The effect of pre-sowing treatment by extract of seeds-donor of different concentrations on germination, seedling vigor, and yield of tomato was shown. The seeds of different varieties of winter wheat, barley, oats, alfalfa, soybean, and maize were used as a seedsdonor of biologically active substances. It was found that these substances increased the seed germination and improved the seed vigor, plant development and product quality. This technology can be considered as a source of increasing in labour productivity and seed production.

Using the high-efficiency liquid chromatography, the phenolic compounds of yacon (Polymnia sonchifolia) introduced in Ukraine have been studied. The derivants of hydroxycinnamic acid is prevalent in the ethanol extracts from leaves and roots of yacon. Differences in the contents of  ethanol extracts from fresh and dry roots were shown. The total amount of hydroxycinnamic acids was 2,8 % – 4,3 % depending on the layer of leaves. It was found that roots content 36-45% of fructosans expressed as fructose and dry matter.

All-Russian Scientific Research Institute of vegetable breeding and seed production is the biggest scientific and methodological center in field of breeding and seed production of vegetable crops. In this article, the main stages of establishment and development of the institute, the biographies of leaders of the institute who made an invaluable contribution to development of breeding of vegetable crops are presented. Highly skilled scientific team of VNIISSOK and material and technical resources and facilities allow keeping the leadership in many areas of science and breeding of vegetable crop and seed production.

Data of presented varieties and distribution of estragon crop are described. Morphological characteristics, biochemical composition, health giving qualities, and nutrition value are presented. The problems of seed multiplication, growing, yield, and harvest of this crop are discussed.

The biochemical content of stachys nodules is provided: dry matter -30,5%, among which proteins - 2,2%, amides - 1,7%, lipids- 0,2%, carbohydrates- 19 % (reducing sugars - 1,8%, cellulose - 2,1%, pectin - 1,9%. Stachys has big amount biologically active substances and antioxidants such as vitamin C, stachyose, phenolic compounds, flavonoids, and glycosides. Stachys also has micro- and macro-elements and mineral compounds, which play important role in physiological and metabolitic processes of plant and human.

28 May 2015, in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, the Ist International conference "Pink tomato. Production, consumption, market trends" was held. The problems of breedong, seed production of cultivars and hybrids of pink tomato, as well as increasing of consumer's demand have been considered. The conference has provided good opportunity for meetings of producers, breeders, and researchers from different countries.

The field experiment has revealed that application of green manure and mulching of seedlings by organic matters and zeolite-containing clay increases the amount of nitrogen, phosphorus, and improves agro-physical parameters of soil. As consequence the yield of red beet has increased up to 14-34%, the root weight has increased up to 11-16 g, and the standard output has increased up to 3-7%. The improvement of biochemical and phytosanitary quality of roots was revealed.

In this review, the experience of Russian and foreign scientists in field of development of technology of doubled haploids (DHs) of Cucurbitaceae crops is summarized. The different factors affected on the development of DH-plants and the ways of increasing of yield of double haploids are described in the article.

In the central region of Russia welsh onion is a promising crop for bunch onion combined with a high sappy sheath. The annual crop in open field allows getting the product at August- September. For this purpose the cv. Nezhnosty, Aprelyskyi, Sprinter (length of sheath is 15 cm, yield is 3.7 – 3.8 kg/m2) are the most suitable. In order to get bunching onion during September-October, the cv. Long Tokio, Ishikura long wait (yield is 3.1-3.2 kg / m2), Totem F1, and Performer (yield is 2.5 kg / m2) characterized by the medium height and the vertical position of leaves (5 leaves per plant) are recommended.

The results of a study of the genetic control and evaluation of combining ability for productivity of pickling cucumbers and standard fruits of 20 cucumber lines obtained after crossing 10 parthenocarpic gynoecious and 10 monoecious lines resistant to downy mildew are presented in the article. The cucumber lines with the high combining ability were identified. In the future, these lines will be used in breeding programs.