Relevance. The study of correlations between cucumber traits makes it possible to conduct a preliminary assessment of plants more objectively, to identify forms with high economically valuable traits, and their comprehensive assessment will make it possible to select the best source material for further selection.Methodology. In 2021, in the Crimean SC "Gavrish", experiments were laid with 24 parthenocarpic F1 hybrids of the smooth type in two repetitions, 8 plants each. Cucumber was grown in a film greenhouse on soils in spring-summer turnover. Cultivation technology – in accordance with the requirements adopted in the region. The evaluation of economically valuable traits was performed according to the generally accepted method.Results. During the correlation analysis, high, medium positive and negative relationships were established between the individual main economic characteristics of the parthenocarpic cucumber when grown in an unheated film greenhouse. The method of correlation analysis revealed a significantly high correlation between the degree of branching by determinant lateral shoots and the number of fruits per node (r=0.84), the number of female flowers per plant (r=0.72) and the number of fruits per plant (r=0.68). Fruit length and index are highly negatively correlated with the number of fruits per plant (r=-0.86) and the number of female flowers per plant (r=-0.84…-0.85). A high correlation appears between weight, length, fruit shape index and the number of fruits in a node (r=-0.75...-0.76).The trait commercial yield significantly negatively correlates with the trait length of internodes on the main shoot (r=-0.64…-0.68).

Relevance. The article describes zones with one or another predominant type of melioration depending on the territorial location of the reclaimed lands, a brief classification of channels is given according to design features, cross-sectional shape, throughput capacity and technical and operational characteristics. Channels are the main elements of reclamation systems. Ensuring high-quality operation of channels with the required bandwidth guarantees the efficient operation of the entire reclamation system. Characteristic canal deformations that occur during operation are given, as well as factors affecting the throughput of canals, such as the appearance of sediment, silting and grass vegetation, the growth of shrubs and small trees. The article presents sewer cleaning machines used on canals of reclamation systems during cleaning and restoration work, describes their design features for cleaning canals of various types and cross sections. Canal cleaners are described, which, according to the mode of operation, are both intermittent and continuous machines, which most effectively and efficiently clean the bottom and slopes of channels of various reclamation systems. The article also provides an explanation of the increase in the efficiency of canal cleaning and the subsequent high-quality work of the reclamation system in the case of using various complexes of sewer cleaning machines, including a variety of machines with different working bodies, sizes and quantities. The choice of the number of machines is directly related to technical and economic indicators: the use of a large number of machines may not be economically feasible, and the use of a minimum number of machines will not provide the re-quired cleaning. Thus, it is important to choose the optimal number of machines of various sizes that form a separate complex.

Methodology. The purpose of the research: to study the yield and quality of tubers of early ripe potato varieties Charoit and Meteor in organic farming in the northern forest-steppe of the Tyumen region. Studies were carried out in 2019- 2022 on the experimental field of the Northern Trans-Ural State Agricultural University. The soil of chernozem is leached, heavily carbonaceous in grain size distribution, medium provided with nitrogen and phosphorus, good – potassium, pH – 6.7 humus content – 7.2%. The content of trace elements in the soil is satisfactory. The precursor is spring wheat + rape per siderate. The green mass of the sideral culture (170 c/ha) was smelled on the fifth of October. In the spring, harrowing was carried out in order to retain moisture in the soil, then at a temperature of + 10…+12°C at a depth of 10-12 cm, milling, cutting of ridges and planting with sprouted tubers were carried out. The landing scheme is 75x30 cm, the plot area is 50 m2, the accounting one is 30 m2, the repetition is four times, the location of the plots is rendered. Prior to planting, tubers were treated with Taboo, 1 L/t and growth bioregulator Rostock, 0.5 L/t, and plants were treated with Immunocytophyte, 0.5 g/ha during the budding phase. Mineral fertilizers were not contributed. Caring for potato plantings included two interrow treatments and sinking.Results. It was established that in potato crop rotation with the annual use of sideral fertilizers, the yield of the noted varieties averaged 21.7-22.0 t/ha over four years, or 1.1-1.4 t/ha higher than the Zhukovsky early standard. The yield was combined with high quality tubers: starch content 13.9-14.6%, vitamin "C" 15.6-16.4 mg/%, nitrates – 59-81 mg/100 g, taste rating – 4.1-4.3 points.

Relevance and methodology. Currently, due to changing weather conditions, the cultivation of melons and gourds is shifting to areas that were not previously engaged in melon growing. Therefore, the testing of available varieties in various environmental conditions is relevant. The purpose of this work is to evaluate melon varieties bred at the Bykovskaya melon breeding experimental station in various soil and climatic conditions. Three varieties of melon were used as the object of research. The tests were carried out in the conditions of the Volgograd region, the Krasnodar region and the Republic of Kazakhstan. During the research, the melon varieties were evaluated according to the following indicators: yield, duration of the growing season, dry matter content.Results. As a result of the research, it was revealed that the variety Harmonia was the most stable in terms of the duration of the growing season (75-79 days). A consistently high content of dry matter in all areas of the study was in the varieties Comet and Idyll from 12.0 to 15.0%. All varieties had a good tasting score. The average fruit weight of all melon varieties grown in Krasnodar and the Volgograd region was at the same level. The high average weight in the conditions of Kazakhstan was distinguished by the Idyll variety - 4.3 kg. The melon varieties Harmoniya and Idyllia have a consistently high yield in all three zones. The variety Kometa had the highest yield in the conditions of Kazakhstan - 16.3 t/ha. Thus, melon varieties that have been tested in different regions of cultivation have high quality indicators and yields and are suitable for growing marketable products in the regions of the study.

Relevance. Downy mildew (Pseudoperonospora cubensis) is a serious problem when growing cucumber both in open and protected ground. One of the most effective methods of combating Pseudoperonospora cubensis is the cultivation of genetically resistant hybrids. To create them, it is necessary to include genetic markers in breeding work that speed up and increase the accuracy of selection. The F311 genetic marker of the SGR gene provides resistance to the destruction of chlorophyll, which can significantly reduce the rate of development of downy mildew, as well as preserve the growth and development of plants.Material and methods. In 2021-2022, at the Crimean Breeding Center, parental lines of cucumbers were studied in spring rotation in open ground. A total of 39 samples were studied. Their resistance to downy mildew against a natural infectious background was assessed on a 5-point scale. Hybrids were chosen as standards: St resistance – Phoenix+, St susceptibility – F1 Tchaikovsky, which scored the maximum damage score during visual assessment, All studied material was tested for the presence of the SGR gene for resistance to chlorophyll destruction using PCR analysis using the F311 marker.Results. The operating efficiency of the F311 (SGR) marker under the conditions of this experiment was 87.2%. And the efficiency of using the F311 (SGR) marker for assessing resistance to Pseudoperonospora cubensis is 84.6%. Based on the results of the experiment, we can conclude that the use of the F311 (SGR) marker will significantly speed up the process of selection and creation of hybrids resistant to Pseudoperonospora cubensis with a complex of economically valuable traits.

The use of technologies in greenhouse vegetable growing that ensure environmental safety, high plant productivity is an important component. In this regard, the issues of hormonal regulation of the processes of fruit set, their growth, and the causes of abscission are topical. The synthesis of auxin in the nascent seed and the synthesis of gibberellins in the pericarp is carried out due to cell division and elongation and cause intensive fruit growth. In the literature review, the necessary production conditions for good pollination of flowers are considered - temperature, humidity, pollen amount and pollinating insects.

The article presents the results of experimental research on the search, study and use of qualitatively new traits of varieties and lines of sweet pepper that can complement the existing assortment of crops and ensure the import substitution of foreign varieties and hybrids in domestic vegetable seed production.The purpose of the work. The aim of the research was to create new competitive varieties of sweet pepper to expand the range of crops in the framework of the development of domestic seed production.Methods. Scientific breeding work on the research topic was carried out by the Department of Breeding and Seed Production of the VNIIOOB-branch of the Federal State Budget Scientific Institution "PAFSC RAS" in 2020-2022 as part of the implementation of the State task on the experimental field of the Institute (Kamyzyak, Astrakhan region) according to generally accepted methods. In the experiments, the zonal agrotechnology of crop cultivation, recommended for irrigated agriculture in the Lower Volga region, was used. The objects of research were 7 promising samples of sweet pepper. The zoned varieties of sweet pepper "Gift of Moldova" and "Gift of the Caspian" were used as a standard.Results. The article presents the results of a study of economically valuable qualities and traits of breeding lines and new varieties of sweet pepper "Zarnitsa" and "Prince Caspian" VNIIOOB breeding. The sweet pepper variety Zarnitsa was created and entered in 2023 in the State Register of Breeding Achievements Approved for Use in the Russian Federation. Mid-season (118-120 days), characterized by early and amicable setting and ripening of fruits of an even, cone-shaped shape with a light green color in the technical and red in the biological phase of ripening. The average fruit weight is 150-160 g, fruit wall thickness is 0.5-0.6 cm, fruit yield is 55-60 t/ha, marketability is up to 93%. The sweet pepper variety Prince Caspian was created and submitted for state variety testing in 2022. Mid-season (120-125 days), prism-shaped fruits with green color in technical and red color in biological maturity. The average fruit weight is 175-180 g, the average fruit wall thickness is 0.7 cm, the average yield is 52-53 t/ha, the fruit marketability is up to 95%. As a result of the research, a promising breeding line SL - 154/20 with large cube-shaped fruits weighing 184 g and a wall thickness of up to 0.8 cm has been identified. Recommended for fresh consumption, canning and home cooking.Conclusion. The introduction of new varieties of sweet pepper into production will contribute to import substitution and food independence of the state.

Relevance. Potato is one of the most important agricultural crops used for various purposes. Its tubers are an essential food product for many people worldwide. The development of breeding technologies and an accelerated marketing of new promising potato genotypes play a significant role in the industry of potato production today. FSBSI “FSC of Agricultural Biotechnologies of the Far East named after A.K. Chaiki” conducted a complex study on potato hybrids.The research goal was to evaluate and select promising potato hybrids with high yield, marketability, and resistance to the most dangerous diseases. The experiments were carried out in our breeding nurseries located at Putsilovka v., Ussuriysk district, in the Kazachka river valley. Hybrids Purple potato × Manifest and (Aspiya×Qusto) × Manifest were used as the research object. The methodology of FSBSI “N. I. Vavilov All-Russian Institute of Plant Genetic Resources” and FSBSI “Russian Potato Research Center” were employed for the trials of the material. Fifty-two potato varieties from different maturity groups were used as pollen sources.Results. As the result, seventy-one hybrid combinations were created, 2272 flowers were pollinated, and 640 potato fruits were obtained. The efficiency of the crossing was 28.2%. Hybrids Pri15-12-23 Purple potato × Manifest and Pri-15-15-7 (Aspiya×Qusto) × Manifest had the highest rate of potato fruit formation. These accessions were characterized by good taste and high yield (48.7-51.0 t/ha), starch content (13.9-16.3 %), and vitamin C (15.0-15.4 mg/100 g). Tubers of these genotypes were oblong-oval or round with yellow flesh and small eyes. The studied accessions showed resistance to the main plant pathogens of the Russian Far East. Currently the obtained genotypes are tested for resistance to potato wart disease (S. Endobioticum, Dahlem pathotype) in the State variety trials. These accessions generate significant interest for breeding.

Relevance. The effectiveness of fertilizers depends on the need of plants for nutrients and on the ability of the soil to meet this need. According to the Research Institute of Raw Materials of the Alcohol Industry, the responsiveness of chicory to individual substances changes dramatically during the growing season. In the first period of its development, chicory responds sharply positively only to phosphorus. In the future, the phosphorus efficiency remains stable for two months and by the end of the growing season, attenuation begins. The potash efficiency, on the contrary, is low in the first months, and by the end of the growing season, in contrast to the action of phosphorus, it gives a sharp rise. The efficiency of nitrogen during the growing season occupies an average position between the efficiency of phosphorus and potassium.Methodology. The aim of the research was to identify the most effective doses of macro- and microelements and methods of their application (basic and top dressing) to ensure maximum yields of root chicory root crops. The experiments were carried out in the Nonchernozem zone of the Russian Federation in the Rostov district of the Yaroslavl region on the experimental field of the Rostov experimental station for chicory¬ – a branch of the FSBSI FSVC.Results. As a result of the conducted studies, it was found that an increase in the dose of nitrogen nutrition against the background of phosphorus-potassium fertilizer increased the yield of root chicory root crops, fractional application of mineral fertilizers is more effective compared to the main application, the introduction of boron and cobalt increased the content of inulin and sugars in root crops. The inulin content increased as the dose of nitrogen fertilizers increased.

Relevance. False powdery mildew (peronosporosis) (the causative agent is Pseudoperonospora cubensis (Berk. et Curt.) Rostow.) – the most harmful disease on cucumber in the open ground, spring film and winter greenhouses in the autumn crop turnover. In the laboratory of breeding and seed production of pumpkin crops of All-Russian Research Institute of Vegetable Breeding and Seed Production, currently FSBSI FSVC, continuous work is underway to create varieties and hybrids of cucumber resistant to this disease. To create new competitive hybrids of cucumber of the parthenocarpic type, a lot of work was done on the selection of parental forms that differ in a complex of economically useful signs, including tolerance to false powdery mildew.Results. During 2 years of research, in the open ground conditions of the Moscow region, on a natural infectious background, the lines of parthenocarpic cucumber most resistant to false powdery mildew were selected: Pr. F6 1, 24-905 RZ F4-5, Excel. F5 b/w 1, (Hac. x Hub.) F4. During the second (30.08.) and third (08.09) counts, in both years of research, according to the lesion score, they were at the level of a stable standard - the Surazhevsky variety. In 2022, in the conditions of unheated spring greenhouses of Primorsky region, two hybrid combinations of 24-905RZ F4 x Pr. F11 and Kar. F6 x Pr. F11 were distinguished for resistance to peronospore. At the end of August, they were struck by 0.5 and 0.8 points, respectively, less than the standard hybrid German F1. The resulting hybrid combinations were obtained with the participation of cucumber lines of the parthenocarpic type, the most tolerant to false powdery mildew in the open ground conditions of the Moscow region in 2022 and 2023. This indicates that the isolated samples can serve as gene sources of resistance to false powdery mildew.