Relevance. Microscopic fungi exhibit the greatest exoenzymatic activity, and xylotrophs are capable of possessing a complex of oxidase and hydrolase enzymes to destroy lignin.Methods. Among the soil micromycetes isolated from the rhizosphere of annual leguminous crops, a search was made for strains that are promising from the point of view of effective microorganism technology, in order to create optimal conditions for increasing soil fertility and crop yields. The detection of total phenol oxidase activity was carried out according to the method of Bavendamm, cultivating the strains on microbiological agar with the addition of an aromatic lignin derivative (0.06% tannin) and the growth factor was calculated. The cellulase activity of the strains was judged by the degree of hydrolysis of the filter paper. Alternaria alternata, Bipolaris, Botrytis fabae, Cunninghamella echinulata, Curvularia lunata, Macrophoma phaseolicola, Trichoderma koningii, Trichoderma viride and Ulocladium botrytis strains were found to cleave lignin and cellulose.Results. When comparing the phenoloxidase activity of the strains, it was proposed to take into account the growth factor, expressed as the ratio of the diameter of the colony on the substrate with the addition of tannin to the diameter of the colony without tannin. Thus, perspective strains of T. koningii and U. botrytis strains with respect to the complex activity of enzymes were identified. The strains C. lunata, A. alternata and B. australiensis showed high cellulase activity. The strain of non-pathogenic soil fungus C. echinulata has the ability to degrade lignin

The paper demonstrates  the basic achievements in breeding and seed production  of vegetable  legumes  in All,Russian Research Institute  of vegetable  breeding  and seed production  and the directions  of the development  of advanced  varieties, which are very important at this stage.

The results of study of 21 collection samples for variability of the biochemical composition of green beans are presented. The best selected samples characterized by stable content of total sugars, dry matter, and diet fiber are recommended for use in breeding program for development of new improved varieties of vegetable beans.

In the VIR collection there is a rich initial material, which can contribute to the intensification of breeding of leguminous of vegetable directions of our country, as well as an increase in speciesdiversity of cultures in this group.

Beans (Vicia faba L.) is the one of the ancient crops which have been cultivated and used for food. The historical note about bean utilization in ancient world and in Russia, and the information aboutcenters of origin, food value of seeds are presented in this review. Botanical characteristics of three bean varieties of VNIISSOK breeding are described.