EN Argenta, EkoNiva’s in-house bred soya bean variety, is among the top ten varieties by the volume of seeds sown in Russia in 2024.

The rating of the most popular varieties and hybrids of the main agricultural crops by the quantity of seeds planted last year was published by the Federal State Budgetary Institution Rosselkhozcentre (Russian Agricultural Centre), which is subordinate to the Ministry of Agriculture. The document is based on the analysis of information concerning 82 subjects of the country gained from the Centre’s branches in 2024 and other available data.

EN Argenta is the first variety from EkoNiva’s in-house breeding portfolio to be entered into Rosselkhozcentre’s annual rating. Compared to the previous period, its demand in 2024 doubled: 11,100 tonnes of seeds was sown on an area of about 120,000 hectares versus 5,500 tonnes on 60,000 hectares a year earlier.

This variety was included in the State Register of Plant Breeding Achievements allowed for use in 2020 and proved a success among Russian farmers. EN Argenta is a reliable predecessor for winter crops, maturing in the Central Black Soil region during the first ten days of September. In addition to this zone, it is widely sown in the southern part of the Central Non-Black Soil region. The variety was created for the edaphoclimatic conditions of these areas and adapted by the photoperiod response: it ripens at a sum of effective temperatures of 2,300 °C.

‘The variety has great technological features: it is not prone to lodging or shedding, is genetically resistant to seed hardness, and stubble losses are minimal due to the high attachment of lower pods. It is an intensive variety distinguished by excellent response to fertiliser application, increased compensatory branching of up to 5-6 branches and yield stabilisation in case of non-uniform stands’, says Denis Goloyenko, Soya Bean Breeder at EkoNiva.

‘What is more, due to good branching, EN Argenta has a low sowing rate of less than 100 kg/ha, and its maximum yield potential in the 00 group (varieties maturing in 100-110 days) officially registered during state trials amounts to 5.04 t/ha’, adds Vladislav Rosenzweig, Soya Bean Breeder at EkoNiva.

Over the last few years, EkoNiva has been working on its in-house soya bean breeding programme and developing a range of varieties for different agro-ecological zones and uses.

‘Our line-up of soya bean varieties is to be further expanded. EN Argenta is the major intensive variety. Since last year, we have also been offering EN Avior, a variety with consistent yields that can be grown in a wider range of conditions, from the Central Black Soil region to Amur oblast and Northern Kazakhstan. Besides, in our portfolio, there are two ultra-early-ripening varieties with increased protein content for northern regions and Siberia – EN Accent and EN Argument. A new high-protein (up to 48%) variety – EN Proton – has been registered recently, and it is the first domestic variety in this category’, comments Vitaliy Voloshchenko, Director of Plant Breeding and Variety Maintenance Centre, EkoNiva Group.