Relevance. Potatoes with red and purple flesh are highly valued dietary products and sources of polyphenolic compounds with antioxidant activity, especially anthocyanins. It has been found that the anthocyanin content in potatoes correlates with the total soluble phenolic content and antioxidant activity. These measures are significantly higher for coloured potatoes. The total phenolic content in particular the total anthocyanin content increases during the cold storage of coloured potatoes. Pigmented potatoes are also more preferable for food and industrial processing because of retaining of antioxidant properties and improving of final products quality. Сoloured potatoes selection and biotechnological approaches of regulation of anthocyanins accumulation are based on the understanding of the molecular genetic processes of anthocyanins biosynthesis. The anthocyanin biosynthesis is a part of the phenylpropanoid metabolic pathway. It is controlled by the MBW complex. The MBW complex includes the transcription factors MYB, bHLH, and WD40. A number of the MYB complex genes have been identified in potatoes. The key role in potatoes pigmentation variability is currently assigned to the StAN1 gene. According to available data anthocyanins play a protective role in response to various types of stress in potatoes.

Relevance. Today special attention is paid to potato anthocyanins as components of functional food. Increasing interest is generated by research on the use of anthocyanins for the benefit of animals and people in addition to their significant role in the life of plants.   The research goal was to identify the quantitative and qualitative composition of anthocyanins in the tubers of valuable potato hybrids of Primorsky selection.   Five promising potato hybrids (Solanum tuberosum L.) belonging to different groups of maturity and involved in the comparative variety testing by FSBSI “FSC of Agricultural Biotechnology named after A. K. Chaiki” were used as the research object.   The research was carried out under the conditions of field and laboratory experiments in Primorsky kray, Russia, in 2018-2023. The anthocyanins were divided by the method of high-performance liquid chromatography. The anthocyanins were identified by the method of second-order mass spectrometry.   Results. The research evaluated the potato hybrids for the content of anthocyanins in the tissues of the tubers – skin and flesh. The following specimens were determined to have a high content of anthocyanins both in the skin and flesh: Pri-15-12-14 (petunidin-3-arabinoside: 310.0 and 91.1 mg/kg; cyanidin-3-glucoside: 149.8 and 39.8 mg/kg) and Pri-14-52-2 (petunidin-3-arabinoside: 360.0 and 143.0 mg/kg; cyanidin-3-glucoside: 80.4 and 81.2 mg/kg). The selected specimens were characterized by purple and blue-purple skin. Genotypes Pri-14-52-2 and Pri-15-12-14 had tuber flesh with purple pigmentation. Hybrids Pri-15-12-14 and Pri-14-52-2 had the highest total content of anthocyanins in the flesh – 130.9 and 224.2 mg/kg, respectively. The conducted research identified eight different anthocyanins in the tubers of the studied potato specimens: delphinidin-3-glucoside, delphinidin-3-ramnosil-5-glucoside, petunidin-3-glucoside, malvidin-3-glucoside, cyanidin-3-glucoside, cyanidin-3-ramnosil-5-glucoside, pelargonidin-3-glucoside, and petunidin-3-arabinoside. The tubers with pink and red skin were determined to contain pelargonidin-3-glucoside. Petunidin-3-glucoside and cyanidin-3-glucoside colored tuber skin purple. The selected group of specimens might be recommended for use as functional food and in goal-oriented breeding.

Relevance. The garden strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa (Weston) Duchesne ex Rozier) is a widespread berry crop distinguished by its fast vegetative growth, early bearing age, and high yield and plasticity. Today everbearing (remontant) strawberry varieties gain in popularity due to their long fruiting period, and high yield and berry quality. Annually new foreign varieties appear on the Russian market. For this reason, it is important to study foreign garden strawberry varieties of different ecological and geographical origin and identify those of them that are adaptable to agro-climatic conditions of a given region.   The research goal was to determine the biochemical and customer qualities of the garden strawberry varieties introduced in Primorsky kray and to select varieties with economically important traits for further breeding and production.   Research methods. The research was carried out in the nursery of primary variety testing at FSBSI “FSC of Agricultural Biotechnology of the Far East named after A.K. Chaiki”. The following garden strawberry varieties of foreign breeding origin were used as the research object: Сabrillo (USA), Albion (USA), Florentina (Netherlands), Murano (Italy), and Bravura (Netherlands). The studied varieties were day-neutral and everbearing. Variety Elizaveta 2 was used as the control (Russian breeding origin; admitted to use in all regions of the Russian Federation). The following parameters were evaluated: total yield, average berry weight, maximum berry weight, berry size, the yield of marketable berries, and the content of dry matter, reduced sugars, and vitamin C. The accumulation of anthocyanins in berries was determined by a rapid assessment using a color scale. Records were made and scientific observations were conducted according to “Program and methods of variety testing of fruit, berry, and nut crops” (1999).   Results. Based on the results of the research on the economically important traits of the everbearing day-neutral strawberry varieties introduced in Primorsky kray, the following varieties were selected: Cabrillo for yield (263.3 g/plant, control – 82.8 g/plant), Murano for the yield of marketable berries (81.3 %), and Bravura (15.5 g) and Florentina (15.2 g) for berry size. The highest content of dry matter was accumulated in berries of variety Аlbion (9.87%). The highest content of reduced sugars was found in varieties Cabrillo (7.16%), Florentina (7.09 %), and Аlbion (7.09 %); of vitamin C – in Florentina (60.30 mg/100 g), and of anthocyanins – in Murano (50 mg/100 g). Murano was established to be the most promising variety under the conditions of Primorky kray for the complex of its traits.

Relevance. Currently, there is an increasing interest in nutritional supplements of natural origin. One of the crops that can be used for this is sweet potato. The inclusion of flour from dried sweet potato tubers with colored pulp in the recipe of wheat bread can contribute to its enrichment with vitamins and antioxidants. Therefore, the study of the suitability of sweet potato tubers obtained in the conditions of the Non-Chernozem Zone for use as an additive in the production of bread is an urgent task.Material and methods. The article presents the results of a comparative study of the appearance and taste of bread with the addition of various amounts of powder from root tubers with colored pulp of two varieties of sweet potato (Purple 1 - anthocyanin and Beauregard – carotenoids).Results. It has been established that sweet potato root tubers grown in the conditions of the Central region of the Non-Chernozem zone are suitable for use as a natural food additive to wheat bread. The positive effect of preliminary steaming of tubers before drying on the volumetric yield of bread and the color of its crumb was revealed. The studied varieties of sweet potato differed significantly in the yield of air-dry powder - the Purple 1 variety had an advantage over the Beauregard variety. Bread with additions of 5% and 10% of Purple 1 tuber powder was characterized by the best appearance and taste. The Beauregard variety had a high sugar content, which negatively affected the consumer advantages of bread with its additives.