Increasing the competitiveness of the agro-industrial complex is inextricably linked with the development of science that ensures the development of innovative methods, the introduction of new knowledge and achievements of agricultural science in production. In order to provide scientific support to the vegetable-growing industry in 2017, the Federal State Budgetary Scientific Institution “Federal Scientific Vegetable Center” was founded. The main directions and tasks of the Center are presented in the article. Brief results of research work for the current year are given: 47 new varieties and hybrids have been created; more than 200 gene sources and 30 donors of especially valuable features were allocated, 28 patents for selection achievements, inventions and utility models were obtained. The publication activity of the center for 2017 is 159 publications in the RINC system, as well as 22 articles in the journals included in the Web of Science, Scopus and RSCI databases. Citation of FSBSI FSVC articles on the RINC database -1075.

On March 12th , a doctor of agricultural Sciences, professor, the main scientific reseacher of laboratory of vegetable breeding and seed production of table root crops of Federal State Budgetary Research Institution Federal Vegetable Science Center, Margarita Ivanovna Fedorova celebrates her 85th birth anniversaru and the 60th anniversaru of her labor, scientific and pedagogical activity.

Three varieties of onions have been created and included in the State Register of the Russian Federation for the first time in the Far East at Primorskaya Vegetable experimental station – Branch of the Federal State Budgetary Scientific Institution “Federal Scientific Vegetable Center” (PVES - Branch of the FSBSI FSVC). Dmitrich: Medium. The bulb is cross-elliptical, weighing 55-70 g. Dry scales are brown, their number is 2-3, juicy scales are white with a greenish tinge. The neck of a medium-sized, two- or threepart. It have semi-acute taste. Trading yields 162-177 kg/ha. Maximum yield of 270 kg/ha (Khabarovsk region). Ivashka: Medium. The bulb is round, weighing 50-60 g, dry scales are pink, their number is 2-3, juicy scales with a pinkish tinge. It have semi-acute taste. Rocket: Medium. The bulb is wide elliptical, weighing 50-60 g. Dry brown scales, their number 2-3, juicy scales are white. It have semi-acute taste. The method of hybridization created a promising variety Antey, which is transferred to the state variety testing: early (vegetation period when sowing seeds in the soil 105-115 days). The bulb is round (index 0.9-1.1), the color of juicy scales is white. Aging before cleaning – up to 95%, keeping the storage 180 days – up to 92%. It have semi-acute taste, the dry matter content of 9.5-11.0%. Relatively resistant to bacterial rots of the bulb. For today the basic line of grades, optimally suitable for agroclimatic conditions of region which will be used for further selection with use of modern molecular-genetic methods together with scientists of Russian State Agrarian University – Moscow Timiryazev Agricultural Academy and Japanese Partners in the RNF project.

Research staff All-Russian Scientific Research Institute of Vegetable Growing – Branch of the Federal State Budgetary Scientific Institution Federal Scientific Vegetable Center in collaboration with Russian state agrarian University – Moscow Timiryazev agricultural Academy conducted research (2014-2016) on the effect of fertilizers and plant growth regulators on changes in the quality of onions of the Pervenets F1, Bennito F1 hybrids and Poisk 012 F1 during storage. As a result of research, the greatest effect was obtained from the complex application of N90P90K90 in combination with trace elements (tenso-cocktail) and a growth regulator Zircon. This system allowed to obtain high biochemical parameters of onions. At the end of the 7 months of storage (October-may), the highest dry matter and sugar content and the minimum nitrate content was observed in Pervenets F1 onions, as well as in hybrid Bennito F1. In the latematuring hybrid onions Poisk 012 F1 at the end of storage, the dry matter content decreased to 6,8-7,3%, sugars to 3,6-4,1%, vitamin "C" to 3,2-4,9 mg%, and nitrates increased to 92,1 mg/kg, which led to a decrease in product quality and large losses of onions from diseases and natural losses (up to 48-59%). The main reason for these losses was the lack of maturity of bulbs,low solids and sugars during harvest. It is obvious that for long-term storage it is necessary to use bulbs with a dry matter content of at least 10%. It was found out that feeding of onions during the beginning of the formation of food organizations with potassium nitrate, treatment with a growth regulator of Zircon and a complex of microelements of tenso-cocktail contributes to better preservation of the quality of onions.

Lemon monarda (Monarda citriodora L.) is a decorative, spicy taste and a vegetable of the family Lamiaceae. In Russia it is grown as a spicy-aromatic and medicinal plant. It is also called lemon bergamot, lemon mint, lemon bee balm, as the leaves, stems and inflorescences have a strong smell of lemon. Monarda is often used as an additional ingredient in the preparation of various dishes. During the development of the standard "lemon monarda (greenery). Technical conditions", the basis of the data received by the laboratories of the Federal Scientific Vegetable Center: green, spicy taste and floral crops; standardization, regulation and Metrology. The monarda standard includes the following sections: scope; regulatory references; terms, definitions and abbreviations; technical requirements; characteristics, packaging, labeling; rules of acceptance and sampling; test methods; transportation and storage; safety requirements.

On the 21th September of 2018 Pivovarov Victor Fedorovich – scientific adviser of the Federal Scientific Vegetable Center, Academician of Russian Academy of Sciences, Honored Scientist of Russian Federation, State Laureate of Science and Technology, Doctor of Agricultural Science, Professor, is celebrating 50 years of his scientific and pedagogical activity. Dr. Pivovarov V.F. is the leading scientist in the field of ecology, introduction, horticulture, breeding and seed production of vegetable crops. Since having been appointed to a director of VNIISSOK, V.F. Pivovarov has continued to keep up the best traditions of Russian plant breeding school. By now, the VNIISSOK has become a scientific and methodical center for vegetable plant breeding and seed production, where many theoretical studies, the advanced technologies and methods of development of initial breeding material of vegetable plants for further breeding programs are carried out.

Several early ripening pumpkin varieties adn hybrids with high yield and resistance to cold and diseases and high organoleptic properties were developed in Federal Scientific Vegetable Cencer. They are early, cold-resistant, yielding and resistant to a diseases and they have high taste and technological qualities of fruits. Most varieties of pumpkin need to fruit ripening to improve their taste. Lateripening varieties with long-term storage of fruits, until the end of November – early December, accumulate up to 10% of the amount of sugars. The timing of pumpering and storage of pumpkin fruits without loss of quality and taste indicators are individual for each variety and can vary greatly between each other. Gourds of a pumpkin of a dining room are shown as practically not requiring, and requiring in fruit ripening – from two weeks to two months. To a large extent, all varieties differ in terms of the shelf life of the fruit. Using these characteristics of varieties, even in the conditions of the Moscow region, you can create a continuous conveyor of consumption of pumpkin fruits. Recommendations are given on the timing of dosage and use of fruits of different varieties of pumpkin selection Federal Scientific Vegetable Center.

The historical reference of Asparagus officinalis (Asparagus officinalis L.), its species composition and practical use is given. Biological and agrotechnical features of culture, the most common diseases and pests are presented. Grades and methods of selection work. Sexual type of asparagus, perennial varieties and the ability of plants to vegetative propagation are important factors in asparagus breeding. The following methods are used in asparagus selection: hybridization; formation of male varieties via self-pollination of bisexual flowers found on male plants; utilization of the heterosis effect the formation of homozygous inbred-lines; production of tetraploid forms by exposure of colchicine to asparagus seedlings. Selection can be done either on individual plants or using multiple approach. Improvement of selection may be achieved using several parameters: plant yield, the mass of seedlings; plant height of the most developed shoot; the number of shoots. This allows to discard undesirable forms at early stages. Laboratory of green vegetables, spicy-flavoring and flower crops of the Federal Scientific Vegetable Center possesses the collection nursery of 7 samples of Asparagus officinalis: K-25, K-28, K-41, K-46, Mary Washington Bruswick, Paradise. The latter are used for Asparagus selection with the aim to retain economically valuable traits.

Research was carried out on the basis of the laboratory of breeding and seed production of legumes Federal state budgetary scientific institution "Federal scientific center of vegetable growing" (Moscow region) in 2013-2017. The study included 22 varieties of vegetable pea, differing in the length of the growing season and a weigt of 1000 seeds. Sowing was carried out in the optimal time, repeat the experience fourfold. Seeding rate 100-110 seeds per 1 m2. The selection of seeds four times on each plot. The sign «weight of 1000 seeds» determines the grain size and is the most important in the production of canned «green peas». With the increase in grain size decreases marketability of products, increases the consumption of seeds for sowing, significantly reduces the multiplication factor, which leads to higher prices of products. Therefore, varieties with a weigt of 1000 seeds 200-220 grams are mainly used for freezing. Industry currently uses varieties characterized by an average grain size (7-10mm) and a weight of 1000 seeds less than 200 grams, promising grades with a mass of 100-140 grams. To accelerate the selection process for creating varieties with specified parameters, a detailed analysis of the characteristics of the productivity of the initial material, in particular, the weight of 1000 seeds, is needed, since samples with an average size (160-200 grams) have a low coefficient of phenotypic variability and depend on the interaction of genotype and environment, but the reaction of each genotype to the environment is specific. Work should include samples with the lowest coefficient of variability. When working with finely seeded specimens, the average level of phenotypic variability should be taken into account and, when included in the breeding process, increase the selection sample.

Priority directions in tomato breeding for protected ground remain stable productivity ness and quality of fruit, early ripeness, resistant to the most harmful diseases. Creating such varieties is a required component of ecological agriculture. Recently, the demand of appropriate species increases and hybrids of tomato with different colouring of the fruit, which is determined by the contents of xanthophylls and various carotenoids (lycopene, β-carotene, lutein, etc.) with antioxidant properties. According to the state program of research for 2000-2010, the staff of the laboratory of gamete and molecular methods of selection of Federal Scientific Vegetable Center created orange early crop variety Rufina for greenhouses. The article describes the brief history of its creation and characterization on major valuable features. Tomato cultivar Rufina is a source of economically useful traits: early ripeness, resistant to abiotic and biotic stresses, yield, palatability and nutritional value of fruits. Therefore, at present it is used when creating new forms of tomato, adapted to the conditions of various modern technologies protected ground - low-volume cultivation and multi-level narrow column hydroponics (MUG). A perspective starting material was received. These are five productive selection forms for the low-volume technology, haracterized by early ripeness (the beginning of harvesting on the 50-70 day of sowing), the weight of the fruit from 90 to 130 g, resistance to apical rot. For a MUG - two low forms with orange fruits weighing more than 30 grams, created as a result of hybridization with determinants of dwarfish redplant varieties Natasha.