The comparative study of apple (Malus) cultivars on the rootstocks 62-396 and PB-4 in the conditions of the Republic of Belarus showed, that the use of PB-4 apple rootstock resulted into significant decrease in indexes of trees growth and development (stem diameter up to 42%, tree height up to 41%, crown volume up to 70%), fruits dimension up to 25% and the crop sum up to 63%. Thereby it does not allow estimating objectively new cultivar samples on a complex of economically valuable signs. It is established that the use of the rootstock 62-396 with obligatory installation of a support allows realizing more fully the genetic potential of apple cultivars on fruits efficiency and quality. Also it helps to reduce the testing time of promising cultivar samples for elite selection and transferring them to the State Variety Trial. Seed rootstock use is reasonable for early fruit bearing cultivars of a new generation. It is especially up-to-date for planting it on light soils and at planting orchards in primary regions with mechanical harvesting application. The seed rootstock of the seedlings of the cultivar 'Antonovka' differs by good compatibility with all cultivars. It is relatively undemanding to soils and irrigation and it does not need a support.

The developed in the conditions of the Republic of Belarus method of rapid assessment apple (Malus) hybrids by parameters of their fruiting and harvest quality allows in course of the primary cultivar evaluation to select more precisely the investigated hybrids of apple by the realization of the genetic potential of productivity and fruit quality. The presented technique provides a shortening testing of promising hybrids for selection into the elite and state evaluation in average of 4-5 years, as well as initial testing of new introduced varieties and hybrids of apple. Based on the data for the primary study of apple varieties and hybrids it was efficient to use rootstock 62-396 with planting schemes 4.5 x 2.5 m - for strong-growing varieties, 4.0 x 2.0 m – for average height ones, 4.0 x 1 5 m – low height varieties. Rootstock PB-4 can be used with a planting scheme: 3.0 x 1.5 m - for high- and medium-height varieties, 3.0 x 1.0 m- low height varieties, but in this case it is necessary to consider the support structures in the form of a trellis and irrigation, as well as special techniques of crown formation.

'Zorka' is a new apple (Malus) cultivar of Belarusian breeding of universal purpose. It has been gotten from 'Antei' and 'Liberty' cultivars crossing. The cultivar is fast fruiting one. It starts fruiting on the 3rd year after planting in the orchard on the 62-396 rootstock. It gives high yield (33,0 tons per hectare yield was gotten on the 7th year after planting), it is winter hardy and resistant to apple scab and bark and wood disease complex. It has high fruit quality and nice appearance. Optimal consumption period is within 5 months from November to March under fruits storing in fruit storehouse with natural freezing. 'Zorka' apple cultivar was transferred to the State cultivar trial of the Republic of Belarus in 2011.

Various efficiency of new initial material use of the descendents of Japanese flowering crab apple (Malus) and domestic plum in breeding process on reducing the duration of juvenile stage has been distinguished: 88-22/11, 84-125/39 (Fi BM41497), Antor, Imrus, Kaunis, Kovalenkovskoye, Mechta, Redfree, Syabryna, Haralson, Charavnitsa and Empire. At including in hybridization domestic apple varieties and descendents from M.xfloribunda 821 the duration of juvenile stage at apple seedlings increases with each generation. The following crossing combinations, starting fruiting on the 6-7th year, appeared to be the most effective for seedlings output: 88-22/11 x Haralson and 88-22/11 x Empire. The character of trait inheritance by generation varied from intermediate inheritance to positive superdominance. Separation of transgressive genotypes was marked at combination Antor x Imrus where the frequency of transgression was 13%. As donors of early ripening the following variety samples were distinguished: 88-22/11 (BM41497 x Rubinovoye Duki) x Imrus. In course of the study there was analyzed the inheritance of duration of juvenile stage in apple hybrid progeny.

Two successive experiments were conducted, during Summer and Autumn 1999, with young lettuce plants (Lactuca sativa L. var. capitata) in a closed hydroponic system. In order to monitor the nitrogen dynamics within the plant, 15N was used as a tracer. The treatments were: 13.0, 0.5, 0.1 and 0.0 mM NO3N. Growth of lettuce plants decreased progressively as the level of N supply decreased and at the lower treatment the shoot growth was more affected than root growth. In the highest treatment (13.0 mM) there was little net movement of 15N into or out of the roots, but under more deficient conditions (0.5, 0.1 and 0.0 mM) 15N increasingly accumulated in the roots | [Sono stati effettuati due esperimenti successivi, nel corso dell´estate e dell´autunno del 1999, con piante giovani di lattuga (Lactuca sativa L. var. capitata) in un sistema idroponico chiuso. Allo scopo di controllare la dinamica dell´azoto nell´ambito della pianta, è stato utilizzato 15N come tracciante. I trattamenti sono stati: 13,0, 0,5, 0,1 e 0,0 mM di NO3N. La crescita delle piante di lattuga diminuiva progressivamente al calare del livello di disponibilità di N e al livello più basso di trattamento la crescita del germoglio era influenzata maggiormente rispetto al germoglio. Nel trattamento più alto (13,0 mM) si riscontrava un leggero movimento netto di 15N dentro e fuori dalle radici, ma in condizioni di maggiore carenza (0,5, 0,1 e 0,0 mM) l´15N si accumulava progressivamente nelle radici.]

In the conditions of the Republic of Belarus the morphological, economic and biological characteristics of a new apple (Malus) cultivar 'Sakavita' received in the Institute for Fruit Growing are presented. The cultivar is an all-purpose one. It is good for fresh use and for producing directly squeezed juice and fruits wiped with sugar and sterilized which are of high quality. It was received from crossing of 78-151242 x 86-541125.135 hybrid forms. They were the derivatives of the following cultivars 'Antej', 'Byelorusskoye malinovoye', 'Orlovskaya girlyanda', 'Prairie Spy' and BM41497. The cultivar is of a precocious fructification. It enters the fructification on the 2nd year after planting in an orchard on the 62-396 stock. It is high-yielding (30,3 tons per hectare), winter-hardy and resistant to scab and to diseases complex of a cortex and wood. The season of optimal consumption is 5 months – from December till April – at keeping fruits in a fruit store with natural refrigerating. It was transferred to the State Variety Trial of the Republic of Belarus in 2011.

In the conditions of the Republic of Belarus there were presented study results of 'Pinova' and 'Otava' apple (Malus) cultivars efficiency use as sources of resistance to powdery mildew. The hybridological analysis showed the most promising cross combinations. The output of highly resistant and resistant to powdery mildew apple seedlings were obtained: 'Pinova' x 2003-8/35 – 98 %, 'Pinova' x 2000-7/24 – 100 %, 'Otava' x 2004-61/47 – 90 %, 'Pinova' x 2003-9/42 – 100 %. The character of inheritance by descendants varied from intermediate to negative over dominance of the studied sign. There was indicated predomination in the hybrid populations of seedlings with bigger (10-86 %) resistance to the pathogen P. leucotricha, than in parent components. As the result the donor properties of 'Pinova' and 'Otava' cultivars in breeding for resistance to powdery mildew were confirmed.

In the conditions of the Republic of Belarus there were presented results of studying the quality of fruits of apple (Malus) depending on origin. The hybridization in 1997-1999 was including the cultivars - with gene Vf. Jonafree, Imrus, Syabryna, Redfree, 84-125/39 (Byeloruskoye sladkoe x BM41497), 88-22/11 (BM41497 x Rubinovoye duki) and cultivars: Antor, Kaunis, Kovalenkovskoe, Mechta, Charaunitsa, Haralson, Utyos. As results there were indicated transgressive forms for fruit size in cross combinations Kovalenkovskoe x Syabryna - 14%, Antor x Imrus - 10, Kaunis x U1156 - 5, Mechta x 84-125/39 - 3, 88-22/11 x Haralson – 2%. The most promising cross combinations and one the best hybrids (97-4/32 -Jonafree x Utyos) - sources of the large size and delicious fruits are revealed for using as parents in hybridization and further research in orchards. In course of the study there was analysed the average weight of fruits of scion-rooted apple hybrids; as well as the taste qualities of scion-rooted apple hybrids.

Along with black and red currant there is such a kind as a golden currant. A golden currant (Ribes aureum Pursh.) is often found in a native habit. But it is underinvestigated and is referred to nonconventional berry crops in horticulture. In comparison with black and red currant, a golden one is more resistant to drought, heat and soil salinization. It is used, basically, as a rootstock for black, red and white currant, and for a gooseberry at cultivation of bole forms in an ornamental gardening or as erosion preventive and recultivating plants. In the conditions of the Republic of Belarus the article presents short morphological description, history of occurrence, distribution and cultivation of the given berry crop in various regions.

The morphological parameters of apple (Malus) clonal rootstock 62-396 (infected and non-infected by ACLSV) on standard medium after one passage of its cultivation on nutrient media containing salicylic acid in different concentrations were studied in the conditions of the Republic of Belarus. It was established that cultivation of non-infected plants on media with salicylic acid caused significant reduce of average shoot length and propagation coefficient during subsequent passages. Addition of salicylic acid led to significant increase of microcutting vitrification rate. It was shown for regenerants infected by ACLSV that cultivation on media with salicylic acid resulted in increase of necrosis rate and callus formation during subsequent cultivation on standard nutrition medium. It was shown that salicylic acid addition to nutrient medium affected vital capacity of the studied rootstock regenerants; both infected and non-infected plants demonstrated this effect. We recommend using of 30 mg/1 of salicylic acid for chemotherapy.