The article presents the author's method for estimation of the level of food self-sufficiency for the main types of food products in the regions of Republic of Tatarstan. The proposed method is based on the use of analytical methods and mathematical comparative analysis to compose a final rating. The proposed method can be used in the system of regional management of agro-industrial complex on the federal and local level. Relevance. The relevance of this work is caused by on the one hand a hardening of foreign policy that may negatively impact on national food security, and on the other hand the state crisis of the domestic agricultural sector. All this requires the development of new approaches to regional agribusiness management. Goal. To develop a methodology is used to assess the level of food self-sufficiency. To rate the level of self-sufficiency in main types of foodstuff in regions of Republic of Tatarstan. Materials and Methods. Statistical data of the results of the AIC of the Republic of Tatarstan for 2016 was used for the study. Analytical methods, including mathematical analysis and comparison were used. Results. Based on the analysis of the present situation for ensuring of food security in Russia it was shown that now it is necessary to develop effective indicators identifying the level of self-sufficiency in basic food regions. It was also revealed that there are no such indicators in system of regional agrarian and industrial complex at present time. As a result of analysis existing approaches the author's method of rating the level of self-sufficiency of regions was offered. This method was adopted on the example of the Republic of Tatarstan. Conclusions. The proposed method of rating estimation of self-sufficiency for basic foodstuffs can be used in the regional agroindustrial complex management system at the federal and local level. It can be used to rank areas in terms of their self-sufficiency for basic foodstuffs. This allows focusing on the improvement of backward non-advanced areas in agroindustry and making appropriate management decisions. The final rating value was 0.88 that was obtained from the analysis of the situation in the Republic of Tatarstan showing that the situation in matters of self-sufficiency for basic foodstuffs in general was good. However, there are reserves, as the maximum possible value of the rating may be 1. In the application of the proposed methodology for the assessment of the situation in various regions of the country, now it is possible to compare and evaluate the situation to take appropriate decisions for the development of management.

Existing approaches for evaluation of types of interactions between individual monocultures in consortiums allow obtaining only qualitative results (synergistic, antagonistic, additive interaction) as a whole, without regarding to changes in the cultivation process. Therefore, the development of a new approach for the quantitative determination of this indicator as a continuous function defined during the all period of cultivation is in need. In the course of the research a two-component consortium of lactic acid microorganisms cultivated on different mediums according to directed fermentation process in vegetable products was chosen to analyze types of interaction. As a result, the an original approach that was based on comparison of grow speed of biomass of microorganisms with calculated additive curve determined by results of dynamic analysis of titre of microorganism participating in consortium in monoculture during their cultivation has been elaborated. This approach is a convenient tool to identify complex regularity in changes of types of microorganism interaction in consortium represented by continuous function defined during all cultivation period.

The climatic conditions of the Nordic countries are similar to the conditions of the North-West region of the Russian Federation, which makes it possible to introduce interesting varieties for Russian breeding. Most of the local varieties of stubble turnips in the USSR were created using Scandinavian material. Local varieties are the source of the genetic diversity of vegetable crops. The work with such material is promising in terms of searching for sources and donors of valuable traits for breeding programs. 16 samples of local table turnips and stubble turnips from the Scandinavian countries were obtained from the Nordic genebank and a comprehensive study was carried out. Samples are described from the point of view of the existing agrobiological classification of turnip (M.A. Shebalina). Most of the local accessions are mixed populations of two or more types. It was found that the local accessions of Denmark, Norway, Finland and Sweden were represented by table turnips of the Karelian and Petrovsky types, a Tankard yellow type prevailed among the stubble turnips. A representative of a very rare variety type of turnip Kostenevskaya (Petrozavodskaya) was found. The fact of changing of the prevailing types of table and stubble turnips Scandinavian countries is probably connected with the introduction of the widespread European varieties of these cultures. Accessions of local Scandinavian stubble turnips have been identified as sources of productivity and valuable biochemical composition, exceeding the standard variety of Osterzundomsky. Gul Finlandsk, Norway (the Petrovskaya type), Ljusnedal, Sweden (May yellow greenhead type), Rana, Denmark, (the Bortfeld type) and Ova Daehnfeldt, Denmark (Tankard yellow) are promising sources for turnip breeding in Russian Federation.

The standard methods of analysis don’t meet all modern requirements to determine the seed a quality. These methods can’t unveil inner deficiencies that are very important to control seed viability. The capabilities of new instrumental method to analyze the seed quality of root vegetables were regarded in the article. The method of micro-focus radiography is distinguished from other existing methods by more sensitivity, rapidity and easiness to be performed. Based on practical importance the visualization of inner seed structure, it allows determining far before seed germination the degree of endosperm development and embryo; the presence of inner damages and infections, occupation and damage caused by pests. The use of micro-focus radiography enables to detect the degree of seed quality difference for some traits such as monogermity and self-fertilization that are economically valuable for breeding program in red beet. With the aid of the method the level of seed development, damage and inner deficiencies in carrot and parsnip can be revealed. In X-ray projection seeds of inbred lines of radish significantly differed from variety population ones for their underdevelopment in the inner structure. The advantage of the method is that seeds rest undamaged after quality analyzing and both can be used for further examination with the use of other methods or be sown; that is quite important for breeders, when handling with small quantity or collectable plant breeding material. The results radiography analyses can be saved and archived that enables to watch for seed qualities in dynamic; this data can be also used at possible arbitration cases.

On April 18th, a doctor of agricultural sciences, professor, a member  of  Russian Academy  of  Sciences,  academician, Honored Research Worker in Science and Technology, State Laureate of  the  Russian Federation  Government  Prize in Science and Technology, a director of Federal State Budgetary Research Institution ‘All-Russian Research Institute of Vegetable Breeding and Seed Production’, Victor Fedorovich Pivovarov celebrates his 75th birth anniversary.

Presently, rutabaga can be regarded as not widespread vegetable in Russia; nevertheless it is very valuable for its biochemical composition. Therefore, it is important to provide the its marketability and preserve it among common vegetable crops. Cultivars and hybrids of different specifications and economically valuable traits are required. Multi-year results on study of collection of rutabaga to select out promising accessions for breeding program are given in the article. The very important aim, on which the most consideration is taken, is to develop the cultivars suitable for mechanized harvesting with resistance to diseases and pests, with stable quality and yield ability. As a result, 18 table and fodder cultivars characterized by early maturation, stable yield ability per year have been selected out and recommended. Among them the promising accessions with fast maturation, high yield ability, resistance to diseases and pests, high consumer’s quality of roots. As it has been shown there are not cultivars completely immune to most dangerous pathogens, only few breeding accessions bore resistance of different levels. Therefore, it needs to select the genetic sources possessing the resistance of different level to clubroot, powdery mildew, downy mildew, and storage diseases. The selected accessions are recommended to develop hybrids F1. The accessions with high content of dry matter (11.0%-13.0%) and sugar (7.0%-9.0%) are ‘Brukva Zhjoltaya’ (Poland), ‘Kohlruben’, ‘Seegold’ (Germany), ‘Pajbjerg Sana’ (Danmark), ‘Frankenschtolz’, ‘Angela’ (Germany), Shedskaya Zhjoltaya (Russia) and ‘Mestniy Sort’ (Belgium). The accessions with decreased content of mustard oil are ‘Koalrot Banholm’ (Norway), ‘Krasnoselskaya’ (Russia), ‘Fenix’ (Sweden) and ‘Seegold’ (Germany).

The study of the natural potential of density regulators of pests – such as entomophages and predators is interesting from both an environmental and an economic aspect. Fauna of most species and the degree of their effectiveness in the regional level have been little studied to date. Development of integrated plant protection involves the gradual replacement of highly toxic pesticides by biological means of plant protection, which is based on parasitoids and predators. The results of the study on faunal parasitoids of phytophagous in southern Dagestan are presented in the article, where their efficacies and survival under pesticide treatments have been also shown. As a result of research, the most resistant to the toxic chemicals was phase of Dibrachys cavus Walk. For the first time the information on the ratio among species (phytophage to entomophage) was given in the conditions of Dagestan, where regulatory function of the species in agrobiocenosis and their morphological descriptions were given as well. Species composition of the insect fauna and the dynamic of number of most spread ones were determined on the basis of systematic records in stationary areas according to the methods developed by G.E. Osmolovsky (1964), Paly V.F. (1966, 1970) and Fasulati S.R., (1971) et al. Identification of the species was performed according to identification guide by O.L. Kryzhanovsky (1974). The results are interesting to optimize the methods that can be used to protect the grapes from the most dangerous herbivores.

In recent years much attention is given to the search for new medicinal plants and an elaboration of preparation from plant raw material that is used in ethnomedicine  and for  production  of biologically active compounds (BAC). The forest herbaceous plants from Raifskiy district in Volgo-Kama National Park, and group of weed plants from urban and suburb places were exanimated for BAC content. In the group of herbaceous plants the flavonoid content varied from 1.10 to 15.85% in dry matter; the sum of chlorophylls content varied from 1.13 to 3.59 mg/g of dry matter. Among plant species exanimated: stone bramble, European wild ginger, eagle fern and white goosefoot were not regarded as pharmacopoeial plants, but they were characterized by significantly high content of flavonoids 2.74-4.26%.  Flavonoid and chlorophyll  contents  in the tissues of observed plants changed during of process  of  ontogenesis  in  most  species  and were highest in the phase at the beginning of flowering and during flowering time. It was shown that antioxidant and flavonoids contents increased while manmade load rose as noticed in birdweed (Polygonum aviculare L.). Thus, the examined different species of herbaceous plants can be regarded as promising sources of BAC.

The problem to choose and use ecologically plasticiable cultivar accessions is one of the most important stage of the program for adaptive vegetable production. The right decision of the problem leads to rational utilization of material and natural resources, decreasing the expenses and charges. For successful development of vegetable breeding the cultivar adaptive specifications is necessary to know. Vertical zonation along with hydrothermal condition had an essential effect on yield of red beet. Not being depended on maturity type of cultivar accession their yield increased by 1.9-3.2 t/ha successively from plains towards mountain zone, corresponding to pre-mountain and mountainous regions in Chechen Republic. On average, for tree-year study the highest yield was 45.8 and 45.1 t/ha in cultivars ‘Bona’ and ‘Tsilindra’ respectively, not being depended on the zone of cultivation. The cultivars ‘Donskaya Ploskaya’ (flat), and ‘Odnorostkovaya’ were sources of ecological resistance, while the cultivars ‘Boltardy’ and ‘Detroit’ were sources of productivity. The cultivars ‘Boltardy’ and ‘Gribovskaya Ploskaya’ that had been responsive on regulated environmental factors and resistant to unregulated environmental factors were of multipurpose usage and intensive-cultivation type. The ‘Bordo 237’, Dvusemiyannaya TCKHA’, ‘Odnorostkovaya’ and ‘Tsilindra’ were distinguished from other by accumulation of dry matter and total sugars in all zones of cultivation. On cultivation zone change from steppe towards pre-mountain and mountainous region, the tendency was revealed that dry matter, total sugars and vitamin C content had increased, while the nitrate content had only depended on cultivar features.

Diverse technological methods are widely used in horticulture to improve the energy of seed germination, as well as growth and development of plants and their productivity. Ecologically safe methods to accelerate the plant growth processes are known as a presowing treatment of seeds and foliar feeding by plant growth-stimulating agents of natural origin. Pre-sowing seed treatment is necessary when plants grow and maturate not simultaneously, as noticed in amaranth. The action of growth-stimulating agents is an influence in slight concentration not only on biometrical plant parameters, but also on photosynthetic reactions and whole plant physiology. The seed treatment by preparations containing biologically active substances is not only ecologically safe methods but also an economically profitable. Consequently, improvement of quality in vegetable crops by high content of biologically active substances in them, such as polyphenols can be reached with technologies based on the use of preparations, containing biologically active substances and biogenic chemical elements. It was shown that distinctive feature of red leaf plants of amaranth cultivar ‘Valentina’ was a very variable concentration of phenolic compounds such as flavonoids (quercetin, apigenin and their glycosides), hydroxycinnamic acids, simple phenols, polymeric and condensed polyphenols in different aged leaves at the time of vegetation. Moreover, the metabolite variation, antioxidant in fractions of phenolic compounds, obtained from different aged leaves, was increased by biopreparations of natural origin. It is supposed that those preparations had an effect on stress-action system as in protective plant reaction, increasing the antioxidants content. The data obtained has shown that the plants of amaranth, as a promising source of antioxidants, can be used to develop functional food products and phytopreparations.