The article reflects the issues of the current state of scientific research in the FSBSI FSVC, directions and prospects for the development of selection and seed production of vegetable crops are shown. Varieties have been created that realize the bioclimatic potential of the cultivation zone, meet market requirements, and are capable of producing high yields under the influence of biotic and abiotic stressors. Selection is carried out in a combination of classical methods with innovative technologies.Biotechnologists have improved the basic protocol for in vitro microspore culture for the Brassicaceae, stages of technology for obtaining doubled haploids in microspore culture in vitro for the Apiaceae are being developed. For the first time, an effective protocol for obtaining double haploids of European radish has been developed. Doubled haploids of vegetable crops of the Cucurbitaceae, Amarantháceae, Amaryllidáceae were obtained in vitro in the culture of unpollinated ovules. The Center conducts research on the increased content of biologically active substances and antioxidants. An important place is occupied by immunological studies on the resistance of vegetable crops to harmful diseases. The institution develops systems of protective measures against pests, diseases and weeds for vegetable crops based on the use of new environmentally friendly preparations. On the basis of fundamental and priority applied research of previous years, the creation of 21 varieties and hybrids of cabbage, table beet, tomato, sweet pepper, onion, chives, leek, cucumber, melon, lettuce, chervil, potato, aster, lychnis has been completed. Along with the creation of new breeding achievements, technologies for their cultivation are being improved through the use of new agricultural practices, microfertilizers, biological products and humates on vegetable crops in various soil and climatic zones of Russia. New agricultural methods are being developed in the cultivation of mushrooms. In the field of seed production, methods are being developed to increase the germination of seeds, seed production, elements of the technology for the production of mother liquors and seeds of various vegetable and melon crops; zonal seed production technologies that increase their yield. In 2021, a team of scientists received an award from the Government of the Russian Federation for scientific work "Development and implementation of innovative technologies for growing vegetables and potatoes to provide the population with environmentally friendly food".

Water is one of the main factors for the production of vegetable crops due to its crucial role in the absorption and transport of nutrients, temperature regulation and some physiological processes, including photosynthesis. Considering the growing needs of a growing population for food and nutrients, a significant part of agricultural research is focused on improving the use efficiency (WUE - Water use efficiency) and saving water without reducing yields. Given the difficulty of increasing WUE through selection due to the tradeoff between photosynthesis and transpiration, agronomic strategies are needed. Due to the shallow root system and the fresh sale of vegetable products, vegetable crops are relatively more sensitive to moisture than field crops. Deficit irrigation (DI) is a direct approach to saving water by reducing irrigation to increase water productivity (WP - Water productivity). Regulated deficit irrigation (RDI) and partial root drying (PRD) are two widely used DI planning methods along with the classic DI approach. We searched the peer-reviewed literature for studies reporting yield differences in vegetable crops subjected to irrigation deficits. The search was conducted on Google Scholar and Web of Science using various combinations of the following keywords: vegetable crop yield and irrigation deficit or moisture shortage or water shortage or drought. Moderate levels of water stress (<65% FI) adversely affect vegetable yields regardless of external factors such as soil structure, climate and production system. This level of irrigation is justified for regions where water restrictions are already in place or forecast. Based on WP growth, irrigation levels as low as 35–50% FI for tomato and pepper, and 50–65% FI for onions and <35% FI for eggplant and watermelon are optimal for areas with severe water scarcity. However, a higher water deficit may also have an adverse effect on quality in terms of reduced fruit/root/bulb size.

Relevance. Seeds play an important role in obtaining a high yield of vegetable crops of good quality. Breeders usually deal with a large number of samples. To study the source material, the seeds of the samples are sown in boxes with soil for growing seedlings or in collection nurseries of experimental stations and research institutions. It takes an average of ½ hour of shift time to manually extract a sample weighing 10 kg from a batch. Currently, there are no sufficiently efficient devices for isolating tomato seeds from batches of samples with small weights up to 100 kg. The task of research on mechanization is to increase the efficiency of the tomato seed extraction device by improving the working bodies, determining the value of the optimal mass of samples, the extraction of seeds from which is economically and technically feasible.Material and methodology. Experimental studies were conducted in order to find constructive solutions for working bodies, study their operability and determine optimal parameters and operating modes. The research program included: a study of the productivity of the layout and the complexity of its maintenance; a study of qualitative indicators, including seed loss, seed clogging, seed damage; a study of the modes of working bodies, including the number of revolutions of the whip shaft, gaps between the whips and the sieve, the angle of advance of the whips; an assessment of the convenience of cleaning and visual inspection of all surfaces of parts, in contact with seeds; analysis of the advantages and disadvantages of the design of mesh drums, scourges, mechanisms for locking semi-cylinders, the work of the fence that reclines together with the hopper.Results. As a result of the research, it was found that drum-and-whip type working organs are economically feasible for use in tomato seed extraction devices with a sample weight of at least 100 kg (i.e. mainly in primary and elite seed production), due to the fact that the time for disassembly, cleaning and assembly of working organs is 95% of the cycle (for example for samples weighing 10 kg). The clogging of the seeds meets the requirements, crushing was not observed.

Relevance. The induction of gynogenic development of the culture of unpollinated ovules of Cucumis sativus L., as a part of solid nutrient media agar-agar or Phytagel™ are used as a gelling agent. The gelling agent determines the mobilization of substances in the composition of the nutrient medium and has various effects on the explants, which affects the quality of the resulting regenerates. However, there are no scientific works that explaines the effect of these gelling agents on the development of ovules and compare them with each other for C. sativus L. The aim: investigate the effect of various gelling agent in the nutrient medium on the induction of gynogenesis and the development of cucumber unpollinated ovules.Materials and methods. There are two promising collection specimens of cucumber №58 and №831 of the laboratory of cucurbits crop breeding and seed production of FSBSI FSVC were included into research. IMC nutrient medium (Induction Medium for Cucurbitaceae) with 30 g/l sucrose, 200 mg/l ampicillin, 0.2 mg/l thidiazuron (TDZ) was used for the induction of gynogenesis; agar-agar at a concentration of 7 g/l or Phytagel™ at a concentration of 3.5 g/l was used as a gel-forming agents. Ovules were isolated from ovaries in the phase of half-opened flower (FL-1) and fully opened flower (FL). Cultivation was carried out in plastic Petri dishes with a diameter of 60 mm with an air gap of 28.8 cm3 – "KS No. 1", and glass culture jars with an air gap of 140 cm3 – "KS No. 2".Results. On containing Phytagel™ or agar-agar nutrient medium, the area of ovules during 30 days of cultivation increases irregularly. Coefficients of ovule enlargement between gelling agents differed from 1.7 to 2.6 times depending on the cultivation time. The average growth rate of ovules on media with Phytagel™ was 0.08 mm2/day, while on media with agar-agar it was 0.02 mm2/day. Gelling agents type and cucumber phenotype are significant factors affecting the increase in area of entered into unpollinated cucumber ovules culture. Herewith the share of the gelling agent effect was 55.01%, and the share of genotype effect was 14.53%. The effect of flower development stage or culture vessel type has not found for both of genotypes. In the study, it was possible to achieve the induction of gynogenesis in 67% of the unpollinated ovules genotype №831 on nutrient medium with agar-agar.Conclusion. Ovules development were faster on a nutrient medium using Phytagel™ as a gelling agent than on agaragar. At the same time, the percentage of induced ovules was significally higher on nutrient medium with agar-agar for both phenotypes. Gelling agents type and cucumber phenotype were found as significant factors of the induction and the development of unpollinated ovules.

Relevance. In order to form a targeted assortment of watermelon for specific soil and climatic conditions, an assessment was made and the results of the ecological adaptability of varieties bred by FSBSI “FNTs Rice” and Bykovskaya BSOS in different zones of melon growing were obtained.Methodology. The object of the study is watermelon varieties bred by two research institutions. Tests were carried out in three agroecological zones: Astrakhan, Volgograd regions and Krasnodar region. Agrotechnical measures were applied in accordance with the recommendations adopted for the study area.Results. Despite different soil and climatic conditions of cultivation, all varieties showed high potential yield, regularity and stability of fruiting, controlled by the genotype of the varieties. Varieties of watermelon are able to form a high yield in dry areas. Meteorological conditions during the growing period influenced the length of the growing season. From germination to ripening, the varieties of the early ripeness group showed an increase of up to 5...15 days, in the group of varieties of medium and late ripening up to 20...49 days. The spread in the limits of biometric indicators and fruit weight depended on weather conditions, but was within the varietal parameters. The factor of growing conditions did not influence the accumulation of dry soluble substances in the fruit pulp. Marketability of harvested fruits is 80…90% with high taste qualities. The results of the tests have shown that the varieties of the Krasnodar and Volgograd breeding show adaptability to the specific conditions of the region. Using them will make it possible to minimize losses from the weather conditions of the growing season and obtain stable and high yields.

Precision farming technologies can help mitigate the environmental impact of agriculture by reducing the use of fertilizers and irrigation while reducing costs. Vegetable precision farming technology uses geographic positioning system (GPS), geographic information system (GIS), artificial intelligence (IoT), robotics, sensor technology, data-based genome editing, etc. to improve the production and quality of vegetables. Digital genome sequencing, developed over the past decade, has greatly reduced the cost and time required to map the DNA of plants and other organisms. Digital genome sequencing methods generate vast amounts of genome sequence data, which in turn aid in plant breeding for specific field conditions or desired traits. This maintains excellent prospects for growing vegetables in the current farming scenario, when climate change is forcing a rethink of all agricultural practices. This article provides useful information about precision farming technologies for vegetable growers, enthusiasts, farmers and researchers. Economic factors are important drivers and barriers to technology adoption. The practical significance of new technologies provided through communication and education has additional potential in terms of their promotion.

Relevance. Anthocyanin pigments can be synthesised in the stem, leaves, calyx, peel and pulp of tomato fruit. These compounds protect the photosynthetic apparatus of the plant, neutralise free radicals, increase the efficiency of phosphorus and nitrogen assimilation, have an osmoregulatory function, antimicrobial activity and increase the level of adaptation to unfavourable environmental conditions. In addition, anthocyanins from plant foods play an important role in the prevention of type II diabetes, neurodegenerative processes, cardiovascular and infectious diseases. Therefore, the cultivation of tomatoes with anthocyanin-coloured fruits is a perspective area for the vegetable industry in Russia. Vegetable products containing antioxidant substances belong to the functional products and conform to the concept of a healthy diet. As one of the most popular and frequently consumed vegetable crops, the anthocyanin content of tomato is advisable to increase in the fruit (peel and pulp).Material and methods. In this work we studied breeding samples of FSBSI FSVC: L-Ch-365, L-IR-2080, L-Zemba, hybrid combination F1 Zemba x L-Ch-365, variety of Siberian Botanical Garden Bosare blue. The aim of our research was to determine the quantitative composition of phenolic compounds - anthocyanins in different tomato samples, and on this basis to determine the objectives of breeding to improve the content of phenolic compounds.Results. As a result of the research, the quantitative content of anthocyanins in fruits of dif- ferent tomato specimens has been studied, on which the dietary and medicinal quality of the fruits depends. The sources of high content of anthocyanins (L-Zemba, L-IR-2080) have been obtained, which will make possible to conduct directed breeding work for high content of phenolic compounds. It has been shown that anthocyanin-rich tomato samples can be rich in carotenoids, which gives an opportunity to create new varieties and hybrids with high content of water- and fat-soluble antioxidants. Potential samples for breeding according to the complex of biochemical indicators have been identified: L-Zemba, L-IR-2080, Bosare blue. It has been shown that selection for high content of anthocyanins can be performed at various stages of fruit ripening (large ripe fruit, blangetongue, biological ripeness), selecting the most intense colouring. The Zemba tomato variety developed at FSBSI FSVC has a sufficiently high anthocyanin content and is recommended for cultivation in production.

Relevance. Potato starch is widely used in the food, textile, perfume and pharmaceutical industries. The starch content and the size of starch granules in potato tubers are varietal characteristics (Solanum tuberosum L.). The knowledge of morphological properties of starch plays a key role in the technologies for the production of consumer and industrial goods.Materials and methods. The studies were carried out in 2020-2021 at the experimental base of Federal State Budget Scientific Institution “Federal Scientific Center of Agricultural Bio-technology of the Far East named after A.K. Chaiki” (Primorsky Krai). The object of the research were 11 varieties of different maturity dates. Morphological structure of starch granules was evaluated by image analysis on Countess II FL automated cell counter.Results. The varieties studied had predominantly rounded and oval pellets regardless of maturity and genetic origin. Differences in starch granule size depending on tuber size and ripeness group were noted. Early maturing varieties had granule size less than 20 microns regardless of tuber fraction. The exception is the variety Queen Anne, in small tubers of this variety starch granules larger than 20 microns is 67.86%. It was noted that the proportion of medium and large grains increased in varieties with a longer growing season. For example, the variety Augustin medium-ripening had a proportion of medium and large grains in the large and small tuber of 47.72 and 41.48%, respectively. The maximum number of grains larger than 20 microns was observed in the mid-late varieties Kazachok (63.77%) and Smak (92.22%).Conclusion. The method using a cell counter and subsequent processing of microphotographs of starch granules is an accessible, economical, simple and effective approach to phenotyping potato varieties and hybrids of Solanum tuberosum L. by physical and chemical parameters of starch. This method can be used for accelerated analysis of a large number of samples on a limited amount of natural material, including in field and farm laboratories.

Relevance. The use of non-invasive photometric methods for assessing the stress states of plants makes it possible to assess the physiological state and resistance of plants.Material and methods. In small-field and vegetation experiments, we studied the photometric indicators of the physiological response of potato varieties (reflection coefficients in different ranges) to nitrogen stress created by five doses of fertilizers using contact (N-tester) and remote (N-sensor) methods.Results. Potato varieties released for the conditions of the North-Western region of the Russian Federation were studied for their ability to withstand stress provided by low and high levels of nitrogen nutrition of plants and different weights of planting tubers. The resistance of plants of different genotypes to external and internal stressors was studied by the reflection coefficients measured in 4 channels, which characterized the differences in the physiological state of plants. Ensuring the potential genotypic resistance of the organism in the form of a decrease in FIS F1,3 corresponds to the inclusion of various mechanisms of plant adaptation to external or internal influences, depending on the genotype. In the vegetative experiment, of the studied photo-optical reflection coefficients, the most informative were the FIS F1,3 indicators, which showed that the overall viability of such varieties as Peterburgsky, Charodey and Kholmogorsky turned out to be increased. The reaction type of the Kholmogorsky variety is the most promising for growing plants under stress conditions.

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.