The public Research Institute for Field Crops “Selectia” was officially founded on January 1, 1944 in the former USSR, in Balti District, Republic of Moldova. The Institute went through four organizational changes since its creation. Nowadays, the scientific activities and production processes of the institute are:
- Developing new field crop varieties, including hybrids, which are resistant to the main diseases and pests and tolerant to unfavorable environmental changes, and have high grain quality;
- Producing foundation seed, and multiplying certified seeds through subcontracts with private seed farms;
- Developing environmentally-friendly technologies for production of field crops, which ensure the saving of non-renewable energy resources;
- Developing new, sustainable agricultural systems, which enable improvements in soil fertility and the production of organic products.
During the institute’s 74 years of activity, 349 varieties and hybrids have been developed, out of which 160 were officially recognized, including but not limited to 17 varieties of winter wheat, 15 varieties of autumn barley, 16 varieties of peas, 18 varieties of soybeans, 12 varieties of beans, 18 hybrids of sunflower, and 6 varieties of sugar beet.