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.

Main achievements and progress of VNIISSOK’s scientists in field of vegetable breeding and seed production are presented in the article. More than 900 varieties of vegetable and flower crops were developed, among them 561 varieties were included into the State Register of selection inventions of Russia. The seed production of main vegetable and flower crops is carried out. Presales pretreatment of seeds and its sale are improved.

Application of such biotechnological method as a callus culture, allowed developing the somaclonal variants of cucumber, six of which were selected as a regenerated lines for the breeding program. New forms are characterized by early-ripeness, percent of parthenocarpy, good quality, yield and fruit weight. These lines can be used as an initial material for heterosis breeding and for improvement of donor cultivars of cucumber.

Based on hybrid and inbreed population of radish cv. Mokhovskiy using CMS-ogura nine lines with 100% of male sterility and fertile maintainers were selected. Using the multiplex PCR, the presence of cytoplasm of Ogura type in ms-lines and its absence in mf-lines were confirmed.

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.

The results of comprehensive assessment of the collection samples of carrot are presented. Such traits as a resistance to carrot psylla and carrot fly, high yield, earlyripeness, high content of carotene were evaluated. The carrot varieties total resistant to psylla were not found. The genotypes with combination of such traits as a mild tolerance to pests, stable productivity and fruits quality are recommended as the initial breeding material for development of new varieties and hybrids of carrot.

The success in the development of the Institute is associated with seed production and marketing of vegetable varieties of VNIISSOK’s breeding. The affiliated organization, the North-Caucasian experimental station is a structural subdivision of the All- Russian research institute of vegetable breeding and seed production. The stuff of this experimental station work on the problem of seed production of onion, root, cucurbitaceae and leguminous crops in condition of the North-Caucasus.

The peculiarities of accumulation of radionuclides 137Cs and 90Sr in different organs and tissues of vegetable crops have been studied. Aim of this research was the enhancement of safety and quality of food at the cost of the elimination from the food ration of the vegetable organs with high ability to accumulate the radionuclides

The results of evaluation of phenotypic individual variation of four cultivars (Nantskaya4, Moskovskaya zimnjaya A- 515, Marlinka, and Minor) and two hybrids (Mars F1, Gribovchanin F1) of carrot are presented. The genotype-dependence of variability of such traits as «diameter and high of leaves rosette», «leaves number», «length and width of leaf blade», «length and thickness of petiole», «length, diameter, and weight of roots» are shown. Utilization of data of phenotypic variability of studied traits for development of variety technologies of carrot is recommended. The insufficient informativeness of the coefficient of variability for estimation and selection of carrot forms for adaptivity is discussed.

Results of X-Ray diffraction analysis of inner structure of seeds of green vegetable crops are shown. The advantage of this method over conventional analysis is the informative value, safe-keeping and integrity of tested seeds.

In this article, the main stages of establishment and development of the laboratory of breeding and seed production of cucurbits crops since 1921 are presented. More than 50 varieties of cucurbits crops were developed. Research envelopes and main achievements of the laboratory in field of production of high yielding varieties of cucumber, pumpkin, and squash resistant to biotic and abiotic stresses are discussed.

There is collaboration between VNIISSOK and Mongolian Ministry of Agriculture in field of vegetable growing and seed production supported by the Swiss Agency of development and cooperation (SDC). Based on the preliminary results of variety trials, Mongolian researchers and breeders have found the promising cultivars of vegetable crops of VNIISSOK breeding suitable for growing in condition of Mongolia.

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 development of technology of vegetable growing in the condition of protected area is presented. Data of planting acreages and assortment of crops growing in greenhouses in different countries are shown. Development of the popular in recent years hydroponic culture is presented. The problem of information acquisition about acres, 
structures and yield capacity of protected ground of different countries is underlined.

Data of origin of the creeping thyme (Thymus serpyllum L.), its morphological characteristics, and biochemical composition are presented. There is multipurpose utilization of this crop: seasonings, aromatizing of drinks, in perfumery, in medicine as antiseptic, in landscaping. The farming culture, biological specificity of creeping thyme, and characteristic of new cultivar Aleksandrit are described.

The collaborative work on growing of leafy turnip in condition of salad production line was conducted in ООО PKF «AGROTIP». The possibility of obtaining of ecologically safety salad turnip of cv. Selekta, Sapfir, and Biryuza at hydroponic system are shown. Data of yield, productivity, and content of ascorbic acid in green leaf of turnip growing in condition of flow hydroponic system are presented. The possibilities of using of tested turnip varieties in modern agrotechnological systems are discussed.

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.

Ten varieties of winter garlic were tested for ability to accumulate macroand microelements. Genotype dependence was revealed. The most valuable varieties Strelets, Odintsovskiy Yubileyniy, Podnebesniy, Zaokskiy, and Replikant are characterized by high yield and content of macro- and microelements. The varieties Zaokskiy and Strelets are recommended for next breeding program as an initial breeding material.

The technology of pre-planting treatment of early-ripening potato increasing the volume of production in the Eastern forest-Steppe of Ukraine is presented. This technology is referred to development of organic-mineral container, which covers the surface of tubers and remains there until planting. During this period, the substance of the substrate has a direct impact on growth of apical points of tubers that stimulate its germination and development of root system, and prevent the breaking of sprouts. Comparative data of time of seedling emergence and yield of different potato varieties are presented.

Results of the study of possibility of cultivation of cauliflower and broccoli in the context of vertical zonality of Dagestan are presented. Physiological  characteristics, agriculture, and cultivation of early maturing varieties of cauliflower and broccoli during spring, summer, and autumn in condition of plain, piedmont, and mountain regions of Dagestan were studied. The high quality product of these crops was obtained in condition of Dagestan in the altitude of 1510 m above sea level.

In 2013, the new vegetable pea cv.Prima was applied for the State Variety Trial. This variety is characterized by very yearly-ripeness, that allows to increase the raw material processing in the canning factories of the Kuban.

The technology of cultivation of stachys, the vegetable and officinal crop, in vitro and in vivo is presented in the article. There is a problem of cultivation of this crop on big areas in private farms duo to the lack of specialized machines. The main labor-intensive process of Stachys`s agrotechnology is harvesting of nodules in autumn (in October). In this period, the temperature drops below zero, and heavy rainfall is possible. This problem can be partially solved with the use of biotechnological methods. Stachys is susceptible to viral and fungal diseases. Diseasefree plants and nodules can be obtained through in vitro propagation. The multiplication ratio of Stachys, using method of clonal micropropagation, is very high (1:200). It shows the exploitability of method of tissue culture and plant cells for cultivation of stachys.

Hormonal regulation is considered to be a unique mechanism controlling growth and development of living organism. The review discusses the correlations between pant hormonal status of non-accumulators and hyper-accumulators of Se with the accumulation levels of this microelement. The phenomenon of stimulation and redistribution of selenium as a result of phytohormone treatment, the peculiarities of phytohormones effect among different species and cultivars, and influence of plant sexualization on selenium accumulation are described in article. Data of hormonal regulation of selenium level for spinach, garlic, perennial onion, Brassica chinenesis and Valeriana officialis are presented in the review.

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.

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.

As a result of monitoring of causative agents of diseases of vegetable crops and studying of its species specification, the genus and species of fungi and bacteria, were found. Previously unknown in the Central region of Russia pathogens of carrot were identified: Sclerotinia nevales, Gleocladium roseum, Verticillium spp, Trichotecium roseum, Streptomyces scabies, F. nivale, F. chlamidosporum, F. equiseti, F. proliferatum, Chaetomium spp., Erysiphe umbelliferum, Erwinia carotovora. Main causative agents of diseases  of carrot during storage were also described: Alternaria infectoria, A. alternatа, A. arborescens, A. radicina, A. cheiranthi, A. corotiincultae, A. cinerariae, Embellisia spp., Nimbia spp., Cladosporium spp. It was found new pathogen for onion (Aspergillus niger), garlic (Fusarium semitectum, F. subglutinans, F. proliferatum, F.avenacium), red beet (Typhula ishikariensis), and radish (Drechslera Bondartseva).