Kazakh scientists develop frost-resistant wheat varieties

Kazakh scientists from the National Agrarian Scientific and Educational Center (NASEC) have developed a new variety of winter wheat called ‘Shol’. It was developed by the method of individual selection from a hybrid population. The variety is characterized by high yield, fast ripening, and resistance to frost, heat, drought, and diseases. The wheat yields exceed 40 centners per hectare. Shol wheat variety has already undergone testing, received a patent, and is successfully used by agricultural enterprises in the south of the country. Breeders expect that the new winter wheat variety will prove to be effective in the face of temperature changes. Notably, foreign agrarians are showing interest in the new development.

“This variety of wheat called ‘Shol’, was created in 2014 and entered state trials. After three years of testing, in 2017, it was refined for winter planting in four regions of the country, including the Almaty, Zhambyl, Kyzylorda, and Turkistan regions,” said Anarbai Ortaev, Chairman at the Krasnovodopadsky agricultural experimental station.

“This variety has a rich botanical diversity and represents a hybrid species of Hostianum. It demonstrates resilience to frost and shattering during ripening, can be easily threshed, and is best cultivated with irrigation and fertilization,” said Arnur Shakerkhanov, head of the press service at the National Agrarian Scientific and Educational Center.