First decade of XXI century is characterized by significant augmentation in vegetable world’s production. Average annual vegetable production has been 346 million tons, and it has exceeded the average annual potato production (318 million tons). It has occurred due to the use of up-to-date technologies for vegetable production and, particularly, in greenhouses. In Russian Federation, the total production of vegetables was 5 275.6 thousand tons in 2015 that was 13.3% more than in 2014. But the total vegetable production in greenhouses was only 722.8 thousand tons, that was 0.7% less than in 2014 (728.1 thousand tons). It can be explained that the old technologies have been used for many greenhouses around Russia. Up-to-date technologies for greenhouses are described in the article. Small-volume hydroponics. Plants are grown in mineral wadding, packed up in the special chutes. Mineral nutrition and water are supplied through special pipe with many branch pipes toward each plant. Advantage: pH and nutrition are maintained, consumption of water and mineral nutrition are optimized, and that improves plants grow control. Expenditures of labor decreased, quality of fruit became better and the yield increased significantly by 45-50 kg/m2 comparing with growing on the soil (25-30 kg/m2). Hydroponics with flowing water (salad production lines). Conveyor for salad and vegetable growing on horizontal moving chutes with flowing water and nutrition was developed. Advantage: high level of automation and mechanization of all processes of growing increased the effectiveness of the use of greenhouse areas (we can place 30% plants more at the same area). Seedling production lines. Production lines for seedlings enable to grow vegetables and leafy vegetables on stationary benches, being furnished with periodical nutrition and water supply at times. Advantage: 700 seedlings additionally on each m2 a year. Future technologies are described, there is so called City Farms, which have been developed by several companies, such as ‘PlantLab’, ‘Philips’, ‘Mirai’. Multi-tiered hydroponics on narrow benches has been developed since 2013 at VNIISSOK. Particularities of breeding program for multi-tiered hydroponics have been shown.

In conditions of maintenance of environment parameters for plant growth, the use of nutrient solutions prepared with non-deficient fertilizers is an effective method of reducing the cost of vegetable production. The article examines economic prospects of the use of technologies of small-volume (0,15 — 0,3 l./per plant) the intensity of light-culture of plants in nutrient solutions, prepared on the basis of industrially produced fertilizers ‘Rastvorin A’, ‘Akvarin’, ‘Agricola’ and ‘Kemira Lux’, which are recommended for leafy crops. ‘Knop’ solution as one of the most effective for intensive technologies of the light-culture of leafy crops was used as a control. The object of study was a lettuce, cultivar ‘Tayphun’ and parsley cultivar ‘Bogatyr’. Plants were grown under different levels of light irradiance. Light during the growing period for both species was for 12 hours, the temperature was maintained at 20-22C° in the day and 18-20C° at night, air humidity between 60-65%. The duration of the vegetation period is 25 days. As a result of the study, it was shown that the productivity of lettuce cultivar ‘Typhun’ and parsley cultivar ‘Bogatyr’ that were grown on nutrient solutions ‘Agricola’ and ‘Rastvorin’ was very high. The content of nitrates for all cases was not extended more than the MCL. The highest productivity in the range of irradiance between 60 and 40 watts has been observed in lettuce plants of cultivar ‘Typhoon’, grown under light-culture system with the use of nutrient solutions ‘Akvarin’ and ‘Agricola’. Thus, the study carried out has showed that nutrient solutions ‘Akvarin’, ‘Agricola’ and ‘Rastvorin’ can be recommended for cultivation of leafy crops under condition of changeable light irradiation.

The problem to choose and use ecologically plasticiable cultivar accessions is one of the most important stage of the program for adaptive vegetable production. The right decision of the problem leads to rational utilization of material and natural resources, decreasing the expenses and charges. For successful development of vegetable breeding the cultivar adaptive specifications is necessary to know. Vertical zonation along with hydrothermal condition had an essential effect on yield of red beet. Not being depended on maturity type of cultivar accession their yield increased by 1.9-3.2 t/ha successively from plains towards mountain zone, corresponding to pre-mountain and mountainous regions in Chechen Republic. On average, for tree-year study the highest yield was 45.8 and 45.1 t/ha in cultivars ‘Bona’ and ‘Tsilindra’ respectively, not being depended on the zone of cultivation. The cultivars ‘Donskaya Ploskaya’ (flat), and ‘Odnorostkovaya’ were sources of ecological resistance, while the cultivars ‘Boltardy’ and ‘Detroit’ were sources of productivity. The cultivars ‘Boltardy’ and ‘Gribovskaya Ploskaya’ that had been responsive on regulated environmental factors and resistant to unregulated environmental factors were of multipurpose usage and intensive-cultivation type. The ‘Bordo 237’, Dvusemiyannaya TCKHA’, ‘Odnorostkovaya’ and ‘Tsilindra’ were distinguished from other by accumulation of dry matter and total sugars in all zones of cultivation. On cultivation zone change from steppe towards pre-mountain and mountainous region, the tendency was revealed that dry matter, total sugars and vitamin C content had increased, while the nitrate content had only depended on cultivar features.

Description information on the origin, biological features, nutritional and medical benefits of caraway has been given. Caraway Carum carvi L. is a biennial, herb plant. It is lightdemanding and winter-hardy. First year it grows a rosette of leaves, the second year it produces the flower-bearing stems and later seeds. The medicinal raw material is seeds which are picked just before the time of full maturity. The seeds content up to 20 % of proteins, 25.5 % of fatty oil, 8 % of essential oil, and vitamins, flavonoids, minerals are also present. The seeds and essential oil are used in medicine, in soap manufacture, distillery, confectionery making, bread bakery, perfumery, cosmetics products and agriculture. The caraway seeds are used in veterinary medicine to treat some disease in animals. The caraway fruit possess germicidal, antispasmodic, anesthetic, cholagogic, bileexpelling effects. The seeds can be used as diuretic, stomachic and carminative agents. The seeds of caraway increase milk production in livestock, and also are useful for human's nourishing. Usage of caraway assists to discharge sputum and mucus at lung diseases. Caraway is the excellent melliferous  plant, since the flowers bear much nectar. Production of honey can reach up to 100 kg per one hectare on average. Leaves and shoots of caraway are used in cuisine for salad recipes and to add flavor to meat and fish meal. The fleshy roots could be also consumed as root vegetable. Caraway fruits as a fragrance component are added for cucumber salting, cabbage fermentation and kvass preparation. This article presents the agricultural features for caraway cultivation in middle Russian region. The cultivar ‘Peresvet’ has been bred at VNIISSOK and included in State Register of Breeding Achievements of Russian Federation.

The aim of our research was to study the combinational ability of gynomonoecious form and to assess the best hybrid combinations for agriculturally valuable traits. The experiments were carried out in arid condition of Astrakhan oblast with the use of drop irrigation system at All-Russian Research Institute of Irrigated Vegetable, Melon and Ground Growing. Five hybrids produced from crossing of maternal form Gм r/l, comparing with already released cultivars ‘Goliyanka’, ‘Skazka’, ‘Zolotistaya’, ‘Kolkhoznitsa’ and ‘Lada’ have been studied. In the course of the study hybrid 'Ladushka' that excelled its parental cultivar ‘Lada’ at all main characteristics has been developed.

The most part of tomatoes cultivated in Astrakhan oblast are transported in industrial centers of Russian Federation. Introduction of new cultivars suitable for mechanized harvesting and transportation has a considerable significance for tomato production in Nizhniye Povolzhye, and consequently, increases the profitability of vegetable production. At All-Russian Research Institute of Vegetable, Melon and Ground Growing several new-bred tomato cultivars passed the trial test, and thus, were shown to meet all requirements for upto-date agricultural technology.Two tomato cultivars 'Bokserskiy' and 'Klasicheskiy' were bred on the base of experimental data. These cultivars exceeded the standard 'Moriyana' in yield capacity, fruit weight, and had nearly equal biochemical composition. According to results obtained, it was shown that the fruits of cultivars 'Bokserskiy' and 'Klassicheskiy' were suitable for mechanized harvesting and long distance transportation.

The basic research results of Russian breeding program in Brassica crops were given in the article. Conventional breeding as well as biotechnological methods were used to develop hybrids that meet all requirements of current vegetable market. Brief communication information on international scientific and practical conference “Current State and Trends in Breeding and Seed Production of Brassica crops” was given in the article.

Varieties of Vigna unguiculata subsp. sesquipedalis (L.) Verdc. draw breeders’ attention due to their valuable properties, form variation, particularly, among long asparagus beans. The climatic condition of South Far-East is favorable for the cultivation of cowpea. Introduction of the species expands the range of cultivated crops in the region. The aim of the study was to comparatively investigate the modern and local old accessions of cowpea in the field condition of Primoriye and also to select accessions studied suitable for cultivation in this region. Field experiments were carried out at Far-Eastern Experimental Station (VIR), Vladivostok in 2012-2015. Forty accessions of different breeding periods of time from VIR plant collection were assessed. Local varieties included into collection in 1920-1930, varieties selected in 1950-1980 and modern varieties developed after 2010 were significantly different by the morphometric characteristics such as length and width of leaf, bean length and weight, seed productivity per plant, period duration – from shoots to bean-filling and from shoots to bean-ripening. The productivity of green beans depended on different morphobiological traits. For varieties bred in 1950-1980, the correlation between seed and green bean productivity and the number of beans was observed. The yield of green beans was connected with bean length and width and the duration of vegetative period in modern varieties. The varieties bred in 1950-1980 were distinguished by their simultaneous maturation and early ripening, along with the balanced number of pods per plant and seed productivity. Modern varieties essentially exceeded the previously bred cultivars in pod length, yield capacity and duration of harvesting period. Local old varieties were distinguished by broad genetic variation, and were very important as a source of valuable traits. As a result of the study the varieties suitable for cultivation in Primoriye region have been identified to meet all customers’ requirements. For small production and farming ‘Yin Jiang Yi Hao’, ‘Zi San Chi’, ‘Zi San Chi’, ‘Yu Yan San Chi Lv’, ‘Xue Long Yi Hao’, ‘Zao Chun’, ‘Xin Jang’, ‘Zao Chun Jiang Dou’ were recommended, while the accessions ‘k-818’ and ‘k-797’ from China, ‘s. Tan Kim’ from Vietnam were regarded for industrial proposes: cannery and deep freezing.

Multi-year results of collaboration diverse practical and research work between VNIISSOK and Belarusian Agricultural Academy are presented in the article. Over 25 years of collaboration work has resulted in 15 cultivars have been released and included into in State Register of Breeding Achievements of Russian Federation and Republic of Belarus. Joint cooperation research keeps on going to perform study of ecological cultivar trials and to realize breeding program for crop improvement and to show the latest achievement in the frame of annual practical and research day-long field forum. The outcomes of the last forum are also presented.

The market of Moldova has a large assortment of seed of foreign selection, such as large-fruited tomatoes, cherry and cocktail tomato. Therefore, it is necessary to launch the breeding program for hybrid development of local origin tomato typed, such as ‘Cherry’ and ‘Cocktail’ with a different form, mass and fruit color. Initially, 15 parental forms of tomato were studied for the main economically valuable traits in the open field condition. Phenotypic variation in tomato varieties and breeding accession was identified depending on the terms of cultivation. Such varieties and lines of tomato as ‘Trapesa’, ‘Rosovaya Kapelka’, ‘Seniyorita’, ‘Ocharovaniye’, ‘L. 46/06’, ‘L. 49/09’, ‘L 295/09,’ ‘L. 336/11’, ‘L. 354/11’, ‘L. 357/11’, ‘L. 388/09 (nor)’, ‘L.498 (released by TARI), ‘Tigris’, ‘Vishnya Zheltaya’ (released by OOO ‘Gavrish’), ‘Denezhnoye Derevo’ (national breeding program) were used as the initial breeding material. Totally, 15 breeding accessions were used for the study, where all of them differed in the type of bush (determinate and indeterminate); a vegetation period (ultra-early, early, middle, late); a form (roundish, oval); a fruit color (red, pink, black, orange, tiger and with a NOR gene); a fruit weight (from 10 g and above); a structure of brush (dense, loose). Lines and varieties of tomato of different terms of ripening characterized by the shortened internode, high fruit setting on the bush, high content of biologically active substances, and complex resistance to diseases were used to breed tomato hybrids of ‘cherry’ and ‘cocktail’ types with different fruit form and color.

The biotechnological methods enable to produce the ‘pure’ lines for the short period of time that intensify the breeding program. Particularly, the anther culture is widely used to obtain double haploid lines (DH lines) in plant breeding. The technology advantage is to fast up essentially the selection of homozygous lines with different morphological traits and high level of uniformity. Contemporary breeding programs are directed at F1 hybrid development; therefore DH lines are in need to serve as the parental form for heterotic hybrid production. Nevertheless, previous data has shown that DH plants have been noticed to produce few seeds on them. To introduce the lines into breeding program for hybrid production and to multiply them, the seed formation of DH lines is worth being studied. The result of assessment of seed generation of DH lines of Broccoli that have been produced from ‘Tonus’ and convariety ‘N1’ is presented in the article There is much difference in morphological traits and both ability to recognize their own pollen and quantity of seeds in the pod among plants produced. Nine DH lines of early maturity were obtained. The differences in seed formation among these lines and between generations were revealed. It was shown the influence of genotype on seed formation in DH lines. It was also noticed the much seed formation in case of geitonogamic pollination in DH lines obtained from cultivar ‘Tonus’. The biological features of flowering in DH lines under conditions of climatic chambers have been studied.

Development of F1 cabbage hybrids is concerned to difficulties of artificial pollination, low ability to developovary leading to low seed productivity in parental lines. The aim of the study is to improve the seed productivity of self-pollinated parental line 3/14C for F1 cabbage hybrid ‘Krasotka’. Secondary plant metabolites such as steroid glycosides can help overcome these difficulties and increase the seed productivity (Blandinskaya et al., 2013). 3/14C-line was propagated by backcrossing flowers in bud stage with artificial self-pollination, using water solutions of steroid glycosides ‘Moldstim’ and ‘Melongozid’ (in concentrations 0.1%, 0.01%, 0.001% and 0.0001%). Seed productivity was evaluated according to methods that were elaborated earlier (Bukharov A.F. et al., 2011, 2013). It was established that all parameters of seed formation and development were increased significantly under treatment of steroid glycosides ‘Moldstim’ and ‘Melongozid’ in mentioned concentration. Differences were significant at the 5%-level of significance. Concentration of 0.001% was more effective than other both preparations. These preparations stimulated all phases of seed development. Number of fruits was increased by 16-39%, a number of seeds per one the pod was also increased by 17-38%, mass of 1000 seeds was increased by 9-12%. Thus, the seed productivity of parental line 3/14C F1cabbage hybrid named ‘Krasotka’ was increased by 44 to 105% as result of the action of steroid glycosides. Thus, ‘Moldstim’ and ‘Melongozid’ in concentration of 0.001% can be recommend as physiological stimulators to improve seed productivity in parental lines necessary for development of F1 cabbage hybrids.

In 1973 the crew of polar expedition, investigating the Middendorff Bay at the messdeck Zarya, discovered the depot of food products hidden in permafrost by head of Russian polar expedition E. Toll in 1900. There were oat flakes ‘Gerkules’ and croutons in the depot. Then the study carried out in Research Institute of Vegetable Drying and Can Industry had shown that all products discovered had preserved all their food qualities. That result leaded to launch up the experimental work on the possibility of preservation of food products and foodstuffs in permafrost till 2050. Quality of product found out in Taymyr Peninsula was analyzed. The results of study on qualities after long preservation in permafrost of such food products and foodstuffs as meat, milk, fish, confectionery, concentrated food, plant seeds were given. As a result of expedition in 2016, 20 samples were taken out and new samples of two types of products were placed into repository. Overall products placed consisted of 23 items, including foodstuffs and plant seeds with account of taking them out in 2025, 2035 and 2050. On the basis of research carried out, it is proved that most of modern and casual food products can be preserved without losing their quality values.

Preservation of biodiverse genetic resources of crops and cultured plants live is the important state task. Plant seeds are suitable object regarded as genetic material to be long termstored, since the each accession is a small package, not demanding a special care. There is a large plant collection over 322 accessions in N.I. Vavilov Institute of Plant Genetic Recourses (VIR), Russia. Genetically determined longevity of seeds can be prolonged by organization of optimized condition of storage. The necessary condition should be created to extend the germination power of seed for long time. There are the seed banks in the world with modern highly technological maintenance, but in case highly extremely situation, the natural seed repository can be more preferable. This sort of seed repository has been launched in the Taymyr Peninsula. Since 1974 the experiment on study of preservation qualities of different products in different packaging has been performed in many research institutes. All-Russian Research Institute of Vegetable Breeding and Seed Production is a partner in the whole experiment. Researchers of breeding laboratories have proved seeds of 27 accessions of main vegetable group, which have been placed in three replications with account of taking the accessions out in 2025, 2035 and 2050.

The high antioxidant activity in tomato fruits is caused not only by sufficient content of vitamin C and polyphenols but also the carotenoids and the fat soluble antioxidants. Lycopene and beta-carotene are the main fat-soluble antioxidants, the consumption of which influences positively on human’s health. It is known that tomato fruits are the source of lycopene for human diet, providing up to 85% of the total lycopene in food. The breeding program for tomato cultivars with high content of carotenoids is a very important task for breeders. In our study the content of betacarotene and lycopene was assessed in 18 tomato accessions with red, pink, yellow and orange fruits obtained in Solanaceae Breeding Laboratory at VNIISSOK. All plants were grown in experimental open field in Odintsovo region, Moscow oblast, VNIISSOK. It was revealed that the typical concentration ratio of lycopene to beta-carotene for pink and red fruits was 1.5 to 10.25, but for yellow and orange fruits was 0 to 0.63. Highest ratio was observed in red fruits in line 230-16. The highest lycopene content was found in red fruits of tree type tomato lines 198-16 and 86F1 (11.5 and 8.7 g/100g. respectively). The highest content of betacarotene was in yellow fruits of line 53-16 F1 (4.1 mg/100g) and orange fruits of line 184-16 (6.2 mg/100g). All studied accessions with orange fruits had the higher content of beta-carotene than in standard and highest content of lycopene in this group of accessions. Thus, these fruits had the high nutritional value. The balanced content of lycopene and beta-carotene and low acidity in pink and yellow-orange tomato fruits makes these cultivars the most valuable for children’s diet and people with problems of digestive system.

Capsicum chinense Jacq. is the rich source of phytochemical substances, such as vitamin C, phenolic compounds, carotenoids, and occupies a significant place in the cooking of many peoples. The pigment composition, the amount of carotenoids, ascorbic acid and their contribution to the formation of antioxidant properties were studied. The total content of carotenoids and red/yellow pigments varied greatly among the accessions of C. chinense. The highest content of carotenoids 0.581 mg/g was observed in the varieties ‘Ognennaya Deva’ with the red fruit color in the phase of biological ripeness, where red pigments accumulated 56% more than in yellow ones. Fruits of accessions ‘Kolokolchik’ only accumulated yellow pigments, 0.318 mg/g. Presence of significant amount, 2.03 times as much red pigments as yellow ones in the variety ‘Trinidad Scorpion Chocolate’, with protein complex could cause the formation of a brown fruit color. Another tendency was observed in ‘Trinidad Dglahou’. The yellow pigment is 1.5 times as much amount as red, as estimated 0.119 mg/g of yellow and 0.077 mg/g of red pigment. The ascorbic acid content did not depend on the fruit color. Fruits of the ‘Ognennaya Deva’ accumulated the highest amount of ascorbic acid, 301 mg%. The maximum total antioxidant content, was detected in the variety ‘Ognennaya Deva’ 2.65 (TAC, mg.eq. GA/g). Analysis of the dependence of the content of thermo stable antioxidants to the total ones showed the contribution of the unstable antioxidants to thermal effects (particularly ascorbic acid) on the level of 16%, on average. A comparative assessment of the pungency level and quantitative capsaicin content in the fruit was carried out by organoleptic, spectrophotometric and HPLC methods. The intervals of observed concentrations of capsaicin were 1.0-7.5 mg/g of dry weight (HPLC), the level of pungency on the Scoville scale was 17440-153120 SHU. There was a direct correlation between the organoleptic assessment of the pepper fruit pungency and capsaicin content studied by spectrophotometry and HPLC methods.

Diverse technological methods are widely used in horticulture to improve the energy of seed germination, as well as growth and development of plants and their productivity. Ecologically safe methods to accelerate the plant growth processes are known as a presowing treatment of seeds and foliar feeding by plant growth-stimulating agents of natural origin. Pre-sowing seed treatment is necessary when plants grow and maturate not simultaneously, as noticed in amaranth. The action of growth-stimulating agents is an influence in slight concentration not only on biometrical plant parameters, but also on photosynthetic reactions and whole plant physiology. The seed treatment by preparations containing biologically active substances is not only ecologically safe methods but also an economically profitable. Consequently, improvement of quality in vegetable crops by high content of biologically active substances in them, such as polyphenols can be reached with technologies based on the use of preparations, containing biologically active substances and biogenic chemical elements. It was shown that distinctive feature of red leaf plants of amaranth cultivar ‘Valentina’ was a very variable concentration of phenolic compounds such as flavonoids (quercetin, apigenin and their glycosides), hydroxycinnamic acids, simple phenols, polymeric and condensed polyphenols in different aged leaves at the time of vegetation. Moreover, the metabolite variation, antioxidant in fractions of phenolic compounds, obtained from different aged leaves, was increased by biopreparations of natural origin. It is supposed that those preparations had an effect on stress-action system as in protective plant reaction, increasing the antioxidants content. The data obtained has shown that the plants of amaranth, as a promising source of antioxidants, can be used to develop functional food products and phytopreparations.