The N.I. Vavilov’s contribution into national and world’s science including plant systematic, plant genetics and breeding, plant immunity and introduction was described in the article. His scientific elaborations on distribution of plant species and varieties on the earth and in regions and centers of origin of cultivated plants, where they intensively formed themselves were given in the article. The scientific significance and practical use of plant genetic resources and ways for their mobilization were regarded in the paper. The further development of Vavilov’s ideas is a tribute of gratitude to rich heritage having been preserved for descendants. 

The analysis of the national seed market state really showed the high dependence of Russian food security on imported seeds. The government means for supporting the national seed production program undertaken in 2015 by Ministry of Agriculture of RF were very effective and took action as showed the data from ‘Roselkhozcentre’. Thus, the total land area used for seed production in vegetables, melons and gourds was increased by 48% that amounted to 2104.3 ha in 2016, and that was more than in 2015. Moreover, the vegetable and melon seed producers and breeders are worried about the facts of falsification and low quality. The main reason of occurrence of such seeds that are not meeting the variety requirements in the market is an insufficient legislative system and its lack of correspondence to the current seed production, conditions and up-to-date requirements. It is necessary to take urgent measures to revise the current state of legislative system in national seed production program. 

The main advantage of root vegetables is their unique specificity and high economic importance. The benefits and medicinal properties of root vegetables being highly demanded by the market requirements to the commodity are highlighted in the article. The main directions of breeding program for root vegetable crops, including species of Apiaceae family with carrot, parsnips; Chenopodioideae family with red beet; Brassicaceae family with radish, Daikon, Raphanus sativus L. var. lobo Sazonova & Stank, turnip and rutabaga. Initial breeding accessions of carrot, red beet, radish, Daikon, Raphanus sativus L. var. lobo Sazonova & Stank, turnip and rutabaga have been selected out to be used for breeding program for heterosis. The mf and ms breeding lines were developed, and with the use of them the new gene pool was created. Variety supporting breeding program and methods were also proposed. 

The experiments were performed during the two successive seasons of 2015-2016 and 2016-2017 at the Kazakh Research Institute of Potato and Vegetable Growing, Almaty Region, Kazakhstan. The experiment was aimed to study the efficiency of 117 different beetroot accessions for productivity and storability. To study the storability, 20 beetroot roots without any external sings of diseases were taken in two replications from each variety accession and left to be stored. The wet fresh weight of beetroots placed into storage varied from 132 g to 320 g depending on the shape and the size of roots. Beetroots were stored in polypropylene bags, which were placed on barred shelves 30-35 cm high. The storing temperature in autumn and spring period of time fluctuated from 3-5o to 6-8°, but in winter period it was 1-2°. The observed results showed that the gross yield of beetroot accessions ranged from 25.0 to 105.4 t/ha, marketable yield – 16.7 to 74.9 t/ha, marketability – 33.8 to 97.2%. Storability of beet roots mostly depended on accession genotype with different natural decrease of weight and root rot diseases. Natural decrease of weight varied from 0.0 to 12.3%, total losses from root diseases were from 0.0 to 90.0%. The analysis carried out showed that the link between yield capacity and storage characteristics was weak, R= -0,042-0,144. The correlation between storability and root rot was R = -0,516-0,644, that was stronger than it was in natural decrease of weight, R = -0.115. 

The collection of carrot and table beet in Russia has more than 400 varieties and hybrids, included in the State Register of the Russian Federation. In domestic assortment of carrot, the proportion of F1 hybrids is about 50%, beet – about 20%. The most domestic varieties of root crops are characterized by a high level of adaptability with combination of high yield, resistance to biotic and abiotic stresses. Varieties and hybrids of carrot and beet originated from domestic breeding programs exceed on an average estimation the foreign ones in contents of dry matter, sugars, betanin and carotenoids. They better retain high root qualities during long-term storage. In the breeding of varieties of carrots and table beets, it is important to take into account the suitability to machine harvesting. Varieties with erect leaf rosette and solid leaf attaching to the root head are better adapted to mechanized harvesting. The use of industrial technologies in the production of beet root in large amounts depends on the availability of monogerm varieties that gave mechanized formation of plantations. An important role in solving these problems belongs to the use of the breeding of a diverse initial material. The 250 carrots accessions and 165 table beet accessions were studied in the Pushkin laboratories of VIR (Pushkin, Leningrad region). Evaluation of collection accessions on the complex of valuable traits was carried out. As a result of study, initial breeding material for high yield, early-maturation, high quality of production, bolting, resistance to diseases and pests, suitability for mechanized cultivation has been selected and recommended. 

As a result of the research carried out in 2013-2016, the viability and originality of 1157 accessions of root vegetables have been preserved. 250 breeding accessions of carrot, beetroot and radish have been assessed for different economically valuable traits in open field and laboratory tests. Out of them, 65 accessions were selected out as sources of economically valuable traits. The early-maturing accessions of radish, such as ‘Korsar’, ‘Francuzsky Zavtrak’, ‘Mikhnevsky 1’, ‘18 Dney’, ‘Koroleva Margo’, ‘Polyna’, ‘Rozovo-Krasny s Belym Konchikom’, ‘Sofit’, ‘Kvarta’, ‘Saksa’, ‘Variant’ were regarded. The carrot accessions, such as ‘Scarlet’, ‘Koroleva Oseni’, ‘Dlinnaya Krasnaya’ were distinguished as sources of high yield capacity. The sources of high root yield in beetroot were varieties: ‘Valenta’, ‘Mestnaya iz Madagaskara’, Goldiers Super Black Beet, Zwaans Early Red Chief. The long shelf-life during wintertime was observed in beetroot varieties: ‘Slowiblot’, ‘Valenta’, ‘Lomarina’. The varieties: ‘Nevezhes’, ‘Neger Schwarz Halblange’, ‘Goldiers Super Black Beet’ were distinguished by high root marketability. With the use of world plant collection at VIR, the following varieties of root vegetables: ‘Dar Podmoskovya’ in carrot; ‘Osennya Princessa’ in beetroot; ‘Mikhnevskiy 1 ‘in garden radish; ‘Osenniy Krasavets’ in daikon; ‘Albina’ in root parsley; ‘Atlant’ in parsnip; Moscowskiy Krasavets in celery, and ‘Oseniya Udacha’ in wild radish were developed. It was also shown those varieties that had high yield capacity and root marketability were distinguished by small epidermal cell structure and large number of stomata per unit of leaf surface. It may be supposed that the large number of stomata per unit of leaf surface and small epidermal cell structure was the evidence of adaptive capacity of accessions taken for the study. 

Tasks that were posed have been well proven and realized concerning the breeding program for beetroot in monsoon climate of the Russian Far East. The new breeding accessions suitable for further variety development with high immunological, productive and marketable characteristics, increased biochemical parameters, and resistance to highly moist soil and pathogens were developed. The biological and morphological features of growing seed plants in beetroot have been studied using the effective elements of selection with combination of promising agricultural techniques for tilling. Technological methods for early generation and marketable seed production have been improved. The favorable agricultural and climatic areas were found to cultivate seed plants of beetroot and produce the high quality seeds that preserved all biological and horticulturally valuable traits. The varieties of beetroot, such as ‘Uspekh’ (variety type Bordeaux), ‘Primorskaya Cylidricheskaya’ (variety type Granat), ‘Primorskaya 4’ (variety type Bordeaux), breeding accessions ‘POOS 22’ (Bordeaux, Primorskaya) were developed and included in the State Register of Breeding Achievements. 

The study was carried out in 2008-2016. The field experiments were performed at the territory of breeding centre and experimental facilities of FGBNU All-Russian Research Institute of Vegetable Growing, Moscow oblast. Varieties and hybrids originated from national and foreign breeding programs were used as a plant material for the study. In total 67 accessions including 34 with white root, 27 with yellow root and 6 with violet root were studied. Some traits of carrot were regarded, where it was shown that the root weight (Cv=20.350.5%), the core portion (Cv=10.9-26.7%) and leaf number (Cv=10.8-26.3%) in white carrot were the most variable traits, while a root length (Cv=8.1-15.1%), a leaf length (Cv=7.217.9%) and a root diameter (Cv=6,3-14,1%) were the less variable ones. In yellow carrot the significant variation was revealed in a root weight (Cv=20.1-48.2%), but low variation (Cv=12.2-25.1%) was observed in accession ‘Mestnaya’ from Uzbekistan. The great variation in root weight (Cv=20.152.0%) was found out among purple carrot, but low variation for the trait (Cv=11.1-26.8%) showed the accession ‘Purple Haze’. In the each group of different colored carrots, the hybrid combinations were selected out with low variability in such traits as the root weight, the core portion, the root length. 

The investigations were conducted on the fields of the Kazakh Research Institute of Potato and Vegetable Growing located on the northern slope of the Zailiysky Alatau, 40 km to the west of Almaty city, under irrigation conditions. The soil of the experimental site is dark chestnut with medium-loamy structure. 37 carrot accessions with different geographic origins were the object of the study in the nursery of the initial breeding forms to evaluate their productivity and field resistance to foliar diseases such as Alternaria, Powdery Mildew. When symptoms expressed maximally 1.5 months before the harvest of carrot, visual assessment of leaf surface damaged by foliar infections was carried out according to the scale of infection, where 0 meant no damaged leaves; 1 meant very light damage (1-10% of leaves); 2 meant light damage (11-25% of leaves); 3 meant medium damage (26-50% of leaves); 4 meant severe damage (over 51% of leaves). The visual observation showed that two breeding accessions CR00655 and CR01253 had immunity to powdery mildew that maximally spread out over other carrot accessions approaching of 100% of damage of leaf surface with the score from 1.8 to 3.8 points, when disease developing from 45.0 to 93.8%. Alternaria spread on carrot plants not very intensively, only 17% of plants in the nursery were hardly attacked at 0.1-0.4 points as scored. The correlation analysis showed the absence of any link between characteristics of productivity and damage parameters caused by foliar diseases at r=0,005-0,225. 

The breeding program for daikon in Crimea was carried out according to the following plan: the seed sowing in the third decade of July, and root selection for economically valuable traits after 58-70 days; storage during the winter; planting in the short warm periods of February, under temporary tunnel coverage for parental lines used for hybridization; seed production in second decade of July; seed sowing in third decade of July; assessment of progenies in 58-70 days. The annual cycle was repeated until the constant lines were obtained. As result of that, the middle-maturing variety was developed, the periods from shoots to root formation, to root harvesting, to seed maturation were 26 days, 63 days and 90 days, respectively. Variety ‘Solol’ had 3% less of dry matter than standard variety ‘Klyck Slona’ and 10% higher than standard variety ‘Guliver’. The variety ‘Sokol’ had 6-14% more total sugar than both standard varieties. The variety was characterized by high ultrastability and agrochemical stability (86%), average value of yield variation V=13.6%, whereas correlation with sum of effective temperature, r = -0.34 and sum of rainfall, r = +0.58. The yield of daikon root in the variety ‘Sokol’ was 47 t/ha that was 27-31% higher than yield in the standard variety.

The climatic conditions of the Nordic countries are similar to the conditions of the North-West region of the Russian Federation, which makes it possible to introduce interesting varieties for Russian breeding. Most of the local varieties of stubble turnips in the USSR were created using Scandinavian material. Local varieties are the source of the genetic diversity of vegetable crops. The work with such material is promising in terms of searching for sources and donors of valuable traits for breeding programs. 16 samples of local table turnips and stubble turnips from the Scandinavian countries were obtained from the Nordic genebank and a comprehensive study was carried out. Samples are described from the point of view of the existing agrobiological classification of turnip (M.A. Shebalina). Most of the local accessions are mixed populations of two or more types. It was found that the local accessions of Denmark, Norway, Finland and Sweden were represented by table turnips of the Karelian and Petrovsky types, a Tankard yellow type prevailed among the stubble turnips. A representative of a very rare variety type of turnip Kostenevskaya (Petrozavodskaya) was found. The fact of changing of the prevailing types of table and stubble turnips Scandinavian countries is probably connected with the introduction of the widespread European varieties of these cultures. Accessions of local Scandinavian stubble turnips have been identified as sources of productivity and valuable biochemical composition, exceeding the standard variety of Osterzundomsky. Gul Finlandsk, Norway (the Petrovskaya type), Ljusnedal, Sweden (May yellow greenhead type), Rana, Denmark, (the Bortfeld type) and Ova Daehnfeldt, Denmark (Tankard yellow) are promising sources for turnip breeding in Russian Federation. 

The results of research work on carrot seed growing through wintering seedlings carried out at laboratory of seed studies and seed production of Transnistrian Research Institute of Agriculture, on the soil of the first terrace at the rive Dniester were presented in the article. Seed bearing plants of garden carrot ‘Krasavka’ were the object of the study. The seeds were sown to produce the seedlings on 15-16 August. In the first decade of December the plants were covered with white agrotextile with density 23g/m2 that was removed at the beginning of April. The proportion of plant that passed the winter depending on a year of cultivation was 95-100% under argotextile, and 50-80% in open plot. The plants under agrotextile reached 28 cm a high and had 5-7 well-developed leaves, while those on the open plot were at phase of active foliage growing about 10-13 cm. long. Thus, for early mechanized planting in optimal terms the wintering seedlings grown under agrotextile had the best biometrical characteristics. Moreover the outcome of carrot seedlings was 1.2-1.25 million per hectare. Such quantity of seedlings was sufficient to plant 9-10 ha of carrot plants, where the coefficient of multiplication reached 9-10, and only 3 when growing seeds through mother plant as biennial culture. Viability of seed plants grown through seedlings was 100%. Losses of plant with weight 120-150 grams from damage caused by diseases was 23%. The seed yield, when growing seedlings was 639 kg/ha, but growing through plants was 332 kg/ha. The seed outcome suitable for precise mechanized sowing through seedling growing was 77%, where seed germination was 90%, with seed fraction 1.51 and >2.0 mm. It was essentially improved their yielding characteristics. Seed outcome from this fraction obtained through planting method was 32%. The proportion of seeds in fraction 1-1.5 mm was 68%. For mechanized single-seed sowing, the seeds can be used only after mini-coating. The seed growing from wintering seedlings fully excluded the application of fungicides for plant protection and seedlings from diseases; there are no expenses for building the expensive storage facilities needed for mother plant storing. 

The understanding the nature of trait inheritance in any crops is that determines the quality of results in breeding program. According to reference on previous publication, it is known that phenotypic manifestation of purple root color in radish was caused by regulatory interrelationship mechanisms of genetic control that is difficult to be used directly in breeding program. From literature sources and on the basis of their own research work the authors have proven the practice to maintain the trait in generations, and implementations of development of purple radish breeding accessions have been presented. At first stage of breeding program the selection of initial breeding accessions was carried out, where 14 varieties (red x white) were regarded on the basis of top-crosses to obtain F1 and F2 progenies to be analyzed. Thus, four best combinations from crossing were chosen with 100% of hybridity. Through analysis of hybrids for individual progenies the hybrid population F1 of radish ‘Konfeti’ with different root colors was developed. As result of the individual inbreeding selection on seed plants with pigmented stems and the colored flower rim, the stable breeding accession with purple root was obtained. Thus, in breeding practice in radish it was succeeded to obtain the stably inheriting purple root color in radish accessions, variety ‘Siniiy Iniey’. 

It is necessary not only to possess the technology to grow seeds but also to have knowledge of plant biology in particular crop, and sowing qualities of its seeds. The particular place where seeds are forming on the mother plant has much influence on qualities of sowing seed material. The influence of the development of red beet plant bush on seed productivity, monogermity and sowing qualities of seeds was estimated in Rostov oblast. The main stalk pruning and application of plant growth retardants had an effect on the structure of red beet bush. In variants given in seed plants, the third type of branching prevailed due to lack or oppression of main stalk. Consequently, the seed yield and proportion of single fruit formation rose. It was also shown that due to treatment of plants with growth retardant ‘Floron’ at the stage of waxen maturity significantly improved the seed germination as compared with control variant. As a result of the study it was shown that the mechanical pruning of main stalk and application of growth retardants had affected on the structure of seed red beet bush increasing the yield mono-seed compounds as well as had improved the yield and seed quality of monogerm red beet. 

The standard methods of analysis don’t meet all modern requirements to determine the seed a quality. These methods can’t unveil inner deficiencies that are very important to control seed viability. The capabilities of new instrumental method to analyze the seed quality of root vegetables were regarded in the article. The method of micro-focus radiography is distinguished from other existing methods by more sensitivity, rapidity and easiness to be performed. Based on practical importance the visualization of inner seed structure, it allows determining far before seed germination the degree of endosperm development and embryo; the presence of inner damages and infections, occupation and damage caused by pests. The use of micro-focus radiography enables to detect the degree of seed quality difference for some traits such as monogermity and self-fertilization that are economically valuable for breeding program in red beet. With the aid of the method the level of seed development, damage and inner deficiencies in carrot and parsnip can be revealed. In X-ray projection seeds of inbred lines of radish significantly differed from variety population ones for their underdevelopment in the inner structure. The advantage of the method is that seeds rest undamaged after quality analyzing and both can be used for further examination with the use of other methods or be sown; that is quite important for breeders, when handling with small quantity or collectable plant breeding material. The results radiography analyses can be saved and archived that enables to watch for seed qualities in dynamic; this data can be also used at possible arbitration cases. 

The standard for organization for the model technological process in radish seed production through nontransplanting cultivation has been elaborated. The technological requirements to operations necessary for radish seed production process through non-transplanting cultivation, including sowing, plant care, harvesting and post harvesting processing have been established. 

Experiments were carried out at FGBNU VNIIO in 20112016. The aim of the study was to analyze the influence of different types of organic dormancy caused by various factors on seed quality of some representatives of umbellifer crops. The objects of the study were seeds: parsnip ‘Kulinar’ (Pastinaca sativa L.); carrot ‘Rogneda’ (Daucus carrota L.); root parsley ‘Ljubasha’ (Petroselinum crispum (Mill.) Nyman ex A.W. Hill.); root celery ‘Kupidon’ (Apium graveolens L.); coriander ‘Yantar’ (Coriandrum sativum L.) and dill ‘Kentavr’ (Anethum graveolens L.). In all seeds studied, the speed of embryo growth was decreased by 30% or0.03 mma day. Under influence of the induced dormancy caused by incubation in extract from dill seeds, the speed of embryo growth in all species was decreased by 94-97% on average. The process of germination of just picked seeds in all crops studied showed itself in reduction of germinated seed number by 54% as compared with control variant. Under the effect of incubation at high temperature the seeds of parsnip and root celery didn’t germinate, whereas the germination in the seeds of coriander, root parsley and carrot was decreased by 51%, 47% and 46%, respectively as compared with control. There is no germination observed in parsnip, carrot, root celery and coriander under influence of induced dormancy caused by incubation in extract from dill seeds. In this case, the germination of seeds of root parsley and dill was 8.1% and 15%, respectively. The Pearson correlation between the speed of embryo growth and percent of seed germination showed the significant and positive relationship in the range 0.706-0.952. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) showed that induced by temperature or allelopathic dormancy had impact on the speed of embryo’s growth in the crops studied, where factor effect was 89-86% depending on type of dormancy. Analysis of variance between the factors of dormancy and germination revealed that all types of dormancy analyzed had much influence on germination in these crops. The factor effects for primary, temperature induced, and induced allelopathic dormancy were 98% (F=1590.3; P=< 2x10-16), respectively. 

Nutritional properties, benefits, economic importance of parsnip varieties ‘Krugliy’ ‘Lutshiy iz Vsekh’, ‘Serdechko’ ‘Beliy Aist, ‘Zhemtchug’ bred at VNIISSOK are discribed in the article. The descriptions of the varieties, methods of their development and technology for variety supporting are also given. 

One of directions of radish breeding is creation of varieties with an unusual combination of color and form of a root crop. The article presents the results of the breeding work with radish and introduces description of 7 new radish varieties. 

The modern technologies for production of high yield in vegetable crops in agroindustrial complexes provide the development of optimal conditions for plant nutrition including the application of microelements and biologically active substances (BAS). The study of productivity in tomato with application of microelements and biologically active substances were carried out in unstable moisturization in Stavropol region at the facilities of Educational and Experimental Station FSBEI HE Stavropol SAU in 2015-2016. The aim was to study productivity in tomato with application of microelements and biologically active substances on the basis of calculated norms of fertilizers. The objects of the study were tomato hybrid ‘Premium F1’, Agromix, and different BAS. Calculated dose of fertilizers on predicted tomato yield of 80 t/ha according to experimental protocol was N130Р150К170, where this norm was regarded as a control. Mineral fertilizers were added to basic fertilizer and included as extra feeding supplied through drip irrigation system. Agromix was applied as part of foliar dressing through drip irrigation, while BAS was used only as foliar dressing. The data on development of vegetative and generative plant organs, biochemical composition and yield characteristics of tomato fruit were analyzed. As a result of the study, it was shown that experimental tomato plants significantly differed from control ones not only by yield capacity and quality, but also the morphological characteristics. With application Agromix and BAS the area of leaf surface, stem diameter, degree of fruit formation, average fruit weight increased by 0.004-0.04 m2, 0.2-0.3 cm., 39%, and 8-16 g., per plant respectively. With application of N130Р150К170, Agromix, amino acids and epibrassinolide in different combinations, the dry matter content in fruit, sugar content, sugar and acid index and vitamin C content were increased as compared with control by 0.07-0.15%, 0.12-0.26%, 1.21.7 and 0.6-1.3 mg %, respectively, while nitrate content was decreased by 14.0-17.5 mg/kg. Application of microelements and BAS in the system of tomato plant nutrition increased tomato yield by 0.6-4.3 t/ha as compared with control variant. The highest yield was obtained in the experiment with combined application of N130Р150К170, Agromix, amino acids and epibrassinolide in plant feeding system. As a result of study, it was shown that highest productivity in tomato was obtained with combined feeding with microelements and BAS on the basis calculated norms of fertilizers.

Co-operative Ustyuzhensky Potato produces seed potato of varieties: ‘Red Scarlett’, ‘Briz’, ‘El Mundo’, ‘Ramos’, ‘Skarb’, ‘Mondeo’, ‘Meteor’, ‘Zorachka’, ‘Red Fantasy’, ‘Nandina’, ‘Krepysh’. Western part ofVologdaoblast, where are situated the co-operative fields is a most favorable region to grow seed potato. The tight collaboration with Research Institutes of Potato Growing have given the high quality potato seed material. Co-operative Ustyuzhensky Potato sells not only seeds but also provides very wide quantity of verified and independent technological information collected from specialists and partners on potato cultivation needed for producers’ interest protection.