Various efficiency of new initial material use of the descendents of Japanese flowering crab apple (Malus) and domestic plum in breeding process on reducing the duration of juvenile stage has been distinguished: 88-22/11, 84-125/39 (Fi BM41497), Antor, Imrus, Kaunis, Kovalenkovskoye, Mechta, Redfree, Syabryna, Haralson, Charavnitsa and Empire. At including in hybridization domestic apple varieties and descendents from M.xfloribunda 821 the duration of juvenile stage at apple seedlings increases with each generation. The following crossing combinations, starting fruiting on the 6-7th year, appeared to be the most effective for seedlings output: 88-22/11 x Haralson and 88-22/11 x Empire. The character of trait inheritance by generation varied from intermediate inheritance to positive superdominance. Separation of transgressive genotypes was marked at combination Antor x Imrus where the frequency of transgression was 13%. As donors of early ripening the following variety samples were distinguished: 88-22/11 (BM41497 x Rubinovoye Duki) x Imrus. In course of the study there was analyzed the inheritance of duration of juvenile stage in apple hybrid progeny.

In the conditions of the Republic of Belarus there were presented results of studying the quality of fruits of apple (Malus) depending on origin. The hybridization in 1997-1999 was including the cultivars - with gene Vf. Jonafree, Imrus, Syabryna, Redfree, 84-125/39 (Byeloruskoye sladkoe x BM41497), 88-22/11 (BM41497 x Rubinovoye duki) and cultivars: Antor, Kaunis, Kovalenkovskoe, Mechta, Charaunitsa, Haralson, Utyos. As results there were indicated transgressive forms for fruit size in cross combinations Kovalenkovskoe x Syabryna - 14%, Antor x Imrus - 10, Kaunis x U1156 - 5, Mechta x 84-125/39 - 3, 88-22/11 x Haralson – 2%. The most promising cross combinations and one the best hybrids (97-4/32 -Jonafree x Utyos) - sources of the large size and delicious fruits are revealed for using as parents in hybridization and further research in orchards. In course of the study there was analysed the average weight of fruits of scion-rooted apple hybrids; as well as the taste qualities of scion-rooted apple hybrids.

The morphological parameters of apple (Malus) clonal rootstock 62-396 (infected and non-infected by ACLSV) on standard medium after one passage of its cultivation on nutrient media containing salicylic acid in different concentrations were studied in the conditions of the Republic of Belarus. It was established that cultivation of non-infected plants on media with salicylic acid caused significant reduce of average shoot length and propagation coefficient during subsequent passages. Addition of salicylic acid led to significant increase of microcutting vitrification rate. It was shown for regenerants infected by ACLSV that cultivation on media with salicylic acid resulted in increase of necrosis rate and callus formation during subsequent cultivation on standard nutrition medium. It was shown that salicylic acid addition to nutrient medium affected vital capacity of the studied rootstock regenerants; both infected and non-infected plants demonstrated this effect. We recommend using of 30 mg/1 of salicylic acid for chemotherapy.

In agriculture the substrates must discharge traditional functions (mechanical fixation, plant nutrient) and supply plants with specific needs (at the growing in vitro culture, at the transportation of plants on long distance etc.). The substrates we can divide into 3 groups: organic (high-moor peat, valley peat, transitional peat, peat mixture (which composition depends on its function), sphagnous moss, coir fibre, tree bark, biohumus), mineral (pearlite, agrovermiculite, clinker, haydite, ceolite, sand, dolomitic powder, mineral fibre, TRIONA) and synthetic (ion-exchange substrate BIONA, hydrogels). In this overview basic substrates used in plant growing, their ingredients and characteristics, functions and products (peat tablets, peat pots) are considered in detail in the conditions of the Republic of Belarus.

In the conditions of the Republic of Belarus within 2008-2010 there was realized of investigation the influence of inoculation height (20 and 40 cm) on growth and development of apple (Malus) varieties of the Byelorussian breeding and columnar ones in a nursery at direct planting. The indexes data of the growth and productiveness of the varieties 'Darunak', 'Imant' and columnar varieties 'Valyuta' and 'President' are given in the article. It was revealed that different inoculation influenced on growth intensity of the plants. The highest trees for investigation years were marked at the inoculation variant at 20 cm. In 2010 it reached 238 cm at the variety 'Imant', 256 cm at the variety 'Darunak', 230 cm at the variety 'President' and finally 280 cm at the variety 'Valyuta'. For the analyzed apple varieties there was marked no significant difference in yielding capacity at different inoculation height. The height of inoculation did not render essential influence on fruits marketability and trees productivity.

In the conditions of the Republic of Belarus there were presented results of black currant (Ribes nigrum) varieties and hybrids study of some characteristics for suitability to mechanized harvesting. On the third year after planting 7 varieties ('Ametist', 'Alta', 'Binar', 'Chernecha', Sanuyta', 'Krupnaya Teterevoi' and 'Peterbuzhenka') and 2 hybrids (02-13-21 and 02-13-36) produced the optimal yield location in the bush crown among 32 black currant samples. Wideness of all bush foundation at all studied varieties and hybrids met all necessary requirements (not more than 30 cm) exclusive varieties 'Ametist', 'Binar', 'Golubichka' 'Lilya' and 'Poesiya' which increased their foundation wideness by 3 cm reaching five years old. The varieties 'Ametist', 'Alta', 'Chernecha', 'Sanyuta', 'Krupnaya Teterevoi' and hybrids 02-13-36 and 02-13-21 were distinguished for further breeding research as source of optimal yield location. Varieties 'Ametist', 'Alta', 'Chernecha', 'Sanyuta', 'Krupnaya Teterevoi' and hybrids 02-13-36 and 02-13-21 appeared to be the most suitable for mechanized harvesting.

Explants for initiation of in vitro culture from virus free mother plantations (super super elite class A) of black currant (Ribes nigrum) and red currant (Ribes rubrum) have a high morphogenetic potential. The number of viable explants in almost all cultivars of black currant was 100%, except the cultivar 'Byelorusskaya Sladkaya' and 'Pamyati Vavilova' in which 4.76% of explants were infected. Percentage of regenerated plant of cultivars of red currant was also high: from 86.67% (cv. 'Jonkheer Van Tets') to 100% (cv. 'Ronda' and 'Fertodi'). In initiation of in vitro culture of black currants from seed-trial ground of Timiryazev Moscow Agricultural Academy and in vitro culture of gooseberry from mother plantation (class B) of the Institute for Fruit Growing, the percentage of regenerated plants depended on characters of cultivars. A significant number of infected explants may be due to contamination of mother plants by fungal and bacterial infections in their habitat and the possibility of increasing the level of infection during prolonged storage before the initiation in vitro culture. The number of necrotic explants depends likely on infection of mother plant by systemic pathogens.

In the conditions of the Republic of Belarus there were studied specialized crop rotations with different legume grasses, vegetable and grain crops saturation. In course of the experiment there were analysed 8 vegetable and fodder crop rotations. It was shown that increasing of siderates (lupine (Lupinus)) and perennial grasses (meadow clover (Trifolium pratense L.)) in their structure up to 20-25% gave an opportunity to raise both the total crop rotation productivity and the degree of soddy-podzolic light loamy soils cultivation. Saturation of crop rotations with perennial grasses and siderates up to 44% provided a rather high total yielding capacity of vegetable and fodder crop rotations. Application of high total doses of organic and mineral fertilizers in combination with introduction of lupine as a siderate and clover of annual use made it possible to increase the degree of saturation of crop rotation with vegetable crops up to 67%.

The article presents the results of evaluation of garden strawberry (Fragaria ananassa) varieties for productivity components (quantity of flower bearing stems for a bush, berries quantity for a flower bearing stem, the average berry weight) in the Republic of Belarus. High productivity potential is marked at the varieties which have 7 and more flower bearing stems for a bush, the average berry weight of 10.1 g and more and compact inflorescence type. Among them there were varieties 'Dukat', 'Rusich' and 'Alpha'. Strong direct correlation links were revealed between such traits as 'quantity of flower bearing stems for a bush' and 'productivity' (r = 0.97), 'quantity of flower bearing stems for a bush' and 'average berry weight' (r = 0.79), 'average berry weight' and 'productivity' (r = 0.89). Also strong back correlation links were distinguished between the following traits 'quantity of flower bearing stems for a bush' and 'berries quantity for a flower bearing stem' (r = 0.80) and finally 'berries quantity for a flower bearing stem' and 'productivity' (r = 0.85). Using the given links let carrying on breeding research for high productivity and marketability of berries for flower bearing stems not taking into account weight of yield.

The results of the productiveness evaluation of gooseberry mother plantations at propagation by stooling method and layering shoots (the average shoot length diameter, shoots quantity per one mother plant and the output of standard shoots) were presented in the conditions of the Republic of Belarus. The investigations were carried out within 2008-2010 in the Small Fruit Plants Growing Department of the RUE 'Institute for Fruit Growing'. Mother plants and shoots of gooseberry varieties such as 'Masheka', 'Malakchit' and 'Ravolt' were the objects of the investigations. In the experiment for productiveness evaluation of gooseberry mother plantations the following planting schemes were applied: for stooling method it was 1.4x0.3 m and for layering shoots - 1.4x0.5 m. Propagation by stooling method ensures the output of standard seedlings per one hectare by 1.2-1.3 points more than at mother plantation of layering shoots. It is recommended to propagate gooseberry plants of the variety 'Masheka' by layering shoots.