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.

In recent years, in the agricultural sector there is a tendency to increase the production of crop products. However, its quality is still not high enough. To improve the situation in the vegetable growing industry, an important place is given to improving breeding and seed production, since the variety and high-quality seeds are the main elements of modern crop cultivation zonal technologies. At the Federal State Budgetary Scientific Institution “Federal Scientific Vegetable Center” (FSBSI FSVC), vegetable crop breeding has been put on the innovative path of development, where modern methods are used along with classical ones: molecular markers on the main of economical important plant determinants, accelerated creation of homogeneous lines using the methods of doubled haploids and biotechnology of functional products for healthy nutrition. As a result of purposeful selection work, domestic varieties and hybrids of vegetable crops with fundamentally new qualities were created. The geographical location of the branches of the Center allows you to create breeding achievements for all potential regions of vegetable growing. In 2019, 36 varieties and hybrids of vegetables and melon crops were created, including cabbage, carrot, tomato, onion, onion Shallot, perennial onion, garlic, peas, bean, cowpea, pumpkin, cucumber, sugar corn, green vegetables culture, spicy-flavouring plant and floral crops. In order to provide the industry with pure-grade quality seed material and increase the productivity of crops due to the full use of the potential of the variety in the FSBSI FSVC, constant work is carried out in primary seed production. Zonal cultivation technologies have been developed that will allow growing domestic products in different soil and climatic conditions of the country. Wide introduction of achievements of the Russian vegetable growing science in agricultural production is capable to provide the population of the Russian Federation with high-quality, domestic production.

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.

Relevance. Agricultural production is the main consumer of water. Globally, about 70% of fresh water is annually used for agricultural (food and non-food) production. Nearly 40% of the world's food supply comes from irrigation. Globally, the scarcity of irrigation water due to competition between industry and urban consumption threatens food security. Future population growth, income growth and changes in nutrition are expected to increase demand for water. The rate of warming in Russia since the mid-1970s about 2.5 times the global average. The highest rate of temperature increase occurs at high latitudes. The entire territory of Russia is subject to warming, both as a whole for the year and in all seasons. Water Footprint Accounting (WF), proposed by the Water Footprint Network (WFN), has the potential to provide important information for water management, especially in water-stressed regions that rely on irrigation to meet food needs.Methodology. The purpose of this systematic review was to collate and synthesize available data on global water use in vegetable production. Searched online databases covering the areas of environment, social sciences, public health, nutrition and agriculture: Web of Science Core Collection, Scopus, OvidSP MEDLINE, EconLit, OvidSP AGRIS, EBSCO GreenFILE, and OvidSP CAB Abstracts. The search was conducted using predefined search terms that included the concepts of "vegetable crops" and "water footprint".Results. This article provides a brief overview of the vegetable growing water footprint and the sustainability of the blue water footprint. In general, a high green or overall (green + blue) WF may indicate that the vegetable crops are having low yields or inefficient water use. Low green and high blue WF indicate inefficient use of rainwater, which can lead to overexploitation of surface and groundwater. The water footprint can be considered a good economic ergometer, showing the level of water consumption required to obtain a certain vegetable product, whether it brings economic benefits or not, beneficial to society or not.

Experiments were carried out at FGBNU VNIIO in 20112016. The aim of the study was to analyze the influence of different types of organic dormancy caused by various factors on seed quality of some representatives of umbellifer crops. The objects of the study were seeds: parsnip ‘Kulinar’ (Pastinaca sativa L.); carrot ‘Rogneda’ (Daucus carrota L.); root parsley ‘Ljubasha’ (Petroselinum crispum (Mill.) Nyman ex A.W. Hill.); root celery ‘Kupidon’ (Apium graveolens L.); coriander ‘Yantar’ (Coriandrum sativum L.) and dill ‘Kentavr’ (Anethum graveolens L.). In all seeds studied, the speed of embryo growth was decreased by 30% or0.03 mma day. Under influence of the induced dormancy caused by incubation in extract from dill seeds, the speed of embryo growth in all species was decreased by 94-97% on average. The process of germination of just picked seeds in all crops studied showed itself in reduction of germinated seed number by 54% as compared with control variant. Under the effect of incubation at high temperature the seeds of parsnip and root celery didn’t germinate, whereas the germination in the seeds of coriander, root parsley and carrot was decreased by 51%, 47% and 46%, respectively as compared with control. There is no germination observed in parsnip, carrot, root celery and coriander under influence of induced dormancy caused by incubation in extract from dill seeds. In this case, the germination of seeds of root parsley and dill was 8.1% and 15%, respectively. The Pearson correlation between the speed of embryo growth and percent of seed germination showed the significant and positive relationship in the range 0.706-0.952. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) showed that induced by temperature or allelopathic dormancy had impact on the speed of embryo’s growth in the crops studied, where factor effect was 89-86% depending on type of dormancy. Analysis of variance between the factors of dormancy and germination revealed that all types of dormancy analyzed had much influence on germination in these crops. The factor effects for primary, temperature induced, and induced allelopathic dormancy were 98% (F=1590.3; P=< 2x10-16), respectively.

In conditions of maintenance of environment parameters for plant growth, the use of nutrient solutions prepared with non-deficient fertilizers is an effective method of reducing the cost of vegetable production. The article examines economic prospects of the use of technologies of small-volume (0,15 — 0,3 l./per plant) the intensity of light-culture of plants in nutrient solutions, prepared on the basis of industrially produced fertilizers ‘Rastvorin A’, ‘Akvarin’, ‘Agricola’ and ‘Kemira Lux’, which are recommended for leafy crops. ‘Knop’ solution as one of the most effective for intensive technologies of the light-culture of leafy crops was used as a control. The object of study was a lettuce, cultivar ‘Tayphun’ and parsley cultivar ‘Bogatyr’. Plants were grown under different levels of light irradiance. Light during the growing period for both species was for 12 hours, the temperature was maintained at 20-22C° in the day and 18-20C° at night, air humidity between 60-65%. The duration of the vegetation period is 25 days. As a result of the study, it was shown that the productivity of lettuce cultivar ‘Typhun’ and parsley cultivar ‘Bogatyr’ that were grown on nutrient solutions ‘Agricola’ and ‘Rastvorin’ was very high. The content of nitrates for all cases was not extended more than the MCL. The highest productivity in the range of irradiance between 60 and 40 watts has been observed in lettuce plants of cultivar ‘Typhoon’, grown under light-culture system with the use of nutrient solutions ‘Akvarin’ and ‘Agricola’. Thus, the study carried out has showed that nutrient solutions ‘Akvarin’, ‘Agricola’ and ‘Rastvorin’ can be recommended for cultivation of leafy crops under condition of changeable light irradiation.