Relevance. The demand for medicinal raw materials of Calendula officinalis L. is determined by the high content of pharmacologically significant compounds. Comparison of the most common ornamental cultivars of Calendula officinalis L.) in terms of yield and content of biologically active substances in the raw material helps to identify the most promising cultivars in terms of a set of indicators.Materials and methods.The decorative cultivars Apricot, Art Shads, Fiesta Gitana, Kabluna golden-yellow, Orange King, Orange Balls, Yellow Gitana and Golden Balls, characterized by large inflorescences and terry, were used as prototypes. The cultivar Kalta, widely used for the production of medicinal raw materials, was chosen as a control. The experiments were laid on the experimental plots of the Fruit Growing Laboratory of the Russian State Agricultural University – Moscow Timiryazev Agricultural Academy. Productivity was determined as the total weight of inflorescences harvested during the entire season per unit area. The amount of flavonoids was determined by spectrophotometry. The amount of polysaccharides was determined according to the modified Draywood method. The lutein content was determined by HPLC.Results.To obtain inflorescences we can recommend to use the variety Orange King, which, with a satisfactory yield (0.363 kg/m2), was characterized by a high content of flavonoids (1.2%) and satisfactory (35.9%) extractives and corresponds to the quality of raw materials required by GF XIV. In addition, this variety was characterized by an increased content of polysaccharides (20.3%). The Varieties Apricot and Yellow Gitana were characterized by high productivity (562±49 and 507±41 g/m2, respectively). Their raw materials can be used by production of herbal teas, where the content of flavonoids is not regulated. As sources of lutein, one should pay attention to the ligulate flowers of the varieties Apricot, Fiesta Gitana, Golden balls. In the variety Kabluna, with the maximum lutein content, the proportion of reed flowers in the inflorescence was only 38%. In varieties with large inflorescences, the content of lutein in reed flowers was higher (R=0.685). Large non-double inflorescences will be most productive in this indicator.

Relevance. Pumpkin is one of the most important source of carotenoids for humans: β- and α-carotene, lutein and zeaxanthin playing a fundamental role in providing twilight and color vision accordingly.Results. Investigation of pumpkin carotenoid composition, Konfetka variety, revealed for the first time that this cultivar is the only one containing exclusively lutein in pulp with lutein and zeaxanthin in peel and lutein, zeaxanthin and β-carotene in placenta. Lutein concentration in pulp reached 11 mg/100 g, peel – 41.3/100 g, placenta – 51.2 mg/100 g. Zeaxanthin was absent in pulp and reached 28.3 mg/100 g in peel, and 10 mg/100 g in placenta. β-Carotene was detected only in placenta where its concentration was as much as 94.7 mg/100 g. The results indicate great prospects of ‘Konfetka’ components utilization (pulp, peel, placenta) in food industry, production of baby food and biologically active food additives, containing lutein and zeaxanthin.