Microgreens are valued for their freshness and refined taste, and by adherents of a healthy diet – for their saturation with vitamins, trace elements, antioxidants, enzymes and valuable protein. The product enjoys steadily growing demand not only in the production segment (restaurants, cafes, supermarkets), but also in home cultivation – «vegetable garden on the window». Among vegetable crops, vegetable pea micro-greens are very popular, especially varieties with a mustachioed leaf type. It is this product that helps culinary masters to give products bright visual and taste accents. Few people know that among legumes, in addition to vegetable peas, there is an excellent alternative with no less nutritional value. This is a micro-green of vegetable beans. Bean shoots are more fleshy and juicy, crispy, sweet with a nutty taste, and most importantly, absolutely everyone can grow them. Obtaining microgreens from vegetable bean culture is a promising direction, since its nutritional value and biochemical composition are comparable to the microgreens of vegetable peas. The content of the main nutrients on average for the studied varieties of breeding of the Federal State Budgetary Scientific Institution Federal Scientific Vegetable Center (FSBSI FSVC) is: protein – 20-35% (dry weight), ascorbic acid – 0,51 mg/g, carotenoids – 0,48 mg/g, monosaccharide – 1,15%, dry matter – 10,62%. However, vegetable beans have an undeniable advantage in cultivation – it is the possibility of using up to two or three cuts from one crop, due to the ability to form additional shoots when using the method of cutting under the «root». The yield from the container when sowing 100 seeds obtained in two cuts ranged from 320 g to 400 g, depending on the variety and method of cutting. The highest yield was obtained from the cv. Velena, which forms about 200 g of fresh shoots both in the first and second cut. According to the results of our research, it is recommended to use two cuts for the cv. Belorusskie and cv. Russkie chernye, while the cv. Velena is able to give a full-fledged microgreen even with the third cut.

Relevance and methods. Leek is one of the most promising onion crops for industrial cultivation in the Non-Chernozem zone, which has medicinal properties and high nutritional value. The results of studying the technological features of leek cultivation in the open ground of the Moscow region are presented. The studies were carried out in 2019-2020 on the territory of the “Vegetable Experimental Station named after V.I. Edelstein". We studied the influence of the feeding area of leek seedlings on the biometric parameters of plants and the quality of products. The object of the study is the variety Karantansky, experimental options: 1) seedling feeding area – 6 cm2 (control), 2) seedling feeding area – 8 cm2 , 3) seedling feeding area – 10 cm2 . The objects of research to study the content of ascorbic acid were leek varieties: late-ripening – Karantansky (standard), Bandit, Dobry Molodets, mid-ripening – Columbus, Hobot slona.Results. It is noted that the feeding area during the seedling period does not significantly affect the biometric parameters of leek plants: leaf area, plant weight, leek pseudostems diameter. Therefore, during the period of growing seedlings, from the point of view of rational use of the area in the seedling department, it is recommended to use the minimum feeding area – 6 cm2 . It was also found that the studied varieties accumulate ascorbic acid in different ways in various plant organs. The maximum content of ascorbic acid was noted in the leek pseudostems of the control late-ripening variety Karantanskiy – 23.6 mg%. The minimum values are for Dobry Molodets (11.8 mg%) and Hobot Slona (11.9 mg%).

Relevance. Currently, there is a problem of satisfying the demand in the domestic market for fruit and berry products in accordance with current recommendations. One of the ways to intensify agricultural production is the use of resource-saving technologies, which include drip irrigation. The issues of regulating the water balance of the soil when growing planting material for fruit crops in modern conditions require experimental studies aimed at studying the biological characteristics of economically important plants and their reactions to the complex of external environmental factors.Methods. Field studies were conducted on the territory of the educational experimental farm of the Michurinsky Garden fruit growing laboratory of the Russian State Agrarian University - Moscow Timiryazev Agricultural Academy. A two-factor experience in the study of different ranges of moisture for the formation of varietal plum seedlings grafted on plum tree stock was laid in the spring of 2018. The first factor included options for maintaining soil moisture in the range of: 1) 60-80% of the lowest moisture capacity; 2) 70-90% of the lowest moisture capacity; 3) 80-100% of the lowest moisture capacity; 4) control (without irrigation). Plum varieties “Mashenka” and “Utro” were the second factor.Results. Constructed humidification contours according to the years of research and experimental options showed that drip irrigation contributes to the optimum moisture concentration in the soil for seedlings. The most developed root system compared with the control was obtained on irrigated options with maintaining humidity in the range of 70-90 and 80-100% of the lowest moisture capacity. Here, the maximum values of the volume of the root system, the number of roots and the average root length are obtained. It was revealed that in the variants with irrigation, the root system of seedlings spreads in the upper layer (mainly 20-30 cm) and stretches along the line with droppers.

Relevance. The effectiveness of seed soaking before sowing in a solution of preparations of the epibrassinolide group for the protection and preservation of seedlings of gourds from temperature stresses, increasing the yield of fruits and seeds was studied.Methodology. The objects of research were preparations Epin Extra, Epin Plus, EcoFus, Ferovit, Zircon and Siliplant, which allow to overcome the effects of temperature stresses, increase immunity, and have a stimulating effect on seed germination and plant growth of vegetable crops.Results. In the course of the studies, it was found that preparations of the epibrassinolide group contribute to a significant preservation of seedlings of gourds with prolonged exposure to low temperatures. Soaking watermelon seeds of the Tersky early variety before sowing in a solution of drugs from the epibrassinolide group ensured the safety of seedlings from 24.2 to 35.3%, while in the control variant, the death of plants was 100%. Epin Extra had the greatest anti-stress effect on watermelon. Preparations on melon showed less efficiency in protecting seedlings, 21.1-27.3% of plants survived. The maximum number of seedlings remained when using Epin Plus. It should be noted that soaking seeds in solutions of preparations of the epibrassinolide group, to protect seedlings of gourds from damage by low temperatures, is an effective technological operation that makes it possible to smooth out the impact of the stress factor.

Timeliness. Currently, the Russian Federation has a high demand in healthy planting material of garden strawberries. The benefits of using fertilizers when growing strawberry seedlings have been proven by numerous studies. However, a comparative study of the effect of new fertilizers and methods of their application is very limited. In this regard, studies aimed at identifying the effectiveness of the use of prolonged-acting fertilizers in the production of garden strawberry planting material in protected soil conditions are relevant.Methods. Adapted to non-sterile conditions, ex vitro healthy garden strawberry plants were planted in a peat substrate of Veltorf LLC (recipe No. 5c/2) with the addition of Pg mix starter fertilizer with the structure NPK 14-16-18 + microelements (1.5 g/l of substrate). At the same time, prolonged-acting fertilizers were introduced into the substrate in the recommended concentrations: FertiPro Gran 1M (1.25 g/l of substrate), Ruscote 5-6M (3.0 g/l of substrate), Basacote Plus 6M (4.0 g/l of substrate), control peat substrate without fertilizers, PG mix standard.Results. It has been established that for the Karmen crop with an average runner-forming ability, the effectiveness of applying FertiPro Gran 1M fertilizer to the substrate was revealed, with the use of which, on the 180th day of cultivation, the number of runners and rosettes increases by 3.5–3.8 times compared to the control. At the same time, the yield of marketable seedlings is 95% compared to 70% in the control. For the Jūnija smaids crop with a high vine-forming ability, the effectiveness of all experimental variants with the application of FertiPro Gran 1M, Ruscote and Basacote Plus fertilizers to the substrate was revealed, with the use of which, on the 180th day of cultivation, the number of runners and rosettes increases by 1,9-2,5 times compared to the control. At the same time, the yield of marketable seedlings is 94-96% compared to 65% in the control.Conclusion. The introduction of long–acting fertilizers FertiPro Gran, Ruscote and Basacote Plus into the peat substrate with the addition of Pg mix starter fertilizer allowed a 2.3 – 3.8-fold increase in the number of runners obtained and 1.9-3.5-fold increase in the number of sockets obtained compared to the control without fertilizers.

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).

Vegetable peas are by far the most widely used among the main vegetable legumes. Due to its high nutritional value, it has an important food value and is cultivated almost everywhere. High nutritional qualities of vegetable peas are determined by the content of protein, carbohydrates, dietary fiber, vitamins, as well as macro– and microelements. Pea protein is popular due to its affordable price compared to animal protein. The value of pea protein is determined by its amino acid composition and its high balance, especially valuable amino acids that are not synthesized in animals and humans.The article discusses the nutritional value of vegetable peas (green beans; fresh, frozen and canned vegetable peas; dry seeds); the content of water-soluble protein, amino acid composition, the content of macro- and microelements in the seeds of vegetable peas of FSBSI FSVC selection varieties; the quality of green peas as raw materials for canning, depending on the type of seeds and the structure of starch grains; requirements for the quality of raw vegetable peas for canning; seedlings and microgreens as useful and nutritious products for fresh consumption; medicinal properties of vegetable peas; varieties of vegetable peas for various uses.

The assortment of salad crops, process parameters for production of seedlings (Baby leaf) and sprouts (Microgreens) is presented. The principles of the selection and sale of salad crops in the local market are recommended.

Relevance. The use of irrigation is one of the directions of intensification of fruit growing. Drip irrigation is considered one of the promising methods of irrigation, which provides the creation of the most favorable conditions for the growth and development of plants, makes it possible to supply irrigation water directly to their roots and allows the use of automation tools in the irrigation process. The results of ongoing scientific research show that changes in the water-physical and agrochemical properties of soils can be observed on irrigated lands. For the Central Region of the Non-Chernozem Zone of Russia, studies on the influence of drip irrigation on soil properties are fragmentary.Methods. Field studies were conducted on the territory of the educational experimental farm of the Michurinsky Garden fruit growing laboratory of the Russian State Agrarian University - Moscow Timiryazev Agricultural Academy. A two-factor experience in the study of different ranges of moisture for the formation of varietal plum seedlings grafted on plum tree stock was laid in the spring of 2018. Before setting up the experiment, organic fertilizers were introduced in the form of horse manure with sawdust in the amount of 100 t/ha. Soil moisture was controlled using tensiometers, calibrated based on the data of the thermostat-weight method. Irrigation rates were set in such a way as to increase the moisture content by 20% of the lowest moisture capacity. The identification of the main agrochemical and water-physical properties of the soil in the experimental plot was carried out according to generally accepted methods and techniques.Results. The data obtained on the characteristics of the water-physical and agrochemical properties of sod-podzolic soil make it possible to reasonably design the irrigation regime, reclamation and agrotechnical measures. The results of the study show that the local irrigation of soils with sparing irrigation rates with the application has led to certain changes in some soil parameters. However, the obtained research results suggest that in quantitative terms, these changes are not yet significant.