Winter soft wheat variety Donetskaya 48 was developed by crossing varieties Kharkovskaya 11 and Donetskaya 46 with hybrid selection of the fourth generation. This medium-early variety belongs to the Lutescens type and is characterized by plant height ranging from 95 to 110 cm. Donetskaya 48 has high resistance to lodging due to the structure of the flag leaf, which is positioned at a 30-degree angle to the stem, enhancing photosynthetic activity. The variety exhibits above-average cold and winter hardiness and positively responds to irrigation, contributing to stable yields under various conditions. The variety is recommended for cultivation in forest-steppe and steppe zones, where it demonstrates high yield potential — from 5.2 to 6.09 tons per hectare. Donetskaya 48 is highly resistant to major diseases such as root rot, septoria, fusarium, brown and rust diseases, as well as powdery mildew and kernel shattering. The seeding rate is 5.5 million germinating seeds per hectare. The 1000-grain weight varies from 38.0 to 41.2 grams, and protein content reaches 14.4%, indicating high grain quality. The quality of flour and bread produced from Donetskaya 48 wheat is rated as high. Raw gluten content is 28.4%, dough strength by alveograph is 260 units, and gluten deformation index (IDK) is 77 units. The bread volume from 100 grams of flour reaches 1035 ml, and the overall bread quality score is 4.2 points, confirming the variety's value for the baking industry. Donetskaya 48 is a promising variety with high yield potential and excellent grain characteristics, making it in demand among farmers and flour producers.
