Breeding Achievements Research Articles

Сорт мяты перечной Розовская Арома

The original plant of the peppermint variety Rozovskaya Aroma was obtained by vegetative propagation of cuttings of a mutant shoot with traits of increased length and altered leaf shape, discovered in 2010 on the variety Pamyat' Reznikovoy. As a result of vegetative propagation of cuttings, the breeding line L-9.24.455 was obtained, which received the commercial name "Rozovskaya Aroma". Based on the results of the variety trial of 2017–2019, the variety Rozovskaya Aroma exceeded the standard variety Vesna by 5.93 t/ha in terms of biomass yield. The shape of the bush of the variety Rozovskaya Aroma is semi-closed. Plant height is up to 95 cm. Leafiness degree 57.8%. The shape of the leaf blades is oval-rhombic, the color is green. The surface of the leaf is smooth, without pubescence. The size of the leaf blades is 6.0–7.0 × 2.5–3.5 cm. The inflorescence is loose, spike-shaped, with spaced whorls. The length of the inflorescences is 14–16 cm. Flowers are almost sterile. The color of the corolla of the flower is light pink. Stamens have undeveloped pollen sacs, and are longer than the corolla. The shape of the teeth of the calyx is triangular. The pubescence of the calyx is almost absent. The peppermint variety Rozovskaya Aroma is distinguished by a high content of essential oil in biomass – up to 4.70% and high yield of essential oil – up to 93.9 kg/ha. In 2020, the variety Ro-zovskaya Aroma was included in the State Register of Breeding Achievements and approved for cultivation in all regions of the Russian Federation.

Крупноплодный сорт подсолнечника кондитерского направления Кондитер

The large-seeded sunflower variety Konditer was developed at V.S. Pustovoit All-Russian Research Institute of Oil Crops as part of the breeding program for developing varieties of different maturity groups, directions of use and resistance to stressful environment conditions. The variety Konditer belongs to the middle maturity group. The period from seedling to physiological maturity is 96–98 days. Its feature is a potentially high yield, resistance to the complex of broomrape races E, F, G. The plant height is 190–200 cm. The new variety is characterized by high initial growth rate and high germination energy. Thousand-seed weight varies within 100 g at a density of 40 thousand plants/ha, under the recommended density of 25–30 thousand plants/ha, the thousand-seed weight is more than 150 g. Dehulling ability of the variety Konditer is the same as that of the standard variety Dzhinn. The variety Kodniter has been in-cluded in the State Register of Breeding Achieve-ments of the Russian Federation since 2022 and is approved for cultivation in the Central Black Earth (5), North Caucasus (6), Middle Volga (7), and Lower Volga (8) regions.

Genomics Enabled Breeding Strategies for Major Biotic Stresses in Pea (Pisum sativum L.).

Pea (Pisum sativum L.) is one of the most important and productive cool season pulse crops grown throughout the world. Biotic stresses are the crucial constraints in harnessing the potential productivity of pea and warrant dedicated research and developmental efforts to utilize omics resources and advanced breeding techniques to assist rapid and timely development of high-yielding multiple stress-tolerant–resistant varieties. Recently, the pea researcher’s community has made notable achievements in conventional and molecular breeding to accelerate its genetic gain. Several quantitative trait loci (QTLs) or markers associated with genes controlling resistance for fusarium wilt, fusarium root rot, powdery mildew, ascochyta blight, rust, common root rot, broomrape, pea enation, and pea seed borne mosaic virus are available for the marker-assisted breeding. The advanced genomic tools such as the availability of comprehensive genetic maps and linked reliable DNA markers hold great promise toward the introgression of resistance genes from different sources to speed up the genetic gain in pea. This review provides a brief account of the achievements made in the recent past regarding genetic and genomic resources’ development, inheritance of genes controlling various biotic stress responses and genes controlling pathogenesis in disease causing organisms, genes/QTLs mapping, and transcriptomic and proteomic advances. Moreover, the emerging new breeding approaches such as transgenics, genome editing, genomic selection, epigenetic breeding, and speed breeding hold great promise to transform pea breeding. Overall, the judicious amalgamation of conventional and modern omics-enabled breeding strategies will augment the genetic gain and could hasten the development of biotic stress-resistant cultivars to sustain pea production under changing climate. The present review encompasses at one platform the research accomplishment made so far in pea improvement with respect to major biotic stresses and the way forward to enhance pea productivity through advanced genomic tools and technologies.

Directions, methods and results of rye (Secale cereale L.) breeding in Belarus

At the present stage of science development, breeding of new varieties of plants using modern, including molecular methods, is one of the main links in the intensification of the agricultural industry. Rye is no exception in this respect. This is a traditional strategic crop for Belarus, that largely determines the country’s food security. In the paper, in a historical context, the main achievements in breeding of rye varieties for different uses are outlined. The main approaches are described, including: screening of the world diversity of winter rye in the conditions of Belarus; use of methods of experimental polyploidy, hybridization, stabilizing selection, molecular-genetic methods and techniques. Development and application of modern methods have allowed a number of genetic mechanisms and regularities to be discovered, which, in turn, has significantly increased the efficiency of rye breeding in different directions (population and heterosis). At present, RUE “Scientific and Practical Center of the NAS of Belarus for Arable Farming”, State Scientific Institution “Institute of Genetics and Cytology of the NAS of Belarus”, as well as jointly with other institutions have developed new breeding methods, including molecular-genetic ones, which is especially important for increasing the efficiency of obtaining competitive varieties. Significant results have been achieved on the use of the effect of heterosis based on cytoplasmic male sterility (CMS). To date, a system of highly productive competitive rye varieties has been created for soils of different levels of fertility: population tetraploid and diploid, as well as F1 hybrids – LoBel-103, Galinka, Plisa, and Belgi.

High-quality variety of soft spring wheat Omskaya 44 for the conditions of Western Siberia and Omsk region

In 2015-2018 in the conditions of the Omsk region, a comprehensive assessment of the promising breeding material of soft spring wheat was carried out. A mid-ripening variety of soft spring wheat Omskaya 44 with a complex of adaptivevaluable properties and traits for cultivation in the forest-steppe zone of the Omsk region has been prepared for the state variety testing. Variety Omskaya 44 created by the method of intraspecific hybridization and directional individual selection from the hybrid population Lutescens 248/97-11 x Omskaya 38 (k-65566, Russia) was sent for the State Variety Testing carried out in 9, 10 and 11 regions of the Russian Federation in 2019. The purpose of the research was to evaluate the results of various types of tests of a new variety of soft spring wheat Omskaya 44 in the conditions of the Omsk region. The variety is high-yielding, of mid-season type, the growing season is 88 days, the average yield over the years of research in competitive variety testing is 4.47 t/ha, which exceeds the standard variety Duet by 1.51 t/ha (LSD05 = 0.33 t/ha), the maximum yield is 5.69 t/ha. The results of the production test showed that when sowing fallow, in 2018-2021 the yield was 4.65 t/ha on the average, for the standard variety Duet - 3.02 t/ha (LSD05 = 0.29 t/ha), after cereals − 3.43 t/ha, for the standard variety − 2.67 t/ha (LSD05 = 0.27 t/ha). The new variety Omskaya 44 significantly exceeded the Duet standard and the best variety in the forest-steppe zone Omskaya 38 in terms of yield. The parameters of ecological plasticity of the new variety have been studied: linearity regression coefficient bi = 1.13, stability factor sd2 = 0.25. The basic components of commercial value of the new variety Omskaya 44 are high and stable yield, resistance to leaf diseases and the formation of high-quality grain at the level of strong wheat. In 2021 the variety Omskaya 44 was included in the State Register of Breeding Achievements approved for use in the forest-steppe zone of the Omsk region.

Evaluation of the modern lupine varieties developed in the All-Russian Lupin Scientific Research Institute

The article presents the researches of the Institute within the frame of the breeding program for three cultivated lupine species: Lupinus albus L., Lupinus angustifolius L. and Lupinus luteus L. The authors analyze and compare the modern varieties of the cultivated lupine species included to the State Register of Breeding Achievements of Russia for the complex of economic-and-biological characters. The narrow-leafed lupine is the most early ripening; it allows to grow it in the most northern regions. The yellow lupine is the most adapted to light sandy loam soils. Its protein content in seeds is 45-50%. The white lupine has the highest grain productivity (5-6 t/ha) among grain legumes crops. Its grain quality is close to soya one (protein and oil content is 36-40% and 9-12% respectively).

Evaluation of new cultivars of cherries and sweet cherries on the main economically valuable traits in the conditions of the Bryansk region

The article presents the results of testing samples of cherries and sweet cherries, created at the All-Russian Research Institute of Lupine. Cherry is one of the most important fruit crops in central Russia. In recent years, there has been a sharp reduction in the area of its cultivation. The main cause of the cherry crisis is stress factors that contribute to physiological disorders, weakened resistance to pathogens and reduced yields. Intense damage to leaves by coccomycosis and moniliosis is accompanied by powerful necrosis, which is a phenotypic manifestation of a developing disease and allows an accurate assessment of genotypes by resistance class. Sweet cherry is a new fruit crop in central Russia. Evaluation of 50 varieties of sour cherries and cherries according to a complex of economically valuable traits made it possible to identify a number of promising samples for their transfer to State tests. Among them are varieties and varieties: cherries - Ruskol, Bryansk Talisman, 2-11-33, 2-12-11, 3-18-23; cherries - Rusaliya, Valentina, Darnitsa, Milan and others. The State Register of Breeding Achievements includes 10 cultivars of cherries and 15 cultivars of sweet cherries bred by the All-Russian Research Institute of Lupine, a branch of the Federal State Budgetary Scientific Institution “FNTs VIK im. V.R. Williams”.

Agroecological passport of the Marusya green bean variety

Relevance. As a result of long-term research, the staff of the Department of Agronomy, Plant Breeding and Seed Production of Omsk State Agrarian University created a new variety of green beans called Marusya, which was included in the State Register of Breeding Achievements in 2015. The competitiveness of the variety is ensured by stable yields, high palatability, and the ability of green beans to maintain their economic viability over the long period. The variety is resistant to drought and low temperatures.Material and methods. The research on the variety of the green beans was conducted following the methods of competitive variety trial from 2016 to 2020. The trials were conducted on the breeding crop rotation fields of the Educational and Experimental Farm of Omsk State Agrarian University, which is located in the southern forest-steppe of the Omsk Region (city of Omsk). The following zoned varieties were used as control samples: Zolushka (Federal Scientific Center of Vegetable Farming, Moscow) and the imported Polka variety (Poland).Results. The developed agroecological passport the Marusya variety, the use of which will allow to take into account the positive effects of the genotype-environment-variety interaction to the maximum extent. When selecting bean varieties suitable for cultivation for vegetable purposes in the conditions of the southern forest-steppe of Western Siberia in industrial production and the private sector, the Marusya variety makes it possible to obtain high-quality products and expand the range of legumes in the region.

Creation of parthenocarpic lines of smooth and short type of cucumber

Relevance. Obtaining modern cucumber hybrids is impossible without the constant involvement of genetically new sources in the breeding process. One of the most important tasks in the issue of creating new heterotic cucumber hybrids is to obtain, and in the future, selection for hybrid crossings, parental lines with the most important economically valuable traits. Research is aimed at obtaining new short-fruited cucumber lines with a smooth type of fruit in order to obtain hybrids with their help that combine resistance to powdery mildew for the “pm” and “pmh” genes, tolerance to the zucchini yellow mosaic virus for the “zymv” genes in combined with high yields, the possibility of growing them not only in unheated film greenhouses, but also in glazed greenhouses.Methods. This article presents two schemes for obtaining parental forms using the example of creating four cucumber lines with a short, smooth fruit. Their comparative characteristics and description of new hybrids created with the participation of the studied linear material are carried out. Materials and methods. The main studies were carried out in 2013-2020 on the basis of the Pumpkin Cultures Laboratory of the Krymsk Breeding Center "Gavrish" of the Research Institute of Vegetable Breeding (Krymsk, Krasnodar Territory). The research material is F1 hybrids and selection samples of parthenocarpic cucumber with a smooth type of fruit of various origins (34 samples in total) from the NIISOK collection. The work used traditional methods for assessing selection-significant traits and modern methods of molecular labeling. The purpose of the work is to compare two schemes for obtaining short-fruited cucumber forms, to evaluate the created lines and hybrid combinations with their participation in terms of a complex of economically valuable traits.Results. The result of the work was the creation of new hybrid combinations based on the obtained lines, two of which are included in the State Register of Breeding Achievements. These are F1 Ministar (F1 1600/16) and F1 Promini (F1 1995/16).

Galatea is a new variety of winter wheat for the Central Region of the Russian Federation

The purpose of the research is to evaluate a new variety of winter soft wheat Galatea according to the economically valuable traits and properties. The Galatea variety is characterized by high winter hardiness (97 %), lodging resistance (4.5 points) and yield (7.3-9.8 t/ha). The main criterion of the advantage is the improvement of the quality characteristics of the grain ‒ the variation of the gluten content is 32-36 % (compared to the standard - 28-36 %), the protein content in the grain is 12-13 %, the overall assessment of flour quality is 0.7 points higher than the standard variety Angelina. Baking qualities are good, it belongs to valuable wheat varieties. When studied in the competitive variety testing (2015-2021), the minimum yield level was on average 9.9-55.5 % higher for the Galatea variety and the maximum yield level exceeded the indicators of the compared winter wheat varieties by 20.0-23.6 %. The genetic flexibility of the varieties under study has shown that the new Galatea variety with the coefficient of 6.78 is the most productive. The calculation of economic efficiency based on the market value of the product, production costs and yield has shown that when growing the new Galatea variety, the largest conditional net income of 58780 rubles/ha had been obtained, the level of profitability was 18.0 % higher compared to the Angeline standard variety and 34.0 % higher than the most popular variety in the region, Moskovskaya 39. As part of the import substitution program aimed at improving food security, the introduction of a new Galatea variety into production should significantly increase and stabilize the gross grain harvest in the Central Region of Russia. The new variety has been included in the State Register of Breeding Achievements of the Russian Federation since 2021. Recommended for use in the Central (3) Region.

A new spring durum wheat variety ‘Omsky Korall’

The purpose of the current study was to develop an adaptive, rust-resistant variety of spring durum wheat with best pasta properties for agricultural landscapes of the steppe and forest-steppe areas of Western Siberia. There have been presented the methods of development, morphological and agrobiological features of the variety and the study results in the plots of competitive variety testing according to the complex of economically valuable traits through 2013–2020. The trials were laid in fallow with a seeding rate of 450 germinating kernels per 1 m2 , in four repetitions at the sowing dates of May 12–16. The area of the plots was 10 m2 . The soil of the experimental plots was a slightly leached chernozem. An ecological testing was carried out at the seed breeding base of the steppe zone in 2013–2019 and in various climatic zones of Russia and Kazakhstan under the program of Kazakhstan-Siberian network of spring wheat improvement (KASIB) in 2013–2014. The basis for the development of the variety was the hybridization of the variety ‘Omskaya yantarnaya’ and the line developed under the program with CIMMYT (POD11/ YAZI 1). The variety showed a high stable productivity, resistance to drought and lodging. The mean productivity for 2013-2020 in the competitive variety testing of the FSBSI “Omsk ARC” was 4.19 t/ha, which was on 0.36 t/ha higher than that of the standard variety ‘Zhemchuzhina Sibiri’. At the seed breeding base (Omsk region), the variety ‘Omsky Korall’ produced 3.46 t/ ha, and exceeded the standard variety on 0.57 t/ha. An extensive ecological testing in various climatic conditions of the regions of Russia and Kazakhstan revealed high adaptive properties (high adaptability and stable productivity). The grain quality of the variety was not inferior to that of the standard variety, and the pasta color estimation was much better. The variety was resistant to brown and stem rust, less affected by kernel smut and powdery mildew. In the State Variety Testing, the variety ‘Omsky Korall’ was tested in 2019–2020 on variety plots of the steppe and forest-steppe zones of 9,10,11 regions of the Russian Federation. The variety has been included in the State List of Breeding Achievements in the 10th region since 2021.

Житняк — ценная кормовая культура для условий степной зоны Центрально-Черноземного региона

Among bluegrass perennial grasses, wheatgrass are one of the most valuable species for the steppe zone. The wheatgrass (Agropyron pectiniforme Roem. et Shult.) in the herbage of many zones occupy one of the leading positions. This is the most common species among wheatgrass in the wild. At the Voronezh Experimental Station for perennial grasses, primary seed production of the Pavlovsky 12 variety is carried out, based on collected wild-growing samples. Wheatgrass variety Pavlovsky 12 withstands grazing well, and is also well eaten by all farm animals in the hay and pasture. It is the main component of grass mix-tures (wheatgrass + alfalfa or sainfoin) in field and grassland crop rotations. An important condition for increasing the productivity of forage crops is the use of zoned breeding varieties adapted to the specific natural and climatic conditions of cultivation, in this regard, a research program has been developed at the station, which includes wheatgrass in the breeding process, as a more drought-resistant species of peren-nial grasses. In 2011, in order to accomplish the assigned tasks, they began to study the wheatgrass. After 4 years of study, a complex hybrid population of wheatgrass called SGP-8 was formed. In 2015, a com-petitive variety testing of samples with increased forage and seed productivity, drought resistance and resistance to stressful effects of abiotic and biotic environmental factors was started. Based on the results of the research, a promising sample variety was identified, which in 2020 was transferred to the State Commission of the Russian Federation for registration by expert assessment in the State Register of Breeding Achievements Permitted for Use.

Breed as One of Significant Factors that Determine the Level of Yield and Its Quality

Breed is studied in the article as of significant factors that determine the level of yield and its quality. World experience shows that the consistent increase in the yield of cultivated crops is based on the improvement of the cultivation technology and the achievements of breeding. The production of agricultural products is based on the variety of breeds. According to A.A. Zhuchenko, breed determines the basic requirements for cultivation technologies: productivity, energy efficiency, environmentally friendly quality and environmental protection. It is believed that 25% of the yield is determined by the genetic characteristics of the cultivated breed. The role of the genotype in increasing and stabilizing the yield is constantly increasing, and the contribution of the breed during zoning is estimated at 30 … 50%.

Potato breeding in mountainous and foothill areas

The work is to develop new competitive potato varieties. The studies were carried out in mountainous conditions on mountain meadow soils in a zone free from viral infection. According to the scheme of the breeding process, in the parent nursery, hybridization was carried out in 18 combinations, 16837 seeds were obtained. In the preliminary test nursery, 3 hybrids formed yields of over 50 t / ha. High yield of hybrids was also noted in the nursery of the main trial. Of the 7 hybrid offspring in the nursery of the 1st year competitive trial, 4 provided a yield higher than the standard variety. Hybrids 13.61 / 66 were isolated from 4 hybrids of the II year competitive test nursery. In the nursery of the third year competitive test, all tested hybrids formed a high yield (2.1-45.5% higher than the standard). The 10.11 / 770 hybrid has been submitted for state testing. Hybrid 10.11 / 765 (Osetinsky variety) is included in the State Register of Breeding Achievements.

Unlocking Plum Genetic Potential: Where Are We At?

Plums are a large group of closely related stone fruit species and hybrids of worldwide economic importance and diffusion. This review deals with the main aspects concerning plum agrobiodiversity and its relationship with current and potential contributions offered by breeding in enhancing plum varieties. The most recent breeding achievements are revised according to updated information proceeding from relevant scientific reports and official inventories of plum genetic resources. A special emphasis has been given to the potential sources of genetic traits of interest for breeding programs as well as to the need for efficient and coordinated efforts aimed at efficaciously preserving the rich and underexploited extant plum agrobiodiversity. The specific objective of this review was to: (i) analyze and possibly evaluate the degree of biodiversity existing in the cultivated plum germplasm, (ii) examine the set of traits of prominent agronomic and pomological interest currently targeted by the breeders, and (iii) determine how and to what extent this germplasm was appropriately exploited in breeding programs or could represent concrete prospects for the future.

Чечевица как объект селекционной деятельности

In the Lower Volga region, there are quite favorable conditions for growing lentils, which makes it possible to expand the area under crops to solve the food program. The study of breeding material and the creation of new varieties of lentil makes it possible to form and supplement the gene pool of high-protein crops. A brief description of the breeding work with lentils in the Russian Research Institute for Sorghum and Maize “Rossorgo” as well as a description of the varieties obtained, included in the State Register of Breeding Achievements, is given. Keywords: LENTIL, VARIETY, YIELD, SEEDS, PROTEIN, SELECTION

Long-Term Multilocal Monitoring of Leaf Rust Resistance in the Spring Bread Wheat Genetic Resources from Institute of Plant Genetic Resources (VIR)

Triticum aestivum L. (bread wheat) is the most important cereal crop in world grain production, including in the territory of the Russian Federation. One of the most important factors influencing the yield and quality of wheat grain is the affection of plants with leaf rust (Puccinia triticina Erikss.). To broaden the set of sources for effective rust resistance, spring bread wheat samples from N.I. Vavilov All-Russian Institute of Plant Genetic Resources (VIR) were monitored for adult resistance to the disease under natural infections for many decades at three distant locations of the Russian Federation: the Dagestan Experimental Station (DES) of VIR (10,549 accessions), Yekaterinino Experimental Station (YES) (4384 accessions), and Pushkin Experimental Field (PEF) (7704 accessions). Information on the disease development at these three stations is presented at least for 51 last years. As a result of disease development evaluation under natural epiphytotic conditions for not less than 3 years, 293 (15 landraces, 127 breeding lines, and 151 commercial varieties), 118 (1 landrace, 38 breeding lines, and 79 commercial varieties), and 127 (10 landraces, 48 breeding lines, and 69 commercial varieties) samples were classified as resistant to leaf rust at DES, YES, and PEF, respectively. Among samples from the State Register of Breeding Achievements in Russia, 15, 13, and 8 spring wheat varieties were resistant to leaf rust at DES, YES, and PEF, respectively. Juvenile resistance was estimated under laboratory conditions after seedling inoculation with a complex population of P. triticina: 73 highly resistant varieties and breeding lines were identified; all landraces, including those classified as resistant in the fields, were susceptible to disease at the seedling stage. A total of 26 wheat accessions were identified to be resistant to leaf rust at two to three locations; 14 of them possess adult resistance, and 12 samples have seedling resistance. According to results of PCR amplification with primers specific to markers of effective genes for leaf rust resistance, 6 accessions have gene Lr9, 1 sample is protected by Lr19, and 1 sample possesses gene Lr24. Wheat samples identified as possessing effective seedling or adult resistance could be of interest for breeding in some regions of the Russian Federation and other countries.

Brief results and prospects of apple breeding at VNIISPK

As a result of 65 years of intensive large-scale apple breeding work, the Russian Research Institute of Fruit Crop Breeding (VNIISPK) created and included in the State Register of Breeding Achievements 56 apple cultivars of different fruit ripening periods. Some of them are already widely known and occupy large areas in industrial and amateur gardens. Among these cultivars, Venyaminovskoye, Veteran, Rozhdestvenskoye and Sinap Orlovsky are approved for use in four regions of the Russian Federation; Kandil Orlovsky, Kulikovskoye, Orlik and Orlovskoye Polosatoye are grown in three regions; 10 cultivars are zoned in two regions of Russia; the remaining 37 cultivars are allowed for use so far in one region of the country. For the first time in Russia and in the world, 17 triploid apple cultivars were created from intervalent crosses. These cultivars are characterized by more regular fruiting and more beautiful and larger fruits. Some of them are immune to scab. In total, more than 20 apple cultivars immune to scab have been created, including the first domestic scab-immune cultivar Imrus (immune russian). The long-term work has shown that only a large interdisciplinary team can create apple cultivars that meet the ever-increasing production requirements. The disadvantage in our breeding work with apples, as well as in other breeding institutions, is that it usually takes too much time to create a cultivar (often more than 25 years). As our experience shows, it took no more than 20 years to create individual cultivars: Rozhdestvenskoye – 16 years, Priokskoye – 18 years, Imrus and Poesia – 19 years, to create Alexandr Boyko, Venyaminovskoye, Kandil Orlovsky, Maslovskoye, Solnyshko, Stroevskoye, and Pamyaty Khitrovo it took 20 years. The greatest number of years was spent on the creation of the following cultivars: Pepin Orlovsky – 48 years, Orlovskaya Zarya – 45 years, Pamyat Voinu and Radost Nadezhdy – 38 years, Kulikovskoye – 37 years, Sinap Orlovsky – 34 years, Den Pobedy – 33 years. This article presents techniques that accelerate the selection process in apples. In the coming years, the goal is to obtain triploid cultivars that are immune to scab and have columnar habit (“three in one”).

ОЦЕНКА СОРТОВ КЛЕВЕРА ЛУГОВОГО В УСЛОВИЯХ СРЕДНЕГО ПРЕДУРАЛЬЯ

Meadow clover remains the main forage crop in the middle Urals with great potential. An urgent problem is the development and improvement of the technology of this crop cultivation, including the search for adapted varieties. The aim of the research is to estimate the fodder and seed productivity recommended by the originators of meadow clover varieties of Russian and foreign selection VIK 77, Diplo, Lestris, Ranniy 2, Kudesnik in the Middle Ural region. The studies were carried out in 2017-2019 in the forest-steppe zone of the Udmurt Republic on sod-medium-podzolic medium loamy soil. The Dymkovsky variety included in the State Register of Breeding Achievements in the Volga-Vyatka region was used as a standard. Clover varieties were sown in 2017, comprehensive study in 2018-2019. The meteorological conditions of the growing seasons during the study years were different: 2017 and 2019 - over moistened (hydrothermal coefficient – 1.97 and 1.73), 2018 - dry (hydrothermal coefficient – 0.89). Winter hardiness of meadow clover varieties was estimated at 4.5 points. Varieties Diplo, Lestris and Ranniy 2 reached mowing ripeness in 58-63 days, varieties Dymkovsky, VIK 77 and Kudesnik – in 66-70 days. The varieties Diplo, Ranniy 2 and Kudesnik provided a dry matter yield of 6.2-6.8 t/ha, on average for two years of using meadow clover grass-stand. The highest yield of metabolizable energy (51.2 and 55.0 GJ/ha), digestible protein (0.44 and 0.46 t/ha) and feed units (3.79 and 4.09 thousand feed units/ha) was found in the standard variety Dymkovskiy and the tetraploid variety Kudesnik. Seed productivity of cultivars of meadow clover of the 1st year of use was at the level of 137-314 kg/ha, the highest - 314 kg/ha in the standard variety Dymkovsky

Recent developments in breeding approaches of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L)– a review

Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L) is an important vegetable crop under family Solanaceae. It is a diploid plant having chromosome number 2n=2x=24. In tomato breeding great advances are achievable due to the possibility of hybridization within and among species in a controlled manner, the variability present in the species, the presence of self-pollination which further leads to the recessive mutation expression and the lack of gene duplication. In tomato, fruit yield, quality and resistance to pests and diseases are the general breeding goals. For improvement of the qualitative traits by gene transfer from wild species to the cultivated ones, tomatoes are believed to be a classical example. The achievements in breeding of tomato are based on traditional breeding-genetic methods till now. Also a change in the introduced cultivars possessing useful and desired traits, is not exploited yet. For enhancing the productivity in future, it is believed that conventional breeding would not help out. Different techniques are established using molecular genetics and molecular markers for significant progress. So altogether, the valuable tools for tomato breeding might be the combined application of traditional breeding and plant biotechnology including selection based on molecular markers and marker-assisted selection.