Relevance. One of the most important directions in the breeding and variety study of fruits, in particular domestic plum European, is the breeding of cultivars with high commercial and consumer qualities of fruits. In this regard, the assessment of some commercial and consumer qualities of fruits in plum cultivars of the RRIFCB gene pool was of great practical and scientific interest. Material and methods. As objects of research, we used 8 plum cultivars of the RRIFCB gene pool and a control cultivar of the RRIFCB breeding Bolkhovchanka. The studies were carried out on the basis of the laboratory of breeding and variety study of stone fruit crops of RRIFCB in 2015-2019. Determination of color, shape, average weight, taste, size of fruit, size and shape of the stone, density of pulp, separation and length of the stalk, color of the juice were carried out in accordance with the "Program and methodology for the variety study of stone fruit crops" and "Pomology". Results. Most of the studied plum cultivars from the gene pool of the Russian Research Institute for Fruit Crops Breeding have valuable commercial and consumer qualities of fruits, which will allow them to be used in further breeding for this trait. Cultivars Californiyskaya krupnaya, Zarechnaya rannyaya, Volgogradskaya can be recommended for further use in breeding as sources of high fruit mass. Cultivars Californiyskaya krupnaya and Bolkhovchanka can be recommended for further use in breeding as sources of high pulp content in fruits and fruit sizes. On the basis of the tasting assessment of the fresh fruits, the fruits of the cultivar Volgogradskaya stood out positively.

Relevance. The determining value in modern melon production is to increase the yield and market yield of environmentally friendly products at minimum costs for the cultivation of melons. For the development of the melon industry in the agro-industrial complex of the Russian Federation, the scientific search for technological solutions aimed at creating conditions for increasing the yield and quality of melon products becomes urgent. Materials and methods. The object of research-melon, variety autumn. The types and doses of water-soluble fertilizers were studied: vegetable Aquarin, Novalon Foliar, and Hakafos. Fertilizers were used to treat plants during the growing season.Results.Studies have established a high effect of the use of water-soluble fertilizers on vegetating plants, which allow eliminating adverse environmental factors. The yield from the use of water-soluble fertilizers in melon cultivation technology for the years of studies is 31.3 86.7% higher compared to the control variant (without treatments). In more favorable climatic conditions of the year, the maximum yield was obtained in the variant with the use of Hakafos in a half dose, which had a more balanced content of nutrients compared to other studied water-soluble fertilizers –15.5 t/ha, which is 21.1% more compared to the minimum dose, 42.2% more compared to the treatment of plants with water and 1.8 times more compared to pure control. In the dry conditions of 2019 and lower air temperatures during the ripening period, a similar trend was noted. Comparative analysis of the biochemical composition of fruits showed that water-soluble fertilizers do not have a negative impact on the environmental purity of the product, the amount of nitrates for all years of research did not exceed the MPC (90 mg/kg). Studies have determined the positive effect of water-soluble fertilizers on improving the quality of fruits, the content of dry substances, one of the main indicators, in the study periods, exceeds this indicator in the control version (without treatments).

Relevance. A rare representative of the Apiaceae family the garden chervil is widely used abroad in nutrition and in folk and traditional medicine.Methods. Evaluation of nutritional potential of Anthriscus cerefolium (L.) Hoffm and Anthriscus sylvestris Hoffm grown in Moscow region is achieved using the parameters of ascorbic acid, polyphenols, flavonoids, total antioxidant activity of ethanolic extracts.Results. Garden chervil (Anthriscus cerefolium) was characterized by lower concentrations of ascorbic acid (1.6-1.8 times), phenolics (2.2-2.5 times), flavonoids (1.8-2.2 times), total antioxidant activity (1-1.54 times) and dry matter content (2.4-4.9 times) than wild chervil (Anthriscus sylvestris) but demonstrated significantly higher levels of total dissolved solids. Significantly higher content of dry matter in leaves and especially stems of wild chervil correlates with low nutritional value of stems despite large total mass of plants compared to garden chervil. Contrary to wild chervil, Anthriscus cerefolium recorded unusually high concentrations of carotene in leaves and significantly lower levels of chlorophyll b. Seeds of garden chervil were also characterized by low antioxidant status contrary to wild chervil and seeds of curly parsley. High yield and significant nutritional value of garden chervil indicate important prospects of its wide-scale cultivation in Russia while Anthriscus sylvestris plants seem to be important in breeding processes.

Relevance and methods. This study aimed to improve fruit set and plant performance to increase tomato productivity by studying the effect of plant growth regulators on tomato plants. A specific experiment has been carried out to study the effect of plant growth regulators Hemo bles active substances (850 g/kg) Humic Acid with applied doses (250, 500 and 700 ppm) and Magictone active substances (5-12.5 g/kg) naphthalene acetic acid and naphthalene acetamide with applied doses (250, 500 and 700 ppm) on growth and physiological characteristics of tomato plants (Big Beef F1). The experimental design was a Complete Randomized Blocks Design. Both Hemo bles and Magictone were applied three times (spraying on plants at 30 DAP, spraying on plants at 60 DAP and spraying on plants 90 DAP).Results. The obtained results showed that, Applying Humic Acid “Ener-850” had the highest significant fruit weight (137 g) during the two seasons. Also using “Magictone” had the highest significant Flowers number (48.1), Fruits Number (35.1), Flower Clusters number in the plant (13.6) and Fruits Number (54.6. while (Humic Acid) improved tomato fruit’s quality during improve Dry weight (75.1 g) of Arial parts, Ascorbic Acid, level of Vitamin C and Carotenoids contents (4.82 mg 100 g-1). The results were analyzed using one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) followed by Tukey’s HSD test with α = 0.05 with the help of MINITAB (v. 19.0) program.

Relevance and methods. A food security is determined energy value of food (calorie) . Being a energy characteristic of food, calorie is determined necessaric energy reserve of lifework . Using calories as some energetic criterion fof food security let to do simplest and availiablest assessments of forecast. Assessing and comparing a price dynamics of animal and plant calories may use for modeling a mechanism of food security. Purpose of research - analysis of price of food calories in Russia.Results. Based a energy methods and Rosstat data caloric value of food produced and consumed iwas calculated for period 1990-2017 years of the Russian Federation . A food safety criterion is proposed. Showed double reserve of caloric for consumation of Russian population. Rubles caloric value equivalent was proposed, price calculations and analysis of price dynamics by type of food are carried out.

Relevance and methods. The structure of the food market is represented by various types of products, of which the largest share is in the fruit and vegetable sector. Given the tense political situation in the world and the establishment of barriers in foreign trade, agriculture is a strategically important sector of the Russian economy. Today, the fruit and vegetable branch of the Russian economy does not fully satisfy the population’s needs for fruits and vegetables. This is evidenced by the fact that the domestic market does not provide the population with high-quality vegetables and fruits, creates favorable conditions for filling it with foreign goods, which make up about 35% of the consumer basket of Russians. All this leads to the need for additional analysis to identify trends in the Russian market of fruits and vegetables and identify priority areas for its development. The purpose of the article is to identify the features of the functioning of the fruit and vegetable market in Russia. The study was based on statistics from the customs authorities of the Russian Federation on the import and export of fruits and vegetables, as well as the Federal State Statistics Service on production, consumption of fruits and vegetables in Russia. The article discusses the features of the functioning of the fruit and vegetable market in Russia. The key factors that influence the development of the market of fruits and vegetables at the present stage are determined.Results. As a result of analysis of the state of the market of fruits and vegetables in Russia in 2011-2020. it can be stated that the fruit and vegetable market is experiencing difficult times due to the sanctions policy of the EU and the USA and the low level of material, technical and logistics base in Russia. The advantages of the market of fruits and vegetables during the period of antiRussian sanctions are reflected. Groups of problems of functioning of the market of fruits and vegetables are revealed. Based on the identified problems of the fruit and vegetable market, methods for solving them are proposed based on the best practices of the European Union. The article focuses on the development of the market for fruits and vegetables in Russia. The proposed solutions and development directions are substantiated by specific figures of economic efficiency.

Relevance. One of the dynamically developing areas of the agro-industrial complex of the Republic of Dagestan is vegetable growing of protected ground. This is facilitated by natural and climatic conditions, the availability of markets for products, and the interest of vegetable producers in expanding greenhouse areas. The area of greenhouses today exceeds 230 hectares. The lack of science-based technology, the lack of promising hybrids, due to the lack of study of the topic of growing and selecting varieties of vegetable crops in protected ground in the conditions of Flat and foothill Dagestan, greenhouse farms bear significant losses. The quantity and quality of the greenhouse tomato crop largely depends on the well-chosen varieties (hybrids) of tomato, the timing of seed sowing and seedling planting.Methods. Experimental work was carried out in the greenhouse of LLC Agro-AS. The selection and evaluation of tomato hybrids for cultivation in film greenhouses in the winter-spring turnover were carried out. The control is the Tiwai 12 F1. The optimal time for sowing seeds and planting seedlings in the substrate for winter-spring turnover of film greenhouses was determined.Results. The characteristic of promising hybrids for growing in winter and spring turnover is given. The results of the dynamics of crop yield by month are presented. The influence of sowing and planting times on the duration of the growing season and the yield of tomatoes is shown. The optimal scheme of sowing and planting tomatoes in the conditions of winter and spring turnover is determined. Data on the economic efficiency of the studied planting dates are presented. The prospects of growing the studied hybrids in this region are indicated.

Relevance. Biofortification of agricultural crops with selenium is considered to be the most promising method for the human selenium status optimization.Methods. Effect of foliar biofortification of cauliflower, Polyarnaya Zvezda cv, with sodium selenate of different concentrations on yield, selenium content and biochemical characteristics of plants were investigated.Results. Enrichment of plants with selenium increased yield by 1.23-1.31 times, sugar content – 1.6 times, ascorbic acid concentration – 1.52-2 times. On the contrary, the treatment did not affect pholyphenol content and antioxidant activity of ethanolic extracts of plants. Selenium accumulation levels decreased according to inflorescences > leaves > roots. Sodium selenate solution at 75 mg/L concentration increased mass of cauliflower leaves 1.9 times and roots – 1.5 times. Consumption of 100 g of cauliflower fortified with 50 mg/L sodium selenate solution provided 100% of the daily adequate selenium consumption level. Utilization of higher sodium selenate concentrations ensured 127% and 418% of the daily adequate consumption level in case of 75 mg/L and 100 mg/L concentrations respectively. Taking into account insignificant differences between sugar content and antioxidants in cauliflower inflorescences fortified with different doses of selenium the most suitable concentration to be used was 50 mg/L.

Relevance. To compensate for the lack of nutrient reserves available for plants, the introduction of macro and micronutrient fertilizers is required. Since microelements have the ability to migrate in the soil – plant system, it is necessary not only to control their content in these systems, but also to determine the biological accumulation of plants, including medicinal ones, taking into account specific zonal features of the territory. Thus, the aim of the work was to study the intensity of the biological accumulation of zinc and copper by Echinacea purpurea in Western Siberia.Materials and methods. Field experiments were conducted in the period 2016-2018 on meadow  chernozem soil of the southern forest-steppe of the Omsk region. A valuable medicinal crop, Echinacea purpurea, was chosen as the object of study. Copper and zinc fertilizers in acetate forms were applied in the background (N125). In soil and plant samples, the content of mobile forms of Zn and Cu was determined by the atomic absorption method.Results. With the addition of zinc and copper fertilizers, the content of mobile forms of Zn and Cu in the soil increased in comparison with the control and background. At the same time, the use of micronutrient fertilizers did not lead to excess MPC. The zinc content in the medicinal raw material of Echinacea purpurea during the application of micronutrient fertilizers varied from 9.9 to 17.1 mg / kg; copper from 2.09 to 4.41 mg / kg. In the test cases, when applying zinc fertilizers, the concentration coefficients (Kk) of zinc in the soil were higher compared to plants (Kk soil > Kk plant). The reverse situation is the accumulation of copper by plants. KkCuwhen applying copper and zinc fertilizers in plants is higher than in the soil: Kk plant > Kk soil. To assess the intensity of the absorption of trace elements by Echinacea purpurea, biological absorption coefficients (СBAZn, Cu) were used, which showed that this culture is a concentrator of zinc and copper, since CBA > 1. Moreover, copper in plants of Echinacea purpurea accumulates more vigorously (CBA > 10), compared to zinc. The content of microelements in the medicinal raw material of Echinacea did not exceed MDU (Cu - 30 mg / kg, Zn – 50 mg / kg).

Relevance. Tomato root rot is a complex disease caused by a variety of soil-borne fungal pathogens, among which Fusarium oxysporum, F. solani and F. gibbosum occur with the greatest frequency in the conditions of the Republic of Moldova. The originality of the work consists in identifying the differentiated influence of pathogens of Fusarium root rot and temperature on the variability and heritability of the organs of growth and development of tomato plants.Material and methods. Two varieties and 3 lines of tomatoes with good economically valuable characteristics were used as material for the study. To test the response of plants to pathogens of fusarium root rot, we used culture filtrates of 6 – F. oxysporum isolates, 6 – F. solani, and 4 – F. gibbosum, prepared in a standard liquid Czapek medium. The plants were grown at the optimum temperature (23...24°C) and with alternating temperatures of 23...24°C and 10...11°C for two days each. Seed germination and root length were used as indicators of growth and development. The genetic parameters of the variability and heritability of the studied traits were studied.Results. An analysis of the reaction based on seeds germination and root growth showed its significant differentiation in the tomato genotype x type of fungus x isolate of the fungus x temperature system. A factor analysis of the interaction of the tomato genotype x Fusarium fungus revealed a significant role of the plant genotype in response to the pathogens. A significant effect of Fusarium fungi and temperature on the genetic and phenotypic variance of signs of growth and development of tomato plants, heritability in a broad sense, genotypic and phenotypic coefficient of variation, and genetic progress have been established. It is concluded that it is advisable to use the reaction of signs of growth and development of tomato to Fusarium pathogens in order to identify genotypes with good inheritance of the resistance trait.