2025 Reports on Scientific Research Programs 16 "Sunflower" and 17 "Plant Genetic Resources"
On February 04, 2026, a meeting of the Crop Production Department of the National Academy of Agrarian Sciences of Ukraine (NAAS) reviewed the final reports for 2021–2025 on the execution of scientific research programs (SRP):
SRP 16 "Sunflower: Basics of Production Process Management"
Speaker: Program Director, Doctor of Agricultural Sciences, Professor, NAAS Academician Viktor Kyrychenko.
In 2021–2025, the Yuriev Plant Production Institute of NAAS served as the lead institution coordinating work under NAAS SRP 16 "Sunflower: Basics of Production Process Management" (SUNFLOWER). The Institute provided scientific and methodological guidance and coordinated seven NAAS research institutions implementing three fundamental and eight applied research tasks.
Program outcomes achieved:
Theoretical substantiation and identification of effective management measures for the sunflower production process across Ukraine's major cultivation zones; Rationale for leveraging the heterosis effect in sunflower hybrids developed by combining parental germplasms across various target trait combinations; Determination of seed productivity variability patterns depending on fertilization systems, application timing and methods of growth biostimulants, microfertilizers, and regional agro-climatic conditions.
Under the pedo-climatic conditions of two natural zones and five subzones of Ukraine, key components of zone-adapted cultivation technologies for sunflower hybrids were developed and refined. Specifically, researchers evaluated the efficacy of three growth regulators, three biologicals, six mineral fertilizers, eleven microfertilizers, and two seed dressers.
During 2021–2025, the lead institution convened 14 meetings of the SRP 16 Coordination and Methodological Council, featuring nine scientific presentations (including two in 2025: "Scientific Principles of Regulating Plant Growth and Reproduction Processes in Seed Production of Sunflower Hybrid Parental Components" and "Methodological Principles of Enhancing the Sunflower Production Process").
The practical value of the 2021–2025 research is underscored by the implementation of findings into commercial farming, registration of sunflower hybrids in the State Register of Plant Varieties Suitable for Dissemination in Ukraine, economic returns from licensing, and extensive publication output (articles, patents, monographs). Over 2021–2025, 17 F1 hybrids were entered into the State Register, including 'Sokrat', jointly developed by the Yuriev Plant Production Institute of NAAS and the Plant Breeding and Genetics Institute – National Center of Seed and Cultivar Investigation (PBGI–NCSCI). Program researchers published five monographs (including monograph chapters) and manuals (one manual in 2025); 9 articles in Category A journals; 3 articles in international journals (non-Category A); 32 articles in Category B journals (seven in 2025); and 121 conference abstracts (seven in 2025).
SRP 17 "Formation and Use of Plant Genetic Resources Bank"
Speaker: Program Director, Candidate of Biological Sciences, Senior Researcher Viktor Riabchun.
The Yuriev Plant Production Institute of NAAS acts as the lead coordinating institution for 26 NAAS breeding and scientific research centers, which collectively maintain the National Plant Genebank of Ukraine comprising 157,200 crop accessions. Throughout 2021–2025, institutions belonging to the Plant Genetic Resources System of Ukraine executed 44 research projects (32 fundamental and 12 applied ones). Over the reporting period, nearly 10,000 accessions from 36 countries were evaluated. Our plant genebank ranks among the world's top 10 national genebanks by diversity, housing 544 crop species. During 2021–2025, 18,200 seed packages representing sources or donors of valuable agronomic traits were transferred to breeding and research institutions and higher education facilities to support their research programs. In accordance with national registration regulations on the registration of plant collections and accessions with valuable traits, 352 collections were officially registered at the National Center for Plant Genetic Resources of Ukraine following expert evaluation. Utilizing these accessions, breeders developed and submitted 146 crop cultivars and hybrids for state registration.
Active scientific collaboration continues with international agricultural research centers (CIMMYT, ICARDA), the regional genebank NORDGEN (Sweden), and national genebanks of Germany, Poland, the Czech Republic, Canada, among others.
Public and scientific access to this national asset is maintained via the "Plant Gene Pool" information system, which contains passport data for 113,900 accessions. These records are integrated into the European Search Catalogue for Plant Genetic Resources (EURISCO) (http://eurisco.ipk-gatersleben.de) and the online platform for plant genetic resources for food and agriculture (GENESIS) (http://www.genesis-pgr.org/).
Long-term seed conservation is secured for 72,700 accessions in the National Repository, 31,600 accessions in the safety duplicate repository at Ustymivka Experimental Station of the Institute, and 51,000 accessions in the safety duplicate facility in western Ukraine, built and equipped with assistance from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).
The research activities within SRPs 16 and 17 for 2021–2025 were favourably received.
