New results of the clonal selection of apple tree (Malus domestica Borkh) conducted at Podillya Research Station of Horticultural Institute NAAS by method of state variety testing have been presented. By the results of the 6-year studying (2007 - 2012) of 20 new Jonagold clones of domestic selection their estimation was carried out according to the complex of such qualities as productivity, early ripening, marketability, taste qualities and durability of fruits. The following clones are defined to be the best: DP-16, DP-17, DP-18, DP-20. They start fruiting in the age of 2 or 3 years, productivity of the 5- or 6-year-old trees reaches 8,3–25,5 tons per hectare, quantity of the fruits of the highest and first grade is about 57–76% (in 2010–2012). Fruits of the mentioned clones are bigger than medium size (DP-16), big (DP-17, DP-18) and very big (DP-20); they have average similarity, excellent and very harmonious sour-sweet taste (8,3–8,7 points). Fruits of the best clones kept their quality for 202 – 220 days.

In connection to the climate changing and draught frequency increasing in the spring-summer period the fractional composition of water (combined and uncombined water) in leaves of apple from May to August 2011, 2012 were studies. Combined and uncombined waters have different functionality for the life of plants. An uncombined water in leaves determines intensity of physiologic processes while the combined is responsible for plants resistance to unfavorable conditions. The fractional composition of water was studied in apple leaves of varieties bred by All-Russian Research Institute for Fruit Crop Breeding of RAAS, Bolotovskoye, Irmus, Orlik, Orlovim, Orlovskoye Polosatoye, Sinap Orlovskiy, Yubiliar in comparision to widespread varieties – Antonovka, Melba and Welsi. The study established that the varieties examined were well-adapted to drought in May, at the beginning of summer, as well as at the end of August and in September. At the beginning of July and in June higher indices of drought resistance were registered for Orlovim and Yubiliar, with the highest indices of combined water content. The completion of shoots growth and development of leaves system in all apple varieties was associated with increase of combined water amount in the leaves in August. In September, the number of combined water remained higher that suggested high adaptivity of the varieties being studied. The highest content of combined water in autumn was registered for Sinap Orlovskiy, Antonovka, Boltovskoie, Irmus.

The results of cultivating of isolated apple anthers of immune to scab varieties are described. The peculiarities of callus formation using picloram are shown.

The history of creation and distribution of apple cultivar Renet Burhardta created by N .A. Gartvis is described.

The fruit of apple scab immune hybrids, obtained from the targeted crossings for suitability for juice production, were estimated. The most perspective hybrids were selected. They are not inferior to the world juice cultivars in the basic technological characters (juice output), and even surpass them in a number of these characters (the content of SDS and P-active catechols in juice).

To analyse the modern classification and nomenclature of species of pome fruit crops which varieties are listed in the State Register of Plants Varieties Suitable for Dissemination in Ukraine, and improve terminological system of the Ukrainian names of both species and garden crops. Results. Fruit cultivars and most apple clonal rootstocks belong to Malus pumila, and ornamental cultivars belong to Malus gloriosa. The most common scientific name of the cultivated apple, especially among horticulturists, is Malus domestica, although according to the principle of priority the name Malus pumila should have the advantage. As far as Nomenclature Committee for Vascular Plants has rejected the proposal to conserve the name Malus domestica, Malus pumila is correct name for the cultivated apple. The use of synonymic name Malus domestica should be avoided in both scientific and scientific-popular papers for stability of nomenclature. Pear cultivars listed in the State Register of Plants Varieties Suitable for Dissemination in Ukraine are presented by Pyrus communis, and pear rootstocks – by Cydonia oblonga. Fruit cultivars of the latter belong to separate fruit crop named quince. An apple-quince hybrid was registered as universal clonal rootstock for pome fruit crops. The State Register of Plants Varieties Suitable for Dissemination in Ukraine also contains nonconventional fruit crops such as Chaenomeles and hawthorn that consist of some species and nothospecies. Conclusions. In scientific publications one should stop the use of synonymic name Malus domestica in favour of the correct name for cultivated apple Malus pumila. Apple, pears and Chaenomeles cultivars listed in the State Register of Plants Varieties Suitable for Dissemination in Ukraine have a complex multispecies origin whereas quince, hawthorn and pear roostock cultivars systematically are monospecies. A universal roootstock of pome fruit crops is Cydolus, or apple-quince, that resulted from interspecies hybridization between quince and apple. Refusal Refuse to use obsolete names of fruit plants species will promote harmonization of professional language.

Callusogensis and morphogenesis of anthers of apple scab resistant varieties have been studied, with picloram applied. Auxin activity of this preparation has been revealed as in the darkness so in the light. The callusogenesis efficiency of studied varieties varied from 26,0 to 83,3% subject to the concentration of picloram in the darkness and from 11,3 to 74,9% in the conditions of low light. We consider 4 mg/l in the medium to be an optimal level of piloram concentration so far as this concentration provides the best callusogenesis indices of the tested apple varieties. The callus formed in the darkness in the medium with picloram is knobby and dense of white or milky color. The callus formed in the light is intensively green or greenishwhite, denser, with distinctly outlined meristem hearths. Morphological characters of calluses obtained in the medium of picloram are stable over years. The roots of Yubiley Moskvy variety have been induced under auxin:cytokinin ratio 1 : 2 (picloram : BAP, cytokinin). The roots of Svezhest cultivar were obtained under auxin : cytokinin ratio 3:9 (picloram : BAP, kinetin). Formation of four buds was recored in Orlovskoye polesie variety under auxin : cytokinin ratio 1:20.

Assessment is made for heat-resistance of 10 promising domestic and foreign apple varieties, as well as for their drought- resistance (leaf tissue water content, water holding capacity and turgorescence); also, impact of weather conditions on implementation of its drought and heat resistance by the research subject is determined. The article highlights the best in Ukraine’s Forest-Steppe environment by the above economical and biological properties apple varieties.

Breeding of columnar type apple varieties has been carried out at VNIISPK since 1984. The possibility of grow-ing of columnar type apple varieties in the crown of winter hardy semi-dwarf rootstock 3-4-98 by S. N. Stepanov’s breeding is being studied in different density of planting in the orchard (3 x 1,0 m; 3 x 1,5; and 3 x 2,0 m). The inves tigation of winter hardiness, cropping power, fruit mar ketability and biochemical composition allowed releasing two varieties «Poesia» and «Priokskoye» for state trials.

The author has estimated the effect of the cultivar-rootstock interaction peculiarities on the parameters of the apple winter cvs ‘Ascol`da’ and ‘Spartan’ on the IS series rootstocks. Dwarf and semi – dwarf combinations have been selected which are the most favourable for the establishment of this crop high – densed orchards in the Lisosteppe of Ukraine.