Austrian variety, while also surpassing foreign counterparts in gluten content.
Another achievement is the spring wheat variety ‘Karta’, included in the State Register this year, which demonstrates high yields and outperforms Western-bred varieties in both protein and gluten content.
Work is currently underway to study durum wheat varieties. This crop is more sensitive to weather conditions and performs better in southern regions. Belarusian scientists are collaborating with their Russian counterparts, such as breeders from the Krasnodar Krai, on the development of new varieties. The center has concluded 22 research agreements with various Russian regions. Furthermore, Belarusian seeds are in demand in the Russian Federation and are supplied to 18 regions. 83 varieties developed by the center’s breeders have been included in the State Register in Russia. Furthermore, Belarusian varieties of wheat, rye and triticale have successfully passed trials in Azerbaijan. Our varieties are currently being tested in Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan.
Focus on domestic varieties
The Scientific and Practical Centre for Agriculture is conducting breeding programmes for all major crops, comprising over 40 plant species. This year, 24 new varieties and hybrids developed domestically have been included in the State Register.
Modern domestic varieties have a yield potential of over 100 q/ha for cereals, 60 q/ha for rapeseed, 50 q/ha for pulses, and 140–160 q/ha for maize. Thanks to this, they successfully compete with foreign varieties. For example, the new winter wheat variety ‘Aileen’ demonstrated a yield of over 130 q/ha during state trials. Another variety that scientists suggest paying attention to is ‘Dominica’. Its maximum yield is 124 q/ha. It is characterised by high winter hardiness and is well-suited for bread-making.
Farmers are also tasked with producing malting barley. Over the past two years, a number of new varieties have been developed which yield over 90 q/ha and produce malt meeting European standards. Barley breeding is also being carried out to address feed production needs. Thus, in recent years, five new varieties with yields exceeding 90 q/ha have been developed.
This year, 1.3 million hectares have been allocated for maize. Breeding work on this crop has only been carried out since the 1990s, but 16 domestic hybrids have already been developed. Whilst maize was initially grown exclusively for fodder, breeding for grain has been underway in recent years.
Machinery for New Demands
The Scientific Secretary of the Scientific and Practical Centre of the National Academy of Sciences for Agricultural Mechanisation, Andrei Perepechaev, notes that the research institution serves as a link between agricultural machinery engineering and agricultural production. Today, the agricultural sector requires efficient, high-performance machinery and equipment of domestic origin. To this end, the Scientific and Practical Centre, together with the Ministry of Agriculture and Food and the Ministry of Industry, has developed a system of machines. The implementation of the programme is scheduled through to 2030. Its objectives include increasing the power of energy units, the load capacity of transport machinery, and the throughput capacity of harvesting combines.
It is important to increase the working width of mounted and trailed implements capable of operating at higher speeds, as well as to improve their operational and technical characteristics, which will contribute to greater economic efficiency. One of the most important areas of research is the maximum mechanisation and automation of agricultural production processes.
The most labour-intensive operations for farmers are soil cultivation and sowing, which account for up to 30–40% of energy costs and up to 25% of labour input. For these tasks, a range of multi-body reversible ploughs of a new generation has been developed, which are most effective on large-scale fields.
Researchers also take into account the wide variety of natural and production conditions, which require different soil cultivation systems and technologies. Alongside traditional moldboard tillage, non-inversion tillage is also used. For this purpose, a modular soil cultivation unit has been developed for tractors with a power of 450 horsepower. It is a fully mounted machine consisting of three sequential modules: for shredding, loosening and levelling, and rolling.
For forage harvesting, the Scientific and Practical Centre for Mechanisation, in cooperation with the company «Lidselmash», has developed rotary rake-and-windrowers with a working width of 9.5 meters. A key design feature is minimal contact between working elements and the soil. A belt-type windrower has also been developed and put into production, designed to arrange cut crops into one or two windrows for subsequent collection by a baler.
Elena Dedyulya
