Relevance. Onion is a valuable food crop, which is due to its chemical composition, taste and medicinal qualities. As part of the strategy to ensure food security and independence of Russia in the agricultural sector, it is necessary to increase the production of vegetable products, including onions, and for this it is necessary to increase the production of domestic seeds. Seed production is an important branch of agriculture, which consists in the planned reproduction of zoned varieties. Unlike commodity production, it is a more labor-intensive industry and requires regular improvement of existing technologies that take into account the specifics of new varieties and hybrids.Materials and methods. The object is onion (Allium сера L.). Research material: new varieties of spring onion Primo and Ampex of selection of FSBSI FSVC. The studies were conducted in 2018-2020 on the basis of the North Caucasus branch of the FSBSI FSVC. Laboratory and field experiments were carried out according to generally accepted methods. The area of the accounting plot is 5m2 , the repetition is 4-fold, with a randomized arrangement of options.Results and discussions. Different planting dates of uterine bulbs, their diameter, standing density, planting depth, significantly affected the qualitative and quantitative indicators of seed productivity of onion plants of Primo and Ampex varieties. The results obtained made it possible to modify and optimize individual elements of varietal technologies of onion seed production. To create the best conditions for the growth and development of seed plants of Ampex and Primo varieties and to obtain high yields of high-quality seeds in the conditions of the foothill zone of the North Caucasus, it is recommended to: use queen bulbs of 8 cm in size, organize the planting of queen bulbs in the first decade of November, use a scheme for planting queen onions: 75x10 cm, use a planting depth of 15 cm. With this technology, the productivity of plant seeds reaches 6-8 g in the Ampex variety and 5-7 g in the Primo variety, and the yield of conditioned seeds is 520-580 kg/ha and 450-600 kg/ha, respectively.

Relevance. The 28-spotted potato ladybird beetle, Henosepilachna vigintioctomaculata, causes severe damage to plants of the Solanaceae family in the south of the Russian Far East. Today the application of chemicals is the main method for protecting crops against the potato ladybird beetle. This leads not only to the eradication of the pest, but also to the pollution of agricultural ecosystems and the emergence of potato ladybird beetle populations that are resistant to pesticides. A study on the seasonal cycles of the development of the potato ladybird beetle may help to devise new methods for controlling this pest.Methods. We conducted laboratory experiments to study the developmental timing ofa potato ladybird beetlepopulation. The number of eggs was counted, and then the eggs were placed in Petri dishes. The number of emerged larvae was recorded on a daily basis. The hatched larvae were transferred to glass containers (hereafter rearing cages) in batches of 10. We recorded the dates of the transition from one immature developmental stage to another notingthe simultaneity of these transitions. At the onset of the pupal stage, the date was recorded and food was withdrawn from the rearing cages. Scientific observations were carried out on the emergence ofyoung beetles. Field research on the phenology of the potato ladybird beetle was conducted at afield site of 40 m2. The timing of the following events was recorded: the emergence of the adult beetles from diapause, the colonization of the potato field, the beginning and the end of oviposition, the emergence of the larvae and the pupae, the flight of the new insect generation.Results and conclusion. Our laboratory experiment on the immature developmental stages of the potato ladybird beetle revealed that the egg stage was 4-5 days in duration, the larval stage was 16-17 days and the pupal stage was 4-5 daysunder optimal conditions. We also observed deviations from the mean values, which could be conditioned by external factors. For instance, the duration of embryonic development depended either on humidity or on the time range of hatching from one egg mass. The observed deviations of the developmental timing of the larvae and the pupae were most probably due to the quantity and quality of the available food, and the presence of secondary metabolites and glycoalkaloids in it. The field research on thephenology of the potato ladybird beetle showed that there was only one generation in 2020, but two generations in 2021. After comparing climatic conditions in 2020 and 2021, we concluded that Henosepilachna vigintioctomaculata can produce two generations during dry and hot years.

Relevance. In the central zone of the Krasnodar Territory, the mobility and availability of the main elements of mineral nutrition can be limited in certain phases of the growing season of melons and gourds, especially with a decrease in soil moisture and high temperatures. An important additional and corrective element of nutritional technology is foliar feeding, which increase the absorption of fertilizers during critical periods of plant growth and development.Material and methods. The purpose of the research is to determine the effectiveness of foliar application with organic fertilizer AGROCHELATE to maximize the biological potential of watermelon varieties on seed plots during summer sowing. The research was carried out at the seed-growing area of the vegetable growing department in the "Federal Scientific Rice Centre" in 2020-2021. The object of research was selected varieties of watermelon selection “Federal Scientific Rice Centre” Tersky early and Yubilyar with a growing season of 65-75 days. Organic fertilizer AGROCHELATE was used to treat the leaf surface of plants with a consumption rate of 100 ml/ha. A single spraying was used during the flowering phase of the plants. For the isolation of seeds, fruits were selected that were characteristic of the varietal phenotype in the phase of biological ripeness: in shape, size, color and pattern of the bark, color of the pulp, size and color of seeds.Results. In the Terskiy early variety, during spring sowing, fruits weighing 3.5-4.0 kg are formed. With summer sowing, the weight of fruits was significantly inferior and did not exceed 2.36 kg. The size of the Yubilyar watermelon fruit corresponded to the declared varietal parameters. The use of foliar application with organic fertilizer AGROCHELATE during the flowering phase did not affect the fruit weight. Analysis of the results of the content of dry soluble substances (DRS) in the pulp of the fruits showed a positive varietal response to the use of feeding. The share of influence on the improvement of the pulp quality indicator was 64.1%. On seed plots, after application of fertilizing with organic fertilizer AGROCHELATE, 0.81-3.09 t more than from control plots, selected fruits corresponding to varietal characteristics. The seed yield is largely influenced by the number of fruits selected for seed isolation. A one-time application of sheet processing made it possible to select a larger number of fruits on the Tersky Early variety - by 289 pieces./ha, on the Yubilyar variety – by 495 pcs./ha. Treatment of plants with organic fertilizer AGROCHELATE in the flowering phase contributed to an increase in the number of seeds in each fruit in the Tersky early watermelon by 19-127 pieces, in the Yubilyar variety by 9-111 pieces, respectively. Unripe seeds in fruits by varieties were 0.9-5.0% less than in untreated plants. In general, watermelon seeds obtained during summer sowing, regardless of the use of agricultural practices, corresponded to the elite category that can be used to grow marketable products.

The article is devoted to the principles of optimizing the composition of the complex of machines for cleaning the reclamation channels of the drainage network The fundamental initial documents in determining the composition of the complex of machines for the production of operational, repair and restoration works are technological maps for carrying out repair measures to restore the reclamation channels of the drainage system. Technological maps are formed taking into account the requirements for the elements of the drainage system, due to the specific conditions of the zone of economic regions, the natural and production characteristics of reclamation facilities.

Relevance. Currently, there is an increasing interest in nutritional supplements of natural origin. One of the crops that can be used for this is sweet potato. The inclusion of flour from dried sweet potato tubers with colored pulp in the recipe of wheat bread can contribute to its enrichment with vitamins and antioxidants. Therefore, the study of the suitability of sweet potato tubers obtained in the conditions of the Non-Chernozem Zone for use as an additive in the production of bread is an urgent task.Material and methods. The article presents the results of a comparative study of the appearance and taste of bread with the addition of various amounts of powder from root tubers with colored pulp of two varieties of sweet potato (Purple 1 - anthocyanin and Beauregard – carotenoids).Results. It has been established that sweet potato root tubers grown in the conditions of the Central region of the Non-Chernozem zone are suitable for use as a natural food additive to wheat bread. The positive effect of preliminary steaming of tubers before drying on the volumetric yield of bread and the color of its crumb was revealed. The studied varieties of sweet potato differed significantly in the yield of air-dry powder - the Purple 1 variety had an advantage over the Beauregard variety. Bread with additions of 5% and 10% of Purple 1 tuber powder was characterized by the best appearance and taste. The Beauregard variety had a high sugar content, which negatively affected the consumer advantages of bread with its additives.

Relevance. The results of a study on the use of organomineral fertilizers obtained using biocatalytic processes for detoxification of poultry waste and their influence on the growth and development of plants during the growing season are presented.Methodology. For poultry farms, it is necessary to create and introduce waste-free technologies for the preparation of fertilizers. To increase the efficiency of the fertilizer as a biological catalyst, we used a bacterial growth stimulator sodium humate, obtained by us according to a previously developed technology from brown coal from the Maikubenskoye deposit in the Republic of Kazakhstan («Method for producing sodium humate» Patent No. 4600 RK), as well as a sorbent based on sodium humate (a by-product of obtaining sodium humate), which was used to detoxify the feedstock and the resulting product from heavy metals and their salts due to its absorption-adsorption and complexing properties. For the developed technology for producing organic fertilizers, an application has been submitted for obtaining a Patent for the invention of the Republic of Kazakhstan «Method for producing organic fertilizers» (priority No. 2021-22818, dated July 13, 2021). Studies to determine the effectiveness of the resulting fertilizer were carried out on the experimental plots of the peasant farm «Flame», Pavlodar district of Pavlodar region of the Republic of Kazakhstan. In the soil intended for growing seedlings of tomatoes of the «Pepper-shaped Orange» variety and peppers of the «Bogatyr» variety, the resulting fertilizer was applied in an amount of 1 kg per 1 m2 of soil, which was dug to a depth of 8-10 cm and used for growing seedlings in greenhouses and in subsequent for planting it in open ground. xperimental and control studies were carried out under equivalent climatic conditions, scheme and technology of watering plants. In total, 100 bushes of each plant species were used in the experiment.Results. The use of the obtained organomineral fertilizer makes it possible to increase the yield of vegetable crops (tomatoes, peppers) by 20-25% in comparison with the control. In addition, in the experimental samples, an increase in the number of fruits on the bush was noted with an increase in their size, a decrease in the growing season and the number of damaged fruits.

Relevance. A significant influence on the use of the volume of greenhouses by a tomato plant is its height, which consists of the length of the internodes of monopodial and sympodial shoots. The use of the volume of greenhouses in the cultivation of tomato crops is a relevant and important topic. Currently, tomatoes are grown in greenhouses of various heights and designs. Greenhouses of different sizes, heights and types of cover are used in a farmer's market. And here the height of tomato plants is of decisive importance. Mostly indeterminate plants are grown, limiting their growth to a certain number of inflorescences, less often determinant plants. When grown in modern industrial greenhouses and the vegetation period is 1012 months a year, preference is given to tall indeterminate tomato hybrids that have almost continuous growth due to the formation of more and more sympodial shoots and high yield potential.Methods. The studies were carried out in a winter glazed greenhouse. The tomato culture was grown in an extended rotation (from January to November) on a coconut substrate with drip irrigation. Tomato hybrids of domestic and foreign selection with determinant and indeterminate types of growth were grown. Phytocenosis density is 2.8 plants/m2, from April to September it thickened up to 3.4 plants/m2 due to the formation of additional shoots. All observations were carried out according to generally accepted methods. Results. The variety grown in protected ground depends on the growing conditions. A pattern was established for the length of the internodes of sympodial shoots in indeterminate tomato hybrids, the third internode is longer than the first two. The correlation coefficient between the length of the sympodial shoot and the length of the third internode is 0.85 points. The enhanced growth of the last internode is caused by the growth of the shoot of the next order. In this case, the removal of the leaf above the inflorescence is 2-5 cm. The correlation coefficient between the length of the third internode and the removal of the leaf above the inflorescence is 0.71 points. A pattern was established for the length of the leaves and the development of stepchildren in the sympodial shoot.

Scientific relevance. The garden petunia, Petunia hybrida, is a popular and wide spread ornamental crop from the family Solanaceae. It is a promising model plant for molecular and genetic research. In vitro micropropagation plays an important role in the distribution of the garden petunia because the survivability and quality of seed material decreases significantly in every subsequent generation. Besides, micropropagation reduces the cost of production substantially. Considering that very few researchers addressed this question in the Russian Federation, this direction of research is still worthy of attention.Materials and methods. The experiments were conducted by the Laboratory of Breeding and Genetic Research on Field Crops at FSBSI “Federal Scientific Center of Agricultural Biotechnology of the Far East named after A.K. Chaiki”. Seeds of Petunia hybrida (double-flowered) were used as primary explants. Liquid bleacher ACE diluted with distilled water in the proportion 1:9 was used as a sterilizing agent (the working solution contained 0.50% NaOCl). The total time of exposure was 15 minutes. The primary explants were subcultured onto a hormone-free Murashige and Skoog basal medium containing 20 g/L sucrose and 6 g/L agar. Isolated in vitro objects were cultured in test tubes with cotton-gauze plugs at an illuminance of 4000 lx, a temperature of 22–25 °C, and a 16h photoperiod in a culture room. The duration of one passage was 60 days. Micropropagation was carried out using 7- 10 mm cuttings with one or two nodes. The pot culture of the regenerants was established under controlled conditions in a light room (photoperiod was 16 hours, temperature was 23°С).Results. The optimal method for introducing Petunia hybrida into cell culture is the use of seeds treated with the solution of bleacher ACE that was diluted with distilled water in the proportion 1:9. The optimal time of exposure is 15 minutes. Petunia hybrida demonstrated a high regeneration rate on the hormone-free MS medium – it had a fast growth and development rate, and good rhizogenesis; the reproductive rate was 8.77. For the micropropagation of the garden petunia, it is advisable to use cuttings of test tube plants, which should be placed onto a hormone-free MS medium. The test tube plants of Petunia hybrida acclimatized successfully on a soil substrate. This shows the high plasticity of the culture.

Relevance. Currently, there is an acute problem of meeting the growing demand for berry and fruit products. One of the ways to intensify agricultural production in the field of horticulture and crop production is to increase the efficiency of environmental management through the use of resource-saving technologies. One of these technologies is drip irrigation, which improves the quality of crop production.Materials and methods. Field studies were carried out on the territory of the educational and experimental farm of the laboratory "Michurinsky Garden" of the Russian State Agrarian University – Moscow Timiryazev Agricultural Academy. The experiment was established in the fall of 2018 and is a two-factor study of various levels of moisture on the growth and development of raspberry seedlings. The first factor included options for maintaining soil moisture in the range: 1) control (without irrigation); 2) not less than 60% of the lowest moisture capacity; 3) not less than 70% of the lowest moisture capacity; 4) not less than 80% of the lowest moisture capacity. The second factor was the raspberry varieties Solnyshko and Nagrada.Results. Constructed moisture contours according to the study options showed that drip irrigation contributes to the optimum moisture concentration in the soil for seedlings. The most developed root system in comparison with the control was obtained on irrigated variants with maintaining a moisture content of at least 70 and 80% of the lowest moisture capacity. Here, the maximum values of the volume of the root system, the number of roots, and the average length of the root were obtained. It was revealed that in variants with irrigation, the root system of seedlings spreads in the upper layer (mainly 5-15 cm).

Relevance. Cucumber is very popular and in demand in households of the population (personal subsidiary farms), as evidenced by the data on the acreage occupied under this crop in the territory of the Russian Federation (37.4 thousand hectares).Methodology. This article presents the results of evaluating the combinational ability of eight parthenocarpic inbreeding lines and testing thirteen new hybrid combinations obtained on the basis of the studied lines under the conditions of spring-summer turnover in a polycarbonate unheated greenhouse in the Moscow region in comparison with the hybrids F1 SV 4097 CV (Seminis, the Netherlands) and F1 Piligrim (Agrofirma Poisk LLC, Russia).The purpose of the scientific work is to develop productive and high-yielding heterotic cucumber hybrids with a complex of economically useful traits for cultivation in unheated greenhouses. Testing and introduction of competitive and technologically advanced hybrids into commercial vegetable production is one of the important stages of scientific research in the field of breeding. The research was carried out in ARRIVG – a branch of FSBSI “Federal Scientific Vegeculture Center” in the conditions of polycarbonate unheated ground greenhouses during 2020-2021 (Moscow region, Ramensky district).Results. As a result of evaluation of the combinational ability of parthenocarpic inbreeding lines, it was found that inbreeding lines L.21 (2.4 kg/m2 ), L.415 (0.8 kg/m2 ), L.993 (0.4 kg/m2 ), L.1010 (0.1 kg/m2 ) should be used during hybridization as a paternal component for obtaining early-ripening parthenocarpic cucumber hybrids. To develop more productive and high-yielding parthenocarpic cucumber hybrids, inbreeding lines L.21, L.415, L.1008 should be used. As a result of the research work, four hybrid combinations (L.993×L.415, L.1010×L.21, L.993×L.21, L.993×L.1008) were identified for high yield and productivity in protected soil conditions, which exceeded the standards of SV 4097 CV F1 and Piligrim F1.