Replenishment of the collection of durum wheat (Triticum durum Desf.), like any other crop collection held by VIR, is a permanent process aimed at expanding the geographic, morphological and agrobiological diversity of the crop’s gene pool. A special status in this process is given to the achievements of domestic breeders, whose cultivars and lines over time remain only in the ex situ collection and constitute the national heritage of Russia. Replenishment, along with conservation, studying and sharing with the users, is a mandatory task when managing a plant germplasm collection. It can be fulfilled by sending requests for seeds to other genebanks, through the exchange with the collections of foreign research centers, contacts with individual breeders or breeding centers in Russia, or when crop cultivars are submitted to VIR from the State Register of Breeding Achievements Approved for Utilization in Russia. Besides, new accessions are added to the genebank by collecting missions.

Descriptions have been made for 570 accessions included in the main catalogue of VIR’s durum wheat collection from 2000 to 2019. They originated from 28 countries of Europe, Asia, the Near East, Africa and North America, and from 16 regions of Russia.

The durum wheat collection of VIR was replenished with accessions interesting both from the geographic and agrobiological viewpoints. Cultivars developed by domestic breeders are included in the global genetic resources collection primarily with the purpose of their conservation and comprehensive utilization, both now and in the future.

Green biomass yield and fodder qualities are the starting point in the choice of forage crops. Maize, as a plant with the C4 pathway of photosynthesis, is highly efficient in transforming the energy of light into chemical bond energies, which ultimately leads to the highest yield per unit area of cultivated land. Its grain and green biomass possess good fodder qualities and are actively used in feed rations for cattle, smaller ruminants, and poultry. Eastern gamagrass (Tripsacum dactyloides L.), a wild relative of maize, is widespread over the plains of North and South Americas. To date, it has received universal recognition among breeders as a forage and fodder crop. More than 10 commercial cultivars have already been developed and cultivated in the United States. Eastern gamagrass is a C4 plant as well, characterized by high yield and high feed value of hay. We decided to combine in our research economically valuable qualities of this plant by developing apomictic intergeneric hybrids. This paper presents the results obtained in the process of assessing fodder qualities of apomictic maize × Tripsacum hybrids, where two maize genomes from the lines participating in hybrid selection for F₁ seeds were added to the 36 chromosomes of eastern gamagrass. The maize × Tripsacum hybrid forms, produced during a number of years, persistently demonstrated an apomictic reproduction pattern and heterosis in green biomass productivity. Zootechnical analysis of plant samples showed that the hybrids, in which chromosomes of the lines used in commercial seed production to obtain heterosis in F₁ had been added to the 36 chromosomes of eastern gamagrass, exceeded in their biochemical indicators the plants, in which 20 chromosomes from one of the maize lines earlier used in hybridization at our laboratory had been added. A theoretical estimate of green biomass yield calculated per hectare for the maize × Tripsacum hybrids is about 65 tons.

Background. The genetic variability of the period between the germination and heading phases was analyzed in barley accessions from the Republic of Dagestan planted in the southern area of Dagestan (Derbent) and the Northwest of Russia (Pushkin, St. Petersburg). Testing barley development rates under contrasting climate conditions of Russia makes it possible to assess the paratypic variability and a norm of reaction in the tested accessions in order to identify environmentally adaptable plant forms useful for breeding.

Materials and methods. Under spring sowing, 173 spring barley accessions were studied for the duration of the period from germination to heading. To compare the earliness of accessions planted at two sites with different sowing schedules, “the rate by which the germination-to-heading period of an accession exceeded its minimum value across the sample” was used as a criterion for calculations.

Results and conclusions. Accession k-15013 was the earliest at both test sites during two years of studying. In Dagestan, accessions k-11439 and k-11475 with a low norm of reaction in 2016 and 2017 were also identified as early. Environmental conditions were found to have a significant effect on the development rate of barley accessions in Derbent and St. Petersburg. Dagestani barleys in the North-west of Russia ripened earlier than in the south of Dagestan during all the years of study. Vernalization temperatures proved to be the main factor affecting maturation schedules of local Dagestani barleys in the area of their distribution. A longer day and the absence of high temperatures in St. Petersburg contributed to the earliness of barley accessions.

Background. Oat grains accumulate substantial amounts of various phenolic compounds that possess biological activity and have a potential to considerably increase health benefits of oats as a food. Avenanthramides (AVA) is an important group of these compounds due to their antioxidant, anti-itching, anti-inflammatory, antiproliferative activities.

Materials and methods. Using combined HPLC and LC-MS analyses, we provide the first comprehensive review of the total avenanthramide content and composition in cultivated and wild oats. The AVA content was measured in 32 wild and 120 cultivated oat accessions obtained from the global collection of the N.I. Vavilov Institute of Plant Genetic Resources (VIR), St. Petersburg, Russia.

Results and conclusion. The wild hexaploid A. sterilis L. had the highest total AVA content, reaching 1825 mg kg^–1. Among cultivated accessions, naked oat cv. ‘Numbat’ (Australia) had the highest AVA content, 586 mg kg^–1. The AVA composition exhibited a wide diversity among the analyzed samples. Accessions were identified where AVAs A, B and C, which are generally considered as major AVA, had a low percentage, and instead other AVAs prevailed. The AVA content in eight oat cultivars revealed significant annual changes in both the total AVA content and the proportions of individual AVAs. Using HPLC analyses, 22 distinguishable peaks in AVA extracts of oat seeds were detected and quantified. Several of these peaks, which have not been previously documented, presumably represent different AVAs. Further analyses are needed to detail these findings and to determine the specific AVA structures in oat grains.

Soybean is an extremely valuable crop due to its unique biochemical composition, which underpins multifunctional utilization of this crop and high profitability of its industrial and agricultural production. Soybean seeds accumulate up to 45% of high-quality vegetable protein, which is close in composition to the protein of animal origin. Soybean is also of great importance as an oil-producing crop, accumulating up to 28% of oil in its seeds. It is widely used in animal husbandry for the production of maize-soybean silage and haylage. It can also be used as a green manure crop to enrich the soil with nitrogen at the expense of nodule bacteria. High demand and the price make it a highly profitable agricultural crop. It is clear from the above-mentioned advantages that soybean is of great interest to breeders. The Kuban Experiment station of VIR conducts field studies of new soybean cultivars using the practices worked out for leguminous crops at VIR. Three years of research have resulted in identification of promising cultivars, sources and donors of various valuable traits. This article is based on the data obtained from the study of the soybean collection from 2014 to 2016. Accessions k-11385, k-11479, and i-623931 were distinguished for their high yield. The following accessions stood out for their seed productivity per plant: k-1475, k-11472, k-11535, k-11466, k-11478, k-11577, k-11467, and k-11469. The size of seeds was the best in accessions k-11489, k-11491, k-11533, k-11529, k-11537, i-623952, i-623967, i-623980, i-623958, and i-623987. Two accessions appeared noticeable for the height of lower pod attachment: i-623960 and k-11494. All selected accessions can be used in breeding programs as sources of valuable traits.

Background. The size of the fruit, its external attractiveness, along with other important characteristics of a variety, have always been important, especially for amateur gardening. Therefore, new cultivars replenishing the gene pool of black currant preserved by VIR, in addition to their main biological and economic characteristics (flowering and fruiting biology features, resistance to abiotic and biotic environmental factors), undergo mandatory testing for the quality of yield. The aim of this study was to assess individual morphostructural yield components in new cultivars added to the black currant collection of VIR.

Materials and methods. The mechanical composition of berries and bunches was analyzed at Pushkin and Pavlovsk Laboratories of VIR in 2013–2015. Forty-one black currant cultivars of various ecogeographic origin were the material for the research. Cv. ‘Peterburzhenka’, listed in the State Register of Breeding Achievements for the Northwestern region of Russia, served as the reference. The research was conducted by conventional methods. Statistical data processing was performed using Microsoft Excel.

Results and conclusions. Studying individual morphostructural components of yield made it possible to identify cultivars with the largest berries, the most stable fruit weight, and bunches containing 8–9 plump berries. The cultivars with the best combinations of the studied characteristics, suitable for large-scale cultivation and amateur gardening in the Northwest of Russia, are ‘Garmoniya’ (k-40677), ‘Kriviai’ (k-42517), ‘Ben Sarek’ (k-41435), ‘Joninai’ (k-43124), ‘Zhuravushka’ (k-40681), and ‘Shalynya’ (k-41988). Correlations between separate morphostructural yield components were identified, such as: fruit weight – fruit diameter (r = 0.92); fruit weight – number of seeds (r = 0.74); bunch length – number of flowers per bunch (r = 0.65), bunch length – number of berries per bunch (r = 0.52).

Background. Monogenic scab resistance is an important trait of apple, useful to plant breeders. DNA markers provide a possibility to differentiate apple cultivars according to individual resistance determinants with high reliability and identify promising genotypes. The present study shows the results of the molecular genetic analysis of apple varieties, targeted at the Rvi2, Rvi4, Rvi6 and Rvi8 monogenic scab resistance loci.

Materials and methods. Biological material was represented by apple cultivars of different environmental and geographical origin. Total genomic DNA was extracted from fresh leaves using CTAB methods according to the DArT protocols. The Rvi6 gene was identified with two markers, VfC (STS) and AL07 (SCAR). The presence of the Rvi4 gene was detected with the multiallelic SCAR marker AD13. The Rvi2 and Rvi8 genes were diagnosed with the SCAR marker OPL19.

Results and conclusion. The Rvi6 gene was identified in 54.4% of genotypes, of which 91.9% were heterozygous, and 8.1% (cvs. ‘Svezhest’, ‘Freedom’ and ‘GoldRush’) homozygous dominant for this locus. The marker AD13-SCAR was detected in 25.0% of the studied forms (the putative genotype for the resistance gene is Rvi4Rvi4 or Rvi4rvi4). The marker OPL19-SCAR (Rvi2 and Rvi8 genes) was present in 73.5% of the analyzed forms. At least one of the studied molecular markers was present in the genome of 86.8% of genotypes. The appletree cultivars ‘Kandil Orlovsky’, ‘Krasulya’, ‘Sozvezdiye’, ‘Galarina’, ‘Priam’, ‘Redfree’ and ‘Witos’ are characterized by the combination of markers VfC, AL07-SCAR, AD13-SCAR and OPL19-SCAR in one genotype (the putative genotype for the resistance genes is Rvi2(Rvi8)Rvi4Rvi6rvi6). Cvs. ‘Antonovka zimnyaya’, ‘Antonovka krasnaya’, ‘Berkutovskoye’, ‘Geyzer’, ‘Pamyati Nesterova’, ‘Renet Simirenko’, ‘Terentyevka’, ‘Golden Delicious’, and ‘Telemon’ presumably have a homozygous recessive genotype for the studied resistance loci.

For several decades, wild species of Solanum L. section Petota Dumort. have been involved in potato cultivar breeding for robust resistance to pests and diseases. Potato late blight (LB) is caused by oomycete Phytophthora infestans (Mont.) de Bary, and the genes for race-specific resistance to P. infestans (Rpi genes) have been introgressed into cultivated potatoes by remote crosses and trans- or cisgenesis, first from S. demissum Buk. and, more recently, from other wild species, such as S. bulbocastanum Dun., S. stoloniferum Schlechtd. et Bché, and S. venturii Hawkes et Hjerting (according to the nomenclature by Hawkes, 1990). Most wild species already involved in breeding for LB resistance came from North and Central Americas: series Bulbocastana (Rydb.) Hawkes, Demissa Buk. and Longipedicellata Buk., and some Rpi genes of these species have been already characterized in much detail. Rpi genes of South American species, including the series Tuberosa (Rydb.) Hawkes, have not been sufficiently investigated. Among the latter, this study focuses on the Rpi genes of S. alandiae Card. and S. okadae Hawkes et Hjerting. Four accessions of S. alandiae, one accession of S. okadae and 11 clones of interspecific potato hybrids comprising S. alandiae germplasm from the VIR collection were PCR-screened using specific SCAR (Sequence Characterized Amplified Region) markers for eight Rpi genes. SCAR amplicons of five Rpi genes registered in this study were validated by comparing their sequences with those of prototype genes deposited in the NCBI Genbank. Among the structural homologues of Rpi genes found in S. alandiae and S. okadae, of special interest are homologues of CC-NB-LRR resistance genes with broad specificity towards P. infestans races, in particular R2=Rpi-blb3, R8, R9a, Rpi-vnt1 and Rpi-blb2 (94–99, 94–99, 86–89, 92–98 and 91% identity with the prototype genes, respectively). Our data may help to better understand the process of Rpi gene divergence along with the evolution of tuberbearing Solanum species, particularly in the series Tuberosa.

Avena magna Murphy et Terrell (2n = 4x = 28), a tetraploid oat species endemic of Morocco, has a high groat protein content (more than 20%), good resistance to diseases and good adaptability to the Mediterranean edaphic and climate conditions. Moreover, this taxon is morphologically similar to the hexaploid oat species A. sativa and promising for interspecific crosses with A. sativa in order to transfer the domestication syndrome into it. Four hybridization cycles employing four accessions of A. magna and five Moroccan hexaploid oat cultivars of A. sativa were accomplished to domesticate A. magna. Morphological characterization and cytogenetic analysis of derivative hybrid seeds were made to determine their ploidy level and select the seeds with 2n = 28. The overall combinations yielded 81 hybrid plants with 2n varying from 28 to 29, with 58% having 2n = 28, and pollen fertility over 85%. However, 27 hybrids yielded a seed set ranging from 20 to 80%. Selected hybrid plants were subjected to pedigree selection in the field until they reached the 8th generation and assessed for agronomic performance. Three domesticated lines of tetraploid oat A. magna were selected for their good disease resistance. Analysis of groat protein content in the selected hybrids using the Kjeldahl method showed that it was 2 to 3% higher than in their parents.

The Middle Urals is a region of risky agriculture. Apple cultivars of more southern origin are usually unpromising due to insufficient level of hardiness, so there is a need to develop and deploy local apple-tree cultivars. The staff of Sverdlovsk Horticultural Breeding Station released a new apple cultivar, ‘Sverdlovchanin’. This cultivar is notable for high winter hardiness, productivity (average yield is ca. 18.0 t/ha), and low fruit shedding rate at harvest maturity. Its fruits are beautiful, uniform, yellow, roundish, weighing 110 g (maximum 205 g), with a very good sweet and sour dessert flavor. The ripening time under the conditions of the Middle Urals is usually late September, and fruits can be stored until the end of February. The author of this cultivar is L. A. Kotov The apple cultivar ‘Sverdlovchanin’ was included in the State Register of Breeding Achievements of the Russian Federation in 2018.

Background. Recently, more and more attention has been paid to the study of plant phenology in the context of the global climate change. By now, the question of how climate factors affect the phenophases of plants has not yet been fully investigated. Accurate forecasts for biological responses of plant species to climate change require profound understanding of the impact produced by meteorological factors on plant phenology.

Materials and methods. The research was targeted at Astragalus L. spp. introduced into the dry steppe areas of the Kulunda Plain. Meteorological indicators were selected for agrometeorological description of the plant introduction site to assess its hydrothermal conditions. The Pearson correlation coefficient was used to identify the level of correlations between the studied parameters.

Results. High air temperature shortened the growing season of Astragalus cicer L., but lengthened its flowering and fruiting phases. An increase in relative air humidity shortened the flowering in A. cicer. Meteorological indicators did not significantly affect the duration of the phenophases in A. sulcatus L. For A. onobrychis L., an increase in the average relative humidity reduced the budding phase, while an increase in the average and maximum air temperature and an increase in the amount of precipitation increased the flowering period. A decrease in air temperature and average relative humidity, and an increase in the total precipitation lengthened the duration of fruiting in A. onobrychis. Increased average temperature and humidity reduced its fruiting phase.

Conclusion. A. sulcatus is tolerant to the dry steppe environments. The phenophases of A. cicer and A. onobrychis are more responsive to changes in meteorological indicators. In A. onobrychis, the fruiting phase is susceptible to the combined impact of climate factors. The limiting factors for A. cicer are relative humidity, total precipitation and mean temperature during the growing season.

The aim of the research was to study steppe cherry cultivars of various environmental origin in the context of their productivity, environmental plasticity and stability in the environments of Chelyabinsk Province. Evaluation of the studied set of cultivars helped to identify adaptable steppe cherries: ‘Izobilnaya’ (4.39 t/ha; KA = 1.54), ‘Shchedraya’ (4.42 t/ha; KA = 1.37), ‘Galimovka’ (3.83 t/ha; KA = 1,36), ‘Mayak’ (4.04 t/ha; KA = 1.30), ‘Ashinskaya’’ (t/ha 3.42; KA = 1.28) and ‘Mechta Zauralya’ (3.29 t/ha; KA = 1.07). The most interesting among them are intensive-type cultivars responding well to improved growing conditions, such as the steppe cherry cultivars developed at Sverdlovsk Horticultural Breeding Station: ‘Shchedraya’ (b_i = 1.99), ‘Mechta Zauralya’ (1.85) and ‘Mayak’ (1.47). The Chelyabinsk cultivar ‘Galimovka’, submitted for state trials in 2018, falls under the category of environmentally plastic and stable cultivars (b_i = 0.77; S_i² = 0.5), while cv. ‘Ashinskaya’ demonstrated during the tests a neutral genotype, as it poorly responded to changing environmental conditions (b_i = 0.32; S_i² = 0.1). A new cultivar, ‘Vita’, with a fairly high yield (3.05 t/ha), developed at Sverdlovsk Horticultural Breeding Station, belongs to the environmentally plastic category (b_i = 1.10), but its yield stability proved to be insufficient in the environments of the Southern Urals (S_i² = 2.2).

The main trend in crop breeding is to increase productivity and improve grain quality indicators. The formation of high crop productivity requires cultivars with high potential for productivity and quality as well as with resistance to biotic and abiotic environmental factors. Successful solution of these and emerging breeding problems is possible only if appropriate source material is employed.

Source material from the Vavilov Institute’s collection of plant genetic resources was used in crosses aimed at the development of oat cultivars. Its brief description is presented here.

The results of the breeding work on oat cultivars at the Nemchinovka Federal Research Center from 2007 through 2017 are discussed. Descriptions are given to all ten developed oat cultivars with a detailed pedigree for each combination of crosses. Pedigree analysis has been performed, and its results show a limited number of parental forms for crosses. The problem of source material utilization in breeding practice and narrowing of the genetic base in the process of cultivar development is discussed.

Peanut is one of the most important crops in the Fabaceae Lindl. (Leguminosae L.) family. South America is considered to be the homeland of peanut, but now this crop is cultivated in America, Africa, Australia, Europe and Asia. The modern phylogenetic system of the genus Arachis L. includes 79 wild species and one cultivated species of common peanut (A. hypogaea L.). Diploid species contain 2n = 20 chromosomes of the A, B or D genome, tetraploids have A and B genomes. The А and В genomes are sequenced. Special biological features of all peanut varieties are the presence of chasmogamous and cleistogamous flowers and the development of pods only underground (geocarpy). Along with high requirements for improving the quality of oil and food products, much attention is paid to their safety: resistance to aflatoxin contamination and mitigation of allergenicity. Peanut cultivars vary in plant habit, shape and color of pods and seeds. Their growing season in Africa, Latin America and Asia is from 160 to 200 days, so early-ripening forms need to be selected for the south of the Russian Federation. Breeders from the Pustovoit Institute of Oil Crops (VNIIMK) have developed peanut cultivars with a yield of 2.0–3.3 t/ha and growing season duration of 115–120 days, adaptable to the environments of Krasnodar Territory. At present, there is no large-scale peanut production in Russia, nor any breeding efforts are underway. As for the world, along with conventional breeding practices (individual selection, intra- and interspecies crosses, etc.), peanut is widely involved in genomic studies. A number of cultivars highly resistant to pests, diseases and drought have been released. Over 15,000 peanut accessions are preserved in the world’s gene banks, including 1823 accessions in the collection of the Vavilov Institute (VIR). Utilization of the worldwide genetic resources of peanut and use of modern research technologies will contribute to the revival of peanut cultivation in Russia.

The article covers the issues of plant genetic resources mobilization to the VIR collection from the territories of Pakistan, Bangladesh (until 1947, British India), and Bhutan as a result of collection missions, seed requests, and germplasm exchange. Repeated expeditionary surveys of the territories of modern Pakistan and Bangladesh resumed in the postwar period. In total, from 1971 to 1979 three expeditions were launched: in 1971 and 1978 to Pakistan, and in 1979 to Bangladesh. The first and the only expedition was sent to Bhutan in 1989. As a result, 2911 plant samples were collected and delivered to the Vavilov Institute. Among the collected plant materials, the most numerous were samples of groat crops (885), industrial crops (554), vegetables (517), and cereals (463). In addition to direct collecting, the Institute was constantly ordering plant germplasm through mail requests. There was no inflow of germplasm from Bhutan either in the prewar period or from 1946 to 2019. From Pakistan 338 samples were received, mostly through the USSR Ministry of Agriculture. Only 28 accessions were added to the Institute’s collection from Bangladesh. In total, over the entire period of the Institute’s existence, the total amount of germplasm mobilized from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Bhutan amounted to 3277 accessions, representing 130 plant species. Among them there were many landraces, wild species and crops wild relatives.

The establishment and progress of potato cultivation in the Kola Peninsula are closely associated with the Polar Experiment Station of the N.I. Vavilov All-Russian Institute of Plant Genetic Resources (VIR). The data are presented on the development of early-ripening and high-yielding potato cultivars based on the source material from the VIR collection: ‘Imandra’, ‘Sestra Imandry’, ‘Murmansky’, ‘Snezhinka No. 3’, ‘Khibinsky ranny’, etc. Prominent breeders and scientists, who worked at different times at the Polar Station, contributed to the release of unique early-ripening potato cultivars: J. H. Eichfeld, M. N. Veselovskaya, I. A. Veselovsky, F. I. Manykov, M. A. Vavilova, N. N. Ivanova, L. A. Dremlyug, A. M. Kozeletskaya, S. A. Anikina, G. D. Melnichuk, etc. Some of the cultivars developed from 1937 to 1968 are still used in large-scale potato production in Murmansk Province. Every year the cultivar and species diversity of potatoes is planted in the fields of the Arctic North. Today, the extensive material from the potato collection makes it possible to study the impact of environmental factors, identify sources of earliness and productivity, and conduct breeding activities aimed at the release of early cultivars.