Purpose. To study biometric characteristics of climbing roses leaves (length of compound leaf, the number of leaf blades, total leaf area and leaf blade area) and select the best varieties on this base. Methods. General biological (biometric) study and statistical evaluation. Results. As follows from the morphological analysis, a significant leaf size variation in the studied varieties of climbing roses was revealed. The leaf size in such varieties as ‘Kahovka’, ‘Flammentanz’, ‘Krasnyi Maiak’ was the largest, in ‘New Dawn’ and ‘Krymskoe Solnyshko’ – the smallest one. Based on the leaf biometric study of 9 varieties of climbing roses, the authors defined that ‘Flammentanz’, ‘Krasnyi Maiak’, ‘Kahovka’ varieties had the highest values of leaf parameters. The ‘Veilchenblau’ variety differed significantly from the other studied samples by the form and color of leaves that had a positive impact on its decorative value. Data obtained allowed to select varieties that can be used in landscaping not only because of flower decorative characteristics, but also due to attractive leaf appearance, as well as varieties for application in breeding programs related to this trait. Conclusions. Biometric characteristics of climbing roses leaves (length of compound leaf, the number of leaf blades, total leaf area and leaf blade area) were studied, and in compliance with the results the best varieties were selected that can be re­commended for use in gardening and breeding.

Purpose. Developing technology for clonal micropropagation of peppermint (Mentha piperita L.) plants of Ukrainian breeding based on the complex of methods of isolated tissue and organ culture in vitro. Methods. During the experiment, such methods as isolated tissue and organ culture in vitro, clonal micropropagation, detached scion grafting, chemotherapy with adding of virucide Ribavirin to the nutrient medium, biometric and statistical ones were used. Results. The stepped procedure of sterilization that we have developed allows to receive 88–100% of sterile explants. For M. piperita L. introduction into culture and clonal micropropagation, Murashige and Skoog (MS) nut­rient medium appeared to be optimal supplemented with 6-benzylaminopurine (0.75 mg/l), adenine (0.05 mg/l), indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) (0.05 mg/l) and gibberellic acid (0.5 mg/l) on which the reproduction ratio on the 28th day ranged between 1:7 and 1:15. For recovery of plants from viral infection, virucide Ribavirin at concentration of 10 mg/l was added to the nutrient medium. The proposed nutrient medium for rhizogenesis, that contained IAA (0.5 mg/l) and indole butyric acid (IBA) (0.5 mg/l), allows to obtain the frequency of rhizogenesis up to 84–100%. Regenerated plants were adapted to the conditions in vivo on substrate peat : universal soil : perlite : sand in the ratio 2:1:1:1. The survival rate for peppermint varieties amounted to 96–100%. Conclusions. Biotechnological scheme was developed that permits to get healthy, purebred planting material and intensively propagate plants for supplying breeding programs of the Experimental Station for Medicinal Plants of the Institute of Agroecology and Environmental Management of the National Academy of Agrarian Sciences of Ukraine, among which such varieties as ‘Lebedyna pisnia’ and ‘Ukrainska pertseva’ were selected as the most promising for clonal micropropagation.

Purpose. To investigate special aspects of accumulation of inorganic elements including heavy metals in seeds of white and black mustard to be grown for obtaining drugs. Methods. Field experiments, microwave digestion, ICP-MS and statistical analysis. Results. The content of inorganic elements including heavy metals was determined in the seeds of white and black mustard grown in Kiev Oblast. It was revealed that during the growing season plants of white mustard were able to accumulate such elements as aluminum, barium, strontium, zinc in seeds in concentrations that exceed their content in black mustard seeds, while compounds of calcium, cesium, iron, magnesium, manganese, potassium in a greater degree were accumulated in black mustard seeds. Conclusions. As legal and regulatory documents for important chemical elements don’t contain the maximum permissible limits of their content in medicinal plants, it would make sense to launch a comprehensive research with the involvement of specia­lists of relevant profiles in order to establish such a gradation. Plants of white and black mustard in Kiev Oblast have accumulated high levels of such metals as Ba, Cu, Fe, Mn, Mo, Sr, Zn that exceed the known limits of accumulation, indicating a partial contamination of soils in the region. Consequently, these plants can be used for phytoremediation of soils. Considering the fact that in the pharmaceutical practice refined mustard seed oil is used, revealed alterations of metal accumulation in seeds will not affect the quality of the final drugs. According to the research results, white and black mustard is promising for cultivation in Kiev Oblast with a view to obtain raw material that can be processed into drugs.

Purpose. Studying variety samples of winter triticale of various ecological and geographical origin for revealing polymorphism of the culture for its susceptibility to pathogenic complex of Fusarium head blight and defining high-yielding and resistant to diseases varieties that later can be put into the production and breeding process. Methods. Field experiments, statistical evaluation. Results. It was defined that the development of Fusarium head blight in different variety samples of winter triticale depends on the hydrothermal conditions and genotype of the host-plant. Resistance of varieties and hybrids to the disease was partial, and no immune samples were found among the analyzed ones. The following varieties proved to be tolerant to Fusarium head blight: ‘Granat’, ‘Zorro’, ‘Obrii Myronivskyi’. The positive correlation between the development of Fusarium head blight and root rot of winter triticale was found. It was determined that in the pathogenic complex of Fusarium head blight the amount of the following pathogens is increasing: Fusarium sporotrichioides, F. аvenaceum and F. poae. Conclusions. The leading varieties that combine high yields and resistance to Fusarium head blight are as follows: ‘Obrii Myronivskyi’, ‘ADM 8’, ‘Yuvileine Volynske’, ‘Yukon’, ‘Zorro’, ‘Tsekad 90’, ‘Zerniatko’, ‘Legion’ and ‘Rarytet’. These varieties should be involved in the selection process to breed the hybrids with the augmented resistance to the disease and high yields.

Purpose. Reporting peculiarities of new forms of edible corn and prospects for their use in food production that have been created jointly by scientists from the Plant Production Institute nd. a. V. Ya. Yuryev of NAAS and Ustymiv­ka Experimental Station for Plant Production on the base of the environmentally friendly method that uses biochemical effects of natural mutations of corn grain endosperm structure. Methods. Field study, laboratory analysis, mathematical and statistical evaluation. Results. Original series of inbred lines as well as promising varieties and hyb­rids of sugar and waxy corns were obtained. Varieties and hybrids are universally usable for obtaining both fresh and canned products, characterized by good taste, provide yields of up to 10 tons per hectare of commercial products and aimed to grow in various soil and climatic conditions. Brief economic and morphological characteristics of corn varieties and hybrids created jointly by scientists from the Plant Production Institute nd. a. V. Ya. Yuryev of NAAS and Ustymivka Experimental Station for Plant Production were given. Conclusions. The use of biochemical effect of natural mutations of endosperm structure is cost-effective and environmentally friendly method for creating lines, varieties and hybrids of corn for direct consumption and processing into food products. ‘Biliavka’, ‘Nika’ varieties and ‘Binom F1’, ‘Solo F1’, ‘Twister F1’ hybrids created with the help of this method are promising for commercial use

Purpose. Comparative studies of the photosynthetic apparatus of winter wheat varieties of modern and earlier breeding in the relation to their productivity. Methods. Field, pot experiment, biometrical, gas analysis, analytical and statistical ones. Results. It is found that the modern high-yielding winter wheat varieties have a higher rate of flag leaf photosynthesis during generative period of development, particularly at grain filling period, improved ability to store assimilates in stem and effectively use them later for grain growth. The modern varieties form crop canopy with greater leaf area and chlorophyll indexes and larger photosynthetic capacity and maintain functional activity of photosynthetic apparatus longer at the end of the growing season. Conclusions. The superiority for grain productivity of modern high-yielding wheat varieties, originated from the Institute of Plant Physio­logy and Genetics, NAS of Ukraine, over varieties released before the “green revolution”, results from increased capacity and durability of functioning the crop photosynthetic apparatus, higher CO2 assimilation rate and optimization of source-sink relations in whole plant.

Purpose. Investigation of maize ae1 gene polymorphism by bioinformatic methods. Methods. Global and local alignment of the nucleotide and amino acid sequences, in silico translation and transcription, translates modeling, pri­mers design, phylogenetic analysis. Results. 255 nucleotide sequences of maize аe1 gene, 500 amino acid sequences of homology translates of maize ae1 gene (SBEIIb enzyme homologs) and 100 mRNA expressed from the maize ae1 gene were analyzed to establish phylogenetic relationships. Polymorphism of maize ae1 gene different regions was investigated by bioinformatic methods. Modeling of the maize enzyme SBEIIb was performed. Conclusions. According to the results of amino acid sequences of SBEIIb enzyme homologs alignment, it was found that ae1 gene orthologs are pre­sent only in monocots, paralogs – in monocots, dicots, and other taxa, including algae and animals. Based on the results of alignment of plants mRNA from which enzyme SBEIIb is translated, maize ae1 gene orthologs and the nearest paralogs encoding starch branching enzymes with chloroplast localization were defined; this suggests a possible origin of ae1 gene due to duplication of the gene encoding the 1,4-alpha-glucan-branching enzyme 2 with chloroplast or amyloplast localization. In the maize ae1 gene structure, regions were found that include polymorphic sites not defined previously. For the polymorphic sites design primers were developed that allowed to differentiate the maize lines. It was determined that the detection of polymorphism in theory can influence the enzyme function and, as a result, change the concentration of amylopectin in maize grain.

Purpose. Improvement of a range of strawberry varie­ties based on comprehensive study and introduction of new Ukrainian and West European cultivars. Methods. Cultivars and elite forms were studied using the methods of primary variety studying and state variety testing at three-year strawberry plantations of the Institute of Horticulture of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine (the city of Kyiv) and its variety testing stations. Results. It was found that more frequent spring and summer droughts as well as black frosts in winter adversely affected the strawberry productivity. The best varieties were selected among new ones for the complex of traits, they included ‘Elegance’ from the Great Britain, ‘Gercules’ from Ukraine (both are dessert grapes), ‘Elsanta’ from Holland (for universal use), ‘Alba’ from Italia (as raw material). The highly adaptive and productive ‘Istochnik’ and ‘Festyvalna romashka’ varieties (as raw material) are recommended for the north regions. Conclusions. In the context of profound climatic change, high-profitable cultivation of mid-ripening varieties and a strawberry as such in the Northern Forest-Steppe zone is expedient under controlled conditions – in high film tunnels, in hot-houses and under perennial irrigation that already has become the European tendency.

Purpose. To study biological peculiarities of softwood cuttings of three species of ornamental garden plants of the Hydrangeaceae family introduced under the conditions of a botanical nursery of Uman National University of Horticulture, and the prospects of planting material use in landscaping. Methods. Field study, laboratory test, statistical and mathematical analysis. Results. Bioecological and ornamental peculiarities of grafters of investigated species and their preservation for supplying the store of initial plant graft material were studied. The dependence of regeneration ability of softwood cuttings of investigated varieties on preplant treatment by a biologically active substance (KANO), type of a shoot, time of grafting, etc was analyzed. Substantially intensive rooting of basal drafts with three nods and less intensive rooting of apical drafts was observed during the whole period of rooting. Conclusions. The treatment of softwood cuttings with a biologically active substance at the concentration of 10–15 mg/l in the aqueous solution stimulates root formation and activates growth of own root plants. Investigated plant species of Hydrangeaсeae family are promising for landscaping on urbanized areas of various functional use.

Purpose. To establish the level of formation of winter barley yield depending on weather conditions during the gro­wing season in the Forest-Steppe zone of Ukraine. Methods. Field investigations, ANOVA, variance and correlation analysis. Results. Positive correlation was revealed between yield and the duration of the vegetation (r = 0.54) and especially “heading–maturation” period (r = 0.76). Moderate positive correlation was established between yield and mean daily air temperature during the period from termination to resumption of vegetation (r = 0.44), and strong negative one – between yield and mean daily air temperature during hea­ding to maturation period (r = -0.77). Positive correlation was observed between yield and rainfall amount during the period from vegetation resumption to heading (r = 0.30). In general, during the growing season the correlation was weak (r = 0.16). For the period of “heading–maturation” low nega­tive value (r = -0.11) was fixed. This was due to heavy precipitations, especially torrential rains, which in some years have caused lodging of plantings resulted in yield decrease. Conclusions. Under the conditions of Forest-Steppe zone of Ukraine, fluctuations in temperature and water regimes are responsible for significant variability in growing season duration and yield of winter barley. Optimal amount of precipitation (close to long-time annual average) and their uniform distribution throughout growing season is the most favorable for obtaining high yield. “Heading–maturation» period is responsible for the formation of winter barley yield level.