Institute Of Plant Industry Research Articles

ПРИМЕНЕНИЕ КЛАСТЕРНОГО АНАЛИЗА ДЛЯ ОПРЕДЕЛЕНИЯ СЕЛЕКЦИОННОЙ ЦЕННОСТИ ЧЕЧЕВИЦЫ (Lens culinaris Medik)

The article presents the results of a study of agronomic characters of lentil, carried out in the fields of the A.I. Barayev Scientific and production center for grain farming JSC in 2021-2023. The objects of the study were 100 varieties from the genetic collections of lentil from the Institute of Plant Industry, ICARDA and foreign varieties (Turkey, Canada, Bulgaria, Moldova, Ukraine, Belarus). The Shyraily variety was adopted as a standard for large-seeded lentils, and the Krapinka variety – for small-seeded lentils. As a result of the research, sources of certain agronomic characters of lentils in the conditions of the Northern Kazakhstan were identified. Hierarchical clustering of the main components based on important agronomic characters revealed the presence of five groups with different breeding values. The most promising in practical and breeding terms are the samples belonging to the first cluster, which exhibit the highest expression of such quantitative characters as optimal yield and seed weight per plant. The second cluster includes productive and earlymaturing samples, while the samples in the third cluster can be used as sources of high protein content. Lentil samples from the fourth and fifth clusters may serve as promising parent material for the development of new lentil varieties.

Tuber Flesh Colour, Enzymatic Discolouration, Dormancy and Late Blight Resistance of 29 Tuber-Bearing Accessions of Solanum spp.

Potato relatives adapted to many different habitats are promising sources of desirable agricultural traits for potato breeding. Wild potato relatives are preserved in different collections around the world, and their detailed description is key to their exploitation in practice. We described 29 seed accessions of 26 Solanum species originating from the VIR potato collection (Institute of Plant Industry – VIR, Saint Petersburg, Russia) and preserved in Poland. The description included resistance to Phytophthora infestans, tuber flesh colour, enzymatic discolouration and tuber dormancy (sprouting). Up to 13 genotypes were evaluated per accession. The evaluation was repeated in three years for each trait. Two P. infestans isolates were used in late blight resistance tests. Amongst all the tested accessions, five were resistant to both P. infestans isolates, including genotype 13_A2. Twenty-one accessions had white tuber flesh, and 13 accessions showed a lack of or weak enzymatic discolouration. Additionally, we found accessions that were whiter than the standard white-fleshed Polish potato cultivar Irys. In our material, we observed a large variation in the length of the sprouts after storage, indicating differences in the dormancy period length. Four accessions showed a lack of sprouting after 28 weeks of storage at 5–6 °C. The tested material is preserved as in vitro plants in the National Centre for Plant Genetic Resources: Polish Genebank (IHAR-PIB, Radzików, Poland), which will facilitate their use in breeding programs.

Plant Introduction Bureau of the Institute of Plant Industry and its relations with France in the 1920–1930s (based on the documents from the Central State Archive of Scientific and Technical Documentation of St. Petersburg)

This article examines French–Soviet scientific cooperation focusing on the example of interactions between the Plant Introduction Bureau of the Institute of Plant Industry and French seed production companies. Objectives of the Bureau and the scope of its plant introduction activities are shown. Despite the importance of the Plant Introduction Bureau, its work encountered a number of obstacles. For example, the seed exchange was impeded by organizational problems, such as the neglect of delivery terms by the USSR Trade Office in France or by transport companies, and by financial constraints. There were also ideological conflicts, initiated by A. K. Kol and later by G. N. Shlykov, the heads of the Plant Introduction Bureau. Moreover, scientific links between the USSR and France were aggravated by the political situation in the world, where the USSR and France could not be regarded as allies. Despite these problems, the period from 1926 through 1933, when Nikolai Vavilov was Director of the Institute of Plant Industry, is considered the most productive in terms of cooper cooperation between the Plant Introduction Bureau and French seed production companies.

Characteristics of the resistance of spring wheat varieties to pathogens of leaf diseases typical for the zone of the Right-Bank Forest-Steppe of Ukraine

Goal. To characterize the resistance of spring wheat varieties of different ecological and geographical origin against natural infectious backgrounds of the main pathogens of leaf diseases typical for the zone of the Right-Bank Forest-Steppe of Ukraine.
 Methods. Field — creating provocative backgrounds of pathogens and assessing the resistance of varieties to againts phytopathogens; analytical — analysis of the data obtained, comparison with existing data.
 Results. In 2020—2021 on 19 varieties of spring wheat from the collection of the National Center for Plant Genetic Resources of Ukraine, Institute of Plant Industry. V. Ya. Yuriev NAAS, an assessment of resistance to againts main leaf pathogens: powdery mildew (Blumeria graminis (DC.) E.O. Speer f. sp. tritici Em. Marchal), leaf rust (Puccinia recondita f. sp. tritici Rob. et Desm. (syn. Puccinia triticina), septoria (Zymoseptoria tritici (Desm.) Quaedvlieg & Crous, 2011 (syn. Septoria tritici Roberge ex Desm.). The collection included varieties of Ukrainian, Russian, Kazakh, Czech and German selection. The assessment of resistance to leaf rust, septoria wheat was carried out against a natural infectious background, and to powdery mildew against an enhanced (provocative) natural infectious background, the period of maximum development of diseases. The cultivars were characterized by the degree of resistance using a 9-point immunological scale. According to the research results, the degree of resistance of varieties to pathogens of leaf diseases was determined: powdery mildew + leaf rust + wheat septoria — Anshlag (UKR), Voronezhskaya 20, Orenburgskaya 22 and Ekada 97 (RUS); powdery mildew + leaf rust — Elegiya Mironivska, MIP Solomiya, Struna Mironivska, Etud, Anshlag, Provіntsіalka, Panyanka, Cheremshina (UKR), Voronezhskaya 20, Orenburgskaya 22, Orenburgskaya 23, Pavlograda (RUS); Rakansam, Ramsa, Stepnaya 50, Stepnaya 62 (KAZ), Anabel (CZE), KWS Akvilon (DEU); powdery mildew + septoria — Anshlag (UKR), Orenburgskaya 22, Ekada 97 (RUS).
 Conclusions. The study of a collection of 19 varieties of spring wheat of different ecological and geographical origin identified a number of varieties with indicators of monospecific and group resistance, which can be used as sources of resistance. In particular, the varieties Anshlag (UKR) and Orenburgskaya 22, Ekada 97 (RUS) with resistance to the group of pathogens of powdery mildew, leaf rust and wheat septoria typical for the Right-Bank Forest-Steppe zone of Ukraine are valuable sources of resistance. It is promising to involve in the breeding process and varieties with a moderate manifestation of resistance to wheat septoria infection against the background of high resistance to pathogens of leaf rust and powdery mildew — Elegiya Mironivska, Struna Mironivska, Etude, Provintsialka, Panyanka, Cheremshina (UKR), Voronezhskaya 20, Orenburgskaya 23 (RUS).

Wartime activities of the Vavilov Institute

Among the chronicles relating the heroism of the besieged Leningrad, there are pages dedicated to the deeds performed by the staff the world-famous All-Union Research Institute of Plant Industry (VIR, now the N.I. Vavilov All-Russian Institute of Plant Genetic Resources). With the beginning of the war, even before the city was surrounded by the Nazi troops, the government decided to evacuate a number of factories and institutes from Leningrad, including VIR, but the plan failed. Only in winter did the Institute start partial evacuation, although preparations had been going on for a long time. The largest and most important part of the collection was left behind in the besieged city. The remaining employees were forced to work under the hardest conditions of the siege, in unheated premises. In the harsh reality of the winter in 1941–1942, the daily bread rationing was cut down, and hunger raged in the city, killing tens of thousands of city residents, including VIR employees who kept the stored seeds and tubers untouched. The most difficult part was preserving the potato collection. In the spring of 1942, preparations were made for sowing to restore the viability of seeds and tubers in the fields of Leningrad’s suburban area under the fire from the enemy artillery. Only the heroic efforts of VIR’s staff helped to save the collection from destruction and loss of germination. This heroism cost more than 20 experts and scientists their lives. So, the most dangerous period for the Institute was overcome at such price. Immediately after the siege was lifted, a group of experts was sent to Leningrad from Krasnoufimsk to help with selecting seed accessions for urgent reproduction. Working under extreme physical exhaustion in frozen premises, without water or electricity, under continuous shelling, they saved, many at the cost of their own lives, the collection of cultivated plants and their wild relatives, the herbarium, and the scientific library for future generations.

V. I. Nilov is “a very modest man and an exceptionally serious scientist” (concerning one comment in M. Gorky’s letter to I. V. Stalin)

This publication explores the history of personal contacts and correspondence between the distinguished biochemist V. I. Nilov and the writer Maxim Gorky in 1933–1936. Through out his life, M. Gorky tried to use his influence to help talented scientists as well as scientific and cultural institutions. In 1933, V. I. Nilov, a researcher from the Nikita Botanical Gardens, wrote to Gorky about the experiments he performed in his biochemistry lab on the synthesis of vitamin C, plant breeding for chemical composition, and isolation of opiates from poppy. The writer appealed to the USSR top officials, intending to improve the situation with scientific institutions in Crimea. As a result of Gorky’s mediation efforts, Nilov’s documents were presented to I. V. Stalin. The leaders of the USSR were interested in such research, because it complied with the country’s strategic objectives. This, in its turn, led to changes in vitamin research and production in the USSR and had an effect on the status of the Nikita Botanical Gardens. V. I. Nilov’s scientific biography was closely interlinked with the history of the Institute of Plant Industry and its director N. I. Vavilov. By this publication, earlier unknown materials from the Archive of A.M. Gorky (Institute of World Literature, Moscow) and the Russian State Archive of Socio-Political History (Moscow) are for the first time introduced into public scientific discourse.

From the Bureau on applied botany to the Institute for plant genetic resources (commemorating the 125th Anniversary of VIR)

The article provides a historical background on the activities of the N. I. Vavilov All‑Russian Institute of Plant Genetic Resources (VIR) for a 125‑year period. The Institute began its history as the Bureau of Applied Botany in the end of the 19th century, the times of the Russian Empire; it went through the crucible of World War I, the October Revolution and the Civil War, to become the All‑Union Institute of Plant Industry (VIR) in the Soviet times. The Institute overcame the period of Stalin’s repressions and the devastating irreparable losses sustained during the World War II and the Siege of Leningrad. In the post‑war period, VIR underwent revival, and since 1967 has been proudly bearing the name of N. I. Vavilov. The most successful period in the history of VIR was in the 60‑70s of the 20th century, while in the 90s there followed a period of a sharp drop in funding of all research, and the institute staff was preserving and saving the Vavilov collection at the cost of incredible efforts. In the 21st century, VIR continues its work as a globally known leader in the spheres of systematic collection, comprehensive study, reliable conservation and rational use of genetic resources of cultivated plants and their wild relatives for solving the problems directly related to ensuring national and global food security.

Урожайність та гомеостатичність колекційних зразків пшениці ярої

The purpose. To determine long-term average level of statistical parameters of productivity, homeostaticity and selection worth of samples of collection spring soft and hard wheat for use as new sources of economic-useful attributes in selection programs. Methods. Field, analytical, mathematical statistics with use of basic and special statistics and criteria. Results. Results of 10-years researches of collection of spring wheat gained from National center of genetic resources of plants of Ukraine (V. Yuriev Institute of plant industry of NAAS, Kharkiv), international selection centers CIMMYT and ICARDA are presented. Analysis of statistical parameters of productivity of collection samples of spring soft wheat from record plots in 1 m2 has shown that for years of researches it was on average at the level of 340,3 g/m2, spring hard wheat — 309,6 g/m2. Factor of variation of this index was at average statistical level and made accordingly 17,1 and 16,8%. The maximum productivity for years of researches was observed in 2014, the lowest level of productivity was fixed in stressful on weather environment 2011 and 2013. Assessment of homeostaticity showed that among collection samples of spring soft wheat high elasticity was characteristic to grades Turbo, Aletch (DEU), Alikat, Norwel (CAN), Prohresyvna (UKR), spring hard wheat — Asanhali, Boshan (KAZ), Yazi 13 (MEX). Index homeostaticity of these and other selected grades essentially exceeded the control. Digital values of complex index of selection worth of these grades also were high. Conclusions. On the basis of long-term (2007–2016) researches of collection spring soft and hard wheat, which annually cultivate in Myronivky institute of wheat of NAAS, statistical parameters of productivity of samples are specified. It was shown that the factor of variation on average did not exceed 20%. Collection samples were selected with high level of homeostaticity and selection worth, which can be used as sources of economic-useful attributes at creation of high-yielding varieties of spring wheat.

Adaptability of Spring Triticale Varieties in the Agroecological Conditions of the Middle Amur

Abstract—Adaptability of spring triticale variety samples of various ecological and geographical origins is described in terms of productivity under the agroecological conditions of the Middle Amur. The studies took place in 2015–2017 on the fields of the breeding crop rotation belonging to the Far East Research Institute of Agriculture. Eight varieties of spring triticale from the world-class collection of the All-Russia Research Institute of Plant Industry, created in various ecological and geographical zones, were selected and analyzed as source material. Climatic conditions varied throughout the years of research: the environment index ranged from –5.05 to 4.95. The best conditions for the studied varieties were provided in 2017 with the highest environment index value. The negative value of the environment index was recorded for 2016, when soil waterlogging affected the productivity of spring triticale throughout the growing season. The genotypes of this crop exhibit diverse adaptability in the hydrothermal conditions of the Middle Amur. High resistance to stressful environmental factors was observed in the varieties Skoryi, Ulyana, and Victoria. The Rovnya genotype displayed maximum compliance with the environmental conditions of the region. The highly intensive Skoryi and Ulyana varieties were sensitive to improvements of cultivation conditions and exhibited stable productivity. Victoria was classified as an environmentally tolerant variety. In terms of environmental tolerance, the varieties of Ukro, Rovnya, Lana, Oberig kharkovskiy, and AC Certa belong to the neutral type and show unstable performance.

Рlant-breeder and pedagogue Ivan Maksymovych Yeremeiev and his Ukrainka 0246

In 2017, the scientific community has celebrated the 130th anniversary of the birth of the outstanding breeder, Doctor of agricultural sciences, Professor Ivan Maksymovych Yeremeiev, the author of the masterpiece of the world selection – the winter wheat variety Ukrainka 0246, as well as 90 years since this international standard of grain quality has been regionized. Difficult Ivan M. Yeremeiev’s life with regard to history of creating the variety Ukrainka 0246, scientific and pedagogical activity is highlighted. After taking in 1909 his degree of “Higher Agronomic Sciences” of the Agronomical Institute at the Natural Sciences Faculty of the University of Nancy in France and the specialty of an agronomist engineer I. M. Yeremeiev worked in Paris, then in Serbia, and in 1916 returned to Ukraine. In 1917 he was appointed as specialist for breeding at the Myronivka Experimental Station. Since that time, winter wheat breeding at the Station was conducted under the Yeremeiev’s guidance. The unique winter wheat variety Ukrainka 0246 which occupied large areas and was recognized as the international standard for strong wheat has become the main his achievement. In 1939, I. M. Yeremeiev has received the author’s certificate for the winter wheat varierty Ukrainka with 50 % participation rate in its creation (other 50 % of the rights belong to V. Ye. Zoltkevych and L. I. Kovalevskyi). In 1930, I. M. Yeremeiev has got through arrest and provisional detention. During 1931–1933 he was the head of Breeding Department of the Ukrainian Research Institute of Sugar Industry in Kiev, and from 1934 until the occupation of the territory of the USSR by the German troops (1941) he worked near Leningrad (Pushkin town) at the Central Experimental Station of the All-Union Institute of Plant Industry (IPI) as Deputy Director on Scientific Research and head of the Wheat Breeding Department, later he headed the Leningrad Plant Breeding Station. In 1936, without defending his dissertation, he was awarded the degree of Doctor of Agricultural Sciences and the academic title of full member of the IPI. During this period, under his leadership a number of varieties of cereals and groat crops were created. In 1941–1944, the I. M Yeremeiev’s labor activity was associated with the Severodvinsk State Plant Breeding Station. After the war the Yeremeievs have returned to Ukraine in the Bila Tserkva. The scientist-breeder I. M. Yeremeiev is also known as a talented pedagogue, the teacher of the “wheat breeding” course. In the 1920s, he lectured at the Maslivka Agricultural Technical School (Institute), after the war at the Bila Tserkva Agricultural Institute, later at the Uman Agricultural Institute. The scientist was buried in 1957 in Uman.

СРАВНЕНИЕ ОБРАЗЦОВ ЯЧМЕНЯ МИРОВОЙ КОЛЛЕКЦИИ ВИР В УСЛОВИЯХ ВОСТОЧНОЙ СИБИРИ

The current paper presents the results of a comparative evaluation of 74 samples of the world collection preserved at the Vavilov Research Institute of Plant Industry named in 2013-2016. The analyses features individual elements of productivity, yield and the variation degree (Cv, %). The samples of the six-rowed barley of Leningradskiy and Potra cultivars have been found early-ripening (vegetation period 68-69 days). The highest capacity for productive tillering (1.93-2.40 productive stems) have been registered in the cultivars of Rupal, Corona, Malva, Chelyabinets 2, Nutans 302, Belgorodets and Talovsky 9. The best graininess of the ear belongs to the following cultivars: 18/7, Tduneja, Spratt, Sv. 66905, Milns Golden Promise, Vladimir. According to the mass of 1000 grains (40.0-52.3 g), T-12 (Nutans 129), Yastreb, Belgorodets, Talovsky 9, Yak-401, Nudum 95, Codac, Vakula, Potra, Kolchan. The best grain mass from one plant (1.40-1.79 g) was registered in 18/7, Tduneja, T-12 (Nutans 129), Elf, Belgorodets, Talovsky 9, Heimdal, Nudum 95, Codac, Vakula and Kolchan. According to the productivity and resistance to lodging, the following samples proved to be stable during the research period: M 1913/88 (Czechoslovakia), Asem (Kazakhstan), Etienne (Canada). Their yield reached 555.0-575.0 g/m2, which is 8.2-12.1 % higher than that of the standard Acha cultivar. The barley samples studied in the research are of practical interest for solving regional breeding problems in Eastern Siberia.

The inheritance of endosperm storage proteins by the line of the Saratovskaya 29 cultivar of common wheat from its parental forms

We ran a comparative analysis of storage proteins (gliadins, high- (HMW) and low-molecular-weight (LMW) glutenins, puroindolines, and exogenous α-amylase pest inhibitors) in the Saratovskaya 29 cultivar line from the collection of a genetic engineering laboratory, its parental forms (Albidum 24 and Lyutescens 55/11), and distant ancestors (Poltavka, Selivanovskiy Rusak, Sarroza, and tetraploid Beloturka). It was confirmed that the allelic states of storage proteins in the Gli-1, Gli-2 and Glu-1 loci originate from ancestral forms from the collection of the Vavilov Institute of Plant Industry. Moreover, new alleles were found in Lyutescense 55/11 (Glu-Ala) and Selivanovskiy Rusak (Glu-B1b) cultivars from the collection of the Institute of Cytology and Genetics. A new allelic state, Ha, was observed in the loci of the Poltavka cultivar as a soft-grain cultivar, and the ha allele was found in the hard-grain Albidum 24 and Sarroza cultivars. It was found that the expression rate of exogenous α-amylase inhibitors of pests in the Saratovskaya 29 cultivar line is lower than that of ancestral cultivars (Albidum 24, Sarroza, Poltavka, and Beloturka). Such inhibitors are absent in the paternal form Lyutescense 55/11. A high expression rate of protein pest inhibitors for exogenous α-amylases and puroindolines was observed in the Poltavka cultivar. The allelic composition of Glu-1 loci was newly studied in the Sarroza cultivar, which has some promising features. The Saratovskaya 29 cultivar line, on the basis of which a wide range of diverse lines were created in the Institute of Cytology and Genetics, is isogenic for all of the studied traits.

The diversity of spring hexaploid triticales, differing on the time of the onset of developmental phases under conditions of near Ob region of Western Siberia

The time of the onset of developmental phases of 78 spring hexaploid triticale samples from the world collection of N.I. Vavilov Institute of Plant Industry is studied under natural conditions, in two replicates with a 18-day interval between two dates of sowing. The number of days from the date of sowing up to the date of heading of triticale samples at the I term sowing was from 31 to 49, and at the II term sowing, from 30 to 52. Samples from Argentina, Portugal, Eastern Europe, Poland, Belarus, and Ukraine headed within the interval of mean values (34–40 days). Triticale M2A/Cin from Ethiopia was relatively early ripening. Late ripening were the samples from Zambia, Brazil, North America. Among triticales from Mexico, Dagestan and Russia both early and late ripening forms occurred. Most samples (82 %) at the II term sowing headed 1–9 days earlier than at the I term sowing, which was probably due to a shortening of the period «shoots– the first node» by 1–7 days in 87 % of samples. After lengthening this period, in the triticales studied in the present work, as in wheat, the length of vegetation period increased. The length of the interphase period «heading– ripening» in these samples increased, while in wheat some authors noticed its shortening. Hexaploid triticale samples studied had different times of the onset of developmental phases and response to different terms of sowing, which means their possible use in regions with different daylength.

Science Under Political Change: The Experience of Russian Genetics in the 1960s

Abstract: The paper is devoted to the development of Soviet genetics in the higher school in the second half of the 1960s. Currently history of Russian genetics is becoming a popular research subject among Russian and foreign historians. Tragic events, which befell Soviet genetics in mid 20th century have been thoroughly examined both in scientific and popular accounts. Thus development of genetics during the later period of Soviet history makes a more suitable subject for a rigorous historical investigation. In the late 1960s Soviet science and technology policy in regard to biological research was aimed at the restoration of losses suffered due to the rise of Lysenkoism. This period has not yet been duly investigated and there are almost no publications authored by professional historians dedicated to genetics research in the Soviet Union in the 1960-80s. To a certain extent this gap has been covered in the author’s earlier publications. The research is based on the wide range of archive documents from the archives of Moscow, Saint- Petersburg and Novosibirsk. Also, significant place is given to oral sources. The paper underlines that Leningrad and Novosibirsk Universities made a great contribution to the revival of human resources in the Soviet genetics. At the same time many other biological departments and institutes were going through the reorganization of the Soviet biology with lots of difficulties. The examples of the All-Union Institute of Plant Industry of the VASKhNIL and the Novosibirsk agricultural institute vividly illustrated that Lysenkoists still held an important positions in the field of science and education. Besides, the lack of material supplies of the chairs and laboratories had a destructive influence.

Use of cytophotometry for determination of salt resistance of wild plants

In determination of salt resistance of wild plants, cytophotometry has been used for evaluation of distribution of nuclei of the root meristem cells. Salt resistant and salt sensitive plants of two Thellungiella species whose seeds were collected at the places of their vegetation, as well as of two Aegilops L. species from the collection of the All-Russia Research Institute of Plant Industry (VIR), have been analyzed in the experiments. Salt resistant cells of Thel. botschantzevii and Ae. taushii (k-677) were accumulated in the G1 period of the interphase, which indicates high adaptation of these plants to high concentrations of salts. It has been demonstrated that cytophotometry can be used for determination of salt resistance of wild plants growing in the climatic zones appropriate for their natural propagation.

On molecular identification of Phytophthora infestans genotypes

Isolates of P. infestans were collected in 2013 from infected potato leaves in the Pushkin field plots of the Institute of Plant Industry, St. Petersburg. The phytopathological data on A1/A2 mating types matched the evidence obtained by CAPS marker analysis. When genotyped with SSR markers, the Pushkin isolates were clearly distinct from West European strains described by Cooke et al. (2012).

ВНУТРИВИДОВОЙ ПОЛИМОРФИЗМ ЯРОВОГО ЯЧМЕНЯ (Hordeum vulgare L.) ПО УСТОЙЧИВОСТИ К ДЕЙСТВИЮ СВИНЦА

Under technogenic pollution, phytotoxicity of heavy metals (HM) becomes a factor limiting yield and quality of crop production. In breeding, an intraspecific polymorphism of resistance to technogenic factors should be estimated with the analysis of its formation and maintenance. Using spring barley ( Hordeum vulgare L.) Zazerskii 85, Gorinskii and Chelyabinskii 1 varieties, we studied the influence of different Pb(NO 3) 2 concentrations (1,0; 1,5; 2,0; 2,5; 3,0; 3,5; 4,0; 4,5; 5,0 mg/ml) on the growth of roots and offsprings in seedlings. Then, a testing concentration of Pb(NO 3) 2 found out was applied to investigate an intraspecific polymorphism of barley plant tolerance to the toxicant. The cultivars from the VIR World Collection (N.I. Vavilov Research Institute of Plant Industry, St. Petersburg) were tested using seeds reproduced in 2008, 2009 and 2010 (36, 100 and 24 varieties, respectively). The varieties were divided into classes according to Sturgis’s rule. The lead sensitive and lead tolerant forms were separated basing on a depression coefficient. According to root growth, the highest tolerance was observed in the Gorinskii variety, and the Zazerskii 85 variety was the most sensitive. The influence of lead resulted in a shift of distribution of 100 cultivars to less offspring length, but according to Kolmogorov-Smirnov criterion there were no significant differences between the empiric distributions (D = 0.17 0.05 = 0.26). The tolerance to lead in varieties from the first and the last classes differed 2.0-4.5 times (i.e. from total suppression to growth stimulation). According to the length of the offsprings from the seeds reproduced in 2008 and 2010, there were no reliable differences from control (D = 0.167 0.05 = 0.434 and D = 0.125 0.05 = 0.531, respectively). A statistically unreliable stimulation of the seed germination also occurred (D = 0.306 0.05 = 0.320 and D = 0.208 0.05 = 0.392, respectively), probably because of less number of the tested samples. Lead caused multiple changes of the root morphology. Basing on morphological parameters, the varieties with a contrast tolerance to lead was revealed. Possible mechanisms of polymorphic tolerance of barley cultivars and other plants to HM are discussed. These data can be used under creation of agricultural plants tolerant to heavy metals.

Analyzing chemical composition of buckwheat groat of different buckwheat varieties

This paper presents the research results and the comparative analysis of the chemical composition of buckwheat groat of different buckwheat varieties. Due to the significant expansion of the range of the buckwheat cultivation all over the world, it was interesting to determine the content of specific nutrients in buckwheat groat of different buckwheat varieties, the most promising for cultivation in the forest-steppe zone. The following varieties of buckwheat, grown in the fields of the V.Ya. Yuryev Institute of Plant Industry of NAAS: Ukrainka, Yaroslavna, Kvitnik, Kosmeya, Duimovochka, Dozhdik were selected for the research. The varietes were differed by the morphological characteristics, economic and biological characteristics, origin and genetic basis. It was experimentally confirmed that the chemical composition of buckwheat groat significantly varies depending on the buckwheat variety. The most significant differences were observed in the number of nutrients by the content of protein and fiber. It was found that the high nutrient and the most balanced by the most chemical composition indexes was buckwheat groat of the buckwheat varieties of “Kosmeya”, “Kvitnik”, “Ukrainka”. These sorts can be considered as the most promising and can be regarded as plant raw materials for producing functional products and health food.

СКОРОСПЕЛОСТЬ МЕСТНЫХ ОБРАЗЦОВ ЯРОВОГО ЯЧМЕНЯ (Hordeum vulgare L.) ИЗ СТРАН ЮГО-ВОСТОЧНОЙ АЗИИ И БЛИЖНЕГО ВОСТОКА

Barley grain and green mass are the most valuable concentrated fodders, rich both with complete protein and starch. A search for adaptive sources of precocity in barley, which can be involved in plant breeding, remains a challenge. In field experiments, we studied the earing rate in 884 samples of spring barley from South-East Asia and the Middle East, deposited in the VIR World Collection (N.I. Vavilov Research Institute of Plant Industry, Russia). The samples originated from China (k-3307, k-15881, k-15882, k-18440), India (k-10578, k-25469), North Korea (k-27192, k-30583), and Japan (k-5180, k-6995, k-10922, k-10931) were identified as the sources of precocity. According to prevalence of such forms in the area, the countries, from which the tested samples originated, ranged as follows: Japan > North Korea > China ³ India > Pakistan ³ Afghanistan ³ Mon-golia. To unify the data, «the proportion of the standard» was used as a parameter, calculated as a ratio of an average shoots-to-earing period in standard variety DL36a to the corresponding period for each sample registered in the same year. On the basis of «proportion of the standard» all studied samples were ranked by the rapidity of development. In each sample, a paratypic variability of shoots-to-earing period was estimated and its effect to the trait analyzed.

ТЕОРЕТИЧЕСКИЕ ОСНОВЫ СЕЛЕКЦИИ ЗЕРНОФУРАЖНОЙ РЖИ С НИЗКИМ СОДЕРЖАНИЕМ ВОДОРАСТВОРИМЫХ ПЕНТОЗАНОВ

To breed winter rye with low content of water soluble arabinixylans (WS-AX) in grains the search of initial material was carried out in 400 samples from World Collection of All-Russian Institute of Plant Industry (VIR). The revealed variability for WS-AX content was shown to be insufficient for low pentosans’ rye breeding. However, low pentosans biotypes (0.5-1.0 %) were found in the populations, for identification of which the method of «clonal halves» was elaborated. All F 1 hybrids displayed clear dominance or overdominance of high WS-AX content over low one and recessive character of low WS-AX content inheritance. Reciprocal crosses of rye forms differing in WS-AX contents showed absence of paternal components influence on WS-AX content in grains of maternal plants. The results of crosses will become apparent only in the second hybrid generation. On the basis of anatomic-morphological research of rye grains with low WS-AX content the strategy of low pentosans’ rye breeding has been formulated (reduction of seed coat portions at endosperm chemical composition improvement). With use of this strategy breeding materials were obtained and 7 fodder rye populations (pre-varieties) with low WS-AX content in grains have been created.