Background. Wild species of Malus Mill. and their hybrids are important as genetic sources of disease and pest resistance in the breeding of apple cultivars and clonal rootstocks. Therefore, introduced genotypes should be accompanied by a long-term comprehensive study to assess the effectiveness of acclimatization and the potential for further utilization in breeding programs.

Materials and methods. The study involved 24 apple-tree accessions – wild species and their hybrids. Main morphological and physiological parameters of leaves were analyzed. To assess the degree of variability of the studied indicators, variation coefficients and ratios of the maximum to minimum arithmetic means were calculated.

Results. Significant differences were found in the morphological and physiological parameters of the leaf apparatus. Among the morphological indicators, the leaf index showed the least variability (C_v = 13.2%), while the leaf blade area showed the greatest span (C_v = 32.0%). Highly positive correlations were observed between the corresponding values of the area and linear dimensions of leaf blades (R = 0.72…0.93). During the growing season, the effective quantum yield of photosystem II showed less variability (C_v = 16.5…37.6%) than stomatal conductance (C_v = 37.5…50.1%). No correlations of high and medium levels were found between the photosynthesis and transpiration intensity rates during any of the measurement periods during the growing season. Three apple-tree genotypes demonstrated maximum stability of photosynthesis and transpiration parameters (C_v < 15%): M. niedzwetskyana Dieck (k-29424), M. sylvestris (L.) Mill. (k-6144), and hybrid 14-1 (M. sieboldii × pollen mixture from apple-tree rootstocks).

Conclusion. The leaf apparatus of the studied apple-tree accessions exhibited significant differences in its morphological and physiological indicators. They can be used as marker traits to assess the degree of the species’ heterogeneity.

Background. Fruit quality assessment based on the analysis of biochemical markers using capillary electrophoresis is a promising field of analytical research. This method provides high resolution when analyzing multicomponent mixtures (organic acids, sugars, etc.) with minimal reagent consumption. Its application is essential for the development of competitive subtropical fruit crop cultivars adapted to Russian environments and capable of replacing imported produce.

Materials and methods. The study was conducted on 5 cultivars of peach, 3 of nectarine, 5 of feijoa, and 5 of Actinidia. Fruits were sampled in the commercial maturity stage. Quantification of organic acids and sugars was performed by capillary electrophoresis using a Kapel-105M system (75 µm quartz capillary) with flow-through detection and data processing using the Elforan software.

Results and conclusion. Significant intervarietal differences were revealed the content of the analyzed compounds. The peach cv. ‘Redhaven’ demonstrated a balanced acid profile (4.28 mg/g of malic acid, and 4.78 of citric acid), while cv. ‘Osenniy Rumyanets’ had the highest total sugar content (198.56 mg/g). The nectarine cv. ‘Obilny’ also showed the maximum total sugar content (195.61 mg/g). The feijoa cv. ‘Superba’ had the highest sucrose content (101.70 mg/g), and cv. ‘SHV-07’ the maximum of monosaccharides. Fructose and glucose predominated in cvs. ‘Apsny’ and ‘Pobeditel’ of Actinidia, while cv. ‘Otkhara’ contained the maximum of total sugars among Actinidia cultivars (217.41 mg/g). Capillary electrophoresis proved effective as a primary method for screening biochemical markers. The data obtained provided a scientific basis for breeding fruit cultivars with improved flavor and nutritional value in Russia’s subtropical climate.

Background. In recent years, with the growing awareness of the need for health protection among consumers and producers, nutritional trends have also changed, and the interest in functional foods has increased. Amaranth is a valuable and promising multipurpose crop, a record holder in the content of complete protein in seeds and leaves, possessing rich genetic diversity, plasticity, and high adaptability to unfavorable environmental conditions.

Materials and methods. The objective was to assess amino acid profiles in 105 amaranth accessions from the collection of the N.I. Vavilov All-Russian Institute of Plant Genetic Resources (VIR), previously identified as early-maturing under the conditions of Northwest Russia, atypical for this crop. Seed protein content was measured by the Kjeldahl method, and amino acid composition was analyzed using ion exchange chromatography.

Results. The protein content of amaranth seeds was quantified, and the amino acid profile that included 17 amino acids was determined. Grain forms of amaranth manifested low variability in protein content. The group of ultra-early accessions showed a significant increase in protein levels (+9.8%). Differences were observed among the maturity groups in the content of serine, which plays a significant role in the formation of plant response to abiotic stresses. Interspecies differences in amino acid composition were recorded for Amaranthus cruentus L. and A. hypochondriacus L. The screening resulted in identifying genotypes with high protein content, high amounts of individual amino acids, and a set of valuable agronomic traits. Such accessions may be recommended for breeding programs aimed at the development of early cold-resistant cultivars of grain amaranth with high protein content after obtaining stable parameters of agronomic traits during subsequent analyses of the accessions identified in the current study.

Background. Higher yields and better quality of spring bread wheat grain remains the main focus for wheat breeders in their efforts to ensure national food security. Therefore, searching for new sources to fulfill this mission is an important task.

Materials and methods. The research material included 180 accessions of spring bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) grown in 2022–2023 in Omsk Province. Various indicators for technological assessment and grain quality testing were analyzed at the VIR Laboratory of Integrated Plant Genetic Resources Evaluation. The resulting data underwent variance and correlation analyses.

Results and conclusion. Considering the climate in Omsk Province, where severe droughts alternate with excessive moisture periods during the growing season of spring bread wheat and the phases of grain filling and ripening, a number of farinograph indicators and the sedimentation index have the best differentiating ability among the protein complex quality characters, so they should be used in breeding for grain quality. It is also necessary to monitor the state of the carbohydrate-amylase complex, at least at the level of recording the falling number, as well as other technological properties, for example, though the registration of the grain test weight. Accessions with the best values of the grain test weight and sedimentation were identified. They can be recommended for breeders as sources of valuable agronomic traits in Omsk Province.

Background. The study is of particular importance due to the increasing pace of global climate aridification, which negatively affects agriculture in combination with anthropogenic impact. This is a case study of changes in the element composition of ‘Poseidon 625’ sunflower plants in the context of their photosynthetic system variability under the effect of combined stressors (heavy metals, and drought).

Materials and methods. The experiment involved a set of control samples grown under the impact of arid conditions only, and two experimental groups additionally exposed to heavy metals: Cd (conc. 0.384 mg/kg, 0.768 mg/kg, and 1.536 mg/kg) and Pb (conc. 13.04 mg/kg, 26.08 mg/kg, and 52.16 mg/kg). Experimental and control samples were analyzed for the studied element composition by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-MS) using Agilent 7900 ICP-MS (Agilent Technologies, USA).

Results. A database was created for the content of 24 elements in a sunflower plant (root, shoot and seed) and soil. A significant increase in the absorption of P, K, Ca, Mg, Fe and B by sunflower plants was recorded under the combination of both stressors. A significant increase (4 times) in the cadmium content was observed in the final product. However, despite a significant increase in the lead content in sunflower roots and shoots, no excess over the control values was detected in the seeds.

Conclusion. Cd and Pb were found to have negative effects on sunflower plants, which manifested itself in a negative change in the element composition of biomass and seed material.

Background. The global white maize market is expected to double by 2050, despite its low yield. This popularity is driven by increased demand for gluten-free products and the development of new food technologies for maize grain and flour. Breeding high-yielding white maize hybrids with improved nutritional properties is essential.

Materials and methods. The material of the study was 238 accessions of tetraploid white maize of early inbreeding (S₂–S₃). The tetraploid white-grained line developed by Acad. V. K. Shumny (Institute of Cytology and Genetics, SB RAS) was used as a tester (maternal form). Seed material was reproduced in the steppe zone of the North Caucasian Federal District. The biochemical composition of maize grain was assessed on an IR analyzer SupNir 2750 (China). Statistical data processing was performed using the Statistica 10.0 software from StatSoft Russia (2023).

Results. A collection was made of 61 S₆ inbred lines with enhanced nutritional properties and improved morphometric traits. Eighteen inbred lines with white grain and white cobs, with increased flour and groat whiteness, were obtained. Twenty-five high-protein lines (15–16%), 16 high-oil lines (4.5–5.0%), 17 high-starch lines (73–74%), and 2 lines with high specific combining ability with Shumny’s tester were selected. The amino acid composition of zein in the caryopses of F₁ test crosses did not reveal outstanding hybrids with such economic value as the accumulation of essential amino acids in zein. The average yield of 18 combinations was 5.08 ± 0.43 t/ha with the trait variation Cv = 34.86%, LSD₀₅ = 0.26 t/ha. It was established that Shumny’s tester in hybrid combinations enhanced plant lodging, so its further use is inappropriate

Conclusion. The collection of tetraploid white maize manifested a number of agronomic traits valuable for hybrid breeding.

Enhancing the efficiency of potato farming requires continuous development of new highly productive cultivars with a set of valuable agronomic traits. Such work is impossible without a sufficient stock of new, genetically diverse source material for potato breeding. Therefore, expanding, studying, and preserving potato genetic resources collections in the Republic of Belarus is an important task to provide the domestic potato breeding practice with new sources of valuable traits. The objective of this research was to examine interspecific potato hybrids developed at the Potato Genetic Resources Department of the N.I. Vavilov All-Russian Institute of Plant Genetic Resources (VIR) for their key agronomic characters (productivity; resistance to viruses, late blight, and blackleg; starch content; suitability for industrial processing into potato products, etc.) through breeding-oriented assessment and marker analysis searching for effective alleles of genes associated with carbohydrate synthesis.

The research identified sources of resistance to the oomycete Phytophthora infestans (Mont.) de Bary, blackleg pathogens, and viruses, as well as sources of high productivity and suitability for industrial processing into potato products after five months of cold storage without reconditioning. The PCR analysis helped to identify hybrids carrying the markers Stp23-8b, InvGF-4d, and InvGF-4b – effective alleles of genes responsible for carbohydrate synthesis in tubers. The identified hybrids are recommended as sources of valuable agronomic traits for potato breeding practice.

Background. Active development of industrial horticulture in the southern regions of Russia requires targeted research into the ways to improve cultivated European plum. A study was conducted to evaluate a set of important traits in European plum cultivars developed domestically and introduced from foreign countries. Several genotypes were selected as promising for cultivation under the conditions of Krasnodar Territory.

Materials and methods. The research materials included 17 introduced and local European plum cultivars with different ripening schedules. The study was carried out in the period from 2019 to 2024 in the environments of the western subzone of the foothill horticultural zone, Krasnodar Territory. Conventional programs and techniques were used for cultivar testing, and the Statistica 10.0 software package for statistical data processing.

Results. Plum accessions were evaluated for a set of characteristics: early ripening and large fruit size; late ripening and large fruit size; high uniformity of fruits and yield; high quality of fresh fruits and processed products; high firmness of skin in fresh fruits. The effect of the cultivar and year factors on fruit size and yield was assessed using a two-factor analysis.

Conclusion. Twelve European plum cultivars, developed in Russia, the USA, Ukraine, Romania and Serbia, were selected in Krasnodar Territory for one or several agronomic traits. Over six years of research, cvs. ‘Amers’, ‘Bolshoy Priz’, ‘Gerkules’, ‘Grossa di Felicio’, ‘Lider’, ‘Nenka’, and ‘Chachakskaya Rannyaya’ yielded fruits weighing more than 50 g. All of them can be included into breeding programs as sources of large fruit size. Depending on the ripening schedule, it was ascertained that the cultivar factor had the greatest effect on the large fruit size trait – from 64 to 78%, and the effect of the year factor varied from 20 to 34%. A statistically significant positive correlation was established between fruit weight and yield (r = 0.67).

Background. Despite the high variability of the qualitative properties in winter rye grain under the effect of weather conditions, the development of breadmaking cultivars based on their comprehensive study remains an important task of breeding.

Materials and methods. Technological assessment of grain was performed for 17 winter rye cultivars. Three reproductions were obtained in 2022–2024 under the conditions of the Pushkin and Pavlovsk Laboratories of VIR, the fourth reproduction was seeds from originator institutions. Grain quality was analyzed in accordance with the guidelines and State Standards: grain vitreousness, falling number, thermodynamic properties of the paste, protein content, ash content, microbaking of hearth bread, rheological properties of the dough, and pentosan content. For the first time, the method of two-phase sedimentation was used for rye grain.

Results. The most stable amylogram heights were recorded for cvs. ‘Flora’, ‘Moskovskaya 18’, ‘Nemchinovsky 1’, and ‘Ilmen’. Cvs. ‘Saratovskaya 10’ and ‘Novosibirskaya 17’ showed increased amylase activity in grain. Cvs. ‘Arga’ and ‘Kiprez’ had high vitreousness. Increased pentosan content was observed in cvs. ‘Kiprez’, ‘Dana’, ‘Darvet’, and ‘Grafinya’. The sedimentation assessment results differentiated the cultivars well, generally reflecting the technological properties of grain.

Conclusion. There were significant differences among cultivars in most of the technological assessment and grain quality criteria, but many of them were significantly affected by growing conditions. Cvs. ‘Arga’ and ‘Kiprez’ can be used in breadmaking as dough conditioners in yeast recipes. Cvs. ‘Saratovskaya 10’ and ‘Novosibirskaya 17’ are promising for fodder production. The method of two-phase sedimentation is recommended for express assessment of winter rye grain quality on small samples.

Background. Sesame (Sesamum indicum L., fam. Pedaliaceae Lindl.) is one of the sought-after oilseed crops due to its unique properties: high oil content combined with the presence of oleic and linoleic fatty acids, natural antioxidants, and vitamins in the oil. For this reason, sesame seeds are used for food and in pharmacy. However, the crop is labor-intensive and requires manual labor, because not all of its cultivars are able to reach seed maturity simultaneously. There are accessions with nondehiscent seed capsules in the VIR collection. An urgent task is to study the collection and identify promising sesame accessions with this trait.

Materials and methods. Sesame accessions were screened for their morphological and important agronomic characteristics, including the content of protein and oil, and fatty acid composition of the latter. The research material included inter alia old seed samples reproduced long ago (1981–1992). The study lasted from 2019 through 2023. Cv. ‘Solnechny’ served as the reference. Field assessment was performed under the conditions of Astrakhan Province at the Caspian Agrarian Federal Scientific Center.

Results and discussion. Main agronomic indicators were analyzed in 250 sesame accessions from VIR, and morphological characters in 175 accessions. The content of oil, protein, and fatty acids was quantified for 90 accessions. It was shown that oil content in sesame seeds depended on the genotype and growing conditions. The best accessions were selected according to a set of important agronomic indicators. Accessions with nondehiscent capsules were identified for future utilization in breeding practice based on genomic technologies.

Background. Sweet clover is a valuable fodder, phytomeliorative, melliferous, and medicinal crop. It is drought-resistant, winter-hardy, salt-tolerant, and has a wide range of distribution. To develop highly productive sweet clover cultivars adapted to the conditions of the North Caucasus, it is necessary to have source material that meets the requirements of breeding.

Materials and methods. Sweet clover accessions from the VIR collection were screened at the Kuban Experiment Station of VIR in accordance with VIR’s guidelines for studying the collection of perennial forage plants and the list of descriptors for the genus Melilotus Mill. The study was focused on the most common and productive species: M. albus Medik., and M. officinalis (L.) Pall., as well as on a number of species promising for breeding: M. dentatus (Waldst. et Kit.) Desf., M. wolgicus Poir., and M. tauricus (M. Bieb.) Ser. Statistical processing of the research results was performed using basic statistics, analysis of variance, correlation and factor analyses.

Results. Sweet clover accessions that exceeded the reference in the yield of green and air-dry biomass, leafiness, and plant height were selected. The factor structure was specified for the variability of traits valuable for breeding. Accessions promising as potential sources of such traits were identified: 1) for green biomass yield, wild M. wolgicus from Hungary (k-40146), and M. albus from Tajikistan (k‑31403) and Israel (k-43714); 2) for air-dry biomass yield, wild M. wolgicus from Hungary (k-40146) and M. albus from Canada (k-1006); 3) for greater plant height, wild M. albus from Canada (k-1006), and cv. ‘Bokros’ from Hungary (k‑30495); 4) for higher leafiness, a wild specimen of M. officinalis from Saratov Province (k-10277).

Conclusion. The assessment of the breeding potential in sweet clover accessions from the VIR collection helped to identify new sources of valuable traits adapted to the conditions of the North Caucasus.

Background. Expanding the area of cultivation for heat-loving crops, such as cotton, to the north due to climate change requires an insight into the nature of variability of the most important agronomic characters to formulate the tasks for breeders in the south of Russia. The harsh semidesert climate of Astrakhan Province serves well to identify heat- and drought-resistant cotton accessions.

Materials and methods. A set of 21 accessions of Gossypium hirsutum L. of European and Central Asian origin from the VIR collection were tested according to VIR’s guidelines for four agronomic characters and the length of the germination-to-maturity period. The tests were performed in 2022–2024 at the Caspian Agrarian Federal Research Center (Chernoyarsky District, northwest of Astrakhan Province). Two-way ANOVA and principal component factor analysis (PCA) were applied using Excel 2016 and STATISTICA 7.0.

Results and conclusion. The best results for almost all characters were recorded in 2022, except for seed cotton weight per boll that was significantly higher in 2024. Average values for the tested set were comparable in 2023 and 2024, with the latter year slightly worse. ANOVA showed that the major part of variability for most characters was influenced by the genotype, except for the length of the growing season. The effect of weather conditions was also significant. PCA confirmed that late-ripening cultivars would not be productive in the north of Astrakhan Province, and that higher boll weight did not correlate with productivity, as midseason and late cultivars had larger bolls. Bulgarian accessions with the best performance over three years were selected: k-7212, k-7214, k-7291, and k-7363. The studied variability of important agronomic characters under the influence of weather conditions and their identified correlations will help to set priorities in cotton breeding for specific environments.

Background. Climate warming requires adaptation of the regional assortment of garden strawberries (Fragaria L.). Breeders face the task of producing new cultivars adapted to higher temperatures in summer and autumn, with resistance to winter thaws.

Materials and methods. In 2022–2025, 108 Fragaria accessions from the VIR collection, including cultivars, wild species, and hybrids, were studied at Pushkin and Pavlovsk Laboratories of VIR.

Results. Principal component analysis of the studied plant characters showed that the main differentiating feature for the species was the number of berries per plant, associated with the duration of flowering and fruiting. Some accessions of wild species surpassed cultivars in a number of characteristics. F. vesca L. demonstrated the potential for early fruit ripening, prolonged fruiting, and resistance to Phomopsis leaf blight, and gray mold; F. moschata Duchesne ex Weston and F. viridis (Duchesne) Weston were identified for winter hardiness; F. viridis and F. orientalis Losinsk showed complex resistance to leaf spot and gray mold; F. mandshurica Staudt and F. chiloensis (L.) Mill. was resistant to gray mold. Wild accessions of F. moschata yielded 8.39 to 9.39 t/ha, which placed them in the group with medium yields. This feature, combined with high organoleptic scores, makes their cultivation in Northwest Russia a reality. High-yielding cultivars of F. × ananassa (> 15 t/ha) were identified for the northwestern conditions: ‘Vladyka Zosima’, ‘Kupava’, ‘Yaroslavna’, ‘Bova’, ‘Altair’, ‘Duet’, ‘Geyzer’, ‘Forsazh’, ‘Darenka’, ‘Torpeda’, ‘Akvarel’, ‘Berdsky Rubin’, ‘Tanyusha’, ‘Jonsok’, and ‘Zabelinskaya’.

Conclusion. Wild Fragaria spp. showed the potential for expanding the assortment of garden strawberries through distant hybridization or direct introduction into cultivation.

Background. The uses of oat, one of the most important cereal crops, are predetermined by the quality of its grain. The objective was to study the chemical composition features in Avena sativa L. var. inermis Koern., A. sativa var. aurea Koern., and A. sativa var. mutica Alef. in order to identify accessions from the VIR collection that could serve as sources of high protein, starch, oil, high and low beta-glucan content, and optimal fatty acid composition for food and feed purposes, and to analyze the metabolic profiles of the studied oat varieties.

Materials and methods. The studied material represented three botanical varieties of A. sativa of different geographic origin, reproduced in 2021–2023 in Northwest Russia. Biochemical parameters were assessed according to the guidelines adopted by VIR.

Results. The chemical composition (the content of protein, starch, oil, beta-glucans, antioxidants, phenolic compounds, fatty acids, and metabolites) in the grain of three oat varieties was analyzed, and its nutritional food and feed value was established. The variability and interrelations among the studied features were identified.

Conclusion. The naked oat accessions significantly differed from the covered ones in higher values of all the studied parameters. Statistically significant differences were found in the chemical composition of the grain in the three oat varieties. A. sativa accessions, differing in the presence/absence of the hull and the color of the flower glumes (white or yellow), also manifested significant differences in the intensity of major physiological and biochemical processes. Potential possibilities of using individual genotypes of cultivated oats were revealed, and accessions were identified as sources of valuable traits for various areas of breeding for food and feed purposes.

Background. A decrease in the seed setting rate during self-pollination of flower heads was observed in sunflower genotypes with low pollen quality, which, in its turn, negatively affected the yield. Therefore, studying the quality of pollen grains, in particular their morphological defectiveness, is important for sunflower hybrid breeding.

Materials and methods. The study was conducted in 2022–2024 at the 2nd Dept. of the Central Experiment Base (Oktyabrsky Farmstead), V.S. Pustovoit All-Russia Research Institute of Oil Crops. The VK195, VK305, KG49 and RIL200 lines, 10 F₁ hybrids, and 23 M₀ plants of the VK101 line were tested. Pollen quality was assessed according to the shape and diameter of pollen grains. Self-fertility was calculated as the ratio of the number of well-filled achenes to the number of tubular flowers in a head.

Results. Crossing lines with contrasting manifestations of pollen defectiveness showed different types of dominance for normal pollen in F₁ in 8 cases out of 10. Intermediate inheritance of the trait was found in two crosses of the pollen-defective KG49 line, used as the maternal form, with the normal VK195 and VK305 lines. A significant difference in the values of reciprocal crosses indicated a maternal effect in the inheritance of high pollen defectiveness in KG49. For VK101 with predominantly normal pollen, wide variability in both pollen defectiveness and self-fertility, with a negative correlation between them, was observed after environmental stress using the TE genesis technology.

Conclusion. The relationship between morphological defectiveness of pollen and self-fertility was analyzed in three significantly different variants: homozygosity of constant lines with contrasting values of traits, heterozygosity of interlinear hybrids, and environmental modification of epigenetic stress in a normal line. All variants demonstrated the same pattern of a decrease in self-fertility with an increase in pollen defectiveness.

Successful solution of plant breeding problems associated with higher crop productivity and improved quality indicators of grain is impossible without the availability of appropriate genotyped source material. Oat is a versatile cereal crop. Oat grain has high nutritional value, contains essential unsaturated fatty acids, essential minerals, globular proteins, and β-glucans; it is characterized by the presence of a diversity of chemical compounds with antioxidant properties. Recently, oats have been utilized quite widely for food and dietary purposes, to expand the range of functional food products. Products obtained from oats have been recognized as means of preventing and treating certain chronic diseases. Of great importance in this context is the identification and development of sources and donors of valuable agronomic traits and a thorough study of their components. The genome-wide association study (GWAS) is a popular genomic approach that identifies genomic regions associated with a phenotype and, thus, aims to discover mutations in the genes underlying the phenotype. Information about the genome of a studied object is required for this statistical method, as well as phenotyping under field conditions, usually over a period of three years. A discussion is presented on the use of GWAS in the analysis of crop genetic diversity. The results of using this technique for identification of main agronomic and biochemical traits are shown. The details of applying this analysis for oats, as well as for the identification of genes controlling the synthesis of β-glucans in oat grain, are considered.

Background. Barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) is a staple crop cultivated since ancient times. Currently, barley is the leader among cereals in acreage. Due to the growing concern about climate change, the relocation of agriculture to northern regions becomes increasingly popular. Important traits that determine plant adaptability and the range of its geographic expansion include its rate of development and tolerance to various growing conditions.

Materials and methods. The duration of the germination-to-heading period was studied in 660 barley accessions from East Asian countries. DNA-markers were used to analyze the allelic state of the Ppd and VRN genes in 51 accessions that matured early in Northwest Russia. The photoperiod sensitivity was assessed for 44 genotypes maturing early in the field. The accessions that demonstrated earliness under various soil and climatic conditions, including ‘Bankuti Korai’, ‘Kinai 5’, ‘Mona’, and k-15013, served as controls. The tested material was analyzed in accordance with conventional guidelines adopted at VIR.

Results and conclusions. Nineteen accessions with very high development rates were selected under long-day conditions in Northwest Russia. Eleven groups with different allelic combinations of the Ppd and VRN genes were identified. The most frequent allele combination among early-maturing barley accessions was Ppd-H1Ppd-H2vrn-H1vrn-H2vrn-H3, i.e., two dominant and three recessive alleles (DD-RRR), represented by 17 genotypes. The most common combinations among early barleys: DD-RRR, DR-DRD, DD-DDR, and DR-RRR, were absent in late-maturing and winter barley accessions, which may attest to their diagnostic value. Fifteen sources of weak photoperiod sensitivity were selected. Accession k-12223 from China was identified for its earliness and lack of response to day length.

Background. Proso millet (Panicum miliaceum L.) is a nutrient-rich whole-grain crop with a short growing season, making it suitable for cultivation across diverse agro-ecological zones. Studying the genetic diversity of millet in germplasm collections is essential for genetic resources conservation and breeding practice. Due to their high polymorphism, SSR markers are widely used for the analysis of plant genetic material.

Materials and methods. Seven SSR markers were selected on the basis of published data, and their ability to detect genetic variability was assessed in 13 millet accessions from the VIR collection. The accessions originating from different agro-ecological zones were studied with PCR, followed by agarose gel electrophoresis. Genomic DNA was extracted from etiolated seedlings using a modified CTAB method. Genetic variability parameters were calculated: number of alleles (Na), effective number of alleles (Ne), expected heterozygosity (He), and polymorphic information content (PIC). Nei’s coefficient was used to construct a genetic distance matrix. Principal coordinate analysis (PCoA) and a phylogenetic tree (UPGMA) were made using DARwin 6.0.21.

Results. Out of the 7 selected SSR markers, four (GB-PMM-073, GB-PMM-085, GB-PMM-121, and GB-PMM-126) revealed polymorphism in the analyzed accessions, while the remaining three (SSR 28, SSR 109, and SSR 332) were monomorphic. A total of 19 allelic variants were detected. The average number of alleles per SSR-locus was 2.7, and the mean PIC value was 0.471. Two markers (GB-PMM-121, and GB-PMM-073) demonstrated a high level of informativeness (PIC > 0.6). The PCR products obtained from the 13 millet accessions were sequenced, making it possible to identify additional allelic variants in the sequence structure.

Conclusion. Preliminary results suggest that the identified polymorphic markers can be recommended for assessing and genotyping millet germplasm collections, and for characterization of breeding material.

Background. Dagestan Experiment Station of VIR for the first time obtained Aegilops–wheat hybrids. Aegilops biuncialis Vis. (UM genomic structure) served as the maternal form for one of them. These hybrids required an analysis of their embryological characteristics to understand their nature and assess their reproductive potential. The objective was to identify specific features of the anther development in two Aegilops–Triticum hybrid lines versus their paternal parent (Triticum L.).

Materials and methods. Two lines (7 and 9, differing in ear morphology) of Aegilops–wheat hybrids from the VIR collection were studied. Plants were grown in the Botanical Garden of the Komarov Botanical Institute. Anther development was studied by cytoembryological methods and scanning electron microscopy.

Results. The anthers of both lines were 4-loculated. The formed microsporangia wall was 4-layered; in a mature anther it was 2-layered. Microsporogenesis was of the successive type; the microspore tetrads were isobilateral, with variable callose wall thickness and the absence of callose ridges toward the locule’s center. However, linear, T-shaped, and zigzag tetrads also occurred. Pollen grains were 3-celled. Microsporogenesis and microgametophytogenesis proceeded normally, although some anthers (especially in line 9) manifested anomalies of development: lagging chromosomes in the anaphase of meiotic divisions, presence of sterile pollen, multinuclear microspores, pollen grains with additional nuclei and pores, etc.

Conclusion. Anther and pollen grain development in both Aegilops–Triticum hybrid lines was similar to that of Triticum. The only difference was the more variable structure of their microspore tetrads and the absence of callose ridges typical of wheat: it could be inherited from A. biuncialis. The identified developmental anomalies are not likely to affect significantly the pollen quality in the studied hybrids, suggesting that they may be useful for breeders.

Nomenclatural standards were issued for 6 cultivars of Malus domestica Borkh. (apple tree) developed at the North Caucasian Federal Scientific Center of Horticulture, Viticulture, Wine-making (NCFSCHVW). In addition to ‘Renet Kubanskiy’ (WIR-108872), they included cultivars with immunity to scab (Venturia inaequalis (Cooke) G. Winter) controlled by the Rvi6 gene, released cooperatively with the Russian Research Institute of Fruit Crop Breeding (VNIISPK): ‘Amulet’ (WIR-104534), ‘Margo’ (WIR-108870), ‘Orfey’ (WIR-108871), ‘Talisman’ (WIR-108873), and ‘Yunona’ (WIR-108875).

The plant material of the apple-tree cultivars was identified and selected in the collection of the NCFSCHVW during the flowering and fruiting periods. An herbarium of flowers (except for ‘Renet Kubanskiy’), leaves, fruits, and annotinous shoots was prepared for each cultivar, supplied with a description of main pomological, agronomic, and adaptively significant traits, and a photo of the plant’s individual parts. Herbarium specimens, arranged in accordance with the recommendations of the International Code of Nomenclature for Cultivated Plants (ICNCP), were registered the databases and placed for perpetual storage in the WIR Herbarium of the N.I. Vavilov All-Russian Institute of Plant Genetic Resources (VIR) and the National Center for Plant Genetic Resources.

Each published nomenclatural standard for an apple-tree cultivar serves as an official scientific document certifying the breeding achievement and ensuring the perpetual preservation of the genuine and original genetic, taxonomic and morphological information on Southern domestic apple-tree cultivars. It can be used to verify such cultivar’s authenticity during its propagation and cultivation in industrial plantings.

The review presents an analysis of recent studies on the resistance of Brassica rapa L. crops to the most dangerous pathogens – fungi of the genus Alternaria, and the bacteria Xanthomonas campestris pv. campestris. Geographic distribution, virulence, and racial composition of pathogen populations were analyzed, and regional features of their distribution were identified. Particular attention was paid to the research into the biochemical mechanisms of plant resistance, including the role of secondary metabolites (glucosinolates, phenolic compounds, and phytoalexins), and the activity of the key defense enzymes. Modern approaches to breeding for resistance were considered, including the use of representatives of relative genera, and marker-assisted selection. It is shown that the integration of traditional and molecular genetics methods is a promising trend for the development of cultivars with complex resistance, adapted to modern phytopathological challenges in the context of global climate change.

This review is focused on analyzing the polymorphism of the dwarfing genes HvGA20ox2, HvBRI1, and HvDep1 in cultivated barley, as well as the Sln1 gene, which is promising in this regard. Data on the mechanism of action and the role of their natural and induced alleles in barley breeding are summarized. To expand our understanding of the polymorphism of HvGA20ox2, Sln1, HvBRI1, and HvDep1, this review integrates the results of the in silico analysis of their sequences in the cultivated barley pangenome, which includes 53 genotypes. This approach revealed a spectrum of previously uncharacterized haplotypes and mutations potentially associated with plant height. For HvGA20ox2, 10 promoter haplotypes and 6 protein types were identified, including the known alleles sdw1.c, sdw1.d, sdw1.ins, and sdw1.ZU9, with the latter two differentiated into subtypes. The Sln1 gene was characterized by a highly conserved coding region (changes were detected in only three genotypes), whereas the promoter region exhibited considerable variability, with 13 haplotypes. For HvBRI1, the uzu1.a dwarfism allele was identified; however, this gene is characterized by the lowest polymorphism of both the promoter and coding regions. The highest promoter variability (81% of the accessions differed from the wild type) with highly conserved protein was demonstrated for HvDep1. Thus, these data expand opportunities for the targeted application of the identified genetic diversity in further fundamental and applied research in barley breeding.

VIR. Books. 2025