The main advantage of root vegetables is their unique specificity and high economic importance. The benefits and medicinal properties of root vegetables being highly demanded by the market requirements to the commodity are highlighted in the article. The main directions of breeding program for root vegetable crops, including species of Apiaceae family with carrot, parsnips; Chenopodioideae family with red beet; Brassicaceae family with radish, Daikon, Raphanus sativus L. var. lobo Sazonova & Stank, turnip and rutabaga. Initial breeding accessions of carrot, red beet, radish, Daikon, Raphanus sativus L. var. lobo Sazonova & Stank, turnip and rutabaga have been selected out to be used for breeding program for heterosis. The mf and ms breeding lines were developed, and with the use of them the new gene pool was created. Variety supporting breeding program and methods were also proposed.

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.

The long period of time needed for production of homozygous ms-and mf-lines in biennial crop is a problem in development of heterotic hybrids in red beet. The use of steckling culture and protected cultivation technology are the  suitable methods  to  speed  up  the  development  of breeding lines. However, the relationship between exhibition of CMS trait in seed plants and horticulturally valuable traits of steckling is very important aim of the study to be considered. The study was performed in 2012-2014. The red  beet  inbreeding  lines (I2-I5), obtained  through steckling culture in low-volume technology under protected cultivation condition were used as a plant material for the study. The generations that were obtained were from cultivar population ‘Nezhnost’ and a hybrid population of foreign origin. As a result, it was shown that one of criterions of indirect selection of ms-form in inbreeding generation may be the fast-maturity of stecklings that determined their yield weight at harvesting. The average weight of steckling belonging to sterile plants in progenies of different inbreeding generations, not depending on the time of harvesting was higher than in fertile plants. Therefore, probability to select the valuable ms-forms among groups of fast-maturing  plants with  greater weight  of steckling was higher. The selection of stecklings from smaller size groups of middle maturing and late maturing inbreeding progenies is required to  develop valuable mf-lines with high ability for fertility maintaining.

35 viruses have been reported to infect peppers (Capsicum spp.) and those lead to economic losses like low  and  variable yield. Viral diseases are an important factor  provoking  low  yield and reduced  fruit  quality. In low volume hydroponics the spread of virus infection had local character. The two types of symptoms were revealed. The plants with symptoms of green mottle, chlorosis, deformation of mid-rib  in top leaves, and leaf blade rolling by edges inwardly were observed in breeding accessions with light-green fruit color such as ‘Maria’, ‘L-Ochrovanie’,  ‘Belosnezhka’. The deformation,  mottle and symptoms of inner necrosis can be seen on fruits. The degree of disease development reached 100%. The results of  enzyme-linked immunosorbent  assay (ELISA) and ImmunoStrips assays enabled to identify the tobacco mosaic  virus  (TMV). There  were  blight-yellow   mottle, wrinkling on entire plants and deformation and mottling on fruits. The symptoms appeared on the top leaves by the end of vegetation period that was caused by late viral impact. The degree of developing the disease was 10.5-25% on leaves and fruits that was less than on plants with green mosaic. Immunological  tests carried out  in open field showed the combined virus infections, consisting of TMV+CMV  with  degree  of  disease  development  was 37.5%. The rod-shaped particles, 30 nm in size, belonging to tobacco mosaic virus were discovered with the use of electron microscopy in pepper plants showing the symptoms of green and yellow mosaic.

White head cabbage (Brassicа oleracea L.) is the most widespread crop. Climatic condition in Amur oblast is very favorable to cultivate cabbage crop that has been traditionally used. However, there are released cultivars ‘Podarok’, ‘Nadezhda’, ‘Belorusskaya 455’, ‘Moscovskaya pozdnaya 15’ that do not meet all requirements for economically valuable traits. Results of study of cabbage collection including local and foreign hybrids have been carried out in soil and climatic condition of open field in Amur oblast. Advantageous hybrids with set of economically valuable traits have been selected out to be used and recommended for cultivation in crop farming of Amur oblast.

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.

The important stage of breeding program for F1 hybrids with high yield capacity is to estimate the combining ability of parental lines for productivity characteristics. The information on combining ability may predict the productivity traits to exhibit and helps produce heterotic hybrids and use the initial breeding accessions in sweet pepper. The combining ability of breeding accessions for yield traits was studied with the use of complete diallel crossing. The research was carried out at experimental plots of State Institution ‘Transnistrian Institute of Agriculture’ in 2015-2016. In 2015, seven fertile lines were crossed through complete diallel cross to study combining ability. In 2016 the parental lines and 42 hybrids F1 forms produced from crossing were tested in open field condition. Analysis of General Combining Ability and Specific Combining Ability showed that none of all parental components had any essential expected effect for all tested traits of productivity. The line 134 showed the high effects of General Combining Ability as maternal and parental components for four traits, such as early and general yield, average weight and thickness of fruit pericarp. Out of 42 hybrid combinations studied, some accessions have been selected. They had the high effects of General Combining Ability with high constants of Specific Combining Ability for early yield – 4; general – 12; average fruit weight – 9; thickness of fruit pericarp – 4; dry matter content – 10; ascorbic acid – 13.

Development of F1 cabbage hybrids is concerned to difficulties of artificial pollination, low ability to developovary leading to low seed productivity in parental lines. The aim of the study is to improve the seed productivity of self-pollinated parental line 3/14C for F1 cabbage hybrid ‘Krasotka’. Secondary plant metabolites such as steroid glycosides can help overcome these difficulties and increase the seed productivity (Blandinskaya et al., 2013). 3/14C-line was propagated by backcrossing flowers in bud stage with artificial self-pollination, using water solutions of steroid glycosides ‘Moldstim’ and ‘Melongozid’ (in concentrations 0.1%, 0.01%, 0.001% and 0.0001%). Seed productivity was evaluated according to methods that were elaborated earlier (Bukharov A.F. et al., 2011, 2013). It was established that all parameters of seed formation and development were increased significantly under treatment of steroid glycosides ‘Moldstim’ and ‘Melongozid’ in mentioned concentration. Differences were significant at the 5%-level of significance. Concentration of 0.001% was more effective than other both preparations. These preparations stimulated all phases of seed development. Number of fruits was increased by 16-39%, a number of seeds per one the pod was also increased by 17-38%, mass of 1000 seeds was increased by 9-12%. Thus, the seed productivity of parental line 3/14C F1cabbage hybrid named ‘Krasotka’ was increased by 44 to 105% as result of the action of steroid glycosides. Thus, ‘Moldstim’ and ‘Melongozid’ in concentration of 0.001% can be recommend as physiological stimulators to improve seed productivity in parental lines necessary for development of F1 cabbage hybrids.

Now the actual task of organic plant cultivation is to provide the population with ecologically clean and health-care products in volumes sufficient for everyone. Recently, growth and development plant regulators are used more often to guarantee the high yield as well as a quality and marketable view of final products in zonal system of protection of leafy vegetables. The range of their efficiency can significantly vary depending on zone of cultivation. The research study on collection of leafy parsley accessions of different origin distinguished by resistance to freeze was given in the article. The morphobiological characteristics of studied accessions are given, where highly productive and yielding accession ‘k.vr494’ was selected out. The influence of chelated microelements, growth regulators and fertilizers on foliage and seed productivity has been shown in south Dagestan. The comparative trial test showed the high efficiency of liquid concentrate of organic boron, organoboron and silicon-containing micronutrient ‘Siliplant’. The total foliage productivity after three cutting was 28.8 kg. with application of concentrate of organoboron and 16.53 kg. in control. 24.74 kg. and 14.34 kg. respectively were obtained with application of Siliplant. This result showed that high yield of foliage was produced after first cutting. Out of all experimental variants the best leaf regrowth was noticed with application of Mikrovita. Leaf regrowth at intermediate cutting showed that there was a growth-stimulating action of Mikrovita and Siliplant.

The market of Moldova has a large assortment of seed of foreign selection, such as large-fruited tomatoes, cherry and cocktail tomato. Therefore, it is necessary to launch the breeding program for hybrid development of local origin tomato typed, such as ‘Cherry’ and ‘Cocktail’ with a different form, mass and fruit color. Initially, 15 parental forms of tomato were studied for the main economically valuable traits in the open field condition. Phenotypic variation in tomato varieties and breeding accession was identified depending on the terms of cultivation. Such varieties and lines of tomato as ‘Trapesa’, ‘Rosovaya Kapelka’, ‘Seniyorita’, ‘Ocharovaniye’, ‘L. 46/06’, ‘L. 49/09’, ‘L 295/09,’ ‘L. 336/11’, ‘L. 354/11’, ‘L. 357/11’, ‘L. 388/09 (nor)’, ‘L.498 (released by TARI), ‘Tigris’, ‘Vishnya Zheltaya’ (released by OOO ‘Gavrish’), ‘Denezhnoye Derevo’ (national breeding program) were used as the initial breeding material. Totally, 15 breeding accessions were used for the study, where all of them differed in the type of bush (determinate and indeterminate); a vegetation period (ultra-early, early, middle, late); a form (roundish, oval); a fruit color (red, pink, black, orange, tiger and with a NOR gene); a fruit weight (from 10 g and above); a structure of brush (dense, loose). Lines and varieties of tomato of different terms of ripening characterized by the shortened internode, high fruit setting on the bush, high content of biologically active substances, and complex resistance to diseases were used to breed tomato hybrids of ‘cherry’ and ‘cocktail’ types with different fruit form and color.