Relevance. The trend of increasing the area of protected soil and introducing new technologies in the cultivation of vegetable crops of food value can be traced every year. With the development of technology, the requirements for the quality and volume of seed material of hybrids have increased. The main constraints on seed production are the requirements for additional manual labor costs and the complexity of the process, in particular, pollination elements that need to be studied and improved.The aim studying some elements of technology, the optimal time between castration and pollination when crossing fertile tomato lines.Material and Methods. The research was conducted in 2022 year in greenhouse at the Federal State Budgetary Institution "Federal Scientific Vegetable Center". The objects of research were different methods of applying paternal pollen to the stigma of the maternal form. The experiment was carried out between maternal and paternal mid-fruited semi-determinate tomato lines in a hybrid combination. The variants of our experience include time-varying methods of pollen application. Pollination at the same time after castration is a control option, pollination after 4, 12, 24, 48 hours. Options with additional pollination the next day: pollination after 4 (+ after 24 hours), 12 (+ after 24 hours), 24 (+ after 24 hours), 48 hours (+ after 24 hours).Results. In the research, it was found that when pollinated with pollen of the paternal component 24 hours after castration of flowers with additional pollination the next day (24 hours later), the yield of seeds from one fruit on the average fertile maternal line of tomato exceeds 3 times compared with conventional pollination at the same time with castration.

Relevance. Lettuce is a widespread green crop. The high demand for lettuce products, as well as for new varieties, drives the development of different breeding practices for this crop. It is the most promising to use hybridization method in the lettuce breeding for a diverse source material production. However, lettuce is a self-pollinating plant with small flowers and a short flowering period (about three hours), so the technique of castration and pollination is difficult. The current methods of lettuce hybridization vary in efficiency and labor intensity. This study aims to compare the effectiveness of three different hybridization methods and to obtain a source material for lettuce breeding using these methods.Materials and methods. 15 varieties of different variety types of lettuce were studied in various combinations. Three hybridization methods was conducted in the conditions of the Moscow region and the Krasnodar Territory: 1) using flies as pollinating insects, 2) using manual castration by cutting off the inflorescence of unopened buds with pollen inside and washing off pollen residues followed by manual pollination ("Clip and Wash" method), and 3) using manual emas- culation with a single pollen wash, also followed by manual pollination. The hybridity level assessment and the breeding material selection were performed according to the main morpho- logical and economically valuable characteristics.Results. In the period from 2021 to 2023, 529 hybrid plants were produced using three different hybridization methods of lettuce. Out of these, 150 plants of various variety types and forms were selected for further breeding. The "Clip and Wash" method was found to be the most effective in terms of achieving the highest hybridization percentage (92-100%) with less labor costs in organizing crosses. However, the hybridization process using insect pollination was less effective and required more labor, but it was also possible to pollinate a larger number of inflorescences using this method.

Relevance The structure of the flowers of tomatoes is very thin adapted to self-pollination, and any violations of the technology of cultivation in protected ground lead to a significant reduction in the ability of plants to pollinate and fruit set. Violation of growing conditions can lead to changes in the structure of the inflorescences and flowers, which negatively affects pollination and fruit formation, reducing the yield. The article presents a review of literature data and the author’s own research on this topic. It has been established that growing conditions in cultivation structures have a greater effect on the amount of pollen produced in tomato flowers and to a lesser extent, on its quality. In the flowers of the first inflorescence, the least amount of pollen is produced. This is due to the fact that the formation of this inflorescence occurs in the seedling period, while it is experiencing more stress. Basal (the first in the inflorescence) flowers produce low-quality pollen, while its amount is maximum. Additional pollination improves fruit set by increasing the amount of pollen grains falling on the stigma of the pistil. The use of bumblebees for additional pollination increases the yield by increasing the number of ensuing fruits. The formation of polynomial flowers on tomato plants – varietal reaction. More often they are found in multi-chamber largefruited tomato hybrids. Less commonly, polynomial flowers are found in tomato hybrids with plum and pepper fruits, such flowers are not found in cherry tomato hybrids. A polynomial flower - most often the first in the inflorescence. They are formed mainly in the first 4-5 inflorescences and give accreted non-harvest fruits. In order to increase the yield and quality of fruits, polynomials need to be removed in a timely manner.