In the Ekaterina Hall, Moscow Kremlin, Dmitry Anatolyevich Medvedev presented 36 outstanding Russian citizens with orders, medals, and diplomas on awarding honourable titles. Our colleague head of laboratory of plant introduction and seed research, doctor of agricultural science, Peter Fedorovich Kononkov was decorated by the Order of Honour in accordance with official edict N 56 signed by Russian President on 17 January, 2011.

On 15-17 February the General Annual Meeting of Russian Academy of Agricultural Science was held where the result of researches for 2006-2010 had been summarized up and new research plan for 2011 was drawn up.

On 25th February, 2011 the jubilee international conference "The Role of Physiology and Biochemistry for Plant Introduction and Breeding of Vegetables, Fruit and Berries Crops and Medicinal Plants» was held in All-Russian Research Institute of Vegetable Breeding and Seed Production at laboratory of plant physiology and seed research and that was dedicated to 130th anniversary of Prof. Zhegalov's birth; and 80 years since the laboratory of plant physiology and seed research was organized. The major directions of plant physiology and biochemistry research in vegetables, fruit and berries crops that were presented by scientists from the former USSR republics and far abroad were reported in this article.

The main achievements of vegetable breeding research in different institutions of Russian Federation and the priorities and prospects were highlighted in the article.

The perspective of utilization of in vitro culture of unpollinated ovules for development of dihaploid lines of pumpkin is described in the article. The ovules of five hybrids were cultivated on CBM medium. The following combinations of growth regulators for gynogenesis induction were used: a) 0.2 mg/L of thidiazuron and 0,0001 мкМ of epibrassinolide; b) 2 mg/l of 2,4-D. The frequency of embryo development depended on cultivation medium and genotype. The maximum amount of embryos developed from unpollinated ovules of one ovary was 6-9 ones.

Pre-breeding research on 20 accessions from collection of broad bean (Vicia faba L.) of All-Russian Research Institute of Vegetable Breeding and Seed Production has been performed. Four traits such as height of plan, height of stem from soil surface up to lowest bean (most important characteristics for mechanized harvesting), number of seeds in the bean, and the size of seeds were taken to be studied. Four promising accessions N 9, N 27, N 33, N 15d-vf18096 that have a set of three valuable characteristics, namely the high seed yield, large seeds, and great height of the stem from the soil surface up to lowest bean have been selected out at previous stage of breeding program.

Expanding the range of leafy and salad vegetables and extension of their production and consumption are indicators that can characterize the state and prosperity of the nation. The great value and indispensable of vegetables in human's diet are that they are the sources of vitamins, sugars, organic acids, mineral salts, microelements and biologically active matters which determine the taste of food and its assimilation in human's body.

The article includes the detailed description of newly developed «Korotyshka» cultivar of cucumber of bush type. Agro-technical features for short-climbing cultivars were also given.

The successful results of the research and efficiency of application of foliar feeding have been shown at the time of cabbage seeds raise with Gibbersib and Carbamid treatments in springtime. These treatments made the flowers and buds develop more rapidly promoting the formation of more branchy plants with numbers of seed pods.

The actuality of research on vegetable seed production regarding requirements to seed quality depending on changes in ecological situation has been shown

The article briefly reviewed the features of biological actions of secondary metabolite such as Glucosinolate (Thioglycosides) and their derivates in plants of Brassicaceae taking into account the pharmacological aspect and the role of the metabolites in plant vital activity. The promising results were obtained when these plant preparations were used as nematicide on two plant species as cress and horseradish; that was in order to fight against Meloidogyne that develops under condition of protected plant cultivation.

The advantages of pre-sowing seed soaking in phytoregulator solutions such as Hitofos, Phytohit, Cytohit and some foliar feeding were shown at the time of carrot plants grew. As it was revealed previously at Breeding Production Stations, Urus-Martanovskiy region, the «Gribovchanin» carrot cultivar had a yield characteristics and quality of root that became much higher after seed and plant treatment by physiologically active substances.

The ideas for plant sanitary diagnostic using modern computer technology and internet service were discussed in this article. Digital photos, multimedia resources and FAQ website can serve the agronomist with summarized information concerning plant protection and methods for damage prevention in the area of crop cultivation.

On the base of research results on quality characteristics of candied vegetable marrow, for the first time the standard CTO 45727225-20 has been elaborated to control the quality of vegetable production and to improve the technological discipline in production of candied vegetable marrow.

Having become one of the oldest Research Institution in Dagestan the State Institution Experimental Breeding Station of Viticulture and Vegetable Crops has already existed 85 years. This date is going to be celebrated this 2011 year.

On 31^st March, 90^th birth and 50 years of working, scientific, pedagogical activities of renowned scientist in plant genetics, fruit-tree genetics, breeding and seed production of flowers, doctor in agriculture, head of laboratory of breeding and seed production of flowers at All-Russian Research Institute of Vegetable Breeding and Seed Production (1978-1996) Irina Victorovna Dryagina is celebrating her anniversary.