The aim of the research is to breed short climbing, early maturing, high-yielding varieties of squash in the natural and climatic zone of Uzbekistan.Methods. The samples of squash 0044SQ (Holland) and BT+KB-001 (Turkey) were taken from the gene pool of the Research Institute of Plant Industry (Uzbekistan) in 2012 for breeding work. In 2013, squash samples were studied in the nursery of the source material, where they were evaluated for biological and economically valuable traits. Individual selection of plants was carried out. In further breeding work (2014-2016 and 2018), the lines LZ-2513 and LH-1916 were distinguished.Results. The method of analytical breeding created short-climbing, early maturing, high-yielding of squash lines LZ-2513 and LH-1916. Line LZ-2513 has rounded fruits of light green color. The LH-1916 variety has elongated, dark green fruits. Competitive variety trials of new lines were conducted in 2019-2020. Unumdor variety zoned in the republic served as a standard. It was found that from sprouting to maturity of the fruit in the line LZ-2513 is 44 days, in the line LH-1916 – 45 days. High marketable yield was recorded for squash line LZ-2513 – 18.3 tons/ha (122% of the standard); in line LH-1916 marketable yield was 16.4 tons/ha (112.4% of the standard). This year we organized the primary seed production of squash lines LZ-2513 and LH-1916 for multiplication.Conclusion. Promising for cultivation in conditions of Uzbekistan squash line LZ-2513 Orbita (NAP 20200087) and line LH-1916 Viridi (NAP 20200088) were submitted to the Intellectual Property Agency under the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Uzbekistan to be patented.

Relevance and methodology. Lychnis coronaria is a perennial herbaceous plant with high decorative properties, with prolonged flowering in the second or third year of vegetation. The pubescent leaves form beautiful rosettes. The plant is undemanding to the growing conditions. The research material was the varietal population of Lychnis coronaria. The study was carried out in the open ground of the Moscow region (2014- 2021) on experimental plots of the flower crops sector of the FSBSI FSVC.Results. The most aligned form according to decorative features was identified – LC 1-21 with high seed productivity of inflorescences, decorative and winter hardiness. A variety testing and preliminary reproduction of a promising cultivar of Lychnis coronaria was carried out. This variety was transferred to the FSBI "State Export Commission" in 2021 under the name “Malinovy Rassvet”. Such signs as "plant height", "bush diameter", "number of ornamental shoots", "flower diameter" had a low or average variation value, which characterizes this sample as the most aligned. Thus, the cv. “Malinovy Rassvet” of Lychnis coronaria is recommended for cultivation and use for decorative purposes. The leaves and the bright color of the flowers provide a contrast to the perennial borders and flower beds. It looks good both in single and group plantings, as well as in cutting. It is grown as a short-lived perennial. The main advantages of the variety are the color fastness of flowers when burned out in the sun, resistance to diseases and pests, high seed productivity.

Relevance. In terms of the richness of colors, shapes and sizes of inflorescences and relative unpretentiousness during cultivation, as well as the duration of flowering of a dahlia, the cultural has no equal. Basically, this flower crop is grown in the open field and used for landscaping areas. Dahlias, due to their decorative properties, are a promising crop for cutting. But the growth in the volume of industrial cultivation of cut dahlias has long been constrained by two negative factors - the low life expectancy of cut flowers, and the fact that not all varieties of cultivated dahlias are suitable for cultivation in greenhouses. Therefore, the search for varieties that meet the aforementioned properties is an especially urgent task.Material and methods. The material for the study was 10 varieties of Dahlia × cultorum Dutch selection. They belong to different groups of dahlias – spherical: Souvenir d'Eté, The Voice, Jowey Winnie; decorative – Orion, Café au Lait, Fleurel, Karma Choc and pompom dahlias: Little William, Cornel Bronze, Petra's Wedding, All tubers were planted in phytotron beds. Phenological observations of plants were carried out according to the Methodology of State Variety Testing of Ornamental Crops. During the growing season, the following indicators were determined: the onset of phenological phases of development, the dynamics of plant growth, the number and size of inflorescences, the length of the peduncle, the duration of flowering.Results. It was found that all the studied varieties of cultural dahlias have a high decorative effect and are suitable for growing for cutting in greenhouse conditions. Growing plants in a phytotron allows you to get a high-quality cut almost two months ahead of time, as well as have a longer and more abundant flowering. It was found that the Café au Lait cultivar is not entirely suitable for cut cultivation in greenhouses or requires the development of cultivation technology that is individual for this cultivar. It was found that the Fleurel variety surpasses other studied varieties in terms of decorativeness, inflorescence size, peduncle length, onset time and flowering duration. A significant disadvantage of the variety is its high growth and fragility of the peduncles. The most popular cut varieties were Fleurel, Petra's Wedding, Jowey Winnie and Little William. It was found that the studied varieties of cultural dahlias were distinguished not only by high decorativeness, but also by high durability in a vase from 5 to 7 days.

The varieties and hybrids of cucumbers cultivated in the Astrakhan region are insufficiently productive and are largely affected by a number of diseases. The introduction of innovative developments into production, in particular, new varieties and hybrids of domestic selection, largely solves the problem of import substitution and food security. The goal is to use promising breeding lines and their offspring as genetic sources and donors when creating new varieties and hybrids for open field conditions in southern Russia.Methods. Experiments were carried out in the fields of Precaspian agrarian federal scientific center of the Russian academy of sciences, according to the methods used in the Astrakhan region. Within three years, 47 collection samples were tested.Results. The article presents the results of studying the 12 most promising ones, distinguished by a complex of valuable economic traits, in particular by yield, amicability of fruit setting, which are of interest for further breeding work. According to the results of the data obtained, we can say that the best were the lines: 13-88RZ, 13-101RZ, Gherkins, KRASTAVAC, Courage, Zina, they can be used to create new varieties and hybrids of cucumber as donors of a predominantly female type of flowering, harmonious yield.

Relevance. The soil and climatic conditions of the Lower Trans-Volga region are considered favorable for melon growing and make it possible to obtain high-quality products. The purpose of the research was to create new competitive varieties and hybrids of melon and pumpkin.Materials and methods. The object of the research is new varieties of melon and butternut pumpkin created at the Bykovskaya melon breeding experimental station. Melon cultivar Osen and pumpkin cv. Zhemchuzhina were used as standards. The methods of creation are intervarietal hybridization, individual and mass selection. During the growing season, appropriate observations and counts were carried out.Results. As a result of many years of breeding work at the Bykovskaya cucurbits selection experimental station, a melon cultivar 251 and a pumpkin cultivar 509 have been created. both producers and consumers. Therefore, the obtained varieties were evaluated for taste, yield, resistance to biological and abiofactors of the environment, dry matter content, fruit size, fruit and pulp color. During the comparative assessment of the accessions, it was determined that the new varieties of melon and pumpkin exceed the standards in terms of the main economically valuable traits. The average yield during the study, in the melon cultivar 251, exceeded the standard by 47.8%. In the pumpkin cultivar, the average yield for three years of research exceeded the standard by 69.6%. In terms of taste, the new melon variety was at the level of the standard, the cv. Osen. A variety of butternut pumpkin exceeded the standard in all quality indicators. The susceptibility to powdery mildew in the melon cultivar varied depending on the year of research. The melon sample showed resistance to anthracnose higher than the standard by 16.4 and 18.6%, over the years of study. In the pumpkin cultivar, resistance to powdery mildew and anthracnose was higher than the standard, on average by 34.9% to powdery mildew and by 28.6% to anthracnose. Thus, new varieties of melon and pumpkin meet the modern requirements of the industrial melon industry, are resistant to environmental stress factors, common diseases, and have economically valuable traits.

Relevance. One of the most common diseases of potatoes and other nightshade family species is late blight caused by a pathogenic oomycete of the Phytophthora infestans (Mont.) de Bary. At least 100 species of phytophthora have been described in nature, affecting a wide range of plant species. The phytophthora population is heterogeneous and is represented by races, as well as different types of mating. This leads to a rapid adaptation of the pathogen and the emergence of new, more aggressive, and resistant races. Phytophthora is a parasite, the damage from which cannot be avoided within the organic farming framework. Therefore, it is particularly important to know the pathogenesis and racial composition of phytophthora in each individual region of Solanaceae cultivation.Research methodology. Differentiation and collection of material from the natural population were carried out using potato varieties with known R-genes in the genome. Isolation and introduction into the culture were carried out from leaves with the dampening chambers method, followed by cultivation on nutrient media. The pathogen was identified by microscopic analysis. Culture filtrates were obtained on the liquid nutritious medium, followed by liquid filtration and autoclaving. Phytotoxic activity was determined by the effect on the seedlings of the nightshade, grass, and pea families by the standard method. Molecular genetic analysis of the isolates was carried out by ISSR analysis; the primer, amplification mixture, and temperature profile of the reaction were selected according to the literature data; the calculation of genetic characteristics was carried out using POPGENE software packages.Results. Samples of seven Phytophthora infestans isolates were collected and introduced into culture. As a result of in vitro cultivation, morphological differences were revealed, expressed in the structure and color of the mycelium, the shape of the colonies, the nature of sporulation, the color of the reverse, and the medium under the colonies. The genetic differences of the natural phytophthora material introduced into the culture, collected from potato varieties with single resistance genes (R1, R3, R4), were revealed. Differences in the phytotoxic activity of the studied isolates' cultural filtrates were revealed. The isolated isolates demonstrate differentiation at the phenotypic, genetic and physiological levels, which allows us to speak about their belonging to races.

Relevance. Multilevel pipe vegetation installations (MVTU) “Fitopiramida” are designed for hydroponic cultivation of different agricultural crops including tomatoes.Methods. To create F1 tomato hybrids for this technology the assessment of phenological stages passing of tomato lines on “Fitopiramida” MVTU was carried out. 19 breeding lines including 9 cherry tomato lines, 10 large-fruited tomato lines of indeterminate and determinate growth types were tested. These lines were used in various hybridization schemes to obtain F1 tomato heterotic hybrids for “Fitopiramida”.Results. According to the results of the conducted researches in conditions of low-volume technology “Fitopiramida” duration of periods “germination – beginning of flowering” ("G-BF") and “germination – beginning of ripening” ("G-BR") is significantly reduced. In cherry group lines “G-BR” period is shorter by 17.7 days at average, in large-fruited lines by 23-27.3 days at average depending on growth type. The difference in ripening time is more expressed in largefruited lines; border-grown Kb 183 line began ripening 35 days later. Shorter growing season makes it possible to carry out largest number of crop rotations per year to obtain maximum yield per area unit (in full year use greenhouses). Similar results were obtained in the tests of tomato varieties and F1 hybrids on “Fitopiramida” MWTU in 2019-2020 in terms of phenological stages passing acceleration and earlier fruiting of hydroponic grown tomatoes.

Relevance. One of the most important stages in the selection of agricultural crops for heterosis is the determination of the combinational ability, in particular, the evaluation of the SCS constants of lines of promising hybrid combinations. Purpose: on the basis of the best hybrid combinations, create promising cucumber hybrids for open and protected ground, for various purposes, characterized by a complex of economically useful features, including high fruit yield. Objective: to evaluate the effects of true, hypothetical, competitive heterosis of hybrids and SCA line constants in the studied F1 hybrid combinations.Materials and methods.The research work was carried out in the Pridnestrovian Research Institute of Agriculture in 2014-2018 in greenhouses (spring-summer and summer rotations) and in open ground when growing in a spread and on a trellis. Much attention was paid to the degree and nature of the manifestation of heterosis in F1 hybrids, which were evaluated by early and total yield, the yield of standard fruits, the yield of gherkins and greens. The degree of manifestation of true, hypothetical and competitive heterosis of hybrids is established and the SCA constants in the studied F1 combinations are evaluated. The standards were the F1 Zubrenok hybrids of selection the Pridnestrovian Research Institute of Agriculture and Ajax of the Dutch selection. As testers, JL-6 and L.96 were used. In the studies, selection methods were used-pair and return crosses – backcrosses), self-pollination (incucht), selection (individual, group and mass).Results.With positive effects, all three types of heterosis (true, hypothetical and competitive) were observed in the spring-summer and summer rotations of film greenhouses and open ground when grown in a spread and on a trellis for most economically valuable traits in hybrid combinations 43x57 (seven traits); 71/55x41/86; 65x52 (six); 65x41/86, 65x96, 95x68 (five). High SCA constants were observed in film greenhouses (spring-summer and summer rotations) and in open ground (in the spread and on the trellis) lines in combinations 71/55x41/86 (early, general and standard fruit yield; gherkins yield fractions of 5.1-7.0 and 7.1-9.0 cm (+1.0; +0.9; +10.6; +1.2), (+1.8; +4.9; +39.8; +2.6), (+2.0; +4.4; +36.8; +2.6), (+1.1; +1.5; +12.9; +2.3); 65x52 (gherkins yield fractions of 5.1-7.0 cm) (+12.2; +7.2; +12.5; +7.0); 43x57 (yield of gherkins of the fraction 5.1-7.0 cm) (+1.0; +2.0; +6.7; +2.0).

Relevance. The south of Russia occupies about 45% of the country's vegetable area and produces annually more than 5.7 million tons of vegetables or 48.9% of gross vegetable harvest in the country. The analysis of the state of open-ground vegetable growing in the south of Russia is given, taking into account the dynamics of acreage, yield, and gross harvest. The article presents a forecast of the development of openground vegetable growing in the south of Russia in the medium term, taking into account the organizational and legal changes in the industry.Materials and results. The purpose of the research. Analysis of the state of open-ground vegetable growing in the south of Russia and identification of factors hindering the further development of the industry. The role of innovations introduced into production, variety exchange and variety renewal in increasing the gross yield of vegetables are shown. The reasons of the shortfall in productivity in 10 of 15 subjects of districts below the level of the average district values are given. The article highlights the reasoned judgments about the need to enlarge vegetable farms, expand the range of vegetable crops grown, as well as the need for a widespread transition to organic vegetable growing. The paper uses the official materials of the Federal State Statistics Service (FSSS), reports of agricultural departments of the subjects of two districts, the analysis of which was carried out by the author and comments on them were made.

Relevance and methods. We studied the influence of LED lighting of different spectral composition on the content of photosynthetic pigments in tomato leaves to identify the most optimal lighting option suitable for obtaining high-quality seedlings under controlled conditions. We used LED lamps in which the ratio of the photon flux density (PFD) of the orange-red band (607–694 nm) to the PFD of the blue band (400–495 nm) varied from 1 to 20. In this case, the proportion of the PFD in the range 580-607 nm ( yellow) ranged from 13 to 22%, and the fraction of photons in the range 495–580 nm (green) ranged from 18 to 38%. The research was carried out with two varieties of Belarusian tomato varieties, which differed in a number of morphobiological characteristics.Results. It was found that the use of LED lighting of different spectral composition had mainly an inhibitory effect on the biosynthesis of chlorophylls and carotenoids in the leaf tissue of plants. The decrease in the amount of pigments, in comparison with the control variant, reached 47-57%. It was revealed that under all studied lighting options, with the exception of conditions where the spectral ratio R / B ("red/blue") was 0.8, the value of the total inhibitory effect in the Cherry Coral variety was 1.2-1.7 times lower than that of the Zorka variety, which indicated a significantly lower susceptibility of the pigment fund of the former to LED lighting. The smallest inhibitory effect of the latter on the biosynthesis of photosynthetic pigments in both tomato varieties was established at a photon flux of 69.1 μmol/s, while the greatest, exceeding it by 3.0-3.1 times in the Zorka variety and 4.5-5.3 times for the Cherry Coral variety with a photon flux of 73.9 μmol/s.