The article is dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the head institution of the Federal Scientific Vegetable Center - the oldest and leading breeding organization for vegetable crops, better known in the scientific and socio-economic spheres of the Russian Federation by its historical name - VNIISSOK. The center's activity dates back to the creation in 1920 of the Gribovskaya Vegetable Breeding Experimental Station, where, under the leadership of Professor Sergei Ivanovich Zhegalov, a theoretical and practical basis for the development of domestic breeding was laid. In 1970, the experimental station was transformed into the AllUnion Research Institute of Selection and Seed Production of Vegetable Crops, and in 1992 into the All-Russian Research Institute of Selection and Seed Production of Vegetable Crops. Over the years, breeding methods have been developed and improved, including modern biotechnological methods, using molecular marking and interspecies hybridization. The results obtained during this period reflect the traditions of scientific schools and approaches laid down by scientists-breeders, seed growers, vegetable growers, flower growers, both in the field of basic research, and in the creation of varieties and hybrids of vegetable crops. The organizational and structural reform of breeding institutions carried out in 2017 contributed to the formation of the Federal scientific vegetable center (FSBSI FSVC), which includes VNIISSOK as the parent organization and 8 branches located in various ecological and geographical zones. At a new stage of development, the FSBSI FSVC continues its glorious traditions. Scientists have obtained world-class results in basic research and competitive selection achievements in priority applied research. The scientific results and structural changes that have occurred over the hundred-year period of the breeding establishment are the foundation for the further development of the vegetable science in the country.

Relevance and methodology. Currently, due to changing weather conditions, the cultivation of melons and gourds is shifting to areas that were not previously engaged in melon growing. Therefore, the testing of available varieties in various environmental conditions is relevant. The purpose of this work is to evaluate melon varieties bred at the Bykovskaya melon breeding experimental station in various soil and climatic conditions. Three varieties of melon were used as the object of research. The tests were carried out in the conditions of the Volgograd region, the Krasnodar region and the Republic of Kazakhstan. During the research, the melon varieties were evaluated according to the following indicators: yield, duration of the growing season, dry matter content.Results. As a result of the research, it was revealed that the variety Harmonia was the most stable in terms of the duration of the growing season (75-79 days). A consistently high content of dry matter in all areas of the study was in the varieties Comet and Idyll from 12.0 to 15.0%. All varieties had a good tasting score. The average fruit weight of all melon varieties grown in Krasnodar and the Volgograd region was at the same level. The high average weight in the conditions of Kazakhstan was distinguished by the Idyll variety - 4.3 kg. The melon varieties Harmoniya and Idyllia have a consistently high yield in all three zones. The variety Kometa had the highest yield in the conditions of Kazakhstan - 16.3 t/ha. Thus, melon varieties that have been tested in different regions of cultivation have high quality indicators and yields and are suitable for growing marketable products in the regions of the study.

In commodity farms, the technology of growing onions is sown by sowing seeds from a one-year crop. This, in turn, introduces new requirements for growing technology, technical means and, most importantly, for varieties and hybrids of onions. The average yield of onion in Russia is at a low level - 20-30 tons / ha. New varieties and hybrids must have precocity, high yield, resistance to diseases and pests, good crabness. The success of selection work, as is known, is largely determined by the source material. The priority is to create heterotic hybrids of onion, showing increased viability, high stable yield and leveling, general resistance to pathogens, increasing the content of vitamins, proteins, dry substances, increasing cold resistance, drought resistance, and keeping quality. In the department of selection and seed production of All-Russian Scientific Research Institute of Vegetable Growing – a branch of FSBSI FSVC is breeding onions for growing in the annual culture of the Central strip of Russia. The study was conducted in 2017 with the setting of experiments in the open field. In the collection nursery 24 samples of onions of different geographical origin were investigated: Russia, the Netherlands, Italy and the USA. During the study, phenological, biometric measurements and a morphological description of the samples were carried out. As a result of the study of a set of economically valuable traits, the following samples of onion were identified and involved in the work: Ermak, Stuttgarter Riesen, Sturon, Forward, Crx 2381 F1, Santero F1, Sandra F1, Lamyca F1, Bennito F1, Premium F1.

Federal State Budgetary Scientific Institution 'Federal Scientific Vegetable Center' (FSBSI FSVC) is the leader in the field of selection and seed production of vegetable crops. The main mission of the selection and seed-growing work of the FSVC is the creation and reproduction of varieties and hybrids of vegetable and melon crops of a new generation, characterized by resistance to both abiotic and biotic stressors, high productivity and product quality. Success has been achieved in the creation of homozygous lines of cabbage, squash, cucumber, carrots. For the first time, it was possible to complete a full cycle of obtaining doubled radish haploids in microspore culture in vitro. The immunological research on the resistance of crops and new varieties to diseases are carried out, as well as plant pest and disease control methods are developed. Phytosanitary monitoring, assessment and selection of resistant genotypes are carried every years. The environmentally friendly products based on preparations obtained from plants with a high content of biologically active compounds having adaptogenic properties are developed. A new research direction in the center is the creation of vegetable crop varieties having increased content of biologically active substances and antioxidants, on the basis of which functional products are created. The keeping quality of modern varieties and hybrids of table carrots depending on the biochemical composition has been studied. Methods for enriching vegetable plants with micronutrients are being developed. The technologies for the cultivation and seed production of new varieties and hybrids are created. There were established the branches located in different soil and climatic conditions to study the interaction of factors controlling soil fertility and the productivity of vegetable crops in agrocoenoses (crop rotation; tillage, fertilizer application and plant protection systems). In general, all work of the FSBSI FSVC is aimed at developing and improving methods in breeding and seed production of vegetable crops, creating new breeding achievements and developing varietal technologies for their cultivation. | Федеральное государственное бюджетной научное учреждение 'Федеральный научный центр овощеводства' (ФГБНУ ФНЦО) – лидер в области селекции и семеноводства овощных культур. Основная цель селекционно-семеноводческой работы этой организации – создание и размножение сортов и гибридов овощебахчевых культур нового поколения, отличающихся устойчивостью к абиотическим и биотическим стрессорам, высокой продуктивностью и качеством продукции. Успехи достигнуты в создании гомозиготных линий капусты, кабачка, огурца, моркови. Впервые удалось завершить полный цикл получения удвоенных гаплоидов редиса в культуре микроспор in vitrо. Ведутся иммунологические исследования устойчивости культур и новых сортов к заболеваниям, разрабатываются методы защиты растений от вредителей и болезней. Ежегодно проводится фитосанитарный мониторинг, оценка и отбор устойчивых генотипов. Идет разработка экологически безопасных средств на основе препаратов, полученных из растений с высоким содержанием биологически активных соединений-адаптогенов. Новое направление исследований – создание сортов овощных растений с повышенным содержанием биологически активных веществ и антиоксидантов, для производства продуктов функционального назначения. Изучается хранимоспособность современных сортов и гибридов моркови столовой в зависимости от биохимического состава. Разрабатываются способы обогащения овощных культур микронутриентами. Создаются технологии возделывания и семеноводства новых сортов и гибридов. На филиалах ФГБНУ ФНЦО, расположенных в различных почвенно-климатических условиях, заложены стационары по изучению взаимодействия факторов управления плодородием почв и продуктивностью овощных культур в агроценозах (севооборот, системы обработки почв, удобрений и защиты растений). В целом, исследования ФГБНУ ФНЦО направлены на разработку и усовершенствование приемов в селекции и семеноводстве овощных культур, создание новых селекционных достижений и разработку сортовых технологий их возделывания.