Background. The article presents the results of the studies carried out within the framework of a complex program for the long-term conservation of genotyped accessions of advanced potato cultivars in the cryobank of the N.I. Vavilov All-Russian Institute of Plant Genetic Resources (VIR). These accessions are genetically identical to the nomenclature standards of the corresponding cultivars.

Materials and methods. The research material included 24 accessions from the in vitro collection of VIR, corresponding to the nomenclature standards of Russian potato cultivars developed in different breeding centers of the Russian Federation. Cryopreservation was carried out using the droplet vitrification method, several stages of which were modified in the Department of Biotechnology of VIR.

Results and discussion. The frequency of post-cryogenic regeneration for the analyzed 24 cultivars in control variants with short-term immersion of explants in liquid nitrogen varied from 20 to 47.3%, and in 9 accessions it exceeded 39% – the current level of reliable long-term preservation of samples in cryobanks. The data of the statistical analysis failed to reveal a significant effect of the genotype or the calendar dates of different experiment replications on the regeneration ability. These 24 accessions were added to the potato cryocollection stored in the VIR cryobank. An analysis of the composition and structure of VIR’s potato cryocollection, which currently includes 140 accessions, is presented.

Background. Knowledge about the genetic gain for fundamental traits over time is essential for a critical assessment and improvement of breeding programs, especially regarding staple crops like bread wheat.

Materials and methods. To estimate the genetic gain in bread wheat breeding in Morocco, grain yield (GY) and grain protein content (GPC) data were collected from 12 multi-environment field trials for 20 bread wheat cultivars released between 1980 and 2022.

Results and discussion. Analysis of variance highlighted a high significant variability between environments (E), cultivars (G), and a significant G × E interaction (P < 0.001). Based on stability analysis, the modern cultivars released during the two last decades (2002–2012 and 2013–2022) showed the highest performances and wider stability than old ones, especially in low-yielding environments. Genetic gain (GG) for GY was 21.4 kg ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹ (0.75% yr^–1) over 4 decades of breeding. This progress was declining when advancing in decades and ranged from 11% (from 1980–1990 to 1991–2001) to less than 7% (from 2002–2012 to 2013–2022). The GG in low and intermediate yielding environments were the most important (17.34% and 6.88% yr^–1 respectively), while GG was nonsignificant in high-yielding environments (4.62% yr^–1). Within the same period, GPC showed a nonsignificant negative trend of –0.007% (–0.002% yr^–1), while derivative parameters from GY and GPC indicated high positive genetic progress. More efforts should be deployed to implement a good balance between yield performance and quality in the new released cultivars despite the negative correlation between these two traits (r = –0.36; P < 0.001).

Conclusion. Adopting advanced technologies, like genomic selection, adequate agronomic practices, and more efficient selection criteria are essential steps to further increase simultaneously grain yield and quality traits.

Background. This study was dedicated to the evaluation and selection of maize hybrids of different origin for important agronomic traits and for protein and oil accumulation in grain under the conditions of Primorsky Territory, as well as for their possible use as source material for breeding.

Materials and methods. Twenty-two grain maize hybrids of various geographic origin were studied at the Federal Scientific Center of Agricultural Biotechnology of the Far East named after A.K. Chaika” in 2017–2020. Useful agronomic characters and biochemical indications were assessed, correlations between parameters were established, and an integrated evaluation of maize hybrids was made. The hybrids were ranked relative to a predetermined ideal model.

Results. Based on the results of the integrated assessment, maize hybrids Р 7709, Р 8688 and Р 8523 (Pioneer Corporation) and Si Rotango (Syngenta) had the highest scores for a set of important agronomic traits under the conditions of Primorsky Territory. Higher protein content levels were detected in maize grain when the combination of temperature and moisture was optimal (Selyaninov’s hydrothermal coefficient = 1.1). The highest oil content was observed at an enhanced level of soil moisture (HTC = 3.1). The Si Rotango hybrid had the maximum protein content. The NUR, Ladozhsky 181 MV and P 7054 hybrids showed the maximum in oil content. Strong direct correlations were discovered between the yield and the weight of 1000 kernels and one ear, and between grain yield and the height of the lower ear position. Weak reverse correlations were observed between biochemical parameters and yield, and between a FAO maturity group and grain yield.

Background. In combination breeding, information about the degree of superiority of hybrids in productivity and drought resistance over their parents in early generations, as well as the possibility of preserving their advantages in subsequent generations, are of great practical interest.

Materials and methods. In 2018–2021, 16 hybrid populations of spring bread wheat of the 1st through 4th generations, obtained from intraspecific crosses among parent cultivars, were studied at the Federal Agricultural Research Center of the NorthEast. The hybrids and their parents were tested in the field for productivity and in the laboratory for drought resistance. Inheritance types were determined by the degree of phenotypic dominance of plant characters. Statistical processing of the results was carried out using correlation and variance analyses.

Results. Hybrids that demonstrated heterosis in the number of grains per ear had an advantage on this basis in subsequent generations. The inheritance type of the 1000 grain weight did not determine the level of this character in older generation hybrids. There was a change in the type of inheritance for the number of radicles during the transition from normal to stressful conditions. Hybrids that showed heterosis in seedling weight in the control and the experiment were distinguished by higher rates in subsequent generations. A significant negative correlation was found between grain yield and the number of radicles formed with a lack of moisture, and a positive correlation between grain yield and the weight of seedlings. Seven promising hybrid combinations fusing productivity with drought resistance were identified.

Conclusion. The analysis of hybrids from early generations according to the degree of phenotypic dominance of the number of grains per ear and number of radicles in the experiment, and the weight of seedlings in the control and the experiment can be quite informative for use in breeding programs.

Background. The technology of deep grain processing is based on the use of operations that ensure separation of raw materials into various components and sequential processing of these components into products of high consumer value. The annual volume of deep grain processing products is over 100 million tons. Starch, as the most valuable component of processed grain, is used in the food industry, pharmacy, and in significant amounts for technical purposes. Studying the potential of domestic maize hybrids to provide raw materials for deep grain processing enterprises is a relevant task.

Materials and methods. The material for field and laboratory studies included 17 commercial maize hybrids developed at the P.P. Lukyanenko National Grain Center. The content of starch, protein and oil in grain was measured with infrared spectroscopy on an Infratec 1241 Grain Analyzer. Actual extraction of native starch was implemented using the “plant-on-the-table” method developed at the All-Russian Research Institute of Starch Products, and breeding trials of maize hybrids were carried out in the steppe zone of Kabardino-Balkaria in 2020/2021.

Results. As a result of the research, 13 hybrids with a mass fraction of starch in the range of 70.0–73.2% DM were identified: KR210MV, KR270MV, KR377AMV, KR385MV, KR415MV, ROSS198MV, KR433MV, KR514MV, KR575MV, LYUDMILA, ROSS190MV, and ROSS195MV. Of these, the grain yield in the range of 10–14 t/ha was shown by the hybrids KR270MV, KR315MV, KR377AMV, KR415MV, KR514MV, and KR575MV. In accordance with the results obtained, a number of hybrids can be recommended as source material for breeding and promising raw material for deep grain processing: KR415MV, KR393MV, and ROSS198MV, yielding 90.0–94.4% DW of starch when processed, and KR315MV, with a mass fraction of amylose in starch up to 38.6% DW.

Background. Combined use of various data transformation methods and a multivariate statistical analysis that takes into account several variables would increase the efficiency of selecting promising strawberry genotypes according to a set of traits for industrial and small-scale production.

Materials and methods. In 2020–2022, 17 short-day garden strawberry cultivars were studied. The analysis was carried out for productivity (the number of berries, the weight of berries of the 1st order, and the average berry weight), marketable quality of berries (berry pulp density, berry height, and berry diameter), and total weight of berries per plant. Mathematical data processing employed a two-factor analysis of variance, the principal component method, cluster analysis by Ward’s algorithm, and Wilcoxon test.

Results. The statistical significance of the cultivar and year factors, and their interaction was measured. The cultivar’s genotype had the greatest effect on the variability of characters. Greater part of the total variance in the set of characters was determined by the first five principal components. The cluster analysis identified two groups of cultivars. The initial data were transformed according to the least significant difference (LSD₀₅) to obtain normalized indices. Taking into account the Wilcoxon test, the cultivars were ranked by the indices. When comparing the groups built in line with mean and total values of the normalized indices with the cluster analysis results, 6 best strawberry cultivars were identified for the studied set of characters.

Conclusion. The combined use of multivariate methods and normalized indices made it possible to identify the most promising strawberry cultivars according to their yield and berry quality: ‘Olympia’, ‘Nelli’, ‘Florence’, ‘Kemia’, ‘Jive’, and ‘Alba’.

Background. Among wheat breeding trends, the Research Institute of Agriculture for the Northern Trans-Ural Region prioritizes selection of new source material and development of cultivars with improved agronomic traits and higher resistance to biotic and abiotic environmental stressors. The breeders also pay attention to environmental plasticity of the cultivars.

Materials and methods. A field study of 362 spring bread wheat accessions from VIR was performed in the fields of the Research Institute of Agriculture for the Northern Trans-Ural Region in 2011–2016 under contrasting climate conditions. Thirty genotypes were identified for a set of useful agronomic traits. The data were processed using mathematical statistics methods. Rank correlation coefficients, plasticity indices (bi), yield ranges (d, %), homeostaticity (H-st), homeostasis (Hom), and responsiveness coefficients (Kp) were calculated.

Results. It was established that cultivars with potentially high yield, plasticity, and strong response to changing environmental conditions: ‘Altaiskaya 110’ (k-65128), ‘Bashkirskaya 28’ (k-64852), ‘AC Pollet’ (k-64975), ‘Chelyaba 75’ (k-64871), ‘Aletch’ (k65011), and ‘Struna Mironovskaya’ (k-65016), may be recommended for breeding intensive cultivars. Accessions with low levels of plasticity and less pronounced environmental variability indices, but tolerant to deteriorated environmental conditions: ‘Tarskaya 10’ (k-64996), ‘FPCh-Рpd-0s’ (k-65123), and ‘Novosibirskaya 44’ (k-64867), can be used to produce climateresistant cultivars.

Conclusion. The Ymax, d, V and Kp indicators should be applied for preliminary assessment of cultivars for yield variability, as they are positively correlated to each other and provide quite significant information. Such complementary indicators as bi and S²di, H-st and Hom, positively associated with each other and having a multidirectional effect, are effective for comprehensive assessment of cultivars for environmental variability.

Background. It has been shown that southern oilseeds, including peanuts, can be successfully grown in the south of the Russian Federation under the conditions of Krasnodar Territory and Astrakhan Province. Currently, only two peanut cultivars are included in the State Register of the Russian Federation: ‘Otradokubansky’ and ‘Astrakhansky 5’. Development of raw material for obtaining new peanut cultivars adaptable to the growing conditions in Krasnodar Territory and Astrakhan Province is a relevant task.

Materials and methods. We examined 57 peanut accessions of various origins from the VIR collection. The study of peanut accessions for agronomic characters was carried out in two ecogeographic sites located in Krasnodar Territory and Astrakhan Province. Cv. ‘Otradokubansky’ was used as a reference. ANOVA was applied for statistical data processing.

Results and discussion. A wide range of variability in agronomic characters was revealed during the study of peanut accessions. The most stable character was the 1000 seed weight. The share of the genotype the variability of productivity was from 30 to 40%. A great effect of soil and climate factors and the place of cultivation on the ripening of beans was observed. Seed yield depended on the genotype (60–70%) as well as on the temperature factors and the presence of moisture in the soil. The best accessions were selected according to their agronomic characters; they may serve as promising material for breeding. Some accessions are able to produce a good harvest either in Astrakhan Province or Krasnodar Territory, while others can do it regardless of the place of cultivation. This study confirmed the possibility of growing peanuts in Astrakhan Province on medium loamy soils under irrigation, or in Krasnodar Territory on black earth without irrigation.

Background. The range of early-maturing cultivars suitable for the Non-Black-Earth Zone of the Russian Federation (RF) is extremely limited. The main method of finding sources of earliness for crop production and breeding is the evaluation of the gene pool under the required conditions.

Materials and methods. The objects of the study were 81 soybean accessions from the VIR collection, precharacterized as early-ripening under the conditions of Northwest Russia. The studies were carried out in 2018–2020 as field trials under the conditions of Moscow Province.

Results. Soybean accessions were characterized by the duration of the emergence-to-flowering (37–53 days), flowering-to-ripening (50–85 days) and emergence-to-ripening (81–130 days) periods. The extreme ripening dates for the accessions were observed from August 20 to October 5, while the maximum duration from emergence to ripening was from 93 to 139 days. The highest sum of active temperatures above 10°C for a growing season ranged from 1642 to 2189°C. Most of the studied accessions were characterized by a short emergence-to-flowering period. Therefore, the differences among accessions in the duration of the growing season were mainly due to the different lengths of their flowering-to-ripening period.

Conclusion. Soybean seeds should ripen no later than the first 10 days of September for a stable harvest under the weather conditions of the Russian Non-Black-Earth Zone. There were 32 accessions from breeding centers of the RF, Belarus, Poland, Germany, Sweden, and the U.S. that met these requirements during the three years of observations. The selected accessions demonstrated a short emergence-to-flowering period of 37–48 days, and the length of their flowering-to-ripening period of 50–66 days, on average for three years. They can be used as sources of earliness in soybean breeding.

Background. Studying the effect size of the environment versus breeding-oriented plant traits is relevant under climate change. Identification of stable accessions while evaluating the source material in contrasting environments can increase the efficiency of breeding practice.

Materials and methods. Thirty common bean accessions from the VIR collection were sown for 3 years in the contrasting environments of Maikop and Astrakhan. Eight useful agronomic traits were studied according to VIR’s guidelines. Statistical processing was carried out using ANOVA, correlation and regression analyses. Environmental stability of productivity was assessed according S. A. Eberhart and W. A. Russell (1966).

Results and discussion. The study of the variability of traits showed the stability of the sowing-to-ripening period duration (average coefficient of variation: 10.9%) and 1000 seed weight (17.3%). The effect of the genotype was the determining factor only for 1000 seed weight (67.6% of the variance). The growing season duration, number of pods per plant, number of seeds per pod, and productivity depended more on the environments. Productivity formation patterns were basically the same at both sites: productivity of an accession depended on the number of pods, and 1000 seed weight was negatively related to the number of seeds per pod. The growing season in Maikop depended on the flowering-to-ripening period (r = 0.73); in Astrakhan, on the sprouting-to-flowering period (r = 0.85). The duration of the sowing-to-sprouting and sprouting-to-flowering periods significantly correlated with mean temperatures (r = –0.87 and 0.87, respectively), while the flowering-to-ripening period did not depend on the mean temperature.

Conclusion. Accessions relatively stable in their productivity and duration of the growing season were identified. They demonstrated both determinant and indeterminate growth, attesting to the prospects of breeding work with different common bean groups.

Background. This work aimed at using Hayman’s methodology to study the inheritance of some quantitative traits, such as the number of pods per plant, pod length, mean pod weight, and yield per plant in 15 diallel hybrids of six green bean cultivars.

Materials and methods. The research was carried out at the Experimental Center of Universidad Nacional de Colombia – Sede Palmira (CEUNP). A randomized complete block experimental design with four replications was used.

Results. For most of the traits, except yield per plant, the additive-dominant model was adequate. Non-additive effects with overdominance controlled the number of pods per plant, pod length, and mean pod weight. Most of the characters presented an unequal proportion of positive and negative genes in the loci (H₁ < H₂). The asymmetric distribution of genes in the parents (H₂/4H₁) was below the maximum value (0.25), except for the character “number of pods per plant”. The K_D/K_R ratio confirmed for most of the traits that there was an excess of recessive alleles over dominant alleles. Dominance effects (h²) for most characters suggested that the substantial contribution of dominance was not due to heterogeneity of loci in these characters. The narrow-sense heritability was moderate to low. The correlation coefficient r (Yr; Wr + Vr) indicated that dominant genes were responsible for the increased number of pods per plant and recessive genes for increased pod length and mean pod weight.

Conclusions. Conventional breeding methods like pedigree selection could be employed to improve the characters “pod length” and “mean pod weight”, and for the number of pods per plant, management of segregating populations should employ the single-seeded descent method.

Background. The cultivars of Achillea millefolium L.: ‘Eney’ and ‘Millennium’ (Research Institute of Agriculture of Crimea), and ‘Vasyurinsky’ (North-Caucasian Branch of VILAR), were the objects of the ecological testing in 2018–2020 in Moscow Province.

Methods. A nursery was established with planting material of vegetative origin. Phenological and morphometric parameters, indicators of raw matter productivity, and crop structure components were assessed in the phase of mass flowering.

Results. For cv. ‘Vasyurinsky’, the start of growing and subsequent phenological phases occurred 14–25 days earlier than for ‘Eney’ and ‘Millennium’ whose growing season was 15–20 days longer. The plant height varied from 72 to 106 cm for cv. ‘Vasyurinsky’, 43 to 56 cm for ‘Eney’, and 38 to 42 cm for ‘Millenium’. The yield of fresh green biomass reached 8.8–10.3 t/ha for the Crimean cultivars, and 18.2 t/ha for ‘Vasyurinsky’. The latter exceeded cvs. ‘Eney’ and ‘Millenium’ in the yield of green biomass and air-dry matter (1.7–2.9 and 1.5–2.6 times, respectively). Essential oil content in ‘Eney’ was 4.74% of the absolute dry weight, being 1.6–3.5 times higher than in ‘Millenium’ (2.99%) and ‘Vasyurinsky’ (1.35%). Chamazulene content in the essential oil of the Crimean cultivars was 10–12 times higher, and the content of caryophyllene and germacrene D 2.5–3.1 times higher than in the essential oil of cv. ‘Vasyurinsky’.

Conclusion. All the studied cultivars of A. millefolium can be recommended for commercial cultivation in Moscow Province.

Background. Cultivation of scab-resistant apple cultivars with better fruit storability increases the economic efficiency and environmental friendliness of horticulture. Hence, the development of such cultivars is an important task in modern apple-tree breeding.

Materials and methods. A set of 646 hybrid plants obtained in six cross combinations (Renet Simirenko/Modi, Renet Simirenko/Smeralda, Renet Simirenko/Renoir, Renet Simirenko/Fujion, Renoir/Granny Smith, and Modi/Granny Smith) was studied. Their scab resistance was assessed under natural infection pressure for two years using a quantitative scale. The Rvi6 gene was identified using the PCR analysis with the primer pair VfC1+VfC. The Md-ACS1 gene alleles were detected with a known SCAR DNA marker. The chi-square test was applied for statistical confirmation of the data.

Results. Based on the DNA marker analysis, 328 plants carrying the dominant allele of the Rvi6 gene were identified. The results of the phenotypic resistance assessment confirmed the correspondence of the resistant phenotype / dominant allele of the gene for most plants. Molecular genetics analysis of the Md-ACS1 gene disclosed its allelic combinations. A total of 190, 322, and 126 plants carrying allelic variants of Md-ACS1-2/2, Md-ACS1-1/2, and Md-ACS1-1/1, respectively, were identified. Among the plants with the dominant allele of the scab resistance Rvi6 gene, 92 plant forms were identified with Md-ACS1-2/2, and 143 heterozygous ones (Md-ACS1-1/2), also valuable for breeders.

Conclusion. A wide range of apple breeding forms carrying valuable alleles of the Rvi6 and Md-ACS1 genes were selected. Hybrid forms with target alleles of both genes responsible for important agronomic traits would contribute to the intensification of breeding efforts aimed at producing scab-resistant apple cultivars with increased fruit storability. They can also be used for breeding purposes as complex donors.

Background. Current molecular and genetic approaches make it possible to accelerate ryegrass breeding, simplify source material evaluation, and increase its accuracy. The efficiency of PCR-based SSR and SCoT marker techniques was studied in the context of evaluating the genetic structure of annual and perennial ryegrass accessions and defining DNA-identifying markers.

Materials and methods. Genomic DNA was isolated from the aggregate sample of 30 seedlings from each of the 15 analyzed cultivars according to the modified SDS DNA extraction protocol. In total, 20 SSR and 22 SCoT markers were used to assess genetic polymorphism. Basic parameters of the markers’ informative efficiency were identified. Genetic relationships among the studied cultivars were analyzed on the basis of the Neighbor-Joining dendrogram and Bayesian model.

Results. To assess the genetic polymorphism of ryegrass species and varieties, 7 SSR loci were selected, for which 110 allelic variants were identified (34 alleles were unique for individual cultivars), and 9 SCoT loci, for which 78 polymorphic amplification fragments were identified, with 28 being cultivar-specific. The dendrogram of genetic similarity and modeling in the Structure v2.3.4 program according to the results of SSR and SCoT analyses distributed the cultivars by their traits according to their species, ploidy level, origin, and similarity. Based on PCoA, carried out using summarized data of SSR and SCoT analyses, a multidimensional diagram of genetic relationships among ryegrass cultivars was constructed.

Conclusions. The systems of SSR and SCoT markers appeared to be an efficient tool to reveal genetic polymorphism and identify differences among ryegrass species and cultivars. We found unique DNA profiles that can be used for genetic identification. The results of the study have practical significance in cultivar-specific identification and selection of cultivars for various purposes.

A comparative analysis of the species composition of the segetal flora of the surveyed steppe zone and the segetal flora of the entire Krasnodar Territory based on the materials of numerous scientific publications is presented. The main part of the floristic spectra of both segetal florae coincides in the composition of the 10 leading families, which attests to their unity. The leading families in the compared lists are Asteraceae Dumort., Poaceae Barnhart, Fabaceae Lindl., and Brassicaceae Burnett. Floristic homogeneity of the weed species compositions between the segetal floras in the areas under different types of field crops is considered. Besides, species with a high degree of permanency in the agrocenoses of each field crop have been identified. These species are objects of phytosanitary risk for a number of field crops or some of them in the steppe zone of Krasnodar Territory. The most common weeds in the fields of all surveyed crops are field bindweed (Convolvulus arvensis L.), common ragweed (Ambrosia artemisiifolia L.), bristly thistle (Cirsium setosum (Willd.) Bess.), and cockspur grass (Echinochloa crusgalli (L.) Beauv.). Information about the predicted widespread species in the fields under a certain crop will make it possible to plan the volume of production or purchase of protective means focusing on groups of dominant species, and anticipate possible changes in the reformatting of the acreage structure, violations of the reclamation system and crop rotation schemes, etc.

Background. Caltha palustris L. is known as a medicinal, food, and ornamental plant. It is a circumboreal species, and hygrohelophyte. Due to its ecological specificity, this plant can be used to study the response to an abrupt change in environments. The goal was to assess the variance in phenological and morphological features of C. palustris in the forest steppe of Western Siberia.

Materials and methods. Phenotypic characters of the native population and the accessions introduced from Kemerovo Province and Altai Territory were studied. Phenological observations followed a well-known technique for herbaceous perennials. Morphometric data were processed in the PAST program using statistical indicators: the arithmetic mean with an error (M ± m_M), minimum and maximum values of the trait (lim), and coefficient of variation (C_v). Significance of differences was assessed using Student’s t-test (P_t) at a 5% significance level. For traits deviating from the normal distribution, the significance of differences was assessed using the Mann–Whitney criterion (P_MW) by median values of the trait (Me) at the same 5% level.

Results and conclusions. The accessions varied significantly in the timing and duration of phenophases. Plants in the native population grew later and bloomed for a long time because of the variation in microconditions. Ex situ plants produced the second generation of rosette shoots and were capable of long vegetating, but the Altai accession differed in later growth and shorter phenophases. All accessions significantly differed in morphological characteristics of the shoot, except for flower size. The introduced accessions were inferior to the native ones in shoot height, leaf size, and number of flowers due to non-optimal cultivation environments. Since C. palustris demonstrated high individual and interpopulation variability, it is promising to study this species in different natural populations and select the most ornamental and sustainable accessions.

Background. Barley is an ancient crop currently cultivated in more than 100 countries. High adaptability makes it possible to cultivate it in environments unfavorable for many other crops. At the same time, fungal diseases can have a negative impact on its grain yield and quality. One of the most harmful is the fungus Blumeria graminis (DC.) Golovin ex Speer f. sp. hordei Marchal. The pathogen can overcome a cultivar’s resistance, resulting in significant harvest losses. There is a need for a constant search for new effective sources of resistance to powdery mildew for barley breeding.

Materials and methods. A set of 950 barley accessions from the East Asian center of the crop’s morphogenesis were studied at the adult stage of plant development. They were screened and crossed in the fields of Pushkin and Pavlovsk Laboratories of VIR (St. Petersburg, Russia). Genetic control of barley resistance to B. graminis was analyzed in a climate chamber under artificial infection pressure with the northwestern population of the fungus. Scoring scales were used for screening.

Results and conclusions. Weak development of B. graminis during the heading phase was observed on plants of 38 barley accessions from the East Asian center. High resistance at all stages of development was manifested by 20 genotypes that can be used in breeding programs. Resistance genes in 18 selected forms differed in their effectiveness at the seedling stage of development and during the heading phase. Accessions k-3433, k-10931, k-10934, k-11608, k-17545, k-20272, k-20279, k-20354 and k-27867 had one dominant resistance gene each. Accessions k-11608, k-12278, and k-17545 are protected by the identical gene, while the resistance of k-3433 is induced by a gene that differs from the genes present in accessions k-10931 and k-20279.

Background. Enhancement of the Triticum aestivum L. genetic diversity by means of alien chromatin, including that from Triticum durum Desf., is an important element in the breeding of bread wheat cultivars that meet modern requirements.

Materials and methods. The study included the L153, L154 and L155 introgressive spring bread wheat lines produced from crosses between the spring bread wheat cultivars ‘L503’ and ‘L505’ and spring durum wheat cultivars ‘Yazi10’ and ‘Tarro’ developed in Mexico. Evaluation of these introgressive lines included phytopathological, phenological, genetic, and breadmaking analyses carried out with conventional methods both under open-air and laboratory conditions. Seventeen DNA markers were used to identify genes for resistance to Puccinia triticina Erikss. f. sp. tritici in the lines. The obtained data were statistically analyzed using the Agros-2.10 package of breeding and genetic programs.

Results. Studying introgressive spring bread wheat lines L153, L154 and L155, developed with the participation of durum wheat cvs. ‘Yazi10’ and ‘Tarro’, showed that leaf rust resistance of these lines was induced by the Lr genes from durum wheat cultivars. The effect of the gene donor and the recipient cultivars on a number of useful agronomic traits was identified. The recipient cv. ‘L505’ was noted for its good combining abilities.

Conclusion. Introgression of chromatin from durum wheat cultivars into the spring bread wheat gene pool made it possible to produce lines resistant to the local P. triticina population, as well as to some test clones of this pathogen. Such lines can be used as donors of the Lr genes. In addition, the L154 introgressive line combined good grain productivity and baking quality.

Background. Leaf and stem diseases of cereal crops are among the most harmful in the agrocenoses of Tambov Province, significantly reducing grain yield and rapidly progressing in many regions of Russia. The aim of the study was to identify spring bread wheat lines and cultivars developed at the Middle-Russian Branch of the I.V. Michurin Federal Science Center that show resistance to leaf and stem diseases.

Materials and methods. The target material was represented by 3 cultivars and 23 breeding lines of spring bread wheat. Disease resistance in seedlings was assessed in the laboratory, while for adult plants the process was carried out in the field in 2020–2022. The presence of the Tsn1 allele controlling susceptibility to the PtrToxA fungal toxin was detected using the Xfcp623 molecular marker.

Results and conclusions. Accessions with high levels of resistance to Zymoseptoria tritici were identified: L-8252, L-82/60, L-8107, L-8078(23), L-43-9, L-43-1, L-4, Stb-8/15, Stb-7/15, and Stb-92. Accessions Stb-97, Stb-89, Stb-89(a), Stb-90, Stb-34, and Rl-6-22 were resistant to Parastagonospora nodorum; L-8134, L-8114, L-82/60, L-8107, Stb-10/15, Stb-9/15, Stb-8/15, Stb-7/15, Stb-97, Stb-89, Stb-89(a), Stb-90, Stb-34, and Rl-6-22 to P. pseudonodorum; L-8252, L-8107, L-43-9, L-43-1, L-4, Stb10/15, Stb-9/15, Stb-97, Stb-92, Stb-92(a), Stb-89, Stb-89(a), and Stb-34 to Pyrenophora tritici-repentis; and L-8114, L-82/60, L-43-9, L-43-1, L-4, Stb-90, Stb-34, and Rl-6-22 to Bipolaris sorokiniana. The cultivars and breeding lines showed group resistance to two, three or four pathogens. It was Lines L-8252, L-8134, L-82/60, L-8107, L-8078 (23), L-43-9, L-43-1, L-4, Stb-89, Stb-90, Stb-34, and L-33809-7-3 were observed to carry the recessive allele of the tsn1 gene.

Background The potato spindle tuber viroid (PSTVd) is the smallest of all known potato pathogens. PSTVd is a circular, single-stranded RNA molecule that does not code for proteins. Symptoms caused by PSTVd lead to a significant reduction in tuber yield or death of the plant. PSTVd infection triggers the silencing of host-plant genes and induces disease symptoms in the plant via vd-sRNA. The StTCP23 potato gene which encodes a transcription factor is one of the targets of PSTVd. The aim of the study was to assess the effect of inoculation of potato plants of cv. ‘Colomba’ with the PSTVd viroid NicTr-3 strain on the StTCP23 expression in infected plants.

Materials and methods. Potato plants of cv. ‘Colomba’ were inoculated with leaf sap of the tomato cv. ‘Rutgers’ in which the PSTVd viroid NicTr-3 strain was propagated. RT-PCR with specific primers was used to confirm the infection of potato plants with the viroid. Diversity of RNA molecules in the PSTVd population was revealed using RT, cloning, and sequencing of the viroid. The expression of the StTCP23 gene in infected potato plants was assessed by quantitative PCR with the ef1α gene as a reference.

Results. Symptoms of infecting ‘Colomba’ plants with the PSTVd viroid strain NicTr-3 were not detected, while the presence of the viroid in potato leaves was confirmed by molecular methods. Ten mutations were found in individual variants of the PSTVd strain NicTr-3, responsible for reducing the viroid’s aggressiveness. An increase in the expression of StTCP23 was shown at 3 time points in ‘Colomba’ plants inoculated with the NicTr-3 strain compared to the control.

Conclusion. The mechanism of interaction between PSTVd and the StTCP23 gene in an infected potato plant is not universal and depends both on the potato genotype and viroid strain. Additional studies are required to prove the existence of specific interaction mechanisms between the host-plant and viroid strain genotypes.

Background. Cornus mas L. is grown in Europe, Central Asia, and the Middle East. Natural thickets are widespread in the Caucasus. The aim of this work was to analyze ecological and biological features of C. mas and the results of its introduction in order to justify the potential of its valuable agronomic traits for breeding and landscaping in Orel Province.

Methods and materials. Specimens of C. mas preserved in the arboretum of the Russian Research Institute of Fruit Crop Breeding since 1968 were analyzed. The studies were conducted from 2012 through 2021. Winter hardiness, plant condition, degrees of flowering and fruiting were assessed using conventional techniques, while the degree of ornamentality was determined according to O. Yu. Emelyanova’s method.

Results and conclusion. Under the conditions of the arboretum, C. mas is a multi-stemmed shrub, up to 5.3 m high, with an average crown projection diameter of up to 4.7 m, showing good vitality, active growth, and a high degree of resistance to damaging climatic factors of the winter season. No damage by diseases or pests was observed during the studies. The sum of effective temperatures for the beginning of C. mas flowering was 46.6 ± 2.0°C. Flowering started on April 15 (± 7 days). On average, flowering lasted 17 ± 5 days in the arboretum. Annually, the degree of flowering was high (4.8–5.0 points), and the vigor of fruiting was good (3.8–4.1 points). Peaks of C. mas ornamentality were observed in April, during the early abundant flowering of plants, and in August, during the ripening of fruits. The ornamental period of C. mas was on average 208 (± 12) days. The analysis of ecological and biological features of C. mas under the conditions of Orel Province showed the prospects of this species’ introduction. Formation and study of C. mas collection from neighboring regions will serve as a basis for successful breeding to obtain new cultivars with valuable traits for the conditions of Central Russia.

Background. The qualitative composition of wheat grain varies depending on the cultivar, soil and climate conditions, and agricultural practices. The allelic composition of glutenins in bread wheat cultivars is an important parameter for the analysis and management of their genetic structure. In this respect, there is an interest in studying the genetic diversity of alleles of high-molecular-weight glutenin subunits (HMW-GS) in bread wheat cultivars from Europe, Asia, Africa, and America.

Materials and methods. The total diversity of alleles in Glu-1 glutenin loci was evaluated according to the calculation of the Nei index (H). Using this indicator and the cluster analysis, wheat cultivars of various ecogeographic origin were distributed into relatively homogeneous groups.

Results. Wheat cultivars from Poland, Germany, France, Spain, Portugal, Turkey, Iran, Pakistan, India, China, and Algeria (Group I) had the average Nei index of 0.59, and those from the U.S., Mexico, Argentina, Russia, Kazakhstan, Ethiopia, Czech Republic, Hungary, Bulgaria, Afghanistan, and North Korea (Group II) had 0.42. These groups of wheat cultivars differed in the frequency of occurrence of glutenin subunits at each Glu-1 locus: N, 7+9, 2+12 in Group I, and 2*, 7+9, 5+10 in Group II.

Conclusion. Wheat cultivars from Group II had on average a low level of variability of allelic genes in the respective loci, manifesting high grain quality of these cultivars and the highest probability of their genetic depletion compared to the cultivars from Group I, where most of the cultivars are described by a combination of low-quality glutenin subunits.

In 2023, the 95th anniversary has been commemorated since the birth of Professor Vsevolod L. Vitkovsky, Doctor of Biological Sciences, a prominent scientist and fruit expert, one of the eldest staff members of the Department of Fruit Crop Genetic Resources at the Vavilov Institute.

The N.I. Vavilov All-Russian Institute of Plant Genetic Resources (VIR) releases almost all types of publications traditional for research institutions. Since the 1920s, VIR has been regularly publishing methodological recommendations, or guidelines.

This kind of publications has won its own specialized audience and retained it for over a hundred years. All recommendations (guidelines) are an assemblage of documents dedicated to the study, conservation, and replenishment of the unique global plant genetic resources collection held by VIR; plant breeding; seed production; cultivation; resistance of individual crops to diseases and pests; herbarization; long-term seed storage; biochemical, mycological, phytopathological, genetic, and biotechnological research methods; and many other issues. Such publications are widely used by the staff of VIR and the network of its branches in their practical work, and are also in demand with various scientists, experts, lecturers and teachers, postgraduate and undergraduate students all over Russia.

Keeping in mind the ever increasing interest in such information, the Editorial Board of the journal Proceedings on Applied Botany, Genetics and Breeding decided to publish a selective list of VIR’s methodological recommendations (guidelines) for 2000–2022. For the sake of convenience, the material is arranged in chronological order. This list partially includes recommendations and guidelines published by other research institutions where VIR’s staff members were among the authors. It is our hope that the list will be found useful by our readers and authors of scientific publications. The list was compiled by the staff of the Library and Publishing Department of VIR.