Relevance. Astilbe chinensis has clinical efficacy against many diseases, making this plant a potential natural source for treating diabetes and obesity with a mild, non-aggressive effect. Overall, the study of the biological properties of A. chinensis leaves is currently in its infancy.Aim. In this study, the anti-amylase and anti-lipase potential of aqueous extract of Astilbe chinensis leaves was investigated as an important source of natural complex substances with therapeutic potential. Methods. The total content of phenolic compounds was determined by the Folin-Ciocalteu method and flavonoids by the colorimetric method according to the complexation reaction with aluminum chloride. The effects of aqueous/tea extracts of A. chinensis leaves on pancreatic amylase and lipase were studied via in vitro models in comparison with acarbose and orlistat, respectively. For these tests, the artificial substrates 1,2-O-dilauryl-rac-glycero-3-glutaric acid ester (6-methylresorufin) and 2-chloro-4-nitrophenol oligosaccharide were used.Results. The study of the effect of aqueous extract of A. chinensis leaves on pancreatic amylase and lipase showed a comparable inhibitory effect of 18% on both enzymes.

Relevance. The creation of new varieties and hybrids of sweet pepper adapted to the conditions of the Astrakhan region will increase yields, product quality and competitiveness. The analysis of the inheritance of valuable traits in F1 hybrids will also expand the base of the pepper gene pool and create new promising varieties and hybrids that meet the requirements of the modern market and consumers. The purpose of the study was to study the collection and breeding material for the creation of F1 sweet pepper hybrids with a combination of new economically valuable ones in the Astrakhan region.Methodology. The work was carried out in the Astrakhan region, Kamyzyaksky district in the VNIIOOB branch of the "PAFSC RAS" according to accepted methods and technologies. During 2021-2023, 82 collection samples and 420 breeding lines were studied, with a total area of 0.42 ha.The objects of research were 4 varieties and 1 line of sweet pepper.Results. In the collection and breeding nurseries, promising samples were selected, according to which hybridization was carried out. When studying the hybrids obtained, four hybrid combinations are of breeding interest: Cuboid red x Sprinter, Sprinter x Gift of Moldova, Sprinter x Flight, Flight x Sprinter. Inheritance was studied according to the characteristics: the type of bush, the shape of the fruit, color in the technical and biological degree of maturity, wall thickness and insemination of fruits. We studied the parental forms and inheritance of sweet pepper traits in F1 hybrids of four crossing combinations. Description and selection of combinations Cube-shaped red × Sprinter and Sprinter × Podarok Moldovan, exceeding the standard in yield by 5.7-7.3 tonnes/ha, which are of interest for further breeding work. It was determined that in the obtained hybrid combinations, the morphological characteristics of plants were inherited mainly by overdomination of the Sprinter variety.Conclusion. The research results can be applied in practice when creating the starting material for future varieties and hybrids of sweet pepper, and the resulting hybrids will complement the range of existing varieties and hybrids of sweet pepper.

Relevance. In recent years, we have seen an increase in the number of new bacterial fertilizers. New fertilizers must be effective, so it is important to select their qualitative and quantitative composition. It is equally important to study the effect of these bacteria on their number, dissemination and long-term residence in the soil, as well as their effects on plants.Aim of the Study. This work studies the effect of the method of obtaining a fertilizer containing Streptomyces coelicolor grown on the whey on the amount and duration of these bacteria in the soil and on the growth characteristics of white mustard (Sinapis alba L.) sown into the soil after a long time after watering with fertilizer.Methods. The whey was diluted and autoclaved, Streptomyces coelicolor were grown on this substrate. An inoculum for this biofertilizer was obtained in two ways. The first way: Streptomyces coelicolor were grown once on a Waksman`s media. The second way: the inoculum was sequentially grown on the whey, gradually increasing the volume. Bacteria in fertilizer were cultivated without mixing or by mixing in the temperature-controlled shaker. We studied the effect of biofertilizer on soil in containers in the laboratory. The amount of Streptomyces coelicolor in the soil was determined 0.5, 1.5, 2 and 4 months after watering by fertilizer. Seeds of white mustard were sown two months after watering with fertilizer. We studied the effect of fertilizer on growth characteristics of white mustard.Results. The fertilizer obtained by sequentially cultivating the inoculum and growing streptomyces without mixing contained ten times more streptomyces than fertilizers obtained by another method. This biofertilizer also effectively increased the number of streptomyces in the soil. Streptomyces from fertilizer have been preserved in the soil for a long time. The effect of biofertilizers obtaining without mixing on growth characteristics of white mustard was the most effectively.Conclusion. The fertilizer obtained by sequentially cultivating the inoculum and growing streptomyces without mixing contributes to a more increase of streptomyces number in the soil and is more effective in growing white mustard then fertilizers obtained by other methods. Our biofertilizer is effective in growing crops sown in the soil for a long time after watering with fertilizer. The fertilizer can be used in indoor crop production and greenhouse farms.

Relevance. Potato are one of the main sources of starch. Potato starch is widely used in human economic activities. The starch content in tubers, including the number of starch granules and their size and shape, are varietal characteristics. For this reason, it is important to identify potato varieties with starch grains suitable for starch production already at the early stages of breeding process.Materials and Methods. The Aim was to study the morphological structure of starch granules in cells of potato tubers belonging to varieties from different maturity groups. Eighteen potato varieties (Solanum tuberosum L.) of various breeding origin and from different maturity groups were used as the research object. The granulometric composition was determined by the method of fluorescent microscopy. The research was conducted using a CLSM 800 confocal laser scanning microscope (Zeiss, Germany) with a laser wavelength of 488 nm.Results. The research allowed us to obtain data on the morphology of variously-shaped starch granules in cells: round, oval, elongated, and irregular. The research established a direct correlation between the number of large starch grains in a cell and the time required for a given potato genotype to mature. Mid-season and medium late potato varieties were observed to have a higher starch content than varieties from the groups with earlier maturity. On average, the difference in the starch content between these groups was 1.97%. The highest number of starch grains was found in 40-70 μm cells and larger. The research identified Solanum tuberosum L. genotypes with large and small starch granules. These genotypes might be recommended for further use in the practical breeding to create high-quality varieties.

Relevance and Methods. The study is devoted to the analysis of the state of technical and technological support for the production of vegetable crops in Russia. During the research, the following methods were used: analytical, monographic, economic-statistical and expert assessment.Results. It provides data on self-sufficiency in vegetable production, production of vegetable crops in farms of all categories over the past 5 years, as well as changes in the cost of production and the cost of sales of these products. The issues of providing vegetable growing with agricultural machinery and equipment, the introduction of digitalization processes in the vegetable growing sub-sectors, as well as existing measures of its state support are considered. As a result of the analysis of the current state of technical and technological support for vegetable growing, as well as the existing state support for the production of vegetable crops, the main elements that need to be developed to increase the efficiency of this sub-branch of crop production have been identified.Conclusion. Vegetable growing is one of the most significant sub-sectors of crop production, ensuring consumer demand of the population and food security in Russia; in order to achieve the necessary level of self-sufficiency in vegetable production, appropriate technical and technological support for their producers is necessary; to solve this problem, it is necessary to introduce innovative technologies for the production of vegetable products, as well as to provide the necessary amount of modern high-performance machinery and equipment, which is possible only with effective state support for the technical and technological modernization of vegetable production.

Relevance. The development of a system of molecular markers that allows identifying the genetic determinants of resistance to pathogens, as well as the typing of alleles involved in the regulation of anthocyanin accumulation, is the most important condition for increasing the efficiency of the breeding process aimed at enhancing the resistance of cultivated crops to biotic and abiotic stresses.Methodology. The work involved molecular genetic methods of DNA isolation, PCR analysis, restriction, and evaluation of amplification and restriction products in agarose or polyacrylamide gels. The material used included the diverse collections of Solanum lycopersicum and Capsicum annuum, as well as the specimens of closely related wild species.Results. The paper evaluates the effectiveness of 25 molecular markers presented in the literature associated with resistance to tomato and pepper diseases caused by fungal, bacterial, viral pathogens, as well as nematodes. Markers to the alleles of MYB transcription factor genes associated with the regulation of anthocyanin accumulation in tomato (SlMyb12, Anthocyanin1, Anthocyanin2, An-2-like and Atroviolacium) and pepper (Myb113-like1, Myb113-like2 and ETC3-2), recommended for the breeding process aimed at increasing resistance to stressful biotic and abiotic environmental factors, are presented.

Relevance. Potatoes are not only the most useful food product, both in its raw form and in its processed products, but they are also valuable technical raw materials, and therefore there is a need to increase the shelf life of tubers and preserve their quality for further processing into various types of potato products: dry, fried, frozen, canned.Methods. Analytical studies were carried out in the soil and climatic conditions of the Moscow region in the laboratories of plant protection, storage and processing of potatoes on the basis of the Russian Potato Research Centre (RPRC) in accordance with officially approved methods. The processing of commercial tubers was carried out in storage using a special temperature misting agent Based on the results of the studies conducted, the purpose of which was to identify the most effective inhibitor drug that effectively reduces potato losses during storage and ensures the required quality of tubers intended for industrial processing, it became possible to save most of the products obtained at the production sites and, if necessary, supply to places of sale, which significantly reduces losses.Results. The results of the effectiveness of processing potato tubers of the Pennant, Grand and Luck varieties stored with the germination inhibitor Chlorprofam, which significantly reduced the natural loss of weight, technical waste, absolute rot and sprouts during long-term storage at 8-9 °C by a total of 4.0%; 7.1% and 4.8%, respectively, and was due to complete inhibition of germination of tubers stored. The research revealed a tendency to decrease the content of reducing sugars in tubers by the end of the storage period (in two of the three studied varieties, the decrease was 0.18%). The use of the Chlorprofam germination inhibitor made it possible to obtain crispy potatoes and French fries of higher quality.

Novel coronavirus COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2), the unexpected pandemic that been caused severe fright worldwide. It has presented the world with one of the most difficult global public health crises and the arrival of COVID-19 has kept the whole world on their toes. The spread of COVID19 has become a health emergency and attention has been raised worldwide to design prevention and management strategy. Although several clinical trials are ongoing, no approved medications from Food and Drug Administration are available at a time, after while some preventative vaccines have been developed, manufactured and deployed depending on variant of COVID-19. As situation warrants for the exploration of a successful antiviral, there should be a search for the remedies in nature medicine. Medicinal plants and their metabolites have long been used as a treatment option for various life-threatening diseases with minimal side effects. Thus this review aims to summarize previous outcomes concerning the role of medicinal plants in treating several life-threatening diseases for the potential medicinal plants used in the case of COVID-19 treatment. Some of these includes Turmeric (Curcuma longa Linn.), Black Cumin (Nigella sativa L.), Garlic (Allium sativum L.), and Ginger (Zingiber officinale Rosc.). These are important traditional herbal medicines to cure many complicated health ailments. However, further extensive researches and trials are suggested to discover the role of medicinal plants for management of the pandemic. Moreover, the use of potential medicinal plants for specific variant of COVID-19 and others life-threatening diseases has to be investigated.

Relevance. In winter, the most useful vegetable for humans is the leaves of onions. As a green crop, onion is characterized by high yield, early maturity, and possesses the necessary bioactive phytochemicals – vitamins, organic acids, minerals for the healthy benefit. The purpose of our research was to assess the quality of leaves of onion and shallot cultivars of onion breeding FSBSI FSVC in winter-spring season.Material and Methods. The material for the study were onion cultivars Zolotnichok, Chornyy Prints, Myachkovsky 300, Rosario, Sputnik and shallot cultivar Cascade. Planting for greens was carried out in a glazed winter greenhouse in February in seedling boxes with peat soil "bridge" method. For planting onions of 22,1-40,0 mm fraction were used. Biochemical parameters were analyzed: dry matter content, total content of water-soluble antioxidants and antioxidants in alcohol extract, polyphenols and photosynthetic pigments in the leaves of onions and shallot.Results. Qualitative analysis of products for the content of dry matter, monosaccharides, sum of water-soluble antioxidants, ascorbic acid showed that the maximum content of biochemical substances was observed in shallot. The content of polyphenols and sum of antioxidants in the alcoholic extract, as well as the amount of photosynthetic pigments differed and depended on the sample.

Relevance, Materials and Methods. The potato collection, represented by varieties from the Republic of Belarus in the amount of 40 samples, was studied in the Murmansk region. The study was conducted from 2000 to 2023, the duration of the study according to the samples ranged from 3 to 9 years. The study of potato samples was carried out according to the methodological guidelines for the maintenance and study of the world potato collection in Russia. The standards for the early ripening group were the Hibinskiy ranniy variety and the percentage of the average yield standard for the collection of early ripening varieties; the Imandra variety and the percentage of the average yield standard for the collection of mid-season varieties were chosen as the standard for the mid-season group; for the group of late-ripening varieties in the collection, the percentage of the average yield for the collection of late-ripening varieties was used as a standard, since there is no standard for lateripening ripening groups in the region.Results. As a result of our study, we made the following conclusions: Phenology: Early shoots in the collection were noted not only in varieties of early ripening groups: Lazurit (k-11899), but also in varieties of medium-ripened Lasunok (k-11285), and the middle late (late maturing) groups: Vytok (k11897), Skarb (k-11904), Lan (k-12086). This indicates the wide adaptability and plasticity of these varieties. The stages of budding and flowering were standard. Early-maturing varieties were the first to enter the stage, then varieties with a longer maturation period. Economically valuable signs: The ability to accumulate an early harvest on the 60 day from planting in the group of early-ripening varieties, 4 varieties were distinguished: Archideуa (k-11921), Lazurit (k-11899), Neptun (k-12107), Yavar (k11907); 2 varieties in in the middle-ripening group: Granat (k-11652), Skarb (k-11904); 2 varieties in the middle-late (late) group: Garant (k-11923), Zdabytok (к-12085). As a result of the work carried out, the following varieties were identified: Granat (k-11652), Neptun (k-12107), Scarb (k-11904), Yavar (k11907) as donors of early maturity, productivity and large tuberosity. The variety Zdabytok (к-12085) in the conditions of the North showed the properties of early maturity, productivity, marketability and starchiness. The varieties Al’pinist (k-11920), Vytok (k-11897) can be recommended as donors of starchiness, as well as coarse tuberosity. The samples Sintez (k-11666), Mag (k-12238) stood out in terms of productivity and starchiness.