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Watermelons in the Arctic: a new scientific experiment

The plants are expected to grow in greenhouses without extra heating

ST. PETERSBURG, April 14. /TASS/. Scientists of the Vavilov Institute of Plant Genetic Resources (VIR, St. Petersburg) at a polar station will grow watermelons and melons, adapted for the Arctic, the institute’s Director Elena Khlestkina said at TASS press center.

"There (at the polar station - TASS) we continue experiments to grow melons, and this year we shall plant the varieties, made at our southern (Kuban) station," she said. "These varieties are known to grow fast and to have compact forms."

According to her, the plants will grow in greenhouses without extra heating. Parallel to this, for further selection the scientists will compare the made varieties with regular varieties.

"I would like to stress, this project will attract students, post-graduates and even school students," she continued. "A certain part of the job will be done at the Sirius center [for gifted children]."

The experiments will be organized at the institute’s station north of the Arctic Circle near Kirovsk. The station, organized in 1923, is a laboratory to study plants in natural conditions.

The Vavilov Institute of Plant Genetic Resources keeps a collection of the world’s plants. Only India, China and the US have similar collections.

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