Practical and scientific section on «Present status and prospects in garden pea breeding program and seed management» was held at All-Russian Research Institute of Vegetable Breeding and Seed Production. The problems concerning of home pea production and processing were discussed. The leading experts in pea breeding from different institutions of Russian Academy of Agricultural Science (Research institute of Plant Growing, Vavilove Institute of Plant Industry, Lomonosov State University, Research Institute of Canning Industry, etc.) joined together to share experience and prospects.

Cucumber growing in Non-Chernozem zone requires first of all cultivars and hybrids with fast maturation and cold tolerance, this gives a guaranteed yield of young fruits. Such the cultivars have already been selected at VNIISSOK and they are recommended for open field growing in NonChernozem Zone of Russia. The article provides recommendation for cucumber cultivation.

Chinese cabbage plants, Vesniyanka cultivar, were grown under natural illumination in normal radiation and were placed in condition of periodic y-irradiation produced by the GAMMA-BREEZ source. The irradiation was carried out each 7 days for 4 hours with dose power 5 mSv/h. The summarized dose during all vegetation time was 80 mSv. The root zone of plants was moistened with water containing the different concentrations of deuterium. Radioactive influence on plants did not take effect in yielding abilities and ascorbic acid content in leaves. The reduction of deuterium concentration in water caused the plant productivity was twice as much as before, but otherwise it resulted the active accumulation of nitrates in leaves.

Allium aflatunense has been studied at All-Russian Research Institute of Vegetable Breeding and Seed Production as a new plant culture that has high adaptability, acceptable qualities so that it can be well introduced to breeding program for middle belt of Russia. Samson cultivar has been selected as a result of breeding and joined efforts of the laboratory of standardization and metrology with the onion research group at All-Russian Research Institute of Vegetable Breeding and Seed Production. There were worked out descriptors for traits and sowing recommendations.

On 14th September, 2009, Tatiyana Alekseevna Zimina was 88 when she died. She was a recognizable scientist in biology, agro-ecology, a very active researcher, and an explorer of Sakhalin latitudes. Doctor in agricultural science, veteran of labour she worked as a head of biogeochemistry laboratory and was responsible for plant recourses of Sakhalin centre, Research Institute of Academy of Science, USSR from 1958 to 1968. Then there was a chance for her to be a head of ecology laboratory in All-Russian Research Institute of Vegetable Breeding and Seed Production VASKhNIL from 1975 to 1981. All her life, over 60 years, having been an unambitious patriot of her country she had devoted herself to the plant biology of vegetable crops. Her life course can be truly exemplified.

The biotechnological techniques that have been elaborated for carrot breeding include the following elements: the methods of initial explant sterilization; regeneration under controlled condition for callus tissue and zygotic embryoids; anther and unpollinated ovule cultivation in vitro; genetic transformation. Mentioned biotechnological approaches were applied to develop the cultivar of garden carrot Sonata, promising hybrids F1 and family population of transgenic plants carrying the high resistance to Fusarium avenaceum.

National park like Solovky Islands is a one of the example of distant North region in Russia where for a past and present time there has been the history of collecting plants for different proposes such as cultivation, ornamentation. Orthodoxy monasteries where were first attempts at vegetable growing were made, since then they have still maintained cultural plant growing. The first historical record on gardening in Russia came from XI-XII century as chronicles showed. In June, 2008 the group from All-Russian Research Institute of Vegetable Breeding and Seed Production chanced to visit this region refreshing the information about this distant-located and beautiful place.

Молекулярное маркирование селекционно ценных признаков у сельскохозяйственных растений получило большое развитие в пребридинговых исследованиях 90-х годов прошлого и начала нынешнего столетия. С ДНК-маркерами, как с основными носителями информации о структуре генома, селекционеры связывали и связывают большие надежды. Однако внедрение MAS/MARS - технологий в селекционные программы в Российской Федерации крайне затруднено. Это обусловлено отчасти недостаточностью материально-технической базы, дороговизной молекулярных технологий и нехваткой кадров, подготовленных для проведения подобного рода исследований, а отчасти и неспособностью использовать на практике необходимую информацию, добытую, зачастую, весьма нелёгким путём. Участвуя в международной конференции «Традиционная и молекулярная селекция полевых и овощных культур» в г. Нови Сад (Сербия), мы познакомились с профессором Иллинойского университета Ритой Мамм, которая любезно предоставила нам доступную информацию об использовании молекулярных маркеров в коммерческих селекционных программах США. Статья была опубликована в журнале «Crop Science», №47 (S3), 2007, с. 154-163, издаваемом Crop Science Society of America (Научным обществом растениеводов Америки). Этой информацией мы хотели бы поделиться с читателями журнала «Овощи России».

The subject of breeding and seed production has been studied as an innovative process, the result of which is new varieties and hybrids. At All-Russian Research Institute of Vegetable Breeding Production where the results of this complex system work can be exemplified. Cost efficiency of selection and seed production is analyzed, and methods of its perfection are offered. It has been proven that there is a necessity to build a State Corporation for seed production as a main link between modern economics and the seed production sector.