Increasing the competitiveness of the agro-industrial complex is inextricably linked with the development of science that ensures the development of innovative methods, the introduction of new knowledge and achievements of agricultural science in production. In order to provide scientific support to the vegetable-growing industry in 2017, the Federal State Budgetary Scientific Institution “Federal Scientific Vegetable Center” was founded. The main directions and tasks of the Center are presented in the article. Brief results of research work for the current year are given: 47 new varieties and hybrids have been created; more than 200 gene sources and 30 donors of especially valuable features were allocated, 28 patents for selection achievements, inventions and utility models were obtained. The publication activity of the center for 2017 is 159 publications in the RINC system, as well as 22 articles in the journals included in the Web of Science, Scopus and RSCI databases. Citation of FSBSI FSVC articles on the RINC database -1075.

April 12 is Cosmonautics Day, International Day of Human Space Flight. This is a memorable date dedicated to the flight of the first cosmonaut of the planet, Yuri Alekseevich Gagarin, who became a symbol of the earthlings' dream come true. The All-Russian Research Institute of Vegetable Breeding and Seed Production (Federal State Budgetary Scientific Institution Federal Scientific Vegetable Center (FSBSI FSVC)), like a number of other academic institutions, from the beginning of space exploration, got involved in the work to solve the problem of developing food for astronauts and continues research to this day. In the embodiment of the ideas of K.E. Tsiolkovsky and S.P. Korolev on the creation of space greenhouses received a number of significant achievements in the Federal Scientific Vegetable Center, Russian State Agrarian University – Moscow Timiryazev Agricultural Academy, Institute of Biochemical Physics N.M. Emanuel, SSC RF IBMP RAS and others. Varieties of vegetable crops have been created, tested and recommended for weightlessness conditions: radish, Chinese cabbage, dill, lettuce and other rapidly maturing plants. The variety of Chinese Vesnyanka cabbage has successfully passed biotechnical tests on the ground model of the Phytocycle-SD space conveyor greenhouse, during which good production and biochemical parameters were obtained. Russian scientists are conducting research on developing a technology for cultivating various vegetable plants under space flight conditions – in closed ecosystems (synergotrons), which can serve as the basis of life support systems during space flights, at space stations or in space habitats, where some conditions specific for ISS. Studies have been carried out to study tomato plants grown from seeds that have been under space flight conditions for a long time. As a result of the study, a statistically significant increase in the levels of ascorbic acid, polyphenols and carotenoids, the total antioxidant activity of tomato fruits compared to plants grown from control seeds (ground control) was found.

The aim of the present work was evaluation of the current state and leading directions in selection of leaf and spicy-aromatic vegetables crops belonging to the Asteraceae, Apiaceae, Brassicaceae, Lamiaceae, Chenopodiaceae families. Analysis of leaf and spicy aromatic plant production revealed that at present time these crops become more and more popular. Being a source of essential to human organism vitamins, antioxidants and biologically active compounds they enrich food with marvelous taste and aroma. The main directions in the selection of these crops and presented database of leaf and spicy-aromatic crops genebank promote the selection process optimization. Modern varieties of leaf and spicy-aromatic crops of Federal Scientific Vegetable Center selection are considered to be competitive and promising for import substitution.

Relevance. Maintaining the phytosanitary condition of vegetable and melon crops is an important component in the technologies of cultivation of new and promising varieties and hybrids, since losses from diseases of various etiologies reach 30% or more. This determines the need for immunological studies of the resistance of vegetable and melon crops to phytopathogens of various etiologies, where the basis of the strategy for creating new varieties and hybrids is the joint work of a breeder and a phytopathologist. To do this, it is important to conduct an annual study of the species composition in order to identify new harmful objects that have a negative impact on the profitability of production, as well as to develop measures to protect vegetable crops from the most harmful and economically significant pests and diseases.Methodology and Results. The extensive experimental network of the Federal Scientific Vegetable Center (FSBSI FSVC) in various ecological and geographical zones allows testing varieties and hybrids of vegetable and melon crops in various soil and climatic conditions, including evaluating them for the most harmful phytopathogens in these regions. This review article briefly highlights the main stages of the history of development and current trends in phytopathological research in Russia and our center. The most significant achievements of scientists of the FSBSI FSVC are presented, aimed at a comprehensive study of the current state of populations of pathogens on vegetable and melon crops, resistance factors controlling the interaction of organisms in pathosystems, including genetic ones, optimization and development of new methodological approaches in breeding for immunity and scientific justification of recommended modern protection systems.

The results of the selection work of the Primorsky vegetable experimental station, work in the field of seed production of vegetable crops are presented, the characteristics of the negative processes occurring in the arable soils of the region and their removal by the developed ridgeridge technology of cultivation by technical means with a wide base are given. A comparative characteristic of the former and the wide-row version in terms of energy consumption and fuel consumption is givenAuthors´ Contribution: All authors contributed to the planning and setting up the experiment, aswell as in the analysis of experimental data and writing of the article.Based on the results of the selection work of the Primorsky Vegetable Experimental Station for the period 1993-2023, the station bred and released 56 varieties and hybrids of 19 main vegetable crops. The experience of the Primorsky branch of the Federal scientific vegetable center allows organizing production at a modern level, taking into account the rich experience of other regions of Russia. In conditions of monsoon climate and soils of heavy granulometric composition, with a general lack of heat, their fertility is negatively affected by a large number of external factors. To grow vegetables, a set of measures is needed for serious drainage and irrigation reclamation (creation of polder systems with the laying of systematic plastic drainage) against the backdrop of ridge-ridge cultivation technology, fine irrigation system). The developed wide-cut technology and a set of machines make it possible to introduce a resource-saving technology that saves energy costs and fuel.

The vegetable production is one of the main factors for food security, as vegetables play an important role in the structure of nutrition. The Federal Scientific Vegetable Center creates competitive varieties and hybrids of vegetable crops that meet market requirements to meet the needs of domestic producers and thereby contributes to food security. As a result of national breeding program, the varieties and hybrids adapted to different growing conditions, with resistance to local races of pathogens, temperature stresses, and ground frosts were developed to provide the sustainable production of vegetables with high nutritional and medicinal qualities. The varieties and hybrids F1 of white head cabbage that have been created for the last 5 years are distinguished from foreign ones by taste qualities, appropriate pickling characteristics with increased sugar, and decreased cellulose contents. The local onion varieties combine long shelf life, early maturing, well bulb formation, high dry matter content (18-20%) and ability to form the bulb for one year. Breeders have developed bee-pollinated and parthenocarpic hybrids of cucumber well adapted to local growing conditions and suitable for open field cultivation in different regions of Russia. Parthenocarpic heterotic hybrids of the multi-propose use, corresponding to the modern variety model with high productivity, early-ripening, bunch ovary disposition, resistance to abiotic stresses, and most harmful diseases. The carrot and red beet varieties with high nutritional qualities, long shelf-life, ecological plasticity that are widely used for seed production have been created. The varieties of Solanaceae crops have been developed to cultivate in Non Chernozem zone, Far East, Western Siberia, the Middle Belt of Russia and the south of Russia, are also suitable for different greenhouse complexes located in different light zones of the Russia. Wide application of varieties produced through national vegetable breeding programs can provide the population with our own products of high quality.

The vegetable growing industry in Russia is the main component of crop production, the development of which determines the basis of life and food security. Being the most important and indispensable products of plant origin in the human diet, for a Russian, vegetables are in third place in importance after bread and potatoes. However, according to Rosstat, the level of selfsufficiency in vegetables and food melons in the country is 86,3%, which implies the need to increase their production. To improve the situation in the vegetable growing industry, an important place is given to the issues of improving selection and seed production, since the variety and high-quality seeds are the main elements of modern zonal crop cultivation technologies. At the Federal Scientific Center for Vegetable Growing, selection and seed production of vegetable crops is moving to an innovative development path, where, along with classical methods, modern methods are used: molecular marking according to the main economic characteristics, accelerated creation of homozygous lines using doubled haploid methods, plant immunity. In recent years, various methods of pre-sowing preparation of seeds have been developed to increase their viability and germination friendliness, to obtain even seedlings without harming the ecosystem. Based on the fundamental and priority applied research of previous years, in 2022, the creation of 17 varieties and hybrids of vegetable, melon and flower crops for all potential vegetable growing zones was completed. In order to provide the industry with pure-grade high-quality seed and increase the productivity of crops through the full use of the potential of the variety, the Federal Research Center for Vegetable Growing is constantly working in primary seed production. The developed zonal cultivation technologies will allow growing domestic products in various soil and climatic conditions of the country.

Humic compounds occupy the important place in the chain plant – water. Their application in technologies for vegetable plant growing with the use of drip irrigation enables to increase the coefficient of nutrient compound assimilation from soil with applied fertilizers. The preparation ‘Lighohumate’ presented in the article is integrated fertilizer, possessing the properties of anti-stress, immunomodulator and sticking agent. This preparation has the highest content of humic acids to 20% for liquid and to 90% for dried, consequently it has a powerful influence on plant organism, opening hidden biological  reserves, and improving  the crop  productivity.  The experimental tests showed that ‘Lighohumate’ application trough drip irrigation system together with foliage fertilizers had given significant yield augmentation; 5-20% depending on medium and technology in vegetable crops cultivated with different agricultural techniques. The permanent speeding-up from 3 to 12 days was noticed in the course of plant development with increase of early yield outcome. ‘Lighohumate’  can be used as seed treatment agent as well as foliage fertilizer and already applied giving a result in many vegetable production enterprises.

The method of hydroponics for growing plants without soil has been developed, where the many advantages are: the high technological performance; reduce of expenses; economy in watering and fertilizers due to lack of drainage system and extra engineering needed for solution circulation; reduce of exploitations expenses due to lack of soil tilling. There is also no problem concerning the root rots that are typical for all methods of growing plants without soil. This allows growing the plants with large root volume and prolonged period of vegetation. Efficiency of this system  has been proven by multi-year experiments. It was shown  that  vegetable crop  such as cucumber,  the root system of which is very sensible to oxygen deficiency, well grew, developed and gave fruits on the vegetation tray.