Consortium > VNIIL

All-Russian Flax Institute, Torzhok, Tver Region

Organization short name: VNIIL
Web site: http://vniil.narod.ru

Description of the organization

All-Russian Flax Institute was founded in 1930 as the scientific research center specialized in new methods of selection and breeding new varieties of Linum, flax agricultural technology and processing, development of flax standards and economy of flax production. The institute is a part of the Russian Academy of Agricultural Science. Within the system of Geographical Network of Filed Experiments with Fertilizers research is focused on soil fertility and development of resource-saving, ecologically safe and economically feasible technologies.

Expertise and experience of the organization

The institute is a coordinator of research in the field of flax selection and breeding through the Scientific Flax Council with representatives of research institutions and field stations of the Russian Federation. The institute has a wide experience in the complex study of Linum genetic material, definition of sources and donors of traditional and relevant selection traits, exchange of elite selection, preparing breeding material for seed farms, studying of pathogenic properties of etiological factors, development of flax growing and harvesting technology.

Long-term field experiment

The unique in Russia on-going experiment was launched in 1948 on podzoluvisol, medium loam to study effects of different fertilization on soil fertility and productivity of crop rotation with flax. Nutrition effect and balance of NPK, dynamics of soil parameters, crop yield and quality was studied with specification of optimal fertilization system. Valuable information about effect of agrometeorological parameters on flax yield and quality was received. Results of the experiment were used for development of recommendations for effective fertilization in the main flax-producing regions of Russia to achieve maximal crop productivity and preserve soil fertility. The electronic database of the main climate, crop and soil parameters is available since the beginning of the experiment onwards.

Scientific cooperation

Bilateral cooperation of strain testing within Russia ‘National collection of Russian Flax’, Belarus (Belarus Flax Research Institute), Holland (Van de Bild seeds and flax), Canada (the Saskatoon Research Center), France (Terre de Lin), China (Institute of Bаst Fiber Crops, China Industrial Crop Research Center ).

Selected reference projects

EuroSOMNET (European Soil Organic Matter Network) IGBP-GCTE

Selected recent relevant publications

  • Kuz’menko N.N. 2010. Efficiency of different fertilization systems under long-term application in crop rotation with flax. Agrochimia 7: 14-17 (in Russian).
  • Kuz’menko N.N. 2010. Soil fertility under long-term application of different fertilizers. Agrochimia 4: 11-17 (in Russian).
  • Kuz’menko N.N. Agrocchemical soil properties and nutrient balance under different fertilization systems. Plodorodiye 1: 20-21 (in Russian)
  • Kuz’menko N.N. 2006. Fertility of soddy-podzolic soils and productivity of flax crop rotation under different fertilization In: Methods of increasing soil fertility and efficiency of fertilization. Proc. of Int. Conf. dedicated to 90 anniversary of Prof. A.Kalikinsky. Belarus: Gorki, 102-104 (in Russian).
  • Sorokina O.Yu., Kuz’menko N.N. 2000. Effect of hydrotermaal conditions during vegetation period on yield of fiber flax based on long-term field experimental data In: Modern problems of filed experimentation. Proc. of Int. Conf. 6-9.07.2000. St’Petersburg, 250-255 (in Russian)
  • Petrova L.I. 1996. Crop productivity of flax crop rotation under long-term fertilization of soddy-podzolic soil. Agrochimia 5: 31-36 (in Russian).