MERA is a variety of soft winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) belonging to the lutescence variety. It was bred in 2004 by crossing varieties Rosinka 2 and Velitunium 4880 by specialists from FSBSI «Verkhnevolzhsky Fants» and LLC «Plemzavod Pushkinskoye». The bushes are semi-upright with a plant height of 79 to 107 cm, the ears are white without awns, the grains are red. The variety is mid-season, which allows it to be effectively used in various climatic conditions.
MERA is recommended for cultivation in the North-Western, Central and Volga-Vyatka regions, including the Kaliningrad, Novgorod, Pskov, Bryansk, Moscow, Ryazan, Tula regions, as well as the Udmurt and Chuvash republics. The yield of the variety varies depending on the region: in the North-Western region it is about 29.2 c/ha, in the Central region — 33.2 c/ha, and in the Volga-Vyatka region — reaches 38.5 c/ha. At the same time, the variety requires the application of nitrogen fertilizers at a dose of 60 kg of active ingredient per hectare to achieve maximum productivity.
The variety has high baking qualities that are superior in terms of protein and gluten content to the Zarya variety, making it especially valuable for food purposes. MERA is resistant to solid head blight and leaf diseases such as powdery mildew and yellow rust, but susceptible to snow mold, septoria of the ear, brown leaf rust, and powdery mildew. These features require careful monitoring and application of protective measures when growing.
