Relevance. Cabbage Kale (Brassica oleracea L. var. acephala) is a green, red and purple leafy vegetable cultivated in Northern and Central Europe, as well as North America. Kale deservedly occupies a high place in the list of functional products due to its high content of biologically active substances. Kale contains vitamins, minerals, antioxidant compounds, carbohydrates, unsaturated fatty acids, proteins and dietary fiber. Despite its high attractiveness as a functional food product, it is not cultivated on a massive scale in Russia.Methodology. The purpose of this work is to study the content of phenolic compounds in two varieties of kale cabbage to substantiate recommendations for its cultivation in Russia. The variety and hybrid of kale cabbage – Dwarf Blue Scotch with green leaves and the hybrid Redbor F1 with red leaves – were used as the object of the study. The content of soluble phenolic compounds and flavonoids, as well as the qualitative composition of phenolic compounds in kale cabbage, was studied. Determination was carried out according to generally accepted methods. Grown plants at the age of 16 weeks were used as samples for analysis. The experiment was carried out in laboratory conditions in 5 replicates.Results. The results of the studies indicate a fairly high content of phenolic compounds and flavonoids in the studied varieties of kale cabbage. It has been demonstrated that the Redbor F1 hybrid is characterized by a higher content of soluble phenolic compounds compared to the Dwarf Blue Scotch variety by an average of ~20%. It was concluded that this Redbor F1 hybrid can be used to develop methods for increasing the efficiency of the synthesis of secondary metabolites that are beneficial to human health, and is recommended to farmers for cultivation in the Russian Federation.

Globally, preferences for fruit trees have fluctuated over time. However, the most desirable attribute of cultivated fruit tree species has not been consistent across all species and locations. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to determine farmers' preferences for fruit tree species and the associated problems they face in four different study sites, categorized by gender and family size. Equal sampling techniques were used in each selected study site, resulting in a total of 120 household heads participating in structured interviews. The data collected was then analyzed using SPSS version 26 software, utilizing the Mann-Whitney U and Kruskal-Wallis tests. Across the study sites, a total of fourteen fruit tree species from ten families were found to be preferred. The preference for fruit trees based on gender showed no significant difference among respondents between kebeles per woreda. However, the preference for fruit trees based on family size showed a significant difference between kebeles per woreda. The number of species preferred for their subsistence value was twice as large as those preferred for commercial reasons. The proportions of these preferred species and the percentage of observed problems with fruit trees varied significantly across the studied sites. Of all the interviewed household heads, 70% in Fenika, 36.6% in Kite, 66.6% in Shesheka, and 50% in Kometa kebeles encountered severe problems during fruit tree planting. The most common problems identified were disease or pest infestation, lack of expert support, land availability, knowledge, and access to seedlings. In order to address these issues, it is important to utilize indigenous knowledge and scientifically tested research approaches to alleviate the factors that influence farmers' preferences.

The productivity of agricultural crops is determined by the choice of varieties, planting material, the optimal time of sowing and planting depending on the climatic conditions of the region, the use of organic and mineral fertilizers, and care methods. Planting material plays an important role in the growth and development of onions and the formation of yield. Onions are very demanding in terms of nutrition, this is due to the length of the growing season, growth rates and poorly developed root system. To obtain high and high-quality onion yields, it is necessary to use fertilizers in an accessible form. Water-soluble complex mineral fertilizers quickly and evenly penetrate deep into the soil. Fertilizers improve the growth and development of plants, regulating nutrition processes, increase the yield and quality of the resulting products. As a result of many years of research, it was found that optimizing the mineral nutrition of onions through the use of fertilizers in active form provides a significant increase in the yield of onions. A comparative assessment of the productivity of onions when grown from sets of different fractions using water-soluble complex mineral fertilizers in the conditions of the Udmurt Republic has been little studied.Materials and methods. The purpose of the research: to improve the technology of cultivating onions depending on the fraction of the set and fertilizing with water-soluble complex mineral fertilizers. In 2020–2021 On onions of the Stuttgarter Riesen variety, a two-factor experiment was carried out to study the effect of fertilizing with Aquarin and Rastvorin fertilizers when using different fractions of sets for planting. The studies were carried out using generally accepted methods.Results and its discussion. In the Udmurt Republic, the optimal for planting Stuttgarten Riesen onions is the medium and large fraction of the set, and the positive effect of water-soluble complex mineral fertilizers Aquarin and Rastvorin on the yield and its structure has been revealed. However, it is more economically profitable to use the fine fraction of sets when growing onions.

Relevance. Fermentation makes it possible to improve the properties of the final product, increase its nutritional value and organoleptic characteristics. It has been scientifically proven that the use of fermented foods (with high nutritional and biological value) on a regular basis has a positive effect on human health, increases immunity, improves the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract. Dry fermented products with a long shelf life can be recommended as part of the diet in space.   The aim is to creation of a dry base for fermented long-term storage beverages based on cabbage and table carrots, applicable in the diet of space nutrition.   Objects and methods of research. The objects of the study were the domestic hybrid of white cabbage F1 Severyanka and the domestic variety of carrot table Margosha, and the dry fermented products obtained from them.   Results. It was found that, according to biochemical and organoleptic quality indicators, the domestic hybrid of white cabbage F1 Severyanka and the domestic carrot variety Margosha are suitable for various types of processing, including fermentation and manufacture of dried fermented products. The comparison of the number of microorganisms in fermented cabbage and cabbage dehydrated by LTVD (low temperature vacuum drying) and VFD (vacuum freeze drying methods was carried out. The survival rate of microorganisms was 1.62 times higher in LTVD. The ways of accelerating the fermentation process of table carrots are considered. The expediency of using starter cultures obtained on the basis of the fermented product has been confirmed. It has been found that using starter cultures in the form of a fermented product dried by the LTVD method accelerates fermentation and allows you to reach the desired pH level 1.33 times faster than the base one and does not affect the final organoleptic characteristics.

Relevance. Multi-tiered onion (Allium proliferum Schrad.) refers to valuable perennial spicy-aromatic and medical crops and is widely used in various sectors of the economy: coolies and food industry, traditional and folk medicine.Methods. The aim of the research was to study the economically useful characteristics of new zoned varieties of multi-tiered onions. The objects of research were the local population and new zoned author's varieties of multi-tiered onions Uzgorak and Pachastunak selected by the Belarusian State Agricultural Academy. The studies were carried out in the field and laboratory according to generally accepted methods.Results. As a result of the research, the main morphological, morphometric and phenological characteristics, yield and quality of marketable products (green mass) of the local population and new zoned varieties of multi-tiered onions were studied. The multi-tiered onion variety Uzgorak formed a yield of green mass of 180–190 c/ha, Pachastunak – 185–195 c/ha with a dry matter content of 12.4 and 12.9 %, respectively, crude protein – 17.4 and 17.5% upon reaching technological ripeness in 24–27 and 20–25 days. New author's varieties of multi-tiered onions Uzgorak and Pachastunak are included in the State Register of Varieties of Agricultural Plants of the Republic Belarus and are recommended for home gardening.

Relevance. Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) is one of the most important vegetables in the world. Every year the number of identified viruses and diseases increases, infection with which causes significant crop losses and significantly worsens the quality of agricultural products, especially in tomatoes.   Material and methods. In the present study we compared the growth of the vegetative and reproductive traits of tomato plants ‘Dokia’, ‘TY Red 250’ and ‘Pilabi’ grated onto bacterial wilt (caused by Ralstonia solanacearum) and Fusarium wilt (Fusarium oxysporum) diseases tolerant rootstock “Spider” (Takii seed, Japan). The non-grafted (control - CT) and grafted tomato plants (GR) were transplanted on 4 March of 2021 to the four season (vinyl) greenhouse on substrate perlite (mixture of perlite no. 1 and no. 3) and cultivated until September 20.   Results. The results showed that responses of the tomato cultivars to grafting combination was different, where agronomical traits depends on the each cultivar’s features can be ranged. The reduction of the values of stem diameter (SD), leaf length and width (LW), fresh fruit weight (FFW), fruit diameter (FD), fruit pericarp thickness (FPT) and fruit hardness (FH) with aging of plants and rising ambient temperature was detected. However, fruit soluble solids among all cultivars regardless of treatments were slightly increased. The index of fruit yield per truss (FYT) significantly decreased among all cultivars after 10th truss regardless of the treatments when the daily temperature increased from July to August. In grafted tomato ‘TY Red 250’ were identified the highest fruit yield per plants (FYP) than in CT plants, whereas in other tomatoes did not found similar differences between CT and GR plants.

In different agro-climatic zones of melon growing, an assessment was carried out and two-year results of agro-ecological tests of watermelon varieties of the Kuban and Volgograd selection were obtained. The cultivars of the Federal Research Center of Rice and Bikovskaya cucurbits breeding experimental station, which can be grown and are guaranteed to receive high yields of watermelon in the Central zone of the Krasnodar Territory and the Middle Volga region, are distinguished by yield and quality. Growing varieties of the Kuban selection Nitsa and Yubilyar in the steppe zone of insufficient moisture of the Volgograd Trans-Volga region for two years ensured a high yield of watermelon fruits – 16.0-17.4 t/ha, with a content of dry soluble substances in the fruit pulp of more than 10%. When testing varieties of the Volgograd selection in the Central zone of the Krasnodar Territory, varieties of the late-ripening group Ikar and Rubin showed a stable yield. Under different weather conditions of the growing season, the maximum yield of fruits was obtained. The Volzhanin variety was highly rated for quality with a sugar content of more than 12%, but under extreme weather conditions it may be inferior in yield to the varieties of the Kuban selection. A two-year agro-ecological test of watermelon made it possible to evaluate and identify varieties that are recommended to farmers for a particular growing area.

The research aims to determine the response of the Maize crop to irrigation with salt water during the growth stages, and to study the accumulation of salts in the soil, the degree of their interaction, and the efficiency of water use. Three types of irrigation water with salt concentrations (1.5, 4.5, 6.5) dSm-1 with three replicates for every kind water. The Randomized Complete Blocks Design was used in the experiment, and it was statistically analyzed using SPSS. Statistically significant differences were found at the 5% level according to Duncan's method. Statistical analysis showed that there were significant differences attributed to the salinity of irrigation water at the level of 4.5 dsm-1 (T2), which caused about 50% damage in plant height, root growth, leaf area per cob length, weight of 500 seeds, grain yield, and soil. Compared to salinity if irrigated with 1.5 dsm-1 (T1) salinity of river water. Using water with a salinity of 6.5 dsm-1 (T3) as wastewater resulted in a reduction of all apparent plant characteristics by 75%. An increase in soil salinity was also observed at the end of the experiment compared to its salinity at the beginning of the experiment, and this damage increases with an increase in the electrical conductivity of the water used in irrigation operations. It has been observed that soil PH decreases with increasing soil salinity.

Introduction. The relevance of the work is due to the need to find ways to preserve the nutrient composition of vitamins and other necessary raw materials to create finished food products that can diversify the diet of astronauts, taking into account their habitat.   Goal – Comparison of methods for dehydrating plant materials and creating finished food products with a certain degree of dehydration, recommended for feeding astronauts. These methods were used to produce so-called “frips” from fresh fruits and berries; this is a type of snack that is also widely used and developed in modern industry.   Objects and methods of research. The objects of the study were several types of fruits and berries of various varieties (minimum 2) during dehydration by several types of drying.   Results. Dehydration using the LTVD (low temperature vacuum drying) method makes it possible to obtain finished products with a given final moisture content, and the product can be made from multi-component raw materials. The duration of the dehydration process using the LTVD method compared to the VFD (vacuum freeze drying) method is reduced by approximately 10-20 % depending on the product, while due to the absence of preliminary freezing, the specific energy costs for drying a food object can presumably be reduced by 15-25 %. Quality indicators of the finished dry product The product dried using the presented methods is comparable, the content of vitamins and microelements is at almost the same level, therefore, when choosing the type of drying, we can recommend the LTVD method as less energy-consuming. The yield of marketable products in the production of frips ranges from 15.0 to 19.5 % by weight of the initial raw materials, which meets the requirements for economic efficiency of production.

Relevance. For the production of pharmaceutical products from raw materials of Echinacea purpurea L., it is necessary to have a sufficient amount of high-quality seeds when planting production areas with high yields of aboveground mass.Methods. On Echinacea purpurea of the second year of vegetation in order to increase herbage yield and seed productivity, tests of organomineral fertilizer EcoFus (1.5 l/ha) with microfertilizers (Siliplant (0.5 l/ha) or Cytovit (1.0 l/ha). As a standard, we used double foliar feeding with Siliplant (0.5 l/ha). The above-ground mass was mowed in the third ten days of August. On seed plantations we tested: in the early growth phase EcoFus (1.5 l/ha), in the stemming phase – growth regulators Epin-extra (0.06 l/ha), Agat-25K (0.04 l/ha) and their tank mixtures. Seed collection was carried out in mid-September.Results. Double spraying with complex – EcoFus with microfertilizers, promoted activation of growth processes, and it resulted in 22-26% increase of above-ground mass yield, 5-7% increase of phenylpropanoids in it, their collection per hectare increased within 28-35%. A more effective complex was revealed: EcoFus (1.5 l/ha) with Siliplant (0.5 l/ha), which allowed to increase yield and collection of active substances by 26 and 35% in comparison with the control, and in comparison with the reference (Siliplant 0.5 l/ha) – by 11 and 15%, respectively. In order to increase seed productivity of Echinacea purpurea, spraying with EcoFus at the beginning of vegetation of plants and EcoFus complex with bioregulators Agat and Epin-extra in the phase of stemming was applied. Foliar fertilization with these tank mixtures resulted in earlier flowering of plants (by 2-4 days), increased the number of inflorescences by 9-10%, inflorescences with seeds by 14-15% and seed weight of one inflorescence by 12- 14%. Activation of generative processes of Echinacea purpurea had a positive effect on seed yield and their quality: yield increased by 21-25%, weight of 1000 pieces by 7-8% and their germination by 2-3%.