One of directions of radish breeding is creation of varieties with an unusual combination of color and form of a root crop. The article presents the results of the breeding work with radish and introduces description of 7 new radish varieties.

Nutritional properties, benefits, economic importance of parsnip varieties ‘Krugliy’ ‘Lutshiy iz Vsekh’, ‘Serdechko’ ‘Beliy Aist, ‘Zhemtchug’ bred at VNIISSOK are discribed in the article. The descriptions of the varieties, methods of their development and technology for variety supporting are also given.

It is necessary not only to possess the technology to grow seeds but also to have knowledge of plant biology in particular crop, and sowing qualities of its seeds. The particular place where seeds are forming on the mother plant has much influence on qualities of sowing seed material. The influence of the development of red beet plant bush on seed productivity, monogermity and sowing qualities of seeds was estimated in Rostov oblast. The main stalk pruning and application of plant growth retardants had an effect on the structure of red beet bush. In variants given in seed plants, the third type of branching prevailed due to lack or oppression of main stalk. Consequently, the seed yield and proportion of single fruit formation rose. It was also shown that due to treatment of plants with growth retardant ‘Floron’ at the stage of waxen maturity significantly improved the seed germination as compared with control variant. As a result of the study it was shown that the mechanical pruning of main stalk and application of growth retardants had affected on the structure of seed red beet bush increasing the yield mono-seed compounds as well as had improved the yield and seed quality of monogerm red beet.

The understanding the nature of trait inheritance in any crops is that determines the quality of results in breeding program. According to reference on previous publication, it is known that phenotypic manifestation of purple root color in radish was caused by regulatory interrelationship mechanisms of genetic control that is difficult to be used directly in breeding program. From literature sources and on the basis of their own research work the authors have proven the practice to maintain the trait in generations, and implementations of development of purple radish breeding accessions have been presented. At first stage of breeding program the selection of initial breeding accessions was carried out, where 14 varieties (red x white) were regarded on the basis of top-crosses to obtain F1 and F2 progenies to be analyzed. Thus, four best combinations from crossing were chosen with 100% of hybridity. Through analysis of hybrids for individual progenies the hybrid population F1 of radish ‘Konfeti’ with different root colors was developed. As result of the individual inbreeding selection on seed plants with pigmented stems and the colored flower rim, the stable breeding accession with purple root was obtained. Thus, in breeding practice in radish it was succeeded to obtain the stably inheriting purple root color in radish accessions, variety ‘Siniiy Iniey’.

The study was carried out in 2008-2016. The field experiments were performed at the territory of breeding centre and experimental facilities of FGBNU All-Russian Research Institute of Vegetable Growing, Moscow oblast. Varieties and hybrids originated from national and foreign breeding programs were used as a plant material for the study. In total 67 accessions including 34 with white root, 27 with yellow root and 6 with violet root were studied. Some traits of carrot were regarded, where it was shown that the root weight (Cv=20.350.5%), the core portion (Cv=10.9-26.7%) and leaf number (Cv=10.8-26.3%) in white carrot were the most variable traits, while a root length (Cv=8.1-15.1%), a leaf length (Cv=7.217.9%) and a root diameter (Cv=6,3-14,1%) were the less variable ones. In yellow carrot the significant variation was revealed in a root weight (Cv=20.1-48.2%), but low variation (Cv=12.2-25.1%) was observed in accession ‘Mestnaya’ from Uzbekistan. The great variation in root weight (Cv=20.152.0%) was found out among purple carrot, but low variation for the trait (Cv=11.1-26.8%) showed the accession ‘Purple Haze’. In the each group of different colored carrots, the hybrid combinations were selected out with low variability in such traits as the root weight, the core portion, the root length.

As a result of the research carried out in 2013-2016, the viability and originality of 1157 accessions of root vegetables have been preserved. 250 breeding accessions of carrot, beetroot and radish have been assessed for different economically valuable traits in open field and laboratory tests. Out of them, 65 accessions were selected out as sources of economically valuable traits. The early-maturing accessions of radish, such as ‘Korsar’, ‘Francuzsky Zavtrak’, ‘Mikhnevsky 1’, ‘18 Dney’, ‘Koroleva Margo’, ‘Polyna’, ‘Rozovo-Krasny s Belym Konchikom’, ‘Sofit’, ‘Kvarta’, ‘Saksa’, ‘Variant’ were regarded. The carrot accessions, such as ‘Scarlet’, ‘Koroleva Oseni’, ‘Dlinnaya Krasnaya’ were distinguished as sources of high yield capacity. The sources of high root yield in beetroot were varieties: ‘Valenta’, ‘Mestnaya iz Madagaskara’, Goldiers Super Black Beet, Zwaans Early Red Chief. The long shelf-life during wintertime was observed in beetroot varieties: ‘Slowiblot’, ‘Valenta’, ‘Lomarina’. The varieties: ‘Nevezhes’, ‘Neger Schwarz Halblange’, ‘Goldiers Super Black Beet’ were distinguished by high root marketability. With the use of world plant collection at VIR, the following varieties of root vegetables: ‘Dar Podmoskovya’ in carrot; ‘Osennya Princessa’ in beetroot; ‘Mikhnevskiy 1 ‘in garden radish; ‘Osenniy Krasavets’ in daikon; ‘Albina’ in root parsley; ‘Atlant’ in parsnip; Moscowskiy Krasavets in celery, and ‘Oseniya Udacha’ in wild radish were developed. It was also shown those varieties that had high yield capacity and root marketability were distinguished by small epidermal cell structure and large number of stomata per unit of leaf surface. It may be supposed that the large number of stomata per unit of leaf surface and small epidermal cell structure was the evidence of adaptive capacity of accessions taken for the study.

Pink tomato due to their high taste quality is particularly important crop for consumers in Russia. Pink tomato seeds become more popular in the market every year. Breeders have accomplished to combine high fruit taste quality with good transportation abilities and fruit denseness. One of the latest breeding achievement is Cetus F1. A successful combination of good fruit taste with transportability and yield makes this variety a potential leader in Russian market. This is confirmed by growers' trials in various regions of South of Russia.

Winter garlic as a source of vitally necessary macro and microelements is very important in human's diet. Therefore, correlation links among accumulation the basic chemical elements in bulbs of winter garlic were estimated. It was shown that positive reliable relationship (r=0.71-0.85) was discovered between average potassium accumulation and elements, such as magnesium, aluminum and boron, and also between magnesium and boron accumulation, and between aluminum and magnesium. The correlation analysis showed negative relationship between cadmium accumulation with copper (r=-0.71) and silicon (r=- 0.66) accumulations. There is no significant relationship between lead accumulation and other element accumulation. The significant positive correlation was revealed between accumulation of radionuclides 90Sr, 137Cs in garlic bulbs and accumulations of aluminum, calcium, boron and magnesium with coefficients 0.74 and 0.85; 0.70 and 0.78; 0.65 and 0.77; 0.57 and 0.72, respectively. It was shown that accessions more resistant to diseases accumulated less cadmium (r=-0.47), but more lead (r=0.49). Moreover, it was noticed that accessions with high accumulation of potassium had the low percent of well-wintered bulbs (r=-0.57), but more accumulation of Zn and Fe caused the improved hardiness (r=0.80, 0.75, respectively).

The most part of tomatoes cultivated in Astrakhan oblast are transported in industrial centers of Russian Federation. Introduction of new cultivars suitable for mechanized harvesting and transportation has a considerable significance for tomato production in Nizhniye Povolzhye, and consequently, increases the profitability of vegetable production. At All-Russian Research Institute of Vegetable, Melon and Ground Growing several new-bred tomato cultivars passed the trial test, and thus, were shown to meet all requirements for upto-date agricultural technology.Two tomato cultivars 'Bokserskiy' and 'Klasicheskiy' were bred on the base of experimental data. These cultivars exceeded the standard 'Moriyana' in yield capacity, fruit weight, and had nearly equal biochemical composition. According to results obtained, it was shown that the fruits of cultivars 'Bokserskiy' and 'Klassicheskiy' were suitable for mechanized harvesting and long distance transportation.

In the genus Solanum there are a number of less common vegetables. S. aethiopicum L. and S. macrocarpon L. are a two popular species of eggplant, traditionally grown in tropical Africa. The object of research was breeding lines and hybrids of S. melongena L. and accessions of S. aethiopicum and S. macrocarpon. Plants were grown in condition of low-capacity hydroponics according to all agrotechnical requirements. The fruits for analysis were collected from one layer of plants at the phase of technical maturity. Phenolic compounds are unique secondary metabolites that are synthesized in all plant cells and have increasingly wide application in pharmacology and medicine. Flavonoids was in the range of 0.7-1.1% in lines and F1 hybrids of S. melongena, however more flavonoids was obtained in the African eggplant accessions, such as S. aethiopicum L., 1,4% and S. macrocarpon L., 1.2%. The total content of phenolic compounds was in the range of 1.7-2.3% in the pulp of S. melongena L. fruits. The total content of phenol carbonic acids ranged from 1.0-1.5% in the lines and hybrids F1 studied, as referred to S. melongena. The content of phenol carbonic acids is higher from 1.5% to 1.8% in S. aethiopicum and S. macrocarpon. In the pulp of the interspecific hybrid fruits the total content of flavonoids and phenol carbonic acids was 2.6-2.7% that was 1.5 times as much as in S. melongena.