The article examines the results of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the global economy and the economy of the Russian Federation at the end of 2020. The quarantine measures introduced by the countries continue to negatively affect the economic situation in the world and the economies of individual countries. There is an acute shortage of seasonal workers in the agricultural sector of the countries of the world. The introduction of restrictions on the export of goods reduced the volume of imports. In Russia, the growth rate of imports from non-CIS countries has decreased. In January 2021, compared to January 2020, imports for food products and raw materials for their production decreased by 4.2%, and for vegetables – by 11.5%. According to the Federal Customs Service, the export of vegetables increased 3 times in terms of physical volumes and only 11% in terms of value. The growth in the physical volumes of export of products of the agro-industrial complex of the Russian Federation did not lead to a corresponding increase in revenue. The prices for vegetables imported into the country were 2.5-3.4 times higher than the prices for exported ones. Despite some difficulties, losses in this area due to the pandemic were minimal. The gross harvest of vegetables in the country as a whole amounted to 13.8 million tons, which is 1.7% below the level of 2019. At the same time, the gross harvest of vegetables in open ground decreased by 3.1%, vegetables in protected ground increased by 6.6%. Difficulties encountered in implementation. During the crisis period due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the demand for vegetables fell by 30%. Consumers, in an effort to improve their immunity, began to buy more environmentally friendly and healthy products, including vegetables. The demand for organic products has grown by 15-20%. To accelerate the economic recovery, it was necessary to take additional measures on the part of states to support producers and consumers, restore purchasing power and help businesses, expand access to credit resources, stimulate investment activity, and reduce the tax burden on businesses and the population. In Russia, financial support for the main measures of state policy in the field of the agro-industrial complex is carried out within the framework of the implementation of the State Program for the Development of Agriculture and the regulation of markets for agricultural products, raw materials and food.

The article reflects the issues of the current state of scientific research at the FSBSI FSVC, shows the directions and prospects for the development of selection and seed production of vegetable crops. The main mission of the selection and seed-growing work of the FSVC is the creation and reproduction of varieties and hybrids of vegetable and melon crops of a new generation, characterized by resistance to abiotic and biotic stressors, high productivity and product quality. One of the main ways to increase the efficiency of the breeding process is the use of modern methods of biotechnology and molecular genetics, which make it possible to obtain new genotypes and reduce the time of breeding. Success has been achieved in the creation of homozygous lines of cabbage, squash, cucumber, carrots. For the first time, it was possible to complete a full cycle of obtaining doubled radish haploids in microspore culture in vitro. The institution pays special attention to immunological research on the resistance of crops and new varieties to diseases, as well as protecting plants from pests and diseases. Phytosanitary monitoring, assessment and selection of resistant genotypes are carried every years. One of the important theoretical and practical problems solved at the institution is the development of environmentally friendly products based on preparations obtained from plants with a high content of biologically active compounds with adaptogenic properties. In the center, a new direction of research in traditional breeding has received significant development - the creation of varieties of vegetable plants with an increased content of biologically active substances and antioxidants, on the basis of which functional products are created. The persistence of modern varieties and hybrids of table carrots, depending on the biochemical composition, has been studied. Methods for enriching vegetable plants with micronutrients are being developed. A large amount of scientific research is being carried out on the development of technologies for the cultivation of new varieties and hybrids, as well as technologies for their seed production. At the branches located in different soil and climatic conditions, hospitals were established to study the interaction of factors controlling soil fertility and the productivity of vegetable crops in agrocenoses (crop rotation, soil treatment systems, fertilizers and plant protection). In general, at the FSBSI FSVC, all research is aimed at developing and improving methods in breeding and seed production of vegetable crops, creating new breeding achievements and developing varietal technologies for their cultivation.

The article presents information about the research directions, the results of work and achievements in the selection of onion crops in the Federal State Budgetary Scientific Institution "Federal Scientific Vegetable Center". Brief historical information is given about the work of the outstanding scientists who headed the laboratory – V.V. Ordynsky, A.D. Plinka, I. I. Yershov, A.F. Agafonov. At present, new varieties and hybrids of onion crops of domestic selection that meet all the requirements are required for industrial production.The FSBSI FSVC is working on studying the breeding material of onion crops and identifying promising ones with a complex of economically valuable characteristics for creating fundamentally new, competitive varieties and hybrids for various zones of the Russian Federation. Selection of individual types of bows is carried out: onions – for early maturation, consistently high yield, high dry matter content (17-22%), keeping quality, resistance to peronosporosis, cervical and bacterial rot, with a different rate of reaction to the length of the day, for winter and spring crops, in sowing culture – with a cold method of storing sowing, good keeping quality; perennial onions – winter hardiness, high productivity of green mass, high content of biologically active substances and high resistance to diseases; winter garlic – winter hardiness, yield, resistance to fusarium and bacteriosis, keeping quality during storage; spring garlic – high yield of large cloves, high shelf life; shallots –ultra-fast ripeness, high productivity, keeping quality during storage. The results of the long-term work of the FSVC were 140 varieties of 16 types of onion crops of various uses. Modern varieties of onion for industrial cultivation were created and submitted to the State Variety Testing in 2020: F1 Drakon, AFBAK.

Relevance. Providing the country's population with a variety of vegetable products is the most important socio-economic task in the Republic of Belarus. It is necessary not only to increase the production of vegetables, but also to significantly expand their range. In connection with the trend of decline in industrial production of onions, the issue of ensuring the sowing of onions in the annual culture of seeds from domestic varieties and hybrids is relevant. Also in Belarus, the problem is the provision of garlic to the population of the country.

Results. In the article summarizes the results of scientific research on the breeding and development of technologies for the cultivation of onion crops in Belarus, analyzed the main and promising areas of work. Data on the results of competitive sorting of new varieties and hybrids of onion and leek, the main technological parameters of growing garlic and leeks are given.

Relevance. F1 hybrids breeding programs of onion are based on the use of nuclear cytoplasmic male sterility (NCMS). Breeding and seed production based on NCMS suggest a development of a female sterile maternal line, a maintainer line and a paternal component. The development of an isogenic pair of sterile line – maintainer line is one of the most labor-, time-consuming and intellectually-intensive stages of a breeding program, the implementation of which becomes more complicated with an increase in the number of traits / genes for which selection is carried out.

Methods and results. This paper presents a genetic scheme for the development of a Downy mildewresistant (pathogen P. destructor) maintainer line of onion using marker-assisted selection (MAS). F2 populations were obtained from the cross of the female maintainer inbred line, Bn1- (13) (genotype – cytN msms pdpd) and male inbred line resistant to Downy mildew, No. 136 (genotype – cytT MsMs PdPd). DNA marker DMR1 were used for Downy mildew resistance gene Pd, jnurf13 – for maintainer gene ms and marker system 5`cob: orfA501 – for N, S and T cytoplasms. It was shown that the MAS application allow to develop a stable Downy mildew resistant maintainer line cytN msms PdPd in two generations.

Relevance. In the Western Siberia conditions bulb onion is grown mainly from onion sets. With this method of cultivation, large costs are spent on growing and storing the onion sets. In this regard, the cultivation of it through the seeds is of particular importance. This problem has not been studied enough in Priobskaya zone of Altai Territory conditions.

Materials and methods. In our research, we studied the influence of cultivation conditions on the formation of economically valuable traits of varieties and a hybrid of bulb onion grown by sowing seeds in the ground in Priobskaya zone of Altai Territory. Three varieties were taken as objects of research: Odnoletniy Sibirskiy, Zolotnichok, Odintsovets, and one Candy F1 hybrid.

Results. On average, over the years of research on early maturity, the standard Odnoletniy Sibirskiy variety (87-88 days) showed itself to be the most early maturing. Candy F1 hybrid can be used as a source of early green mass. Leaf regrowth was the earliest of all onion samples studied. The largest leaf apparatus in the conditions of Priobskaya zone of Altai Territory is formed by the varieties Odintsovets (4.1 pieces per plant) and Odnoletniy Sibirskiy (3.8 pieces per plant). The maximum bulb mass was formed by the Candy F1 hybrid (51.5 g). The Candy F1 hybrid also was distinguished by the highest yield in the group of the studied samples. The increase in total yield was 5.1 t/ha, marketable 2.4 t/ha in relation to the standard. The maximum marketability in the experience was in the standard (80.9%).

Relevance. One of the problematic issues in crop production remains the quality of sown seeds. Vegetable plants during the period of generative development are demanding to the conditions of light and heat supply, but the conditions of most regions of our country cannot meet these requirements. Post-harvest refinement and pre-treatment of seeds is also not carried out at the proper level. There are no reliable informative tools for analyzing seed quality. Employees of the FSBSI FSVC, Agrophysical Research Institute and Argus-Bio LLC are developing a method of digital morphometry of vegetable seeds.

Methods. The material for the studies was the seeds of various samples of varieties of the genus Allium: Allium cristophii Trautv., Allium schoenoprasum L., Allium fistulosum L. Digital images of seeds were obtained using the HP Scanjet 200 tablet scanner, BMP, TIFF, JPG save file format, 600 DPI resolution. Morphometric analysis of digital scanned images of seeds was carried out on the basis of the Agrophysical Research Institute using the serial software Argus-BIO, manufactured by Argus Soft LLC, St. Petersburg.

Results. Analysis of the color characteristics of seeds (values of color components according to the RGB model) Allium cristophii Trautv. revealed a statistically significant decrease in all color channels in the row from the lower tier – the upper, which is an indicator of different levels of maturity. Seeds of various samples of Allium schoenoprasum L. in size (projection area) varied significantly within the species from 2.39 to 3.06 mm2 , in shape they also turned out to be unaligned: elliptical with an elongation factor of 1.99 to 2.21 relative units. Analysis of morphometric parameters of seeds of varieties Allium fistulosum L. made it possible to distinguish the influence of natural and genetic factors on these parameters: the factor of the year had a significant effect (from 43.5% to 45.4%), the factor of the variety – from 39.5% to 43.2%, on the main morphometric parameters of seeds. So, a new approach to seed quality analysis is presented, which includes rapid digital morphometry, data modeling and their integration with standard ISTA tests.

Relevance. Shallots (Allium ascalonicum L.) is a very useful and promising crop with high nutrition- al, taste and medicinal properties. Shallot is appreciated for its tender and juicy tasty greens, as well as early ripening of bulbs with a long shelf life. For widespread distribution and consumption, increasing demand and popularizing this culture, it is relevant to create new promising varieties with valuable economically useful characteristics that meet modern market requirements. When creating new varieties, it is important to search for sources of early maturity, keeping quality, productivity, yield and quality.

The aim of the research was to study local varieties of shallots for a complex of valuable traits, select the best forms and create a new fruitful, white early-ripening white variety of the salad direction, possessing useful properties, good keeping quality of bulbs, resistant to unfavorable environmental factors for cultivation in the regions of the European part of Russia.

Materials and methods. The initial material consisted of 18 varieties of the local population from the North Caucasian group, differing in morphometric, in particular the color of the bulb (yellow to white), biological and economic characteristics. The studies were carried out at the collection site of the Krymsk EBS, VIR Branch (Krasnodar Region, Krymsk). As a standard, we used two varieties included in the State Register with the color of the bulb from yellow (Off-season) to white (Snezhok).

Results. The study of phenological, biological, morphometric and economic characteristics made it possible to select five promising forms that are valuable for the consumer: those with early maturity, productivity, light color, large long-term bulb, green feather productivity, winter hardiness and good taste. The best form – LSh 5-05, with a consistently high yield, long-term keeping quality of white bulbs, marketability, good mild taste and attractive appearance, is included in the State Register of the Russian Federation for admission to use as a shallot Blondin variety.

Relevance. Shallot is the universal culture in terms of its economically valuable indicators. Breeders in the south of Western Siberia carry out a lot of research work with the aim of creating varieties for Siberian conditions. Long-term studies have made it possible to select promising samples, and exceeding in their indicators the value of signs of released varieties.

Materials and methods. The studies were carried out in field and laboratory conditions on the basis of the West Siberian Vegetable Experimental Station in the Priobskaya zone of the Altai Territory in 2016-2020. Research objects: samples of the nursery of competitive variety testing. Three appreciable forms No. 37, No. 39 and No. 48 passed competitive variety testing and, according to the results of the research, were transferred to the State Variety Testing.

Results. Sample No. 39 showed marketable yield, which exceeded this indicator of the standard variety by 23.7% and amounted to 23.2 t/ha. The average weight of the sample No. 39 marketable bulbs was 29.0 g, for the standard variety it was 23.4 g. The content of vitamin C in the bulbs and leaves of the new sample exceeded these indicators of the standard variety by 0.3% and 0.53%, respectively. In 2018, sample No. 37 was transferred to the State Variety Testing. This sample belongs to the early maturing group. The bulbs yield of the new sample during all the years of testing significantly exceeded the yield of the standard variety and amounted to 20.3 t/ha (2016- 2018). Sample No. 48 was submitted to the State Variety Testing in 2020. The excess in bulbs yield of this sample was (2019-2020): 13,3%, leaves – 18,8%. In 2019, the Sharm variety was zoned and entered into the State Register of Breeding Achievements, in 2020 – the Chance variety. Sample No. 48 with the proposed name Pharaon has been undergoing the State Variety Testing since 2021.

Relevance. To produce garlic for use both in the domestic and foreign markets, there is no required number of high-yielding varieties with large onions and a small number of cloves, as well as resistant to new growing conditions. In selection with a culture of garlic, in addition to zoned varieties, it is advisable to use local improved forms, however, the morphobiological characteristics of garlic can change depending on the growing conditions and, as a result, plants can die, reduce resistance, productivity and quality indicators, which depend on the breeding and genetic characteristics of the variety.

Methods. The research was carried out on the experimental field of the Department of Horticulture, UO BSAA. The 67 samples of winter garlic were studied. The collection material consisted of varieties and clones that were selected from six regions of Belarus. The Belovezhsky variety was used as a control.

Results. According to the results of the studies, the best in terms of bulb weight, number of cloves in the bulb, clove weight and yield were selected samples – AM1–18, OR3–18, OP5–18, MM1–18, UG–18, ЮM1–18, 2000–18, MГ1–18, DM–18, MГ4–18, varieties Agaton, Antonik, Gorets, Soyuz, Junior.

Relevance. In Uzbekistan, especially in the south of the republic, in recent years, early ripe varieties of onion Sumbula, Ravnak, Bakhora have become widespread. However, the technology of seed production of early maturing varieties has not been developed. In this regard, several studies were carried out to identify the optimal time for planting the mother plants of the early maturing onion variety Sumbula by using the favorable climatic conditions of southern Uzbekistan.

Material and methodology. The material for the research was the early ripe onion variety Sumbula, bred by the Research Institute of Vegetable and Melon Crops and Potatoes. The studies were carried out according to the Methodological guidelines for the ecological testing of vegetable crops in the open field etc. The dates of seed planting were studied.

Results. Studies have shown that the highest seed yield (0.97 t/ha) was obtained in the early autumn planting of mother plants on September 1. It was 20% more than in the control variant – September 15. At later planting dates, the seed yield decreases sharply.When mother plants were planted on October 30, the seed yield was only 0,46 t/ha, or 59.7% of the control.The yield of onion seeds increases, mainly due to the more powerful development of plants during early autumn planting – the formation of large leaves, inflorescences, and additional arrows. The more large and powerful leaves, the more plants have the ability to synthesize plastic substances in the process of photosynthesis and accumulate a high yield.

Relevance. It is possible to significantly increase the multiplication factor of varieties of winter garlic by growing from air bulbs (bulbs). For successful culture using air bulbs, it is very important to correctly determine the most productive fraction for each variety and calibrate it for sowing.

Material and methodology. In our collection, there are more than 70 samples of winter garlic collected from different regions of Russia and two CIS countries. The air bulbs were calibrated using a set of round sieves with apertures of 3, 5, 7, 10 mm.

Results. On average, the samples of the collection have a high percentage of ripening of air bulbs - 75- 83%. The number of underdeveloped flowers on average for samples of different origins varies slightly – 37-48 pcs. in the inflorescence. The mass of inflorescence on average in specimens of local origin (Sverdlovsk region) is 4.2 g, of different origin (Ukraine, Uzbekistan, 5 regions of Russia) – 4.9 g, of southern origin (Dagestan) – 5.6 g. In specimens of local origin air bulbs of medium (5-7 mm) and small fraction (3-5 mm), different origin – large (7-10 mm) and medium fraction, southern origin – large, medium and small fraction. For reproduction by air bulbs, samples 9/5-1. 9/5-2 of local origin were allocated (Sverdlovsk region); 9/4 (Ukraine), 8/15, 10/5, 10/10 (Moscow), 9/3-1, 9/3-2 and grade Shadeyka (Perm); sample-5, 10/11, 10/13 (Dagestan).

Relevance. One of the most important stages in the selection of agricultural crops for heterosis is the determination of the combinational ability, in particular, the evaluation of the SCS constants of lines of promising hybrid combinations. Purpose: on the basis of the best hybrid combinations, create promising cucumber hybrids for open and protected ground, for various purposes, characterized by a complex of economically useful features, including high fruit yield. Objective: to evaluate the effects of true, hypothetical, competitive heterosis of hybrids and SCA line constants in the studied F1 hybrid combinations.

Materials and methods.The research work was carried out in the Pridnestrovian Research Institute of Agriculture in 2014-2018 in greenhouses (spring-summer and summer rotations) and in open ground when growing in a spread and on a trellis. Much attention was paid to the degree and nature of the manifestation of heterosis in F1 hybrids, which were evaluated by early and total yield, the yield of standard fruits, the yield of gherkins and greens. The degree of manifestation of true, hypothetical and competitive heterosis of hybrids is established and the SCA constants in the studied F1 combinations are evaluated. The standards were the F1 Zubrenok hybrids of selection the Pridnestrovian Research Institute of Agriculture and Ajax of the Dutch selection. As testers, JL-6 and L.96 were used. In the studies, selection methods were used-pair and return crosses – backcrosses), self-pollination (incucht), selection (individual, group and mass).

Results.With positive effects, all three types of heterosis (true, hypothetical and competitive) were observed in the spring-summer and summer rotations of film greenhouses and open ground when grown in a spread and on a trellis for most economically valuable traits in hybrid combinations 43x57 (seven traits); 71/55x41/86; 65x52 (six); 65x41/86, 65x96, 95x68 (five). High SCA constants were observed in film greenhouses (spring-summer and summer rotations) and in open ground (in the spread and on the trellis) lines in combinations 71/55x41/86 (early, general and standard fruit yield; gherkins yield fractions of 5.1-7.0 and 7.1-9.0 cm (+1.0; +0.9; +10.6; +1.2), (+1.8; +4.9; +39.8; +2.6), (+2.0; +4.4; +36.8; +2.6), (+1.1; +1.5; +12.9; +2.3); 65x52 (gherkins yield fractions of 5.1-7.0 cm) (+12.2; +7.2; +12.5; +7.0); 43x57 (yield of gherkins of the fraction 5.1-7.0 cm) (+1.0; +2.0; +6.7; +2.0).

Relevance. One of the significant problems in the technology of obtaining root chicory is the protection of root vegetables from the defeat of root rots. The most common lesions of root vegetables chicory various pathogenic species of fungi causing phomosis (Phoma rostrupii Sacc.), gray rot (Botrytis cinerea (R.) Fr.J), wet bacterial rot (Erwinia carotovora (Jones) Holt.). An important place in solving this problem is the breeding of new varieties that are resistant to major diseases and adapted to the conditions of cultivation in the soil-climatic conditions of the chicory-seeding zone. This requires, first of all, to determine the range of donor varieties of the sign of resistance to root rots, both during the growing of culture, and during long-term storage.

Material and methods. In 2018-2020, studies were carried out to assess gene sources of different ecological and geographical origin (including against a provocative background) in the Non-Black Earth Zone of the Russian Federation and to isolate donors of resistance to root rot from them. Research on the Rostov Vegetable experimental station on chicory.

Results. Studies have shown that the defeat of root vegetables chicory root rots genetic sources were very different from each other, so Harpachi, Luxor did not affect the. root rots neither on the usual nor on provocative backgrounds.

Relevance and methods. Leek is one of the most promising onion crops for industrial cultivation in the Non-Chernozem zone, which has medicinal properties and high nutritional value. The results of studying the technological features of leek cultivation in the open ground of the Moscow region are presented. The studies were carried out in 2019-2020 on the territory of the “Vegetable Experimental Station named after V.I. Edelstein". We studied the influence of the feeding area of leek seedlings on the biometric parameters of plants and the quality of products. The object of the study is the variety Karantansky, experimental options: 1) seedling feeding area – 6 cm2 (control), 2) seedling feeding area – 8 cm2 , 3) seedling feeding area – 10 cm2 . The objects of research to study the content of ascorbic acid were leek varieties: late-ripening – Karantansky (standard), Bandit, Dobry Molodets, mid-ripening – Columbus, Hobot slona.

Results. It is noted that the feeding area during the seedling period does not significantly affect the biometric parameters of leek plants: leaf area, plant weight, leek pseudostems diameter. Therefore, during the period of growing seedlings, from the point of view of rational use of the area in the seedling department, it is recommended to use the minimum feeding area – 6 cm2 . It was also found that the studied varieties accumulate ascorbic acid in different ways in various plant organs. The maximum content of ascorbic acid was noted in the leek pseudostems of the control late-ripening variety Karantanskiy – 23.6 mg%. The minimum values are for Dobry Molodets (11.8 mg%) and Hobot Slona (11.9 mg%).

Relevance. One of the most important elements of the technology of cultivation of strawberries for increasing productivity and improving the quality of berries is the use of fertilizers that can regulate the growth, development, yield and quality of products.

Methods. During 2016-2018, the impact of pre-planting application of complex mineral fertilizers on the yield and quality of strawberries in the Udmurt Republic was studied. The analysis of meteorological conditions during the growing season of the crop according to the research results is carried out.

Results. The results of the use of complex fertilizers Azofoska, Perm-yagodnoye and Fusco-yagodnoye on garden strawberries when grown in the conditions of the Udmurt Republic are presented. It was found that the use of these fertilizers in comparison with the control (Azofoska) contributes to an increase in yield and has a positive effect on the quality of berries. The aftereffect of the studied fertilizers on the second and third year of fruiting of wild strawberries is noted. According to the results of research, the highest yield of berries of the garden strawberry was obtained in 2016 in the first year of fruiting when applying Chamfer-berry (1.33 kg/m2 ). The pre-planting application of the FaskoYagodnoye fertilizer provided a reliable increase in yield at all times of berry harvesting, and on average for three years by 0.13 kg/m2 with an NSR of 0.04 kg/m2 . The content of dry matter, water-soluble sugars and vitamin C in the berries corresponded to the characteristics of the Darenka variety and to a greater extent depended on the meteorological conditions of the growing season of strawberries.

Relevance. Currently, there is an increased interest in medicinal plants and preparations from natural herbal raw materials. This is due to the fact that biologically active substances of plants are more easily included in vital processes and do not cause side effects in humans. They can be products of primary (vitamins, fats, carbohydrates, proteins) and secondary biosynthesis (alkaloids, glycosides, tannins). Plants always contain a complex of biologically active substances, but one or several have a therapeutic and prophylactic effect. They are classified as active ingredients and are used in the production of medicines. Some of the promising medicinal plants are species from the genus Dioscorea, for example, Dioscorea alata L., containing a complex of biologically active substances. The aim of this work is to study the effect of humidity and the level of mineral nutrition in the root environment on the accumulation of biologically active compounds in the tubers of the dioscorea winged plant, adapted to in vivo conditions on an ion-exchange substrate of various chemical composition and agrophysical properties.

Results. It has been shown that Dioscorea alata L. plants are able to accumulate the greatest amount of starch, dry matter, ascorbic acid, and flavonoids in an ion-exchange substrate modified with 1 g/l of the coarse hydrogel fraction. The data obtained can be used for practical purposes.

Relevance and methods. Losses of agricultural crops are associated not only with the development of diseases during the growing season, but also during post-harvest storage. Garlic is a popular vegetable and aromatic crop in world. Significant losses in garlic yield during cultivation and storage are associated with fungal pathogens, the most harmful of which are representatives of the genus Fusarium. In the Moscow region, the defeat of garlic by Fusarium occurs annually, but with varying intensity. At the Federal Scientific Vegetable Center (FSVC), it was shown that rot and wilting of garlic plants is caused by a complex of pathogenic fungi, including mainly different species of Fusarium. At the same time, the ratio of Fusarium species in the pathogenic complex changes from year to year, new Fusarium species and their races are registered. The aim of this study was to identify fungal phytopathogens causing dry rot of garlic cloves during post-harvest storage. To carry out the work, garlic bulbs of cultivars Dubkovsky and Strelets were taken from the FSVC storage.

Results. As a result of visual examination, cloves with symptoms of dry rot were identified. The diseased cloves tissues were plated on potato dextrose agar to obtain fungal colonies. Analysis of the morphological and cultural characteristics of fungal isolates, as well as the nucleotide sequences of four DNA regions (ITS spacers, genes EF1α, RPB1, and RPB2) showed that the causative agent of dry rot of garlic cloves is the pathogenic fungus Fusarium proliferatum. In addition, in the field, identification was carried out based on the analysis of the sequences of spacers ITS and the EF1αgene of phytopathogenic fungi inhabiting the root zone of garlic plants. As a result, two species of fungi of the genus Fusarium (F. proliferatum and F. oxysporum f. sp. cepae), as well as the species Rhizoctonia solani, Volutella rosea, and Ceratobasidium sp. were found in the root zone of garlic cultivars.

Relevance. Lettuce (Latin: Lactúca satíva) is a species of annual herbaceous plant in the genus Lettuce of the Asteraceae family. As a vegetable crop, it is cultivated everywhere in the world, and its hydroponic cultivation technology has received special development in recent years. One of the common pathogens of lettuce is Pseudomonas cichorii, causing bacterial diseases of several important cultivated plants. In this regard, the study of the occurrence of this pathogen is important.

Material and methodology. The study was conducted on the basis of the Department of Agrobiotechnology of the ATI of RUDN University. The samples were provided by a commercial manufacturer of lettuce grown on a flow-through hydroponic line under conditions of minimal microbial contamination. The study of phytopathogenic bacteria includes a number of stages: isolation of bacteria on semi-selective culture media and obtaining a pure culture of bacteria; setting a test for pathogenicity (virulence); studying the phenotypic properties of bacteria; determining the taxonomic position of the isolated strains by molecular methods. All studies were conducted in accordance with the standard methods of identification of phytopathogenic bacteria.

Results. As a result of the work, the distribution of the species Pseudomonas cichorii in the hydroponic culture of lettuce in the Russian Federation was confirmed. Although, according to the EPPO database, P. cichorii was first described in Russia in 1965 by microbiological methods, but isolated bacteria are not available in microbiological collections to confirm this conclusion with appropriate diagnostic methods. Twelve isolates of P. cichoriiwere studied by a biochemical and phytopathological tests, and four isolates (01, 04, 06, and 12) that showed the greatest aggressiveness on host plants and tobacco leaves were identified by DNA sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene fragment. The obtained DNA fragments showed a high similarity (99-100%) with the sequences of P. cichoriifrom the Genebank. Evaluation of the virulence of the isolated isolates on a number of other cultivated plants, and the uniformity of their biochemical characteristics showed that they represent a group of bacteria specialized in lettuce.

Relevance. The use of irrigation is one of the directions of intensification of fruit growing. Drip irrigation is considered one of the promising methods of irrigation, which provides the creation of the most favorable conditions for the growth and development of plants, makes it possible to supply irrigation water directly to their roots and allows the use of automation tools in the irrigation process. The results of ongoing scientific research show that changes in the water-physical and agrochemical properties of soils can be observed on irrigated lands. For the Central Region of the Non-Chernozem Zone of Russia, studies on the influence of drip irrigation on soil properties are fragmentary.

Methods. Field studies were conducted on the territory of the educational experimental farm of the Michurinsky Garden fruit growing laboratory of the Russian State Agrarian University - Moscow Timiryazev Agricultural Academy. A two-factor experience in the study of different ranges of moisture for the formation of varietal plum seedlings grafted on plum tree stock was laid in the spring of 2018. Before setting up the experiment, organic fertilizers were introduced in the form of horse manure with sawdust in the amount of 100 t/ha. Soil moisture was controlled using tensiometers, calibrated based on the data of the thermostat-weight method. Irrigation rates were set in such a way as to increase the moisture content by 20% of the lowest moisture capacity. The identification of the main agrochemical and water-physical properties of the soil in the experimental plot was carried out according to generally accepted methods and techniques.

Results. The data obtained on the characteristics of the water-physical and agrochemical properties of sod-podzolic soil make it possible to reasonably design the irrigation regime, reclamation and agrotechnical measures. The results of the study show that the local irrigation of soils with sparing irrigation rates with the application has led to certain changes in some soil parameters. However, the obtained research results suggest that in quantitative terms, these changes are not yet significant.