Trial Harvest of Ukrainian-Bred Cotton Collected in Mykolaiv Region

A seed farm in Mykolaiv Region has successfully harvested its first trial crop of Ukrainian-bred cotton. According to Suspilne Mykolaiv, the Ukrainian-bred variety named Nezlamnyi matured in early October, while the two Greek hybrids require at least another month to reach full maturity under local climatic conditions.

According to farm manager Nadiia Ivanova, two Greek hybrids and one Ukrainian variety were sown on the trial plot. Due to a shortage in Ukraine of specialized herbicides for protecting cotton crops from weeds, part of the field had to be manually weeded by the farm workers to secure the harvest.

More than 90% of the bolls on the Nezlamnyi variety plants have already opened. Consequently, the farm plans to harvest the crop for weighing, as well as for a thorough examination of the overall yield and seed quality. Each individual boll contains between 17 and 22 seeds.

Meanwhile, the Greek hybrids remain green or are only beginning to turn brown. The farm is testing whether the plants will receive enough warmth to mature properly and for the bolls to open successfully under the regional climate of southern Ukraine.

Agronomist Vasyl Siurchenko noted that the first plot was sown using No-till technology, which involves minimal soil disturbance and helps retain essential moisture. According to him, under Mykolaiv Region's conditions, cotton can produce a marketable crop suitable for further practical use. The farm plans to continue its cotton-growing trials next year.