Tanacetum balsamita L. is a perennial rhizomatous plant of the Asteraceae family. T. balsamita is cultivated as medicinal, aromatic plants and food plant. Extract of costmary exhibits hepatoprotective, antiseptic and anthelmintic properties. The herb of T. balsamita contains essential oils and phenolic compounds. This species included in the "Biocollection of medicinal and aromatic plants of open and protected ground", Botanical garden of the VILAR. The main aim was to study the composition of phenolic compounds in the leaves of T. balsamita with application of ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled with diode array detection and mass spectrometry. The object of the study was the leaves of T. balsamita. Samples were extracted with 1 ml of 80% aqueous acetone. An ultra-performance liquid chromatographic system with a photodiode detector and a triple quadrupole mass spectrometer was used for analysis of phenolic compounds. The UV and MS data of phenolic compounds were used for their identification or tentative characterization with application of mass spectrometry databases and data published in the literature.Results. The results obtained showed the presence in the leaves of 17 phenolic compounds. Five compounds were identified as caffeoylquinic, feruloylquinic and three dicaffeolquinic acid isomers, and two compounds as ferulic acid hexoside isomers. The leaves of T. balsamita contained also five luteolin derivatives, two chrysoeriol derivatives, and spinacetin/axillarin. Four compounds were not identified.

Golden potato nematole (Globodera rostochiensis Woll.) is a phytoparasite, a microscopic worm that causes potato globoderosis. As a result, the yield is sharply reduced, small tubers are formed, and then the complete death of plants. The damage caused by the golden potato nematode manifests itself when the soil is infected with larvae in the amount of 1 thousand pieces or more in 100 cm3. The decrease in yield in areas of severe infection can reach from 70 to 90%. Early potato varieties are most affected. The best way to protect potato varieties from globoderosis is to use in the production of varieties resistant to golden potato nematode. The aim of the research was to study nematode-resistant potato varieties in the Murmansk region.Methods. In 2016-2020, 49 potato varieties resistant to globoderosis were studied on the experimental field of the Polar Experimental Station of VIR according to the main biological and economically valuable characteristics. The size of the plot was 0,05 ha, the area of plant nutrition was 70x30 cm. Planting of varieties was carried out in early June. The samples were planted in the field in a row of 10 plants of each variety. Every 10 samples, the Khibinskiy ranniy variety was located. All accounts are performed according to the VIR methodology.Results. Phenological observations have shown varieties with short periods of passage of phenological phases: Diamond, Grand, Pershatsvet, Khibinskiy ranniy, Roeslau. Berry formation was of the Labadia variety. The yield on the 60th day from planting was 531.7-741.7 g / bush (the maximum yield of the Madeleine variety). On the 90th day from planting, the yield of the varieties was in the range of 747,5-1153,0 g/bush (the maximum for the Eurasia variety). Starch content varied from 8,3% (Arrow grade) up to 20,4% (Albatros). According to disease resistance, the varieties Grand, Gusar, Eurasia, Harmony, Colorit, Rasinka, Albatros, Angela, Courage are distinguished. Conclusion. Samples of the world potato collection have been studied; sources of valuable traits that can be used in breeding work to create new varieties suitable for cultivation in the Far North have been identified.

Relevance. The survival and reproductive rates of mini-tubers obtained from in vitro potato plantlets were observed to increase under greenhouse conditions. This increase was diagrammed based on the experimental data. The aim of the study was to assess the effect of various types of bio-soils on the multiplication factor of mini-potatoes in vitro at the stage of original seed production in protected ground conditions.Materials and methods. The research was conducted in FSBSI “Federal Scientific Center of Agricultural Biotechnology of the Far East named after A.K. Chaiki” (Timiryazevsky settlement, Ussuriysk urban district, Primorsky kray) in 2021.In vitroplantlets of four potato varieties from different maturity groups were used as the research object: Meteor (early), Sante (medium early), Dachnyi (mid-season), and Smak (medium late). These potato varieties were admitted to use in the 12th (Far Eastern) region. The experiments were carried out in a 260 m2 greenhouse during spring and summer. Five variants of potting soil were studied. An agrochemical analysis of the soil mixtures was performed in the Laboratory of Agrochemical Analyses according to generally accepted methods. The reproductive rate of a variety was calculated from the number of survived plants in vials: the total reproductive rate and the reproductive rate of standard tubers (according to GOST 33996-2016). For this purpose, potato sizing squares and the visual method for the rejection of defective material were implemented.Results. Three out of five studied soil mixtures were determined to be effective for four potato varieties used in the experiments: a) 70% peat, 20% biocompost, and 10% vermiculite; b) 60% peat, 30% humus, and 10% sand; c) 60% peat, 20% humus, 10% humus from seaweeds, and 10% vermiculite.

Relevance. Gender phytoregulators occupy an important place in the seed production of parental forms of cucumber, they allow you to shift the sex of the plant in the right direction, increase the intensity of selection, obtain purely female lines, and increase the efficiency of hybrid seed production.Results. The paper presents the regulations for the use of Esfon on the breeding line ZhL 24, which is the mother form of the hybrid Rich garden F1. To obtain the maximum number of female flowers, without significant inhibition of vegetative growth, it is necessary to treat vegetative plants three times with an interval of 5 days, starting from the phase of the second true leaf, with a solution of Esfon (BP. 65%) at a concentration of 0.03% (300 mg/l) with the purpose of preventing closely related crosses and increasing the hybridity of seeds. This technique stimulates the earlier development of pistillate flowers, minimizes the formation of male flowering, increases the number of fruits per plant, their size and weight, which allows increasing the yield per unit area by 40%.

Relevance and methodology. In order to determine the effect of near-ultraviolet radiation with a wavelength of 380 nm on the growth and development of a sugar beet hybrid plant, Smena was grown for 82 days under LED lighting with phytolamps and under conditions of increased UV-A intensity of the light range (an increase in the UV/PPFD ratio (0.027) compared with the control (0.0075) while maintaining the ratio of the remaining sites spectrum). The study was carried out on the basis of the digital software package "Synergotron" with a controlled internal environment.Results. An increase in the share of UV-A in the illumination spectrum leads to a significant change in the biometric indicators of plants – the aboveground biomass increases by 2.2 times compared to the control, and the mass of the underground part (root crops), on the contrary, decreases by 86.9%. At the same time, the share of root crops in the total biomass of plants decreases from 60% in the control to 30%. The morphological structure of the leaf apparatus changes: the proportion of petioles increases significantly compared to leaf blades (64.8% of petioles in aboveground biomass, whereas in the control 30%). Probably, an increase in the share of UV-A in the spectrum can favorably affect the cultivation of leaf forms of beets and other root crops. UV-A radiation leads to a change in the chemical composition of root crops, in particular, a decrease in the accumulation of dry substances (by 1.58%) and a decrease in sugar content (by 1.8%). An increase in the proportion of UV-A in the irradiation spectrum changes the parameters of chlorophyll fluorescence and contributes to an increase in the maximum quantum yield of Fv/Fm, non-photosynthetic quenching of NPQ fluorescence and a decrease in the real quantum yield of photosynthesis Y(II), as well as the electron transport rate (ETR).

Relevance. The main direction of breeding melon Bikovskaya cucurbits breeding experimental station – branch of the FSBSI FSVC is the creation of varieties with valuable economic characteristics, especially with resistance to bioand abiotic environmental factors. To meet the needs of commodity producers and the population, varieties are needed not only with high yields, but also attractive appearance, good taste qualities. Very important: the rich color of the bark background, the proportional shape of the fruit and the sweet juicy pulp.Materials and methods. The research was carried out in 2020–2022 at the Bikovskaya cucurbits breeding experimental station – branch of the FSBSI FSVC. The object of research is melon varieties created over the past five years. The Osen variety was used as a standard. The main method of selection work with melon is intervarietal hybridization followed by individual selection.Results. Melon varieties were evaluated according to valuable economic characteristics, 6 best varieties were identified in comparison with the standard. In terms of yield, 2 varieties were distinguished (16.3 t/ha and 17.3 t/ha); in terms of dry matter content, 2 varieties (19%); in terms of large-fruited 1 variety (6.0 kg); in terms of the bright color of the bark background, 1 sample (bright yellow).

Relevance. The nutritional value of gourds is quite high and is of great importance in the life of the human body. A significant point in modern melon growing is to increase yields without reducing the quality of the products obtained. Therefore, it is necessary to develop new methods of cultivation technologies that allow obtaining stable fruit yields without reducing the quality of table watermelon products of different ripeness groups, in the climatic conditions of the Volgograd region.Material and methodology. The object of research is a watermelon of medium ripening, variety Zemlyanin, and late ripening, variety Kholodok. We studied new types of water-soluble fertilizers Fe chelate, as well as Vegetable Aquarin, by using them for soaking seeds before sowing and processing plants during the growing season.Results. The use of chelated fertilizers in the technology of growing table watermelon of medium and late ripening is an effective technique for obtaining stable yields. The use of water-soluble fertilizers, with various methods of their use, provided an increase in the yield of Zemlyanin watermelon by 2.7-27.8%, and Kholodok watermelon by 2-22.4% in comparison with the control (without treatments). The largest fruits were obtained in the variant Aquarin vegetable (plant processing) Zemlyanin variety - 6.8 kg and Kholodok variety - 8.4 kg. A comparative analysis of the biochemical composition of fruits showed that water-soluble chelate fertilizers do not have a negative effect on the accumulation of nitrates in varieties of medium and late ripening. As a result of research, a positive effect of water-soluble micronutrient fertilizers has been revealed on improving the quality of fruits, which increased the content of ascorbic acid and sugars.

The work is devoted to the study of statistical parameters of the linear dimensions of the seed, endosperm and embryo, variability, correlations, and the manifestation of these traits in hybrid combinations. Morphometric parameters largely determine the quality of seeds. The presence of an underdeveloped embryo determines the duration of the period of heterotrophic development of the seedling, affects germination, energy, longevity, seed response to changes in germination conditions, and, ultimately, increases the interphase period from sowing to germination. The article shows the high variability of these parameters in numerous representatives of vegetable crops - representatives of the Umbelliferae (Apiaceae) family, analyzes the causes that cause them, and predicts the potential use of this variability in breeding programs. The object of research was the seeds of various varieties of carrots, parsley, parsnips, celery, dill. Measurement of the length of the seed and endosperm was carried out using a caliper. The length of the embryo was determined using a microscope and a video eyepiece at ×40 magnification using the Scope Photo program. The experiment was repeated four times, in each repetition at least 20 seeds. The values of the coefficient of variation in the length of the endosperm and seed varied from 9 to 19%, depending on the species and cultivar characteristics. The variability of the embryo reached 18-28%. between the size of the embryo on the one hand and the length of the endosperm (0.208-0.369) and seed (0.213-0.376) on the other, weak correlations were noted, indicating the independent inheritance of these parameters. The hereditary conditionality of the variability of the embryo, endosperm and seed of carrots (50.8-86.5%) and parsnips (49.6-58.9%) is shown, which characterizes the real possibility of their breeding improvement. In the process of studying distant hybrids of carrots (the parental forms of which differed sharply in morphometric parameters of seeds), it was found that F1 hybrids for these traits predominantly showed positive overdominance (38.1%) and dominance (16.7%). According to the complex of relative parameters (indices), negative overdominance (23.8%) and dominance (4.8%) were more often noted. The results of many years of research indicate that the morphometric parameters (length of the seed, endosperm, embryo) and their ratios (indices) of seeds, like any other biological traits, are genetically determined and depend on species and cultivar characteristics. A comparison of wild-growing and varietal samples of carrots indicates that in the process of cultivation, the size of the embryo underwent significant upward changes, even in the absence of targeted selection. Therefore, when applying artificial selection in this direction, one can expect more significant results.

For the production of onions, first of all, the proper organization of its nutrition is necessary. Both its productivity and product quality depend on this. First of all, onion nutrition requires mineral fertilizers containing macronutrients such as nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. The quality of onions, their physiology and productivity depend on the application of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium fertilizers, the need for which and the efficiency of use by plants vary depending on climatic factors, irrigation systems, varietal differences, soil and production conditions of cultivation in growing areas. This review examines in detail the effect of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, as the main components of mineral nutrition, on the growth, physiology and yield of onion. The review includes various databases such as Google Scholar, PubMed, Science Direct, SciFinder, Web of Science, RSCI, etc., online sources (Research Gate, Springer Nature Open Access, Wiley Online Library, etc.) are used.

The review is devoted to the nutritional significance and prospects of garden rhubarb (Rheum rhabarbarum L.) utilization in food industry. High yield of juice reaching 90% and the ability to complex rhubarb stems processing for juice production and pectin extraction from rhubarb stem pomace are empathized. Rhubarb stems pomace recorded up to 21-23 % of pectin, which is significantly higher than in natural industrial sources of pectin. Medicinal value of rhubarb juice is discussed: antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-carcinogenic, cardioprotective and anti-diabetic properties are indicated. Examples of high antioxidant content and unique organic acids composition of rhubarb juice are highlighted. Sorbic and benzoic acids are indicated as important components of juice widely used in food industry as food preservatives. Citric acid is shown to be the main component of rhubarb organic acids in spring. Special attention is paid to the non-waste production of juice thanks to the possibility of pomace processing for pectin recovery. Juice biochemical characteristics of four garden rhubarb cultivars (selection of Federal Scientific Center of Vegetable Production) are described: Udalets, Malakhit, Zaryanka and Krupnochereshkovy). Expediency of further selection on high anthocyanin content in rhubarb stems are empathized.