Agriculture Minister Valeri Tsvetanov explained that this was the most strategic investment during his term of office. “Similar genome centers have been developed across the world in the recent 12 years. In practice they shorten the process of selection and the adoption of new varieties. The new center will also test the quality, composition and authenticity of imported animal and plant products. Besides, the center’s laboratories are equipped to find out whether the content of genetically modified organisms corresponds to label information. More from the center’s head, Academician Atanas Atanasov.
“We have to accentuate our unique diversity, since this is the major strength of the Bulgarian agriculture. Our basic question is how we can assist selection programs for our strategic grain crops such as wheat, maize, barley and sunflower. We have to work to revive our unique species and products – the yoghurt, the rose, our vine varieties, herbs, vegetables and fruits. Currently we rely on some imported varieties – apples, pears and peaches. Well, we do have old, traditional varieties with unsurpassed gustative qualities and resilience. Now our job is to rediscover and develop them anew. We will be working to support organic farming too. We have to research what pesticides and bio-fertilizers kill microorganisms, but are also friendly to the crops. These are our priorities.”
The center will start active work in the autumn. Its staff of scientists will be busy answering the questions concerning climate change and its influence on the environment and plant species in particular.
“When given climatic conditions modify the gene of selected and cultivated varieties we have to find out what would be the best conditions that define their unique characteristics,” Academician Atanasov says further. “We need solid proof that a certain variety is unique and nonexistent outside Bulgaria. Only then can we claim that a certain variety is Bulgarian. Next, we have to show how the changing environment impacts on its makeup.”
Written by Darina Grigorova Translated by Daniela Konstantinova