Microgreens are valued for their freshness and refined taste, and by adherents of a healthy diet – for their saturation with vitamins, trace elements, antioxidants, enzymes and valuable protein. The product enjoys steadily growing demand not only in the production segment (restaurants, cafes, supermarkets), but also in home cultivation – «vegetable garden on the window». Among vegetable crops, vegetable pea micro-greens are very popular, especially varieties with a mustachioed leaf type. It is this product that helps culinary masters to give products bright visual and taste accents. Few people know that among legumes, in addition to vegetable peas, there is an excellent alternative with no less nutritional value. This is a micro-green of vegetable beans. Bean shoots are more fleshy and juicy, crispy, sweet with a nutty taste, and most importantly, absolutely everyone can grow them. Obtaining microgreens from vegetable bean culture is a promising direction, since its nutritional value and biochemical composition are comparable to the microgreens of vegetable peas. The content of the main nutrients on average for the studied varieties of breeding of the Federal State Budgetary Scientific Institution Federal Scientific Vegetable Center (FSBSI FSVC) is: protein – 20-35% (dry weight), ascorbic acid – 0,51 mg/g, carotenoids – 0,48 mg/g, monosaccharide – 1,15%, dry matter – 10,62%. However, vegetable beans have an undeniable advantage in cultivation – it is the possibility of using up to two or three cuts from one crop, due to the ability to form additional shoots when using the method of cutting under the «root». The yield from the container when sowing 100 seeds obtained in two cuts ranged from 320 g to 400 g, depending on the variety and method of cutting. The highest yield was obtained from the cv. Velena, which forms about 200 g of fresh shoots both in the first and second cut. According to the results of our research, it is recommended to use two cuts for the cv. Belorusskie and cv. Russkie chernye, while the cv. Velena is able to give a full-fledged microgreen even with the third cut.

In different agro-climatic zones of melon growing, an assessment was carried out and two-year results of agro-ecological tests of watermelon varieties of the Kuban and Volgograd selection were obtained. The cultivars of the Federal Research Center of Rice and Bikovskaya cucurbits breeding experimental station, which can be grown and are guaranteed to receive high yields of watermelon in the Central zone of the Krasnodar Territory and the Middle Volga region, are distinguished by yield and quality. Growing varieties of the Kuban selection Nitsa and Yubilyar in the steppe zone of insufficient moisture of the Volgograd Trans-Volga region for two years ensured a high yield of watermelon fruits – 16.0-17.4 t/ha, with a content of dry soluble substances in the fruit pulp of more than 10%. When testing varieties of the Volgograd selection in the Central zone of the Krasnodar Territory, varieties of the late-ripening group Ikar and Rubin showed a stable yield. Under different weather conditions of the growing season, the maximum yield of fruits was obtained. The Volzhanin variety was highly rated for quality with a sugar content of more than 12%, but under extreme weather conditions it may be inferior in yield to the varieties of the Kuban selection. A two-year agro-ecological test of watermelon made it possible to evaluate and identify varieties that are recommended to farmers for a particular growing area.

Vegetable chips are extremely popular due to high content of antioxidants, valuable biological activity and long-term storage. During the investigation optimal methods of drying and chips storage from celery (Egor and Dobrynya cvs), parsnip (Krugly, Bely aist and Zhemchug) and parsley (Zolushka cv) roots were developed using the criteria parameters of taste, aroma, color and antioxidant content. The highest organoleptic properties were recorded for celery chips of Dobrynya cv, parsnip chips of Krugly cv and root parsleyThe highest differences in chips organoleptic parameters between convectional and freeze-drying methods reached 1.5 times for parsnip Bely aist cv. while the lowest differences were recorded for root parsley (1.05 times). Decrease in antioxidant activity during freeze-drying was the lowest in root parsley and celery Dobrynya cv. Convectional drying did not affect chips total antioxidant activity and demonstrated the highest preservation effect after 8 months storage. On the contrary, vitamin C losses were the highest during convectional drying though during storage vitamin C content in such chips decreased much less than in freezedried products. Aluminum foil provided 1.2-1.8 times higher content of antioxidants than paper and polyethylene package. Significant inter species and varietal differences in antioxidant stability during various methods of drying and storage were revealed.

Globally, preferences for fruit trees have fluctuated over time. However, the most desirable attribute of cultivated fruit tree species has not been consistent across all species and locations. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to determine farmers' preferences for fruit tree species and the associated problems they face in four different study sites, categorized by gender and family size. Equal sampling techniques were used in each selected study site, resulting in a total of 120 household heads participating in structured interviews. The data collected was then analyzed using SPSS version 26 software, utilizing the Mann-Whitney U and Kruskal-Wallis tests. Across the study sites, a total of fourteen fruit tree species from ten families were found to be preferred. The preference for fruit trees based on gender showed no significant difference among respondents between kebeles per woreda. However, the preference for fruit trees based on family size showed a significant difference between kebeles per woreda. The number of species preferred for their subsistence value was twice as large as those preferred for commercial reasons. The proportions of these preferred species and the percentage of observed problems with fruit trees varied significantly across the studied sites. Of all the interviewed household heads, 70% in Fenika, 36.6% in Kite, 66.6% in Shesheka, and 50% in Kometa kebeles encountered severe problems during fruit tree planting. The most common problems identified were disease or pest infestation, lack of expert support, land availability, knowledge, and access to seedlings. In order to address these issues, it is important to utilize indigenous knowledge and scientifically tested research approaches to alleviate the factors that influence farmers' preferences.

Relevance. Multi-tiered onion (Allium proliferum Schrad.) refers to valuable perennial spicy-aromatic and medical crops and is widely used in various sectors of the economy: coolies and food industry, traditional and folk medicine.

Methods. The aim of the research was to study the economically useful characteristics of new zoned varieties of multi-tiered onions. The objects of research were the local population and new zoned author's varieties of multi-tiered onions Uzgorak and Pachastunak selected by the Belarusian State Agricultural Academy. The studies were carried out in the field and laboratory according to generally accepted methods.

Results. As a result of the research, the main morphological, morphometric and phenological characteristics, yield and quality of marketable products (green mass) of the local population and new zoned varieties of multi-tiered onions were studied. The multi-tiered onion variety Uzgorak formed a yield of green mass of 180–190 c/ha, Pachastunak – 185–195 c/ha with a dry matter content of 12.4 and 12.9 %, respectively, crude protein – 17.4 and 17.5% upon reaching technological ripeness in 24–27 and 20–25 days. New author's varieties of multi-tiered onions Uzgorak and Pachastunak are included in the State Register of Varieties of Agricultural Plants of the Republic Belarus and are recommended for home gardening.

This article describes the history of the industrial development of the essential oil industry and the prospects for cultivating such essential oil crops as dill and coriander, including in the territory of Transbaikalia. Data are provided on the volume of essential oil production in Russia in different years. The noted morphobiological features of dill and coriander suggest the possibility of obtaining a high yield of fruits when they are cultivated by agricultural producers in the dry steppe zone of Transbaikalia. For the first time, in the conditions of the dry steppe zone of Transbaikalia, field research was carried out to study the effectiveness of some agricultural practices for cultivating zoned varieties of dill and coriander. The results of three years of research (2021-2023) on the formation of fruit yield of plants of the Umbrella family with a one-year development cycle - dill (Gribovsky, Lesnogorodsky varieties) and coriander (Karibe variety) in the driest soil-climatic zone of Transbaikalia are summarized. It was revealed that the heat supply of the growing season affects the formation of the fruit yield of the studied crops. The highest fruit yield was obtained from the Gribovsky dill variety at an average sowing time, and from the Lesnogorodsky variety when sowing early. At the same time, the Gribovsky variety is superior in yield to the Lesnogorodsky variety. The coriander variety Caribe provided the maximum fruit yield at a late sowing time in all years of research. In general, the soil and climatic conditions of the dry steppe zone of Transbaikalia make it possible to obtain a harvest of aromatic dill and coriander at the level of other regions of Russia, which determines the future development of essential oil crop production in our region.

The productivity of agricultural crops is determined by the choice of varieties, planting material, the optimal time of sowing and planting depending on the climatic conditions of the region, the use of organic and mineral fertilizers, and care methods. Planting material plays an important role in the growth and development of onions and the formation of yield. Onions are very demanding in terms of nutrition, this is due to the length of the growing season, growth rates and poorly developed root system. To obtain high and high-quality onion yields, it is necessary to use fertilizers in an accessible form. Water-soluble complex mineral fertilizers quickly and evenly penetrate deep into the soil. Fertilizers improve the growth and development of plants, regulating nutrition processes, increase the yield and quality of the resulting products. As a result of many years of research, it was found that optimizing the mineral nutrition of onions through the use of fertilizers in active form provides a significant increase in the yield of onions. A comparative assessment of the productivity of onions when grown from sets of different fractions using water-soluble complex mineral fertilizers in the conditions of the Udmurt Republic has been little studied.

Materials and methods. The purpose of the research: to improve the technology of cultivating onions depending on the fraction of the set and fertilizing with water-soluble complex mineral fertilizers. In 2020–2021 On onions of the Stuttgarter Riesen variety, a two-factor experiment was carried out to study the effect of fertilizing with Aquarin and Rastvorin fertilizers when using different fractions of sets for planting. The studies were carried out using generally accepted methods.

Results and its discussion. In the Udmurt Republic, the optimal for planting Stuttgarten Riesen onions is the medium and large fraction of the set, and the positive effect of water-soluble complex mineral fertilizers Aquarin and Rastvorin on the yield and its structure has been revealed. However, it is more economically profitable to use the fine fraction of sets when growing onions.

Edible honeysuckle is a popular fruit crop. Its therapeutic and health-promoting effects are attributed to a high content of bioactive compounds in the fruits. Unlike the traditional plant multiplication methods, the in vitro propagation allows scientists to obtain high-quality planting material of honeysuckle in a great quantity and within a short time. The research was carried out at the Laboratory of Breeding and Genetic Research on Field Crops of the Federal Scientific Center of Agricultural Biotechnology of the Far East named after A.K. Chaiki. Honeysuckle variety Podarok amurchanam created by the Far Eastern State Agrarian University was used as the research object. The research materials were sterilized according to the methodology of N.I. Vavilov All-Russian Institute of Plant Genetic Resources with some modifications. Several products were used as chemical agents for sterilization in the following sequence: a 5% solution of surfactants, fungicide Fundazol, EC (1 g/l), the bleaching agent ACE freshly diluted with distilled water in the proportion 1:9 (0.50% of NaOCl in the working solution), and 70% ethanol. The primary explants were cultured on an MS containing 20 g/l sucrose and 6 g/l agar (hereafter – MS) and supplemented with 6-benzylaminopurine (BA) at a concentration of 0.5 mg/l. The pH of the medium was adjusted to 5.7-5.8 using 1N КОН. The explants (microcuttings with one-two internodes) were subcultured on an MS supplemented with BA (0.5 mg/l). The morphometric parameters of the plants were measured on the 35th day of cultivation. The sterilization of the explants with Fundazol (1 g/l) and the ACE diluted with distilled water in the proportion 1:9 allowed us to obtain a high number of viable microclones (50%). The elimination of leaves from the honeysuckle microcuttings drastically decreased the survival rate and led to the death of the microclones in most cases (the mortality rate was 98.7 %). Subculturing the microcuttings on the MS supplemented with BA at a concentration of 0.5 mg/l facilitated the normal growth and development of the regenerated honeysuckle plants (the average reproduction rate was 4.65).

Relevance. Powdery mildew is one of the most common and harmful diseases of cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) in open and protected ground. Moreover, in the closed ground, the harmfulness is higher than in the field. The yield of cucumber, due to the defeat of plants by powdery mildew, decreases by 30-50%, and in some cases by more than 70%. The creation of modern cucumber hybrids is impossible without the constant involvement in the breeding process of new sources of economically useful traits, including resistance to real powdery mildew. It is very important to combine in one line both a high degree of parthenocarpy, and the female type of flowering, and resistance to the most harmful diseases. We tried to solve this problem in our work.

Materials and methods. The experience was laid in 2018-2022 in the Odintsovo district of the Moscow region on the basis of the head institution of the Federal State Budgetary Scientific Institution Federal Scientific Vegetable Center (FSBSI FSVC) in the conditions of a spring ground greenhouse of the Block type, on a natural infectious background. On the basis of the laboratory of breeding and seed production of pumpkin crops, 27 collectible and about 50 breeding samples of parthenocarpic cucumber were studied. The article presents an assessment of the resistance to this powdery mildew of 36 of the most aligned and most valuable cucumber breeding samples in terms of a complex of economically useful features. 2-3 families, 6 plants in each, were evaluated for each sample for 2 years. During the entire growing season, the intensity of powdery mildew damage was assessed on a four-point scale and the spread of the disease in %.

Results. Among the collection samples of cucumber, on a natural infectious background, two hybrids of the agrofirm BEJO ZADEN B.V. were not affected by powdery mildew: Amur 1801 F1, Artist F1, a hybrid without a name of the agrofirm MONSANTO HOLLAND B.V., conventionally named – Semenis F1 and hybrid Kibria F1 of the agrofirm RIJK ZWAAN. To a small extent, less than one point, they were amazed: Orpheus F1, Merengue F1, Marinda F1, Masha F1, Othello F1, List F1, Adam F1, SV 4097 F1 and Krasotka F1. 11cucumber breeding samples selected in previous years of research on a complex of economically useful signs that were not affected by this disease during 2 years of research were identified. Work will continue to evaluate these lines for resistance to real powdery mildew on an artificial infectious background.

Relevance. Currently, there is a tendency to increase the volume of lettuce cultivation in hydroponics. Such specific conditions for growing lettuce hydroponically as high humidity in the root zone, different levels of illumination throughout the year and specific mineral nutrition, dictate a number of necessary characteristics that varieties should possess. In addition, the lettuce variety for hydroponics should consistently give high yield and have good consumer qualities. Accordingly, it is necessary to carry out selection separately for specific hydroponic conditions. And for theoretical justification of the selection of lettuce varieties for this technology and increasing the efficiency of the breeding process, it is necessary to form a model of the variety, which was the goal of this research.

Methods. The 13 most common lettuce varieties were research: 8 light green and 5 dark green Batavia. The morphological characteristics of plants in the phase of industrial ripeness were described and the biometric traits of plants were determined.

Results. Based on research in 2021-2023 the 13 most commonly hydroponically grown lettuce varieties of the Batavia variety have been defined as the variety model criteria for hydroponics. The characteristics of a leaf rosette, leaf blade, indicators of early ripening and productivity inherent in these varieties were identified, and a model of the variety was formed on their basis.

Solanum tuberosum L. is susceptible to 40 different virus species and 2 viroids. To prevent plant viruses from spreading in field conditions, it is necessary to have reliable data on the species composition of plant reservoirs of viral infection, the total activity of insect vectors, and possible ways of virus transmission in a particular territory of seed material production. Attention should be paid to the factors that facilitate and hinder the disease development in crops and to disease symptoms in different potato varieties. Manifestations of viral infections were monitored on every plant from the sample at the stages of initial growth, bud formation, and flowering and before the removal of potato haulms. Insects were collected using standard entomological method. The total RNA was isolated employing commercial kits for the extraction of nucleic acids from plant material “PhytoSorb” (Syntol Llc) and the benchtop automated extraction instrument KingFisher Flex (ThermoScientific) with magnetic particles. Plant viral infection was observed to accumulate if potato planting material was not renewed. The tested potato plants contained mixed viral infection, which consisted of viruses from mosaic group: PVY, PVX, PVM, PVS PVA, as well as PSTVd and PLRV. Without the renewal of seed potatoes, the concentration of plant viruses in an agroecosystem rises and causes secondary infections in potato plants. The research identified the main insect-vectors in the agroecosystem of potato fields: insects from genera Cicadella, Henosepilachna vigintioctomaculata, Dolycoris baccarum, Mythimna separata, Lygus pratensis, and Rhopalosiphum padi. Many wild weeds serve as fodder plants for insect vectors facilitating the accumulation of plant viruses in agroecosystems. It was established that perennial weeds were the main plant reservoirs of dangerous viral infections, e.g. Sonchus arvensis and Taraxacum officinale. We determined that Trifolium pratense typus L., Chenopodium album L., Plantago major L., Barbarea vulgaris W.T. Aiton, and Ambrosia artemisiifolia L. were the reservoirs of PVY. All these factors can lead to an epiphytotic situation.

Echinacea purpurea L. – is a perennial medicinal plant, from the herb of which dozens of preparations have been created that are used to strengthen the immune system, in the treatment of inflammatory diseases. At present, oxyconic acids and alkamides have been found in the plant’s root system, and the preparations «Anginol» and «Prostanov» have been created on their basis. The production and creation of new medicinal products from the roots and rhizomes of the Echinacea purpurea depends on a stable raw material base, which can be ensured by obtaining maximum yields of roots. As a result of studies to determine the timing of harvesting, methods to increase the yield of the underground mass in the conditions of the Krasnodar Territory, it was revealed that the high yield of roots and rhizomes of Echinacea purpurea was determined on plantations III-IV years of growing, which averaged 10 c/ha, they had an oxyconic acid content of 3,9%. In the future, there is a decrease in yield to 8 c/ha, and active substances to 2.1%. Dual treatments treatments Zircon (0.04 l/ha) and Siliplant (0.5 l/ha) both separately and in the mixture gave the opportunity to increase the yield for III and IV years to 28–30% and improve the quality of raw materials, the content of active substances increased by 5–7%. The complex use of these drugs in the V year of vegetation allows to increase the yield of roots to 10.3 c/ha with a high content of oxidic acids – 2.55%. It was revealed that foliar fertilization of vegetative plants with two-component system Siliplant + Zircon promotes the adaptation of Echinacea purpurea to dry weather conditions and makes it possible to obtain stable yields of medicinal raw materials with high quality regardless of weather conditions.

The research aims to determine the response of the Maize crop to irrigation with salt water during the growth stages, and to study the accumulation of salts in the soil, the degree of their interaction, and the efficiency of water use. Three types of irrigation water with salt concentrations (1.5, 4.5, 6.5) dSm-1 with three replicates for every kind water. The Randomized Complete Blocks Design was used in the experiment, and it was statistically analyzed using SPSS. Statistically significant differences were found at the 5% level according to Duncan's method. Statistical analysis showed that there were significant differences attributed to the salinity of irrigation water at the level of 4.5 dsm-1 (T2), which caused about 50% damage in plant height, root growth, leaf area per cob length, weight of 500 seeds, grain yield, and soil. Compared to salinity if irrigated with 1.5 dsm-1 (T1) salinity of river water. Using water with a salinity of 6.5 dsm-1 (T3) as wastewater resulted in a reduction of all apparent plant characteristics by 75%. An increase in soil salinity was also observed at the end of the experiment compared to its salinity at the beginning of the experiment, and this damage increases with an increase in the electrical conductivity of the water used in irrigation operations. It has been observed that soil PH decreases with increasing soil salinity.

Relevance and methodology. The task of controlling the growth and development of sugar beet plants with the help of lighting devices is of interest from the point of view of identifying biological features of the culture and in breeding practice. The purpose of the research is to determine the response of plants to the effects of low–energy monochrome radiation at the initial stage of ontogenesis (germination of seeds (coplodia) sugar beet). In this regard, the seeds of the hybrid Smena were germinated in the dark (control) and under different variants of continuous illumination with wavelengths of 380 nm, 440 nm, 525 nm, 660 nm and 730 nm.

Results. The reaction of sugar beet seeds and sprouts to illumination with monochromatic light depends on the wavelength Germination of seeds when irradiated with monochromatic far-red light leads to a decrease in germination energy by 23%, seed germination by 39%, the height of sprouts and aboveground biomass by 21.8% compared with the control (dark germination). Similar indicators were observed for the negative effect of red light. Exposure to UV-A light (380 nm) led to an increase in germination energy by 4%, but germination, on the contrary, decreased by 12%. The terrestrial biomass of sprouts also decreased (by 9.9%). Irradiation with green and blue light had a positive effect on growth: the terrestrial biomass of sprouts increased by 19.8% with a green spectrum and 7.3% blue. At the same time, there was no decrease in germination energy and germination compared to the control. The germination energy under the influence of blue light even increased by 12%. With dark germination, elongated etiolated plants were formed on the 10th day, whereas in the variants of green, blue and UV-A irradiation, harmoniously developed dark green shoots were formed.