Plant breeding in Lithuania: 95 years for science and agriculture improvement

Abstract

Plant breeding in Lithuania was started in 1922 after the Dotnuva Plant Breeding Station had been established. The first head of this station was prof. D. Rudzinskas whose activities in plant breeding began in 1902 in Russia. The genetic basis for plant breeding was the local varieties and landraces, as well as the material developed by prof. Rudzinskas at the Moscow Plant Breeding Station. The chief method during the initial period of the Lithuanian plant breeding was analytic, later the so-called, “synthetic” plant breeding which included crossing programmes. The breeders used several selection schemes and field designs. In the first schemes the direct yield test was evaluated in late generations only. Progress in the field mechanization allowed to start yield tests at more early generations. Up-to-date breeding schemes are based on new requirements for varietal purity and uniformity. Over the period 1922–2017, 325 varieties have been developed by Lithuanian plant breeders.