Relevance. The introduction of plant protection systems with minimal use of pesticides is one of the main conditions for improving the environment. Phytosanitary construction of agrocenoses is the basis of plant-free plant protection. The creation of agrocenoses with a balanced predatorprey system by stimulating self-regulation mechanisms that create favorable conditions for the accumulation of natural predatory entomophages is a very promising direction in the biologization of plant protection.Methods. For 10 years, the author conducted faunistic studies, identified predatory entomoacarifagi, and showed their regulatory role in the fight against spider mites on grapes. It is established that in addition to the destruction of the spider mite on grapes, predatory mites are able to suppress the number of thrips and whiteflies. The article describes the relationship in the predatorprey system for the predatory tick Amblyseius longispinosus, which is a specialized monophage.Results. Based on many years of research, the regulatory role of the predatory tick Amblyseius longispinosus has been shown. Its high efficiency against spider mites has been proved. 12-15 days with a predator:prey ratio of 1:2, 1:3 and 1:4. Based on sketches and biometric measurements, the morphological description of Amblyseius longispinosus is supplemented. Based on the obtained research results, methods have been developed to create reproducible reserves of the number of predatory ticks in agrocenoses of Dagestan.

Relevance. One of the main components of the spectrum of sunlight is ultraviolet rays – invisible to the human eye short-wave radiation. The influence of these rays on plant life was considered insignificant until recently, but recent studies have shown the fallacy of such conclusions. Ultraviolet has a beneficial effect not only on the human body and animals, but also on plants, including – crops. The destruction of the ozone layer is currently continuing under the influence of anthropogenic factors. In this regard, the study of the effect of ultraviolet radiation on living organisms, including plants, is very relevant from both theoretical and practical points of view. The epidermis of plant leaves and seed shells are permeable to medium-and long-wave UV radiation, so of particular interest is the ultraviolet radiation of the Sun and artificial sources of ultraviolet radiation in the range of 400...180 nm.Purpose of work: to assess the nature of the impact of ultraviolet radiation in the time mode on watermelon seeds using cytogenetic analysis.Methods. The material for research was the seeds of the watermelon variety "Astrakhan". The studies were conducted in 2017-2018.Results. The results of studies have shown that long-term exposure to ultraviolet radiation can affect the physiological processes and anatomical structure of plants, as well as have serious genetic changes: aneuploidy, cytotomy, pyknosis and various chromosomal aberrations that lead to mutations or death of plants. However, plants acquire useful mutations with short-term exposure-0.5-2 hours, which can be used later in selection.

Relevance. Significant harm to the culture of tomato, speaking about the middle Russia open ground plantations, is caused by fungal diseases, among which the most common are Fusarium wilt, late blight, alternariosis. To reduce the harmfulness of diseases, it is important to create stable and precocious hybrids that can give most of the crop before the mass development of diseases occurs. The complex system of protection includes preventive measures, the use of growth regulators possessing protective and stimulating action, application of biological preparations and fungicidal treatment. In terms of epiphytotic diseases, the most effective are chemicals, among which the increasing use get multipurpose products, involving several antifungal ingredients.Methods. The article presents the test results of the Uniform fungicide (321,7 g/l Аsoxystrobin + 123,7 g/l to Мefenoxam) against root rot of open ground tomato culture, grown in Moscow region. The estimation of biological and economic efficiency of Uniform application depending on the rate of consumption and multiplicity of treatments was carried out. The tomato Donskoy F1 hybrid, grown on drip irrigation, was used in experiments. Threefold background mode treatment of plants against late blight was carried out by fungicide Revus Top: at the onset of the first symptoms of the disease and hereinafter with 14 days intervals. Flow rate was 0.5 l/ha with solution consumption reaching 200 l/ha. Treatment of tomato plants by Uniform fungicide was performed by watering at the root under the flow rates of 0.9 l/ha and 1.5 l/ha and solution consumption of 200 l/ha. First application of seedlings was performed when planting, the second – 20 days after the first. The area of experimental plots was 20 m2, area of account plots was 10 m2. The repetition of account monitoring was fourfold.Results. The best results were achieved when using Uniform at the rate of 1.5 l/ha by root watering during transplanting and repeatedly at 20 days intervals. An increase in survival rate of seedlings, reduction of incidence of root rot by 81.2-86.9% and tomato yield increase by 29.7% to control under the influence of Uniform treatments were observed.

Relevance. One of the types of agricultural raw materials for the food industry is the root chicory, the product from the roots of which is produced in pure form, as well as is an important component in the production of tea and coffee drinks, confectionery. Its value is determined by the content in the roots of inulin, fructose, intibin and chicory. Despite the great economic importance and economic profitability of chicory cultivation, in recent years, the local processing industry is not provided with this type of raw material and is forced to buy the product from dried root crops in other countries, such as Ukraine, Italy and India. Modern agricultural production is in dire need of new varieties of root chicory, combining high yields and chemical and technological qualities, having the form of a root crop suitable for mechanized harvesting, and adapted to cultivation in soil and climatic conditions of the Non-chernozem zone. Purpose of work: to assess the nature of the impact of ultraviolet radiation in the time mode on watermelon seeds using cytogenetic analysis.Material and methods. The article describes the results of the test in the control nursery of a new sample of chicory root with 0428 selection of Rostov OSC.Results. As a result of breeding work, a promising sample of root chicory. It was isolated early maturing, with high yields and economically valuable properties, root crop truncated, suitable for mechanized harvesting by commercially available machines.

Relevance. The most common and most mastered method of growing onions, used in the middle zone of the Russian Federation, as well as in the northern part of European countries, is the cultivation of turnip onions from onion. It is believed that this method provides 75% of the production of the entire onion harvest. Due to the sharp increase in the prices of energy carriers, fertilizers, pesticides and agricultural machinery, the production of sharp varieties of onions, grown in the crop, has become unprofitable, and marketable products have lost competitiveness due to high costs. Significant changes in the reduction of labor costs can be achieved by improving the technology and technical means for the production of onions, creating conditions for their work. The effectiveness of designs for sowing seeds of onions, onion sets and planting onions-uterus is determined by the uniform distribution of the bulbs by area of nutrition, depth and their embedding.Results. The material presented in the work is devoted to the analysis of designs and some results of studies of a complex of machines for the production of onions developed in the Penza GAU.

RelevanceBiotechnological methods are generally used to speed up breeding programs and to enhance genetic diversity, so the culture of isolated microspore in vitro can be regarded as one of very suitable methods. Nontraditional and uncommon vegetable crops belonging to Brassicaceae Burnett. are becoming more popular.MethodsAccessions of sarepta mustard (Brassica juncea L. Czern.) and rocket salad (Eruca sativa Mill.) were taken for the study with the aim to optimize the basic protocol for these species.ResultsAs a result of the study the optimum cultivation conditions have been determined for the species. Sizes of buds 2.5-3.5 mm long for sarepta mustard and 7.0-7.5 long for rocket salad which were used for cultivation had been experimentally defined. It was also shown that the cold pretreatment had improved the embryo yield. The nutritional NLN-13 medium with pH 6.1 and pretreatment at 32°C during a cultivation day had been shown to be more favourable for all accessions. All conditions that had been used were suitable for embryo formation. First divisions had been seen after 4 days of cultivation, while the embryos at primary cotyledonary stage only appeared after 2 weeks of cultivation. The embryo yield per 5 buds reached 25-30 and 5-7 in the sarepta mustard and the rocket salad, respectively. It is worth noticing that the root formation and plant adaptation had passed better and faster in sarepta mustard than in rocket salad. Thus, whole process of homozygous line developing can be completed for 4-5 months, making the breeding program 3 times shorter.

Relevance. The development of F1 hybrids distinguishing it from cultivars by high productivity, plant uniformity in ripening date, fruit sizes and quality is the promising trend in breeding program in cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.).The aim of the study was to optimize the gynogenesis induction condition in culture of unpollinated ovules in vitro in order to broad the generation of new breeding forms and to accelerate homozygous line production.Materials and methods. Eight promising cucumber accessions from Laboratory of Cucurbit Breeding and Seed Production (FSBSI FSVC) were taken for the study. The protocol developed in Laboratory of Biotechnology (FSBSI FSVC) for production of doubled haploid in Cucurbitaceae family was used in the experiment. The medium IMC with 30 g/L sucrose and 7g/L agar supplemented with 200 mg/L ampicillin and 0.2 mg/L thidiazuron (TDZ) was applied to induce gynogenic development.Results. The half-open bud or flower was shown to be the most suitable to be taken as an explant for cultivation. Highest number of embryo-like structures in all accessions developed from ovaries 2.1-2.6 cm long. Exposure to sterilization solution of sodium hypochlorite for 15 min made ovary wall softer and ovules can be then easily extracted without traumatizing. The traumatized ovule resulted in inhibited gynogenic development. Embryoids and calli had developed in all studied cucumber accessions, but well-formed plants were only obtained in six accessions. In total 26 plants were produced. The maximum gynogenesis induction equal to 63.1% was achieved in accession 1810. Maximum number of plant produced was twelve in accession 1763, but the greatest plant outcome 7.7% of the ovules with induced gynogenesis was observed in accession 1807.

Relevance. Garlic is one of the most valuable food products and the increase in its production is associated with the growing needs of the population, the processing industry and medicine. Garlic is very responsive to the use of fertilizers, which are an integral part of the cultivation of individual crops and are aimed at obtaining high and stable yields with good quality products.Methods. The purpose of the research is to study the productivity of winter garlic, depending on the application of various norms of fertilizers. The studies were conducted in the arid zone of the Stavropol Territory. The objects of research were varieties of winter garlic Lyubasha, Leader, Jubileyny Gribovsky, the rate of mineral fertilizers. Potassium nitrate, monopotassium phosphate, ammonium nitrate, ammophos were used as mineral fertilizers.Results. As a result, it was established that with the use of fertilizers, the quantitative and qualitative indicators of the formation of the yield of garlic increased. The largest vegetative mass of garlic was formed when using the N120P95K50 in the food system; the highest values for plant height and leaf area were obtained, the difference with respect to control, was between 5-18 cm and 9-45 cm2 , respectively. The largest mass of the bulbs was obtained when making garlic N120P95K50 – 51-85 g, which exceeded the control by 15-18 g. Garlic plants grown with the use of N80P95K50 were the least affected with diseases - the degree of development of the diseases was less than with control, by 0.2-1.5%. The use of fertilizers in the cultivation of garlic contributed to an increase in crop yield: the highest indicators were obtained when applying N120P95K50 – 19.4-21.3 t/ha, which was more control, by 0.4-3.2 t/ha. Most of the nutrients in the bulbs accumulated when using N80P95K50: the dry matter content exceeded the control, N80P95K75 and N120P95K50 by 3-10%, sugars – by 0.3-1.4%, essential oils – by 0.02-0.1 mg/100 g, vitamin C – 2-8 mg per 100 g wet weight. The amount of nitrates in garlic bulbs was lower than the MPC by 3-33 mg/kg.

The work presents the results of the study of the antioxidant activity of fruits (clapper seeds) of aromatic plants, (Apiaceae, Lindl.): dill (Anethum graveolens L.) and coriander (Coriandrum sativum L.). The plant materials for determining the total content of antioxidants were collected during an ecological-geographical experiment at the Gunib and Tsudakhar experimental bases of the Mountain Botanical Garden of the Dagestan Scientific Center, Russian Academy of Sciences, at altitudes of 1100 and 1730 meters above sea level, simulating the conditions of mountain-valley and upper mountain climate zones, respectively. Determination of the total content of antioxidants in aqueous solutions was performed by the amperometric method on “Tsvet Yauza 01 -AA” instrument. Studies have shown the variability of accumulation of antioxidants, depending on the type, variety, height above sea level of the place of growth of the sample. In terms of the total content of antioxidants, the effect of the cultivation area substantially exceeded the inter-variety differences. In the studied species, intervarietal differences appeared more clearly in A. graveolens, which correlated with the latitude of the range and the ecological amplitude of growth of these species in natural habitats. The obtained data on the study of antioxidant activity in some aromatic medicinal plants allow to evaluate their biological value, to recommend more distinguished samples for cultivation. Plant materials with a high accumulation of antioxidants that can neutralize the harmful effects of oxidative stress can be used as a source of natural polyphenols, natural antioxidants in food. This methodical approach, demonstrated in the work, can serve as a methodological basis for studying the “genotype x environment” interaction and express assessment of varieties, clones, populations, and other units of accounting for the stability and sustainability of the parameters studied, including the content of antioxidants.

Relevance. A wide range of pharmacological effects of tansy and Echinacea purpurea determine the continuing interest in the study of these cultures. Medicinal crops contain not only a large number of biologically active substances, but also trace elements necessary for normal growth and development. Agronomic bio-enrichment of medicinal raw materials allows you to increase productivity, manage product quality in the direction of enhancing the pharmacological action. Thus, the aim of the work was to study the effect of various doses of zinc acetate on the productivity of two medicinal crops of tansy and Echinacea purpurea.Material and methods. Studies were conducted from 2012 to 2018 on meadow-chernozem soil of the southern forest-steppe of Western Siberia. As objects of research, perennial medicinal crops were chosen – Tanacetum vulgare L. and Echinacea purpurea L. Zinc fertilizers were applied in the background (N125, N135P45K45) used in acetate form.Results. The introduction of zinc fertilizers into the soil contributed to an increase in the yield of medicinal crops in the conditions of the south of Western Siberia. It was revealed that the maximum yield was observed on the variants of 0.75 MAC Zn (Tanacetum vulgare L.) and 0.5 MAC Zn (Echinacea purpurea). Thus, tansy was more responsive to the use of micronutrient fertilizers. The studies established a high correlation relationship (r = 0.88–0.99) between yield indicators and doses of zinc added. The obtained optimal doses of zinc fertilizers (60 and 21.4 kg / ha) can be recommended for growing these crops in order to increase their productivity.