Purpose. To establish biological features of plants growth and development and the formation of Miscanthus giganteus planting material depending on the cultivation technology elements. Methods. Field, laboratory, visual, weight measu­ring, mathematical and statistical ones. Results. The features of the growth and development of the miscanthus bioenergy crop were investigated including the formation of planting material depending on the combined technology elements application during the planting time, namely: planting time, rhizome mass, the granules and the MaxiMarin absorbent gel. It was established that the increase in plant height and leaf area as well as the miscanthus stems formation was depended on both the rhizome planting time, their size, and the use of the absorbent. During three-year period, increase in plant height was more intensive and leaf area was largest in case of the absorbent application, as compared to the control during all phases of the development for the first and the second planting time regardless of rhizome mass. On the average, the largest leaf area – 1905,9 cm3 – was in the final stage of vegetation in the context of the second planting time for large rhizomes and application of granules and absorbent gel jointly. Increasing the ground mass due to plant height, leaf area and the number of stems benefited the photosynthesis productivity intensity, that influenced the root system increase, and consequently the output of the miscanthus planting material. It was found that there are direct strong correlation between these indices and the rhizome mass. Ground mass growing is contributed to the increase in the rhizome mass, and accordingly the output of the planting material – rhizome. In case of application of granules and absorbent gel jointly, the ground mass of the miscanthus was growing most intensively and accordingly the rhizome mass was the largest, which in the first year of small rhizomes planting was twice as much as compared to the control and was equal to 1090.5 g, for large rhizomes planting this index was respectively 2.4 times more and equal to 1763.9 g. During the second planting time, the application of granules and absorbent gel jointly resulted in the rhizomes mass increase for small rhizomes planting 1.9, large rhizomes – 2.1 times more as compared to the control. Conclusions. Direct strong correlations were established bet­ween the intensity of the ground mass growth – the height of plants, the number of leaves, leaf area, the number of buds and the rhizome mass. The growth of the ground mass of plants was contributed to the increase of the root system, and consequenly the output of planting material. In all sta­ges of plant development, the increase of the rhizome mass was more intensive in case of the absorbent application regardless the time of rhizome planting, as compared to the control. The application of granules and absorbent jointly allowed to form the largest rhizome mass.

Purpose. To study Ukrainian potato market at the current stage of the development and determine its future prospects. Results. The features of Ukrainian potato market were determined. Production is almost fully provided by private households, meeting the needs of the domestic market. Main regions with the highest gross output and production of potatoes were defined. Ukraine is one of the major potato producing countries in the world. Today our country is not a key supplier or importer of this product because of the low export orientation of the industry, its technological backwardness, limited product range and the large number of small producers. Ukraine exports potato mainly to CIS countries, the highest share of potato import comes from the European Union. Now there are only a few large manufacturing companies in the market, which can be classified as industrial. Most potato varieties, officially permitted for dissemination in Ukraine, are classified as table ones and recommended for cultivation in the Forest-Steppe and Polissia zones. Achievements of the industry include the development of such very popular and promising trend as organic potato growing, which area in our country is one of the largest in the world. Conclusions. Potato produced in Ukraine is used for human consumption, animal feeding, planting and processing, its volumes are relatively stable. Large-scale industrial production of potato is not widely practiced because of low wholesale prices and high labor intensity of the cultivation process. During next few years, in view of current trends, production of potato and severe limitations of the domestic market for foreign operations will remain unchanged. A shift in emphasis in the product range – from fresh potato to processed food products should be a prospect for domestic industrial producers to improve their position in Ukraine and abroad.

Purpose. To determine morphological and morphometric features of vegetative and generative organs of Persica species and varieties under the conditions of the Forest-Steppe zone of Ukraine for further use in breeding. Methods. Biological (morphological analysis) and statistical (processing of morphometric parameters) ones. Results. It was found that except ternate multiple buds, in peach hybrid ‘Suputnyk’collateral buds were prevalent which was not common to other tested varieties and species. Buds of each species and variety have a certain number of scales. The most scales were observed in ‘Suputnyk’. Pubescence of abaxial side of the leaf in P. davіdiana and ‘Suputnyk’ plants was not revealed. Species of P. vulgaris (‘Pecherskyi’, ‘Antotsianovyi’, ‘Poleskyi’) was characterized by increase in size of leaf blades, flowers and fruits. The distinctive features of P. davidiana and ‘Suputnyk’ are that stamens were accumulated in their flowers while in P. vulgaris they are branched. Raphe of a P. vulgaris stone protrudes above the edges of the bordering creases and consists of a number of narrow plates. Conclusions. For the breeding purposes, plants have an advantage for some basic criteria: the most flower buds that is common to interspecies hybrid ‘Suputnyk’; increase in photosynthetic productivity of the leaf apparatus to be typical for the variety ‘Pecherskyi’; large fruits that ‘Pecherskyi’ variety is noted for; intense red color of fruits that is inherent feature of ‘Antocianovyi’ variety.

Purpose. To study biological characteristics of growth and development of middle-early soybean varieties and create a model of phenotype productivity. Methods. Special and gene­ral techniques for studies. Results. Optimal productivity of plants is forming merely at the expense of efficient ratio of all the elements of their structure. It often happens that in case of underdevelopment of one of the structure components yield to some extent can be offset by better development of other elements. Eight indicators were defined which make the largest contribution to the productivity trait of a variety: seed weight per plant, total number of branches, number of nodes per plant, number of pods per plant, number of seeds per plant, number of flowers, plant height, 1000 kernel weight. The first four indicators provided most of the total contribution to a trait of seed weight per plant. Model building was based on hierarchy of productivity traits display in ontogenesis and compliance of their development in organogenesis. The model consists of two modules of traits – resulting and some componental showing phenotypic realization of the genetic formula. It was found that the plant height significantly influence the number of nodes per plant (r = 0,76), and the number of pods per plant (r = 0,43) depends on this trait. In addition, correlation based on the research was obtained between the number of flowers per plant and plant height (r = 0,35), and number of nodes (r = 0,76). It was established that the number of flowers per plant determines the development of pods on the plant so it is quite strongly correlated with this trait (r = 0,99). Conclusions. It was determined that the number of pods per plant and the number of seeds per plant have a very strong correlation (r = 0,96). Besides, such trait as the number of seeds per plant has a strong relationship with the seed weight per plant (r = 0,79).

Мета. Вивчити особливості формування врожайності насіння й зеленої маси у люпину білого. Виявити системи зв’язків між деякими елементами продуктивності й частку внеску кожного фактора в загальну дисперсію продуктивного потенціалу для розроблення селекційних програм зі створення сортів різних напрямів використання. Методи. Польові, лабораторні, статистичний. Результати. Після обробки первинних даних показників елементів структури врожайності насіння й зеленої маси із множини характеристик рослин, які вивчали, були виділені нові основні фактори, які характеризуються рядом провідних ознак. За показниками насіннєвої продуктивності виділено п’ять основних факторів, які зумовлюють понад 86% загальної мінливості. Перший фактор описує продуктивність бічних пагонів, другий – продуктивність центральної китиці, третій – перерозподіл асимілянтів між вегетативними й репродуктивними органами, четвертий – мікроперерозподіл асимілянтів у бобах, п’ятий – здатність до формування продуктивних бобів. За аналізом структури ознак продуктивності зеленої маси виділено чотири основні фактори, які описують понад 85% загальної мінливості: перший – загальний ріст і розвиток, другий – продуктивність бічних пагонів, третій – кормову цінність, четвертий – продуктивність центральної китиці. Факторна модель дала змогу визначити провідні ознаки й частку кожної системи, що пов’язана з окремим фактором, у формуванні складної ознаки загальної продуктивності рослин люпину білого. Висновки. Факторна модель формування продуктивності насіння люпину білого включає п’ять основних факторів. Процес формування вегетативної продуктивності характеризується чотирма основними факторами. Факторну модель сорту можна використовувати у процесі добору батьківських форм і оцінки нового гібридного матеріалу.

Purpose. To analyse the qualitative and quantitative composition of volatile organic substances (VOS) in the petals of six species of dog-rose in the collection of M. M. Gryshko National Botanic Garden of the NAS of Ukraine for further bree­ding. Methods. Volatile organic substances were obtained by steam distillation. VOS was determined using gas chromato­graphy (Chromatograph Agilent Technologies 6890). Results. The qualitative and quantitative composition of volatile organic substances in the petals in such species as Rosa L. (R. roullettii HCh (Correvon), R. multiflora Thunb., R. pimpinellifolia L., R. canina L., R. centifolia L., R. rugosa Thunb.) was investigated. According to the results of the research, 105 VOS were discovered in the dog-rose petals, among which 11 were not identified. The dog-rose petals of identified VOC contained 16 components which share exceeds 5%, 31 – was ranging from 1% to 5%, 47 – was less than 1%. They belonged to different groups including monoterpenoids, sesquiterpenoids, sesquiterpene alcohols, saturated unbranched hydrocarbons etc. The largest number of components were identified in the petals of R. roulettii (49) and R. centifolia (45), while the number of identified components in species R. multiflora (33), R. rugosa (31) and R. canina (30) was relatively smaller. All studied dog-rose species were characterized by the presence of such saturated unbranched hydrocarbons as decan, tetradecane, pentadecane, hexadecane, heptadecane, octadecane, nanodecane, heneicosane, tricosane, tetracosane, pentacosane, heptocosane, hentriacontane. Triterpene hydrocarbon squalene is the important component of the VOS complex in dog-rose pen tals. b-phenylethyl alcohol to be one of the main components of the rose essential oils was found during investigation in the following four dog-rose species as R. centifolia (0.61%), R. pimpinellifolia (3.56%), R. rugosa (4.24%), and R. multiflora (5.43%). Significant content of dihydro-b-ionol (18.46%), dihydro-b-ionone (0.69%), thias­piran A (1.35%), and thiaspiran B (2.17%) were revealed in the petals of R. roulettii, which also have an influence on the aromatic bouquet of the rose oil. Conclusions. For the first time, 105 volatile organic substances were found in the petals of six species of dog-rose, 11 of which were not identified. It was found out that the largest number of components were identified in the petals of R. roulettii (49) and R. centifolia (45). The number of VOS identified in species R. multiflora (33), R. rugosa (31), and R. canina (30) was relatively smaller. Component composition of VOS in the petals of studied dog-rose species is an important constituent in breeding investigations of prospective producers for the various purposes of use.

Purpose. To establish biological features of plants growth and development and the formation of Miscanthus giganteus planting material depending on the cultivation technology elements. Methods. Field, laboratory, visual, weight measu­ring, mathematical and statistical ones. Results. The features of the growth and development of the miscanthus bioenergy crop were investigated including the formation of planting material depending on the combined technology elements application during the planting time, namely: planting time, rhizome mass, the granules and the MaxiMarin absorbent gel. It was established that the increase in plant height and leaf area as well as the miscanthus stems formation was depended on both the rhizome planting time, their size, and the use of the absorbent. During three-year period, increase in plant height was more intensive and leaf area was largest in case of the absorbent application, as compared to the control during all phases of the development for the first and the second planting time regardless of rhizome mass. On the average, the largest leaf area – 1905,9 cm3 – was in the final stage of vegetation in the context of the second planting time for large rhizomes and application of granules and absorbent gel jointly. Increasing the ground mass due to plant height, leaf area and the number of stems benefited the photosynthesis productivity intensity, that influenced the root system increase, and consequently the output of the miscanthus planting material. It was found that there are direct strong correlation between these indices and the rhizome mass. Ground mass growing is contributed to the increase in the rhizome mass, and accordingly the output of the planting material – rhizome. In case of application of granules and absorbent gel jointly, the ground mass of the miscanthus was growing most intensively and accordingly the rhizome mass was the largest, which in the first year of small rhizomes planting was twice as much as compared to the control and was equal to 1090.5 g, for large rhizomes planting this index was respectively 2.4 times more and equal to 1763.9 g. During the second planting time, the application of granules and absorbent gel jointly resulted in the rhizomes mass increase for small rhizomes planting 1.9, large rhizomes – 2.1 times more as compared to the control. Conclusions. Direct strong correlations were established bet­ween the intensity of the ground mass growth – the height of plants, the number of leaves, leaf area, the number of buds and the rhizome mass. The growth of the ground mass of plants was contributed to the increase of the root system, and consequenly the output of planting material. In all sta­ges of plant development, the increase of the rhizome mass was more intensive in case of the absorbent application regardless the time of rhizome planting, as compared to the control. The application of granules and absorbent jointly allowed to form the largest rhizome mass.

Purpose. To analyze the level of cross-resistance of obtained salt- and osmotolerant cell lines and plants regenerants of winter triticale to osmotic and salt stresses. Methods. Cultures of tissue and organs in vitro, in vitro breeding, biochemical, statistical analysis. Results. It was established that the stability of cross-resistance trait display to saline and osmotic stresses in obtained cell lines of winter triticale was rather high – from 50 to 76% of calli have survived to the end of the sixth passage. It has been shown that despite the presence of sublethal concentrations of the stress-factor (mannitol/sodium chloride) in selective medium, stable cell lines of the triticale actively continued to grow and accumulate biomass. It was found that in the line ‘38/1296’ cell lines 5L/sl and 5L/os respectively were the most resistant to osmotic and salt stresses, and lines 1C/s1 and 1C/os respectively in the ‘Obrii’ variety, since they had the highest percent of living calli and biomass increment under the selective conditions and their plant regenerant – the highest level of survival after the impact of the abiotic stressors complex. The salt-resistant cell lines of both genotypes of winter triticale as compared to the control were also characterized by significantly higher free proline content under the selective factors impact. The results obtained may indicate that the cell lines and triticale plant regenerants have a genetically determined trait of resistance to stress factors. Conclusions. Verification of traits of resistance to abiotic stressors has shown a significantly high level of cross-tolerance of the obtained cell lines of both triticale genotypes for saline and osmotic stresses. Resistance to saline and osmotic stresses of cells separated in vitro was preserved in induced plants and at the organism level has increased tolerance to abiotic environmental factors. It is shown that due to the general non-specific mechanisms of resistance, the capacity of the callus cultures of triticale to resist to one abiotic stressor can lead to increased tolerance for another one.

Purpose. To conduct in vitro screening of different genotypes of winter triticale for resistance to salinity in the shoot apical meristem culture. Methods. Plant tissue culture in vitro, in vitro breeding, statistical analysis. Results. It was found that the increase of sodium chloride concentration from 0.6 to 1.5% resulted in inhibition of the callus culture growth in all genotypes that was indicative of the toxic effect of the stress factor. It turns out that 1.2% sodium chloride concentration allowed to differentiate triticale genotypes for salt tolerance. The line ‘38/1296’ appeared to be the most resistant to salinity stress because under breeding conditions calli of this genotype were characterized by higher morphogenetic potential, had the highest crude mass increase, and plants-regenerants were obtained only from explants of this line after cultivation on the medium containing 1.5% sodium chloride. The ‘ADM 11’ variety was the most sensitive to saline stress as mass necrosis and lack of regenerative ability in its calli were observed under breeding conditions. In the studied forms, genotypic dependence of morphogenesis processes in vitro culture was registered. From the induced calli, plants-regenerants were obtained, and their completion of growing, root development and transfer to in vivo conditions were optimized. Conclusions. Genotypic response to salinity stress in the culture of shoot apical meristems of winter triticale was expressed by various crude mass increase and different morphogenetic potential on exposure to a stress factor. The line ‘38/1296’ can be used as a valuable material for further breeding of winter triticale. The culture of shoot apical meristems is recommended to apply as a test system for screening of triticale genotypes for resistance to salinity stress

Purpose. To study the molecular genetic polymorphism in new soybean varieties using SSR-markers as for the possibility to apply it for examination of varieties for difference, uniformity and stability. Methods. Molecular genetic analysis of nucleic acids, cluster analysis. Results. The results of study of molecular genetic polymorphism in 25 varieties of soybean through microsatellite markers using polymerase chain reaction were presented. Analysis of the amplification products has showed that for all the studied SSR-markers intra-species polymorphism was observed in the ‘Alinda’ variety, for the loci Satt 228 and Satt 726 – in the ‘Arnica’ variety, for the loci Satt 063 and Satt 726 – in the ‘Furio’ variety, which was taken into account in further studies of some genotypes. When asses­sing polymorphism in the studied varieties, it was determined that the frequencies of the identified alleles were ranging from 0,02 to 0,1 that depended on the microsatellite locus. Using cluster analysis, genetic distances were determined between varie­ties. The distance between many varieties, particularly in 59 cases, was 3.61, 3.16 and 2.83, these values of genetic distances prevailed in the studied sample of varieties. Conclusions. Analysis of molecular genetic polymorphism showed that 10 varieties were the most polymorphic among 25 studied ones, that should be taken into account in their further identification. It was determined that the identified alleles were evenly represented in the sample of studied soybean varieties, as evidenced by a high polymorphic index of the locus (0.83–0.94). According to the evaluation of gene­tic distances between varieties, it was found that the varie­ties were the most similar by loci when the genetic distances between them were 2.00, and the varieties were the most different when the distances were 3.87. Thus, the marker system, which consists of four microsatellite loci such as Satt 063, Satt 114, Satt 228 and Satt 726, is effective for defining the difference between studied soybean varieties.