Odessa 162 is a modern and promising winter wheat variety of soft wheat, developed at the Selection-Genetic Institute of UAAN and recommended for steppe and forest-steppe zones of Ukraine. It belongs to the universal type and is characterized by high yield, averaging 70 centners per hectare, with maximum yields reaching up to 137.5 centners per hectare, with potential yield up to 150 centners per hectare. The vegetation period of the variety is 260-270 days, with a wintering period of about 19 days. Odessa 162 has a strong root system, which promotes efficient use of soil moisture and nutrients, as well as high winter hardiness and drought and disease resistance. Plants of this variety are 80-90 cm tall, upright and dense, with dark green leaves and weak waxy coating. The ear is of medium length (10-12 cm), dense and strong, with short and thin awns. Grain is large, weighing 45-55 grams per 1000 kernels, red in color with ridged surface. Grain quality is high: protein content is 14.5-16%, gluten content — 30-33%, meeting requirements for producing high-quality wheat. The variety belongs to the group of strong wheats with high flour strength (350-400 arbitrary units) and overall bread score of 9 points. A distinctive feature of the variety is its physiological dual nature: during autumn-winter period it behaves as a classical winter wheat, while in spring-summer — as spring wheat, regulated by day length. This makes Odessa 162 an industrially reliable and predictable variety, capable of adapting to various climatic conditions. Seeding rate is 3.5-5 million germinating seeds per hectare, ensuring optimal plant development and high productivity on fertile soils of steppe zones and other regions with good agro-climatic conditions.
