Director of VIR Khlestkina: scientists will create blue barley with a high content of antioxidants 
Russian scientists will create blue barley with antioxidants. Elena Khlestkina, director of the Vavilov All-Russian Institute of Plant Genetic Resources (VIR), told about this in an interview with Izvestia.
She noted that work is underway in Russia to edit plants, including barley, beets, legumes (cowpea and soybeans), corn, watermelon and others in order to change the dietary value, as well as the properties of fruits and seeds.
Khlestkina also answered a reporter's question about whether Russians should wait for a blue watermelon in the form pears. “Blue watermelon – no, but blue barley will be with a high content of antioxidants – the same useful as in blueberries, therefore the color of the grain is blue,” – explained the specialist.
Previously, the head of the radiation, chemical and biological Defense Lieutenant General Igor Kirillov said that scientists from the 27th Central Research Institute of the Ministry of Defense have created a unique dietary supplement “KovBAD”, which can reduce the concentration of coronavirus infection in a patient 16 times.