The study was carried out in 2008-2016. The field experiments were performed at the territory of breeding centre and experimental facilities of FGBNU All-Russian Research Institute of Vegetable Growing, Moscow oblast. Varieties and hybrids originated from national and foreign breeding programs were used as a plant material for the study. In total 67 accessions including 34 with white root, 27 with yellow root and 6 with violet root were studied. Some traits of carrot were regarded, where it was shown that the root weight (Cv=20.350.5%), the core portion (Cv=10.9-26.7%) and leaf number (Cv=10.8-26.3%) in white carrot were the most variable traits, while a root length (Cv=8.1-15.1%), a leaf length (Cv=7.217.9%) and a root diameter (Cv=6,3-14,1%) were the less variable ones. In yellow carrot the significant variation was revealed in a root weight (Cv=20.1-48.2%), but low variation (Cv=12.2-25.1%) was observed in accession ‘Mestnaya’ from Uzbekistan. The great variation in root weight (Cv=20.152.0%) was found out among purple carrot, but low variation for the trait (Cv=11.1-26.8%) showed the accession ‘Purple Haze’. In the each group of different colored carrots, the hybrid combinations were selected out with low variability in such traits as the root weight, the core portion, the root length.

Experiments were carried out at FGBNU VNIIO in 20112016. The aim of the study was to analyze the influence of different types of organic dormancy caused by various factors on seed quality of some representatives of umbellifer crops. The objects of the study were seeds: parsnip ‘Kulinar’ (Pastinaca sativa L.); carrot ‘Rogneda’ (Daucus carrota L.); root parsley ‘Ljubasha’ (Petroselinum crispum (Mill.) Nyman ex A.W. Hill.); root celery ‘Kupidon’ (Apium graveolens L.); coriander ‘Yantar’ (Coriandrum sativum L.) and dill ‘Kentavr’ (Anethum graveolens L.). In all seeds studied, the speed of embryo growth was decreased by 30% or0.03 mma day. Under influence of the induced dormancy caused by incubation in extract from dill seeds, the speed of embryo growth in all species was decreased by 94-97% on average. The process of germination of just picked seeds in all crops studied showed itself in reduction of germinated seed number by 54% as compared with control variant. Under the effect of incubation at high temperature the seeds of parsnip and root celery didn’t germinate, whereas the germination in the seeds of coriander, root parsley and carrot was decreased by 51%, 47% and 46%, respectively as compared with control. There is no germination observed in parsnip, carrot, root celery and coriander under influence of induced dormancy caused by incubation in extract from dill seeds. In this case, the germination of seeds of root parsley and dill was 8.1% and 15%, respectively. The Pearson correlation between the speed of embryo growth and percent of seed germination showed the significant and positive relationship in the range 0.706-0.952. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) showed that induced by temperature or allelopathic dormancy had impact on the speed of embryo’s growth in the crops studied, where factor effect was 89-86% depending on type of dormancy. Analysis of variance between the factors of dormancy and germination revealed that all types of dormancy analyzed had much influence on germination in these crops. The factor effects for primary, temperature induced, and induced allelopathic dormancy were 98% (F=1590.3; P=< 2x10-16), respectively.

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.

The  study  was  carried  out  at  All-Russian  Research Institute  of  Vegetable Growing  (GNU VNIIO) in  2013-2016.  The objects  of  the  study  were  seeds of  carrot taken from  variety ‘Rogneda’  regarded  as a standard, breeding lines 690V, 690P and 753. The aim of the work was to study the dry weight of carrot-embryos and calculate the main characteristics regarding their variability among different accessions that were obtained through both inbreeding and outbreeding methods. Mean values of the sample for seed embryo weight  differed  among different  carrot  accessions  and  breeding  lines  in  the range from 36.8 μg to 17.0 μg in ‘Rogneda’ and line 753, respectively. Moreover, there is no strong derivation of mean value from median within each sample of the breeding  line  was  observed.  The  derivation  of  mean value from median was 0.2 μg in ‘Rogneda’. The least embryo weight 14.0 μg was observed in breeding lines. The coefficient of variation for embryo weight varied in the  range  from  10.4  to  14.2  and  reached  25.1  %  in ‘Rogneda’. The method of maximum likelihood was used to  reveal correspondences  of  experimental function  of distribution in embryo weight in seed population of accessions studied  and  normal  distribution.  Statistical high-order moments (asymmetry and excess) of sample in  carrot  had  insignificant  shift.  The highest  values of asymmetry and excess were observed for selected measurements of embryo weight in breeding line 690V. The experimental data observed may lead to  previous conclusions about significant difference among four carrot  accessions in  embryo  weight  and  its  character  of variability. Thus, such a main morphological element-the embryo-in  the seed is also very probably subjected  to the strong inbreeding depression. Morphometrical parameter of embryo weight may be interesting not only for seed production and seed study, but also for breeding program, and regarded as an inherited trait that can be improved.

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.

The biotechnological methods enable to produce the ‘pure’ lines for the short period of time that intensify the breeding program. Particularly, the anther culture is widely used to obtain double haploid lines (DH lines) in plant breeding. The technology advantage is to fast up essentially the selection of homozygous lines with different morphological traits and high level of uniformity. Contemporary breeding programs are directed at F1 hybrid development; therefore DH lines are in need to serve as the parental form for heterotic hybrid production. Nevertheless, previous data has shown that DH plants have been noticed to produce few seeds on them. To introduce the lines into breeding program for hybrid production and to multiply them, the seed formation of DH lines is worth being studied. The result of assessment of seed generation of DH lines of Broccoli that have been produced from ‘Tonus’ and convariety ‘N1’ is presented in the article There is much difference in morphological traits and both ability to recognize their own pollen and quantity of seeds in the pod among plants produced. Nine DH lines of early maturity were obtained. The differences in seed formation among these lines and between generations were revealed. It was shown the influence of genotype on seed formation in DH lines. It was also noticed the much seed formation in case of geitonogamic pollination in DH lines obtained from cultivar ‘Tonus’. The biological features of flowering in DH lines under conditions of climatic chambers have been studied.

Technology  of  intense  light-culture   has  been  developed to grow different crops under controlled environmental conditions  with  the use of specialized vegetation  apparatus  (VSU). In  the  specialized  vegetation apparatus,  designed  to   grow   plants  of   cucumber, tomato  and leafy crops, the formation of optimal light condition is constructively made with application of separate powerful lamps that have the same or different spectral quality irradiance, providing  the high illuminance,  60-90  W/m2  PAR on  cultivated  plants.  The vertical vegetation apparatus were used to develop technology of intense light-culture  in cucumber. Three modifications of vertical vegetation apparatus differing in  soil blocks  and  the  way of  nutrient  supply  to  root habitation area were elaborated to grow  the plants of cucumber.  The  development  of  cucumber  plants  in three apparatus modifications  was carried out  by one stem,  where  the  growth  was  limited  by  the  sizes of apparatus to  1.8 meter. The result of development  of small-volume and non-soil technology of intense lightculture in cucumber was presented in the article. This technology provides high productivity of plant being grown and reduces the ecological problems related to waste treatment. The application of technology of intense light-culture  in cucumber  assists the plants to realize a biological  potential and to  reach the highest productivity.  The observed plant products  are of high quality without  pesticides  and other harmful contaminants. The nitrate content  in young fruits was significantly lower the threshold allowable concentration (TAC). The basic  principles  of  intense  technology  of light-culture can be used for economically profitable enterprises  for  production  of  raw  material needs  for pharmaceutical and perfumery industries, and to  produce vitamin products  in small volumes for kindergardens, hospitals, schools and private housekeeping.

The basic research results of Russian breeding program in Brassica crops were given in the article. Conventional breeding as well as biotechnological methods were used to develop hybrids that meet all requirements of current vegetable market. Brief communication information on international scientific and practical conference “Current State and Trends in Breeding and Seed Production of Brassica crops” was given in the article.

The main problem of agroindustrial sector of national economy is an absence of sufficient production of plant proteins that are used for food production as well as a forage production. New cultivars of  legumes, namely in  soybean have to  be developed to resolve this task. Soybean seeds contain much protein up to 50%, fat up to 28 %, along with  vitamins, phospholipids,  isoflavones and ferments. Soybean is a short-day crop. The main reason that limits the spread of soybean is the absence of new early-ripening cultivars. Folk cultivars and varieties native to China produce the grain yield at the sum of temperatures over 3500oC. At the beginning of the last century, there were bred the varieties that  produced  the grains at the sum of temperatures  below  3000oC.  Only after  that  the soybean as a crop is started to be introduced in different countries. The study on association among quantitative traits is needed to select necessary accessions for breeding program. In this research estimation of correlationship based on data of structure analysis was carried out within two-year period.  The correlationship  of  economically valuable traits, such as 1000 seed grain weight, number of grains in bean (pod) and other traits such as plant height, stem thickness, the height of pod  attachment, a number of branches, number of pods on the plant, number of productive nodes, average number of pods at node, average number of grains (beans) per plant in field experiment in 2015-2016, Central Zone of Non-chernozem Zone of Russia. It was noticed  the difference in trait correlationship depended on a year, and it needs to be taken into account for realization of breeding program in soybean.