The article describes the history of the development and spread of chicory as a cultivated plant, both worldwide and in the Russia. The analysis of the dynamics of crop acreage and gross yield of crops in the Russia is given. The value of chicory as a raw material for the processing industry is underline.

The perspectives of the development of agriculture in Russia in modern times and main results of work of the Committee of the State Duma on Natural Resources, Management and Ecology are presented in the article. For the purpose of food sovereignty, the import ration should not be exceeded 25% from overall volume of food production. The Russian Academy of Agricultural Science worked on the potential of agricultural sector, which has to be the duty-bearer of food supply security of Russia and the source of raw materials for the trade. Up to now, the Russian scientists have developed a lot of competitive varieties and hybrids, widespread commercial introduction of which is able to guarantee of high quality products.

Results of study of the collection accessions of red beet with different level of bolting resistance are presented. Nature of inheritance of this trait in progeny, and also its connection with other biological and economically valuable characters and properties is shown. Bolting resistant accessions and possibility of its use in breeding are described. The promising initial material is selected and recommended. The most rational solution of the bolting problems in the beet is the development of resistant varieties and hybrids. For this purpose, the early-spring and under-winter planting are used, as well as the seed germination at low (30C) temperatures. The availability of the various initial material studied by modern methods of researches plays a key role. When the collection accessions of beet were studied in the VIR Polar branch (The Murmansk Region), the following genotypes were identified: 1 – non bolting, 2 – weak bolting (less than 10% of bolting plants), 3 – moderately bolting (10-50%), and 4 – high bolting (more than 50% of bolting plants). As a result of screening of a gene pool, the genetic sources of bolting resistance of beet were identified. At its crossing with bolting accessions the dominance of the trait «bolting» and monogenic nature of its inheritance are confirmed. For the purpose of beet breeding for bolting resistance, the symphycarpous varieties characterized by complex biological and agronomic characters (increased yield, cold tolerance, quality of production and resistance to blackleg) are the most usable. The cultivars Banko from Sweden (donor), Podzimnyaya A-0474 (VNIISSOK) and Polyarnaya ploskaya-249 (Polar branch VIR) are recommended as a genetic sources of bolting resistance.

As a result of crossing with patty pan squash with male sterility, the new parent lines of Cucurbita реро L., «ANZH» and «ANZ», with the original set of morphological traits («kabakson») based on the gene of male sterility of functional type were developed. The F1 hybrids with economically valuable features were obtained. These hybrids are characterized by small fruits of pickling types, high yield and biochemical content.

Results of two yeaґs field studying of 522 samples of peas are presented. Twenty-five samples with valuable agronomic traits were selected for further breeding program. Correlation between duration of interstage periods was revealed.

The standard of organization for model technological process of seed production waselaborated at VNIISSOK. Requirements established are for implementation of technological operation at radish seed production as transplantation culture as followed: seed plant growing in polyhouses to produce elite seeds, seedlings planting out, plant nursing, harvesting and postharvest processing. The standard is aimed to provide the qualified work in radish seed production through transplantation culture. Radish seed plants for elite seed production are grown on warmed soil beds in winter greenhouses with use of plastic roofing or in plastic houses supplied with heating system. Seeds with germination not less than 85 % according to GOST 32592-2013 are taken for seed production aims. Hand sowing under marker ensures the identical all-around nutrition for plants that is particularly important when growing and selecting the seed plants (1 hectare - 55-60 thousand seed plant roots). Approbation of seed plants is carried out just before harvesting. The terms of seed plant planting are the earliest. Scheme of planting is 70 x 15 - 20 (cm), 60 x 30 (cm) or 90 x 15 (cm). To protect the seed production plantation of radish against weeds, diseases and pests, the pesticides are allowed to apply in accordance with State Catalogue of Pesticides and Agrochemicals, permitted to use in the territory of Russian Federation. Postharvest desiccation of seed plants enables to yield radish by means of direct combining. Radish seeds after processing on sowing qualities have to meet all sowing requirements according to the acting standard. The standard of organization is agreed and affirmed in 2016 CTO45727225-52-16.

Biodegradable ecovio® plastic films for mulching is a solution of BASF engineering.It offers the excellent mechanical properties, and it is completely destructedas polymer is to be fully composted. Without recycling this covering plastic filmis entirely digested by soil microorganisms. The only thing is to do after harvestingis to bury scraps of plastics into the soil to start the process of biodigestion. Development of ecovio® solution opens new page for wide use of this technology in agriculture. The usage of biodegradable plastic films has shown the good results in plant nursery gardens, vegetable and grape growing.

Purple horsemint (Monarda citriodora L.) is a perennial plant belonging to Lamiaceae family and being cultivated as aromatic and ornamental crop in many countries of Europe and America. Last years this plant actively gains popularity among gardeners. To elaborate the standard of organization with title 'Seeds of Monarda citriodora L. Sowing qualities. Technical conditions' the basis data has been collected from laboratory of leafy, aromatic, scented and ornamental plant breeding, laboratory of stardatization, rationing and metrology at VNIISSOK. The standard for seeds of Monarda citriodora L.includes the following sections: field of utilization; normative references; terms, definition, abbreviation, classification; technical requirements; order for receiving and sample piking;method of control; transportation and storage; security requirements.

The quality of table beet roots is determined by the complex traits and properties. Modern varieties of table beet are mostly heterozygous populations showing the strong variability under the influence of environmental conditions. Ecological and geographicalstudy of 165 accessions of table beet was carried out and the interrelationship between traits of quality and other important biologically and economically valuable traits such ascold resistance, early maturity, monogermicity, marketability was studied. The basic traits that characterize the quality of roots of beet, including their color and shape, and also chemical composition, marketability and storability at the long-term storage were described. The data on the inheritance of form and color of beet roots and their chemical composition were given. It was found that the reaction of different varieties and hybrids of beet to change of growing conditions was unequal that showed their genotypic differences. Early maturing varieties of table beet, characterized by the increased cold resistance, as a rule, had intensively colored flesh of roots and goodtaste. Relatively stable varietal trait in beet roots is a color. There was no stable relation between the chemical composition, the intensity of the color of flesh and taste. The result of the study of collection accessions showed negative relationship between the sugar content and betanin. It was established that was no significant differences in biochemical composition between monogerm and multigerm varieties of table beet. As  result of research, the valuable accessions of table beet of home and foreign breeding were revealed and recommended for use into modern breeding programs.

At present there is numerous evidence of the antioxidant positive role in the defensive reaction that is capable to protect not only plants, but also humans against oxidative stress. Plant pigments such as natural dyes from leaves, flowers and fruits are known to have high antioxidant activity. Amaranth species A. tricolor L. cultivar ‘Early Splendor’ is a convenient model for the comparative studying of the formation processes of differently colored pigment composition in leaf tissues that differs in the ability to photosynthesize. Leaves of amaranth cultivar ‘Valentina’ were as a standard. The aim of the experiment was a comparative studying of the pigments content: amaranthine, chlorophyll a and b, carotenoids in the cauline leaves of amaranth cultivars ‘Valentina’ and ‘Early Splendor’, as well as in the red and green areas of the leaves. Analysis of the aqueous extract of red Early Splendor amaranth apical leaves showed the presence of betacyanin pigment - amaranthine, in the absorption spectrum in which peak was seen in the green region at 540 nm. In addition to the antioxidant amaranthine there are  also antioxidants which might be phenolic glycosides, and ascorbic acid in the extract, the total content of which is almost twice as small as in the leaves of amaranth cauline of this cultivar. Yellow fraction was found in the ethanolic extract of red leaves. Its absorption spectrum had peaks in the blue region at 445 nm and 472 nm and a shoulder at 422 nm that indicated the presence of betaxanthin, betalamic acid or carotenoids. Water-soluble antioxidants - amaranthine and ascorbic acid were found in  auline leaves of studied species. Their content in the leaves of Valentina cultivar was higher than in the leaves of cultivar ‘Early Splendor’, and the maximum level of photosynthetic pigments was found in ‘Early Splendor’ leaves. The obtained results showed that the amaranth is a promising source of pigments with the antioxidant  activity that can be used for production of food dyes.