The population of our planet is growing every year and its growth by 2050 will exceed the potential of agriculture and will not be able to provide food security in General. This problem is the subject of the study. The article considers the existing programs of the Russian Federation aimed at supporting domestic producers of agricultural raw materials and food, ensuring the availability and quality of food in the food market. Foreign experience in the creation and implementation of programs in these areas has been studied. The article presents an assessment of the consequences of sanctions on the total cost of trade flows between the European Union and Russia. The study was carried out on the example of data on the Irkutsk region. An element of scientific novelty is the consideration of approaches to solving the problem of food security not only from the state, producers of agricultural raw materials and food, but also from its consumers – the population. Social efficiency in achieving the proposed performance indicators will be determined by increasing life expectancy, reducing morbidity, improving the quality of life of those suffering from diseases associated with poor nutrition, and the ratio of the obtained favorable social results to the costs to achieve them. At the same time, economic efficiency will be expressed by assessing the impact of the results achieved in the framework of the program activities on the formation of the gross product, increasing labor productivity and ensuring the dynamics of economic growth. The practical application of the proposed directions of improving the availability and quality of food for the population will improve the efficiency of the food market and create conditions for the formation of the state of protection of the Russian subjects from the threats of food security.

The main type of root chicory diseases are root rot of root crops. In unfavorable years, they affect up to 40-50% of root crops, which are culled from the test weight and are not paid for when the crop is delivered to the processing enterprises. The most common lesions of the roots of chicory various pathogenic species of fungi: Phoma rostrupii Sacc., Botrytis cinerea (P.) Fr. J, Erwiria carotovora (Jones) Holt. Production is in dire need of new varieties of root chicory, resistant to root rot both during the growing season and during long-term storage. To develop transgenic varieties among the many varieties to allocate genetic sources of this feature below in further breeding work to fix him in generations. The article presents the data on the study of the defeat of root crops of root chicory varieties of different ecological and geographical origin of different types of root rot in the collection nursery (including the provocative background) for 2015-2017 in the NonChernozem zone of the Russian Federation in the Rostov region of the Yaroslavl oblast. The best resistance to root rot were varieties Luxor (Holland) and Harpachi (Hungary), the roots of which did not have signs of root rot, varieties Petrovsky (Russia), Wixor (Holland) and Sleszka (Czech Republic) were weakly affected (less than 2%). During the long winter storage, the best on this basis, proven varieties Harpachi (Hungary), Spicak (Czech Republic) and Luxor (the Netherlands), which had been preserved. These varieties can serve as a source of resistance to root rot and can be involved in the selection process as a donor of this feature.

The variability or stability of economically valuable features of varieties under cultivation conditions are very important indices. Environmental factors affect plants throughout the entire growing season. The research goal is to study the changes and stabilization of the characters that determine the phenotype of winter garlic when sampling from the variety accessions in the forest-steppe of the Altai Regions' Ob River Area. In the course of research from 2003 through 2007, the local forms and variety accessions from various regions of Russia were studied. The research was carried out according to the methodology guidelines. The variability of seven quantitative characters was investigated. In our study, the most stable characters were the "number of leaves" and "leaf length". The characters "number of cloves in a bulb" and "clove weight" are very difficult to stabilize. The variability of these indices was mainly medium and high. The characters with insignificant variability coefficient under the conditions of the south of West Siberia were revealed. The percentage of the factors' influence on the variability of the "bulb weight" character was determined. The following most stable variety accessions for the conditions of the forest-steppe of the Altai Regions' Ob River Area were identified: the varieties Skif, Kasmala and German, and the local forms K 3 and K 56.

The article presents the results of ecological and geographical study of table beet samples of the VIR collection. The study was carried out between 2014 and 2016 in three stations located in different soil and climatic zones of the Russian Federation: in Leningrad, Moscow and Krasnodar regions. The main attention is paid to the interaction of the genotype and the environment, as the main reason for the considerable variability in the yield of table beet varieties when growing them in different ecological and geographical zones. Today the search and creation of an initial high-yielding and versatile material for breeding of adaptive beet varieties is one of the most important trends in the table beet breeding programs. The article describes the evaluation of the factors of time and place of cultivation on yield. The factors that make the greatest contribution in the formation of yield are identified. Significant variability in the yield of collection samples, depending on the cultivation zone, was noted. Samples for the intensive type of cultivation in different zones are identified. The variety of table beet for inclusion in breeding programs, as a source of adaptability and high yield is recommended. The variety of table beet «Perfected Detroid Dark Red» (Canada) is recommended for inclusion in breeding programs as a source of adaptability and high yield.

One of stressful factors the reducing harvest and quality of bulbs of garlic winter (Allium sativum L.) defeat is diseases of various etiology. Studying of influence of factors of the external environment and stability of a genotype on prevalence of diseases on landings of garlic winter and degree of their injuriousness in the conditions of the Moscow region was the purpose of researches; assessment of collection and selection samples of garlic winter and identification among them steady against the most economically significant diseases. Object of researches were grades and collection samples of garlic of the Federal Scientific Vegetable Center, winter from collections, and other selection institutions. Field experiments and assessment were carried out on a natural infectious background for a number of years. It is as a result established that in the conditions of the Moscow region during vegetation of a plant of garlic winter mainly are surprised mushroom diseases (mycoses) among which the dominating position is taken by fusariosis (micromycetes of the sort Fusarium spp). Defeat of garlic fusariosis is shown annually and with different intensity, depending on weather conditions. The analysis of literature and results of our researches show that number and a ratio of types of Fusarium spp. in a pathogenic complex changes in last years. The types which are earlier not noted on the culture of garlic in the Moscow region (since 2009 – F. avenacium, F. proliferatum, F. subglutinans and F. semitectum are registered; since 2017 – F. gibbosum and F. nivale). In a complex with highly aggressive types of F. solani and F. oxysporum they enhance injuriousness of fuzariosis withering and rots. Mushrooms of the sort Alternaria and other micromycetes of the sorts Stemfillium, Pythium, Embilisia, Verticillum, Cladosporium in the conditions of the Moscow region meet mainly in a complex Fusarium. Gray rot (the activator – Botrytis allii L.) it is more often shown in storage time and transportations of bulbs of garlic. These micromycetes enhance injuriousness of fusariosis and increase losses of a harvest of garlic winter, especially, in the conditions of sharp fluctuations of average daily temperatures and humidity of the soil during the different periods of vegetation. Results of long-term assessment are given in article, grades and perspective collection samples of garlic winter the steadiest against defeat with diseases in the conditions of the changing climate of a zone of Non-Black Earth Region are allocated.

The basis for increasing the production of vegetables and melons is to obtain high-quality seeds of high reproductions. This will ensure the implementation and stability of breeding characteristics of varieties, the preservation of economic and valuable features. To solve these tasks, it is necessary to transfer the industry to a new, more modern level of seed production. The studies were conducted using the methods of individual and individual-family selection with evaluation by offspring, using the method of "halves" through control and elite nurseries. The method of production of elite and original seeds is developed. Conducted research to improve schemes of sowing of gourds with the study of the influence of space power to approbation the signs of varieties with different index of fruits. By reduction of the nutrition area per plant to 2.1 sq m2 in the variety of watermelon Icarus the yield of seeds increased 1.5-1.9 times in comparison with the standard number of fruits with an index of <1.0 was 8.2%. The thickening of the crop did not have a noticeable effect on the shape of the fruit. A watermelon with a broadly elliptical shape of the fruit, variety Volzhanin observed dependence of the shape of the fruit from planting schemes. With the reduction of the nutrition area up to 2.1 m2 number of fetuses with index >1.5 28.2% in the second generation, the seed yield was 111.9 kg/ha. The change in the index of the foetus has led to a significant change in varietal characteristics, which is unacceptable in the primary seed production. Reducing the area of nutrition in watermelon varieties with spherical and rounded shape allowed to increase the yield of seeds without affecting the varietal characteristics.

The results of the research work carried out during the period 2015-2017 are outlined. on the practical selection of pumpkin in the conditions of the Volgograd Transvolga. The results of studying the assortment of pumpkin varieties of domestic and foreign breeding in collection nurseries are presented. The most promising samples adapted to local soil and climatic conditions have high productivity (Sviteny, Chino, Marina di Chioggia, Silber Bell (USA), Kham (Laos), image (Spain), Local (Kazakhstan), Gribovskaya winter, Teshchenka , Zucchini Malchugan, and the quality of the fruit: (Chino, Chirimen nankin (Japan), Cachi JNTA (Argentina), Mantova Uyghur (Kazakhstan), Duchess, Vega F1, Sweetie, Pampushka, Green Warted Habbard (USA). A new hybrid material was obtained, an estimation of its productivity of consumer achestv, stability to bio- and abiotic factors. accessions selected promising superior standards major ecological and morphological and economically valuable traits. The characteristics of the best selected hybrid combinations are given in comparison with the standards. The most productive are hybrid combinations: Marina di Chioggia x Zorka, Zorka x Sweet banana, Silber Bell x Elegant, Sweet x Elegant, Local (Kirghizia) x Zorka, zucchini Mountain Anchor. The yield of these samples exceeds the standards by 13.3-92.2%. The quality of the fruit is distinguished by the hybrids: Marina di Chioggia x Zorka, Zorka x Marina di Chioggia, Pampushka x Elegant, Zorka x Sweet banana, Silber Bell x Elegant, Zaslavia x POOS6-07, Zorka x Oreshek, Altair x Elegant. The content of dry substances in the fruits of these samples is 2.0-8.8% higher than the standards.

Sprouts of agricultural crops seeds are considered to be functional food products with high content of antioxidants. Though seeds of Allium species plants are used in some countries as spices the possibilities of appropriate sprouts utilization have never been investigated so far. Evaluation of perennial and A. cepa seeds biofortification with selenium revealed high nutritional value of the resulting sprouts characterized not only by high selenium content exclusively in a form of selenomethyl selenocysteine (a natural anti carcinogen) but also with high levels of antioxidant activity and high polyphenol content. It was demonstrated that among seven studied representatives of Allium species Allium cepa variety Krasnoye krugevo and perennial onion Allium fistulosum give seeds sprouts with the highest levels of selenium (10500-11000 μg/kg d.w.), polyphenols (9.3-10.8 mg-eq GA/g d.w) and the largest values of antioxidant activity (14.7-17.1 mg-eq GA/g d.w.). Utilization of one g of dried seeds sprouts powder, fortified with selenium provides up to 15.7% of the adequate consumption level of selenium exclusively in a form of selenomethyl selenocysteine possessing powerful anti carcinogenic activity.

At present it is very actual in vegetable growing the development of highly effective and ecologically safe methods for increasing yields and plant resistance to unfavorable growth conditions. One of these methods is grafting. The goal of the study was to learn the influence of the rootstock on the characteristics of the growth, development and yield of cucumber. Research was conducted in 2015-2016 in greenhouse in spring-summer period in Armenia. As a scions was used cucumber variety Nazrvan, which was grafted on 5 pumpkin rootstocks (VI033637, VI03338, VI03364, VI040903, VI056328) from the collection of the World Vegetable Center (WVC). The grafting was carried out according to the standard method. When the VI033637 rootstock was used, flowering started 5 days earlier than the ungrafted plants, while when grafted on VI040903, the fruits ripened 6.2 days earlier. High increase of early yield (33.3%) received when used both above mentioned rootstocks. VI033638 – 4.1 kg/m2 and VI033664- 9.9 kg/m2 samples provided high increase of the total yield. For all the types of rootstocks the grafted plants of cucumber surpass the non-grafted ones by height from 4.7 % to 21.7%, by marketability of fruits from 5% to 14% and by fruit mass from 15 gr to 45 g. At the beginning of fruit-setting of cucumber plants the number of female flowers increased from 27% to 63% depending on the rootstock sample. The amount of dry substances in all grafted plants has increased by 4.4-8.8% and the amount of vitamin C by 1.8-9.2%. As a result of research carried out by us, perspective rootstocks (VIO33638 and VIO33664) are identified by a set of economically valuable characteristics which are recommended for applying in the further investigation and breeding activities and in production of grafted plants.

Seed production of cabbage in recent years is achieved via primarily by nonstop technology. However, the production of cabbage seeds in the Southern regions is associated with certain problems, in particular, the malicious activity of phytophages, are able in the years of outbreaks completely destroy the crop. One of the most dangerous species of today are baridi. Development a strategy for the protection of cabbage seed shoots is important the knowledge of species composition and bioecological peculiarities of development of the pathogen. Complex biology (the focus of unwanted phases in the underground part of the stump), the lack of registered insecticides and distribution of certain phenological phases of development of seed cabbage (flowering) makes it almost impossible to limit its population. For localisation of the pest in the adult stage requires knowledge of species composition and phenology of development in a particular ecological zone. Long-term studies were conducted on the species identification of the community of Baris in Dagestan. Identified 22 species, among which the most popular were bared turnip: Baris coerulescens Scop. (71.6% of the total population), subdominant - timida V. Rossi (6.1%), all other types were found in approximately equal quantities. On the basis of the drawings and the corresponding biometric measurements were supplemented with the morphological description of the most common type of Baris coerulescens Scop. By measuring the head capsule width was determined to be 4 larval age. The dependence of mass outbreaks of Baris coerulescens Scop of the figure hydrothermal coefficient. The implementation of the mass distribution of the phytophage takes place 2 years after seasons at hydrothermal coefficient = 0.5. When a relative measure of hydrothermal coefficient was ≥ 1,the density of the pest does not exceed a threshold.