The discussion focused on the importance of plant breeding and how local varieties are well-suited to the Estonian climate. The President was particularly struck by the fact that developing a new variety can take more than 10 years. According to Terje Tähtjärv, a researcher in METK’s Department of Plant Breeding, the newest Estonian potato variety is ‘Joosep’, which took over 12 years to develop.
Currently, the most popular Estonian potato varieties are ‘Maret’, ‘Teele’, and ‘Jõgeva kollane’. The latter is probably the best known among Estonians, but in reality, the selection of local potato varieties is remarkably diverse—more than 20 in total.
In addition to potatoes, varieties of pea, bean, radish, and onion bred by METK researchers were also showcased. However, it is the home-grown potato varieties that will be the first to be planted at the President’s home farm.
