Purpose. Create a new source material of soybeans without pubescence, determine its selection value for the efficient use of processed products in animal nutrition, which will ensure high productivity of the latter. Quantitative and qualitative indicators of seeds are important economic and valuable features. The lack of pubescence on plants is unique. Methods. Field, special, laboratory and mathematical-statistical. Results. The minimum fat content of 20.88% was observed in the seeds of the non-pubescent variety ‘Kobra’, 23.73% in the line No 305, and 25.02% in the line No 22. The varieties ‘Diamant’ and ‘Antratsyt’ had a high fat content – 24.08–25.83%. The protein content in the green mass of promising lines was very low – up to 16%. The fat content was in the range of 2.1–5.3% with the maximum value in the lines No 3 and No 7 – 4.67–5.26%. The protein content in ‘Anakonda’ seeds and No 1 and No 9 lines was 36–37%, in standard varieties – at the level of 29.5–35.63%. A comparison of new non-pubescent lines with standard varieties and the most productive varieties ‘Diamant’ and ‘Adamos’, which are included in the Register of Plant Varieties of Ukraine and meet the requirements for efficient use in fodder production. Conclusions. Lack of pubescence in soybean plants is an extremely rare and atypical phenomenon. There are no such varieties in the state register of plant varieties of Ukraine. More than 50 non-pubescent lines exceed the indicators of economic suitability of national standards and modern varieties. Lines No 4, No 5, No 7, No 8, which had more than 15% protein in the green mass, should be involved in the selection process to create fodder varieties. The ‘Anakonda’ line has a nutritional value with a minimum content of linolenic acid in the oil (6.08%). Increased oleic acid content was observed in varieties ‘Adamos’ (35.01%), ‘Diamant’ (33.53%), ‘Ametyst’ (31.39%).

Purpose. To study the protein content and other economically valuable traits in soybean varieties of various origin, to determine the stability and plasticity indicators of these traits, as well as to identify varieties that are promising for use in breeding programs. Methods. Field, laboratory, biochemical and statistical. Results. In total 22 soybean varieties of various origin in terms of yield, protein and oil content in seeds were investigated. High-yield and high-plasticity varieties are distinguished: ‘Muza’, ‘Mentor’, ‘Asuka’, ‘Valas’, ‘Kofu’, ‘Asuka’, ‘Cardif’, ‘Alligator’, ‘Vyshyvanka’, ‘Suziria’ and varieties of domestic breeding with stable yield ‘Siverka’, ‘Vilshanka’, ‘Ustia’, and also the ‘Lisbon’ variety. High protein content was noted in the variety ‘Opus’ – 45.0% in 2017. This variety on average for three years showed 43.63% of the protein in the seeds, and was second after the ‘Ustia’ variety (44.3%). The highest value of the regression coefficient b = 4.289 was observed in the ‘Lisbon’ varie­ty, which shows its high sensitivity to growing conditions with a fairly low average seed protein content of 38.60%, as well as the variety ‘Silesia’ b = 4.289 with an average protein value of 42,73%. Standard variety ‘Muza’ with a low protein content of 38.60% was quite stable in the expression of this characteristic – S2 = 0.222. A number of high-oil varieties were distinguished: ‘Valas’ – 22.77%, ‘Sigalia’ – 22.7%, ‘Alligator’, ‘Siverka’ – 22.53%, ‘Kofu’ – 22.13%, standard variety ‘Muza’ – 21.77%. Conclusions. In breeding programs aimed at increasing the protein content in seeds, the following varieties should be used: ‘Opus’ – as a carrier of the maximum value of the trait, as well as ‘Ustia’, ‘Asuka’, ‘Silesia’ and ‘Kasidi’ as combining high yield and high protein content. The weather conditions of the year in different ways influenced on the manifestation of the studied traits: in a favorable year for obtaining high yields, the protein content in the seeds decreased, the high protein content accumulated in a drier year, and the oil content in seeds changed insignificantly.

The article displays economical value, as well as directions of use for valuable protein crop, soybean, as well as growth rate of its production during recent years in the world scale and in our country, establishment of its varietal resources in Ukraine. Complete description for new soybean varieties listed in the State Register of Plant Varieties Suitable for Dissemination in Ukraine is provided for those having Official Description.

There provided ways of using valuable protein crop, soybean, as well as its production worldwide growth rates during recent years, possibility and necessity of attaching to the crop a strategic importance in our State and the tasks and outlooks of soybeanrecourses generation. A complete description of new soybean varieties listed in the Register of Varieties Suitable for Dissemination in Ukraine has also been provided.

Purpose. To determine the patterns of influence of gro­wing factors on the economically valuable characteristics of new soybean varieties. Methods. Field, biochemical methods, analysis of variance. Results. The rates of the influence of the growing zone, the conditions of the growing season of the year and the soybean variety on the yield, weight of 1000 seeds, the content of crude protein and oil, and protein and oil collection were determined. The greatest influence on the yield of the studied varieties had a growing zone – 55%. On average the maximum yield was obtained in Forest-steppe zone 2.48–3.58 t/ha, the lowest – in Steppe zone (1.33–1.89 t/ha) for 2017–2018. In the same period the weight of 1000 seeds on average was 125.1–169.9 g in the Steppe zone, in Forest-Steppe zone it was 130.2–207.8 g and 143.9–188.0 g in Fo­rrest zone. According to the results of analysis of variance, it was determined that the growing zone has the greatest influence on weight of 1000 seeds – 31%, variety – 21% and conditions of the growing season of the year – 13%. The main characteristics of soybean quality are the content of crude protein and oil in seeds. The highest level of crude protein was observed in soybean variety in Forest-Steppe zone – 37.5–44.0%. In Forrest zone, the crude protein content was 34.4–41.7%, in the Steppe zone 35.4–40.1%. The maximum level of this characteristic was observed in variety ‘NS Diyana’ – 44.0% in Forest-Steppe zone, in Forrest zone – in the variety ‘Alexa’ 41.7%, in Steppe zone – in variety ‘NS Diyana’ 40.1%. Thus, the growing zone (31%) and variety (25%) had the greatest influence on the content of crude protein; the interaction of factors (variety and growing zone) affected 17%. The average oil content for 2017‑2018 ranges from 19.8 to 24.2%. High oil content was noted in ‘Adsoy’ variety in Forrest and Forest-Steppe zones, 24.2 and 22.6%, respectively, and ‘Azimut’ – 23.8% in Steppe zone. The results of the analysis of variance showed that the growing zone to a greater extent affected the oil content in soybean seeds by 25%, variety – 21%, and the interaction of factors of the variety and gro­wing zone by 21%. Conclusions. According to the results of multifactor analysis of variance, it was determined that the growing zone had the greatest influence on the studied parameters. It was found that the rate of the influence of gro­wing zone of soybean varieties is 25–55%, depending on the studied characteristic. It was determined that the influence of the variety was 4–25%, the conditions of the growing season affected by 1–26%.

The article concerns directions of valuable protein crops using, soybeans, growth rates of its production throughout the world in recent years, the opportunity and the necessity of making this crop strategic in our country, problems and prospects of the high-grade soybeans resources formation, the full characteristic of new soybean varieties listed in the State register of Plant Varieties suitable for distribution in Ukraine in 2013.