State List Of Breeding Achievements Research Articles

A new pea variety ‘Krasnoufimsky 20’

Work on developing a new pea variety ‘Krasnoufimsky 20’ began in 2008 on the experimental fields of the Krasnoufimsky breeding center of the Ural Research Institute of Agriculture, a branch of the FSBSI UrFARC UrO RAS. The purpose of the current study was to develop a highly productive pea variety that is resistant to negative environmental conditions, resistant to diseases and pests, and has a non-lodging stem and non-shedding seeds. The greatest productivity excess of the variety ‘Krasnoufimsky 20’ compared to the standard was observed in 2017, 2019, 2021 and 2022 (from 11 % to 62 %). On average, ‘Krasnoufimsky 20’ gave a significant excess over the standard by 0.26 t/ha. The variety ‘Krasnoufimsky 20’ requires weather conditions in the HTC range of 1.0–2.1 to obtain stable productivity. But regardless of environmental factors, both in favorable conditions and during periods of waterlogging or drought, the variety ‘Krasnoufimsky 20’ exceeded the standard by 0.03–0.83 t/ha. The variety ‘Krasnoufimsky 20’ ripened 1–3 days earlier than the standard, it has a larger number of beans and seeds per plant (by 0.2 and 1.5 pieces, respectively). The variety ‘Krasnoufimsky 20’ has a high seed productivity per plant (2.3 g). The variety is affected with ascochyta blight and root rot at the standard level, its damage by the codling moth is less than the standard. The new variety ‘Krasnoufimsky 20’ exceeded the standard variety Krasnoufimsky 11 and other varieties of local breeding according to adaptability. In 2023, it was decided to include the new pea variety ‘Krasnoufimsky 20’ in the State List of Breeding Achievements approved for use in the regions of Volga-Vyatka, North Caucasus, Ural, West Siberian.

New spring barley variety ‘Stepnyak’

The purpose of the current study was to develop a new spring barley variety that can form consistently large productivity in different soil and climatic conditions, including regions with frequent droughts. As a result of breeding work at the experimental breeding station ‘Prikumskaya’, a branch of the FSBRI “North Caucasus FRAC”, there was developed a new spring barley variety ‘Stepnyak’ in 2009–2020. The new genotype was obtained as a result of intraspecific hybridization, followed by individual selection from the hybrid population of Nutans g-74840 (EBS ‘Prikumskaya’, a branch of the FSBRI “North Caucasus FRAC”) and Special (ICARDA, Syria). According to maturation terms, the variety belongs to the group of middle maturing varieties. The vegetation period lasts from 75 to 87 days. The new variety has high drought and heat resistance, resistance to lodging and damage by net blotch. During 2020–2022 at the EBS ‘Prikumskaya’, the new variety ‘Stepnyak’, in comparison with the standard, was characterized by a higher productive stem stand with 353 pcs/m2 (+9 pcs. to the standard), number of grain peer head with 21 pcs. (+6 pieces to the standard) and grain yield per total mass of a plant 39.1% (+4.5 % to the standard). The mean variety productivity in the Competitive Variety Testing was 2.42 t/ha and was higher than that of the standard variety ‘Strannik’ on 0.32 t/ ha (15.2 %). The high adaptation of the new variety to changing environmental conditions makes it possible to form a stable productivity increase to the standard variety ‘Strannik’. In 2020, at the EBS ‘Prikumskaya’, with a significant moisture deficit, the variety ‘Stepnyak’ exceeded productivity of the standard variety on 0.30 t/ha. In a more favorable 2021 and 2022 the yield increase varied from 0.24 to 0.43 t/ha. When studying the variety in the Kalmyk Research Institute of Agriculture (in 2021 and 2022), the yield increase to the standard variety ‘Strannik’ was 0.25 t/ha (12.8 %). During the years of the State Variety Testing (2021 and 2022) in the North Caucasus and Low Volga regions, the new variety ‘Stepnyak’ exceeded productivity of the standard on 0.17–0.18 t/ha, respectively. In 2023, the variety ‘Stepnyak’ was included in the State List of Breeding Achievements and recommended for cultivation in the North Caucasus and Lower Volga regions.

Correlation between quantitative traits and grain productivity of the waxy maize hybrids

A subspecies of waxy maize (Zea mays L. ceratina) is characterized by the fact that its grain contains 100 % amylopectin starch, a valuable raw material for confectionery production, the manufacture of polymers, and a blood substitute. The absence of domestic waxy maize hybrids in the State List of Breeding Achievements necessitates the study in this area of breeding. The purpose of the current study was to identify dependencies that make it possible to increase the efficiency of the breeding process when developing waxy maize hybrids. The study was carried out at the FSBSI “ARC “Donskoy” in 2020–2022. The objects of the study were 36 waxy maize hybrids developed by the method of interline hybridization. The studied traits differed in the degree of variation. High coefficients of variation were identified in the traits ‘grain productivity’ (V = 30.1 %) and ‘one cob weight’ (V = 21.5 %). The traits ‘number of rows’ (V = 8.4 %) and ‘grain yield during threshing’ (V = 8.2 %) turned out to be slightly varying. An increase in the values of any studied trait resulted in an increase in grain yield. However, the signs of productivity were not equivalent according to their effect on the formation of the grain productivity of the waxy maize hybrids. There have been identified the most influential traits of productivity, such as ‘number of cobs per 1 plant’, ‘one cob weight’ and ‘number of seeds per cob’. The correlation between them and grain productivity is positive, close (r = 0.73±0.12 – 0.82±0.10). The identified traits have been positively associated with the rest (r = 0.30±0.16 – 0.74±0.12), the selection of samples with high values does not reduce the values of other productivity traits. The identified dependencies must be taken into account when selecting the initial material and when developing waxy maize hybrids.

Comparative analysis of grain productivity and biometric elements of winter wheat varieties depending on the variety change periods

The current study was carried out at the Institute of Seed production and Agrotechnologies, Branch of the Federal Budgetary Scientific Institution “Federal Research Agro-Engineering Center VIM” (Ryazan region) on dark gray forest soil of medium fertility (organic matter content 5.60 %) in 2018–2022. The objects of the study were 9 winter common wheat varieties (developed by the FSBSI FRC “Nemchinovka” and FSBSI FRAC VIM), which were included in the State List of Breeding Achievements from 2005–2023 in the Central region of the Non-Blackearth part of the Russian Federation and divided according to the variety change periods, i.e. period V with ‘Galina’, ‘Angelina’, ‘Moskovskaya 56’, ‘Viola’; period VI with ‘Danaya’, ‘Felitsiya’, ‘Galateya’, ‘Anfisa’, ‘Boyarka’. The purpose of the study was to analyze the grain yield and biometric elements of its structural indicators in the winter common wheat varieties, depending on the variety change periods in the conditions of the southern part of the Central region of the Russian Federation. During the study, there has been established an excess of the average (by 15.9 %), minimum (by 27.9 %) and maximum (by 8.3 %) productivity of varieties of the last variety change period with 5.2 % advantage in realizing the yield potential (average 74.5 %) and adaptability coefficient by 17.4 % (average value over 1.0). The variety ‘Galateya’ has high values of productivity potential with adaptability coefficient of 1.12. There has been established that in modern varieties there was a decrease in the stem length by 5.9 cm on average. The shortest varieties were ‘Viola’, ‘Felitsiya’, ‘Anfisa’ and ‘Boyarka’ with 96–97 cm. There has been established that the varieties of the period VI experienced a stem augmentation on 12.7 %, number of grains per head on 2.5 %, grain weight per head on 11.7 % and 1000-grain weight on 4.2 % in comparison with the varieties of the previous selection. A significant contribution to the productivity of new varieties (r ≥ +0.700) was made by the traits ‘number of grains per head’ and ‘grain weight per head’. The variety ‘Anfisa’ had the longest head of 11.3 cm. The varieties ‘Galateya’, ‘Felitsiya’, and ‘Boyarka’ had number of grains per head more than 42.0 pcs., and grain weight per head of more than 2.0 g. All varieties of the last variety change had large grain, m1000 > 46.0 g, the variety ‘Galateya’ had especially coarse grain of 49.1 g.

Characteristics of the Indian dwarf wheat variety ‘Sakara’

The current paper has described the method of developing a spring shot wheat variety (Triticum sphaerococcum Percival) Sakara and its characteristics. The purpose of the current study was to show the efficiency of the ongoing breeding work with Indian dwarf, using the variety ‘Sakara’ as an example, to increase grain productivity and resistance to leaf-stem fungal diseases, while maintaining the high grain quality characteristic of shot wheats. Research methods were adapted for shot wheat based on the methods adopted in spring bread wheat breeding. The developed variety has features characteristic for a species, namely a short strong non-lodging stem and, as a result, 9 points of lodging resistance; a shot kernel shape with 25.6 g of 1000-grain weight; a dense, non-drooping head; excellent quality indicators of grain and flour, according to most indicators corresponding to GOST 34702-2020 for strong wheat. The T. sphaerococcum species, due to its characteristic morphological features, has a lower grain productivity than T. aestivum, mean productivity of the variety ‘Sakara’ for three years of testing was 34 % less than that of the standard spring bread wheat variety ‘Yoldyz’. There has been shown that the developed variety in our soil-climatic zone is characterized by high field resistance to powdery mildew (2 points of resistance on average over the years), leaf rust (there were only single pustules during the years of a strong spread of the disease). With artificial infection of seeds with the inuclium of hard smut, the damage degree of the variety averaged 7 %. The first spring shot wheat variety ‘Sakara’ has been recommended in the State List of Breeding Achievements since 2023 for cultivation from 1 to 12 regions.

New spring barley variety ‘Rafael’ adapted to the conditions of the Central region

The purpose of the current study was to identify and present the most economically valuable features of the new spring barley variety ‘Rafael’ in the conditions of the Central region. There was developed a new spring barley variety ‘Rafael’ based on the Governmental task of the Federal State Budgetary Scientific Institution “Federal Research Center “Nemchinovka”, (FRC “Nemchinovka” (Moscow Region)) No. 0608-2019-0011 and the Institute of Seed Production and Agrotechnologies, a branch of the FSBSI “Federal Research Agro-engineering Center VIM” (ISPA, a branch of FSBSI FRAEC VIM (Ryazan region)) No. 0581-2019-0021. In 2020–2021 the variety was tested in the State Variety Testing. In 2022, the variety was included in the State List of Breeding Achievements of the Russian Federation and approved for use in the Central (3) and Volga-Vyatka (4) regions. The code of the variety is 8057530. There was received the patent No. 12254. Breeding number 35/1-09 h 662 was obtained when crossing the lodging-resistant variety ‘Ksanadu’ and the breeding lines 27/13-78 h 34 (‘Moskovsky 121 x Highproli’), identified from the genetic collection according to a complex resistance to helminthosporiasis of barley and soil drought. The analysis of long-term data (2014–2019) has shown that under various agrometeorological conditions of the environmental trials, the variety was characterized by improved productivity in comparison with the standard variety ‘Yaromir ‘and varieties of earlier breeding. In the experimental crop rotation FRC “Nemchinovka” exceeded the mean value of productivity on 0.44 t/ha, the productivity increase was on 0.68 t/ha more than that of the standard variety, and on 1.08 t/ha more than that of the parental variety ‘Ksanadu’. In the fields, the ISPA, a branch of FSBSI FRAEC VIM exceeded the standard variety on 0.09 t/ha, providing a mean productivity of 6.85 t/ha. The maximum value of the indicator of the variety stability level (PSSS = 141.6%) has characterized a high degree of variety adaptation to various environmental conditions. The economic efficiency calculation has shown an increased profitability of the new variety on 17.0–20.8% compared to the widespread varieties. The introduction of this variety into production can significantly improve and stabilize gross barley productivity in the Central and Volga-Vyatka regions of Russia, increase profitability of enterprises and provide the feed industry with domestic raw materials.

Strength of the connection of kernels with an ear of the trititrigia variety ‘Pamyati Lyubimovoy’ in the dead-rape stage

The development of new crops (for example, by hybridization) requires significant costs, both resources and time, and therefore justified reasons. The work on the development of trititrigia (perennial wheat) variety ‘Pamyati Lyubimovoy’ has been carried out by the FSBSI «National Grain Center named after P.P. Lukyanenko» for almost 70 years. The development of such grain crop makes it possible to apply new technological methods and technical means to realize its potential. It is also necessary to establish the applicability of existing mechanization means in its cultivation in various natural and climatic zones of the Russian Federation, where it is possible to obtain and analyze data on its physical, mechanical and biological characteristics. Despite a big breakthrough in the development of trititrigia (it was included in the State List of Breeding Achievements in 2019), there are few scientific works devoted to it and there is not enough information about it, or it is contradictory, fragmentary, and it is almost impossible to meet such grain crop in the fields. In this regard, the purpose of the current work was to obtain statistically reliable information on the value of the force of kernel separation from a trititrigia ear of the variety ‘Pamyati Lyubimovoy’ in the dead-rape stage. This indicator is important for estimating such crop properties as self-shedding after reaching full ripeness, determining the degree of heavy threshing, which will make it possible to identify the features of its harvesting by existing combines. During the current study, there were used statistically generally accepted data processing methods, namely, the estimation of release, the normality of distribution using the Shapiro-Wilk test, and the comparative Student’s T-test. The average value of the separation force along the entire ear length was 5.16 N. When dividing the ear into zones: lower, central and upper (20, 60 and 20 % of the ear length from the point of attachment of the ear to the stem, respectively), the values were 4.3 H, 5.65 N and 5.27 N.

Efficiency of herbicide treatment for productivity of the maize hybrid ‘Zernogradsky 354 MV’

The current paper has presented the study results of the application of herbicides ‘Meister Power MD’; ‘Remus VDG’; ‘Dianat, VR’; ‘Sekator Turbo, MD’ as elements of maize cultivation technology in the southern part of the Rostov region. Field trials were carried out in 2019–2021. The object of the study was the maize hybrid ‘Zernogradsky 354MV’, (included in the State List of Breeding Achievements in the 6th (North Caucasian) region in 2010). The purpose of the study was an economic and agronomic estimation of the application of herbicides ‘Meister Power MD’; ‘Remus VDG’; ‘Dianat, VR’; ‘Sekator Turbo, MD’ in the southern part of the Rostov region when cultivating maize for grain. The soil of the experimental plot was ordinary calcareous heavy loamy blackearth (chernozem) on loess-like loams. The content of humus in the arable layer was 3.36 %, pH was 7.0, P2O5 was 24.4; K2O was 360 mg/kg of soil. The hydrothermal coefficient during a vegetation period of maize was 0.62 in 2019; 0.70 in 2020; 0.86 in 2021. Thus, during the study years, the humidification conditions were very arid. As a result of the conducted study, it was revealed that the application of herbicides ‘Meister Power MD’; ‘Remus VDG’; ‘Dianat, VR’; ‘Sekator Turbo, MD’ had a positive effect on the phytosanitary conditions of maize sowing. The weediness reduced on 95.3–97.1 %. The grain productivity increase due to the application of herbicides was significant and amounted to 0.28– 0.53 t/ha or 17.4–24.2 % compared with that of the control. The cost of the herbicide ‘Meister Power, MD’ (5670 rubles per hectare norm) did not contribute to its high payback. The maximum payback was identified in the variant with the complex application of herbicides ‘Remus, VDG’ + ‘Dianat, BP’ and amounted to 5.50 rubles/rub. The application of herbicides ‘Remus, VDG’ and ‘Sekator Turbo, MD’ was also cost-effective with a payback of 5.36 and 5.45 rubles/rub., respectively.

Ecological testing results of the winter bread wheat varieties and lines developed in the FSBSI «ARC «Donskoy» in the Kursk region

The current paper has presented the ecological testing results of the winter bread wheat varieties and lines developed in the FSBSI «ARC «Donskoy» in the soil and climatic conditions of the Kursk region. The purpose of the current study was to identify promising varieties and breeding lines of winter bread wheat adapted to the conditions of the Central Blackearth region of the Russian Federation. The objects of the study at the initial stage (2018–2020) were such winter wheat varieties included in the State List of Breeding Achievements as ‘Volny Don’, ‘Krasa Dona’, ‘Donskaya Step’, ‘Volnitsa’, ‘Etyud’, ‘Zhavoronok’, ‘Yermak’, and in the following years (2020–2021) there were studied from 15 to 40 lines developed on the basis of hybridization in the «ARC «Donskoy». As a result of ecological testing, there has been identified a number of varieties and lines that are most adapted to the soil and climatic conditions of the Kursk region. A new joint variety of winter bread wheat ‘Vertikal’ has been sent to the State Variety Testing. Productivity of the variety ‘Vertikal’ in the Kursk FANC varied from 50.1 to 71.9 hwt/ha; in SamRC RAS it was from 32.4 to 71.6 hwt/ha; in the Research Institute of Agriculture of the Crimea it was from 38.7 to 49.5 hwt/ha. Productivity of the standard varieties ‘Moskovskaya 39’, ‘Skipetr’ and ‘Ermak’ was 47.8–52.0 hwt/ha, 25.3–63.9 hwt/ha, 37.0–42.2 hwt/ha, respectively. Ecological testing was carried out in the breeding crop rotation of the Kursk Federal Agricultural Research Center (FSBSI Kursk FANC). The soil cover of the experimental plot was represented by typical heavy loamy blackearth (chernozem). The forecrop was black fallow. Sowing was carried out in an ordinary way with a row spacing of 15 cm, with a seeder SKS-6-10. The plots were with an accounting area of 10 m2 in six repetitions, the seeding rate was 500 germinating grains per 1 m2, the standard variety ‘Moskovskaya 39’ was sown every 10 numbers. Lodging and winter hardiness and structural analysis of plants was estimated according to the methods of the State Variety Testing of Agricultural Crops. Over the years of study, there have been identified the winter bread wheat lines with economically valuable traits that exceeded the standard one and could be used in further breeding work. Breeding varieties on a cooperative basis makes it possible to expand the area of distribution of research by breeding centers to develop new varieties in other ecological and geographical conditions.

Spring barley variety ‘Azimut’

Improvement of feed grain production is an important link in Russia’s food security. Considerable opportunities for solving this problem lie in the cultivation of new domestic varieties of barley. Breeding work in this direction has been carried out for a long time in the Don area by the FSBSI “ARC “Donskoy” (Department of winter and spring barley breeding and seed production). The purpose of the study was to breed a new spring barley variety for regions with high signs of aridy, which has fairly large productivity and its stability in different years. The result of the breeding program 0706-2019-0002 was the development of the spring barley variety ‘Azimut’ of universal use, i.e. for feed, groats and for brewing purposes. The paper has described the morphology of plants and the main biological and valuable economic traits of the new spring barley variety ‘Azimut’, which has been included in the State List of Breeding Achievements of Russia since 2022. There has been found that a remarkable feature of this variety is early maturity (through three contrast years (2017–2019) it ripened on average earlier than the standard variety ‘Ratnik’ on 4 days and the best variety ‘Format’ on 2 days), which is an extremely important indicator in modern climatic conditions. There was found that, on average, over the years, the new variety produced 5.7 t/ha and 52.0 g of 1000-grain weight, exceeding the standard on 0.8 t/ha and 6.5 g, as well as the best variety ‘Format’ on 0 .2 t/ha and 3.8 g, respectively. It has been established that the variety ‘Azimut’ has a certain important set of biologically useful and economically valuable properties and traits.

New highly lodging resistant winter rye variety ‘Evrika’

The development of highly productive short-stemmed winter rye varieties that do not lodge under intensive cultivation technologies is one of the main breeding tasks. The current paper has presented the study results of a new winter rye variety ‘Evrika’ according to the main economically valuable traits in the North-West region of the Russian Federation. The variety was developed by the Leningrad Scientific Research Institute of Agriculture «Belogorka» based on complex hybridization of the varieties ‘Bylina’ and ‘Volkhov’ from the North-West region with varieties of Russian and foreign selection, among which the varieties ‘Alfa’, ‘Antares’, ‘Saratovskaya 5’ and ‘Otello’ made the most significant contribution. The breeding feature of the new variety is the use of donors of such types of a short stem trait as dominant-monogenic and recessive-polygenic. The study was carried out for three years (2019–2021) in the nurseries of Competitive Variety Testing on the fields of the institute in the Gatchinsky district of the Leningrad region. The purpose of the study was to identify the biological and economically valuable traits of a new winter rye variety ‘Evrika’. According to the study results, the variety ‘Evrika’ belongs to the group of semi-short-stem varieties with a mean plant height of 125.5 cm. The variety showed good winter tolerance (8–9 points) and high resistance to lodging (8–9 points). The mean grain productivity of the new variety through the years of research was 5.0 t/ha, with the maximum of 7.4 t/ha, which exceeded the productivity of the standard variety ‘Volkhov’ on 0.9 t/ha (19.5 %) and 2.1 t/ha (39.6 %), respectively. The mean green mass productivity was 25.8 t/ha, exceeding the standard’s productivity on 3.5 t/ha (15.7 %). The index of 1000-grain weight of a new variety during the period varied from 34.5 to 39.0 g, depending on the climatic conditions of the year. According to the study results, the variety ‘Evrika’ was highly appreciated, having successfully passed the State Variety Testing. In 2021 the variety was included in the State List of Breeding Achievements in the North-West Region of the Russian Federation.

Results of sainfoin breeding in the Stavropol Territory

Modern Agricultural production is characterized by an increased need for specialized, highly productive, complementary varieties of feed crops adapted to specific natural and climatic conditions, grown using various technologies, for certain groups of animals. Among the perennial legumes in the south of Russia, sainfoin is in special demand. The purpose of the current study was to estimate the variety samples of various types of sainfoin and a new variety of Transcaucasian sainfoin ‘Kravtsov’ according to the main economically valuable traits and properties when used for feed and seeds. The study was carried out in the zone of unstable moisture in the Stavropol Territory. The soil of the experimental field was represented by low-humus micellar-carbonate medium loamy chernozem, with 3.2 % humus, 12 mg/kg phosphorus and 260 mg/kg potassium in the arable layer. The prevailing weather conditions during the research period made it possible to give a comprehensive estimation of the studied material. According to the results of Competitive Variety Testing, a variety sample of Transcaucasian sainfoin was selected from the studied three types of the crop, which, due to the results of the State Variety Testing in 2021, was included in the State List of Breeding Achievements of the Russian Federation with permission to use in all regions of the country. A new variety of Transcaucasian sainfoin ‘Kravtsov’ has a complex of such economically valuable traits as intensive spring and post-harvest regrowth, high foliage (42–45 % in the first cut, 52–57 % in the second cut), and resistance to unfavorable environmental factors. The plant height in the budding phase was 110–115 cm, which exceeded standard plants’ height by 10–15 %. The variety is highly resistant to drought and lodging, tolerant to diseases and pests. The variety is highly productive with 33.8 t/ha of green mass, 9.7 t/ha of hay and 1.1 t/ha of seeds. There is 17% crude protein in dry matter. 1000-seed weight is 23–25 g.

Technological properties of winter common wheat varieties depending on the forecrops

Introduction. Wheat is the main grain cropwhich is used for fodder and food purposes in most countries of the world. Flour is the main product of wheat processing, it is subject to a number of quality and safety requirements depending on the use. The purpose of the current work was to identify varietal traits and the effect of the forecrops on the formation of technological properties of grain and flour of winter common wheat varieties, thento select the best of them according to the studied properties.Methods. There were estimated the technological properties of 17 winter common wheat varieties (Triticum aestivum L.) developed by the Agricultural Research Center “Donskoy”, 10 of them were included in the State List of Breeding Achievements, 7 of them are currently being studied. The indicators of the technological, flour-milling, biochemical and physical traits of grain were assessed in accordance with the GOSTs.Results. There has been established that for the entire period the varieties formed a large nature grain weight and corresponded to the first quality class according to the two studied forecrops. As a result of the conducted study there was found out that the choice of a forecrop affected protein percentage in grain and flour. There has been identified varieties ‘Zhavoronok’, ‘Podarok Krymu’, ‘Zolotoy Kolos’, ‘Ayuta’ and ‘Premiera’ had high flour properties according to the technological efficiency of milling (E) after both of the studied forecrops. The varieties ‘Zhavoronok’, ‘Podarok Krymu’ and ‘Premiera’ were characterized by high values of flour-milling estimation (MS).

The effect of sowing dates, methods and seeding rates on productivity of the grain sorghum variety ‘Zernogradskoe 88’

The current paper has presented the study results of the elements of cultivation technology (sowing date, sowing method, seeding rate) of grain sorghum in the southern part of the Rostov region. Field trials were carried out in 2018–2020. The object of research was the grain sorghum variety ‘Zernogradskoe 88’, included in the State List of Breeding Achievements for the North Caucasus region in 2013. According to the study results there was established that the lowest values of grain weight per plant and 1000-grain weight were formed with a seeding rate of 0.9 million of germinating seeds per ha.In the same variant of the trial, there was determined theworst plants’ preservation before harvesting. Sowing method had the greatest effect on plant density (69.5 %) and on 1000-grain weight (23.8 %); seeding ratehad the greatest effect on grain weight per plant (52.5 %). On average, through the years of study, there was obtained the maximum productivity of 4.14 and 4.12 t/ha with a seeding rate of 0.4 and 0.5 million of germinated seeds per ha, respectively. For grain sorghum, the sowing method with a row spacing of 0.15 and 0.30 m was the most acceptable, where there was yielded 3.70 and 3.65 t/ha. When sowing seeds in the 3rd decade of May (20–22 °C of warming up the soil at a seeding depth), there was identified a maximum productivity of sorghum grain with 3.92 t/ha. The greatest effect on productivity formation (41.6 %) was produced by the seeding rate, the share of the effect of the sowing date was 24.8 %, that of the sowing method was 3.6 %, weather conditions affected on 7.7 %.

A new spring durum wheat variety ‘Tamara’ as a source of carotenoid pigments

The purpose of the current work was to develop and introduce into production a spring durum wheat variety adapted to the climatic conditions of the Lower Volga region, which meets the modern requirements of the raw material market for pasta producers to productivity and grain quality. Grain quality is the most important criterion by which durum wheat is evaluated. For modern pasta production, there is a great need in grain with a grain unit of at least 770 g/l; with kernel hardness of at least 80.0%; with high quality of gluten (gluten index of at least 80 u.); with carotenoid pigments of 7.0–8.0 mg/kg, where the yellowness index (semolina color) is not less than 22.0 c.u. The new spring durum wheat variety ‘Tamara’ meets all the requirements. The variety was developed by the method of complex hybridization between the best varieties and lines of the laboratory for spring durum wheat breeding and seed production of the “FARC of South-East” and selected samples from the collections of the breeding centers of the Russian Federation, VIR, and ICARDA. The variety is middle-maturing, with 50 days from a germination to heading stage, with plant height of 96 cm. On average, through three years (2019–2021), the productivity of the variety exceeded that of the standard variety ‘Krasnokutka 13’ on 0.3 t/ha, and the variety ‘Saratovskaya zolotistaya’ on 0.5 t/ha. In 2020 in the production sowing of the Krasavskoye OPH the maximum productivity was 3.14 t/ha. The variety is characterized by a high percentage of carotenoid pigments, gluten elasticity and strength, an amber-yellow shade of spaghetti, their low digestibility, delicious taste and nutritional value. The new spring durum wheat variety ‘Tamara’ has been included in the State List of Breeding Achievements since 2022. The variety has been recommended for cultivation in the 8th region of the Russian Federation. 

Sudan grass productivity depending on meteorological conditions

Productivity of any crop is the potential of the variety when interacting with environmental factors, and especially meteorological ones. Losses due to unfavorable conditions in some years can be up to 50-65,0 %. The purpose of the work was to identify how the productivity of Sudan grass green mass varied through the years with different meteorological conditions, which factors had the greatest effect on it. The study was carried out in 2012-2021 in the conditions of Rostov region. The soil of the plot was ordinary carbonate chernozem. The object of the study was the Sudan grass of Alisa variety, introduced into the State List of Breeding Achievements in 2019. Differences in sowing dates (I-II decades of May) had no effect on green mass productivity and the time of grain maturing. The Sudan grass green mass productivity varied significantly from 36 t/ha to 43 t/ha through the years of study. The year of 2021 was more favorable both in temperature and moisture supply for the formation of the first cut of green mass, and the year of 2018 was favorable for the formation of the second one. The first cut of the green mass was more important and productive. The second cut productivity in 2018 was 84.5 % of the first cut and 45.8 % of the amount of both cuts. In 2021, 35,0 % of the first cut and 26.5 % of the total productivity. The correlation analysis has confirmed that green mass productivity has a close positive correlation with the amount of precipitation (r = 0.79) and a mean negative one with the average air temperature during the vegetation period (r = -0.59).

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.

Yasenka’ is a new word in obtaining the ‘golden grain’ of durum wheat

The purpose of the current study was to develop a new drought-resistant initial material, adapted to local conditions and spring durum wheat varieties on its basis. Due to the method of intraspecific hybridization and individual selection, there has been developed the spring durum wheat variety ‘Yasenka’ in the F5 hybrid combination obtained from crossing the varieties ‘Lilek x Nikolasha’. The developed variety is short-stemmed, middle maturing, resistant to drought and lodging. Its potential productivity is high, due to the maximum yield of 6.44 tons per hectare obtained in 2017 when sowing after peas. On average, over three years of competitive variety testing (2015–2017), its yield was 6.02 tons per hectare, which is higher than that of the varieties ‘Volnodonskaya’ on 1.08 and ‘Nikolasha’ on 0.40 tons per hectare. There has been found an advantage in terms of productivity over other varieties when sowing at a later date. Grain and pasta quality indicators are high. When evaluating grain according to the international standard ISO 21415-2, the variety ‘Yasenka’ showed a high Gluten Index (94) and a Minolta color index “b” (30), which corre- sponds to the world quality level. Under natural conditions, it is characterized by field resistance to the main leaf fungal diseases. Against the background of artificial infection, there has been established high resistance to head smut, powdery mildew and hard smut, resistance to septoria blotch and brown rust, moderate susceptibility to head blight. The variety has been included into the State List of Breeding Achievements of the Russian Federation since 2018 and it’s protected by the patent of the Russian Federation.

The new middle-maturing winter barley variety ‘Marusya’

Last years the Rostov region has faced a significant climate continentality increase during the growing season of winter crops. This factor makes necessary to develop new varieties of intensive winter barley with a high level of ecological adaptability, resistance to lodging and leaf diseases, with a high level of potential productivity. The purpose of the current study was to develop a new highly productive, stress-resistant winter barley variety with a high level of adaptability and to evaluate it according to economically valuable traits. The current paper has presented the agrobiological characteristics of the winter barley variety ‘Marusya’, the originator and patent holder of which is the Federal State Budgetary Scientific Institution “Agrarian Research Center “Donskoy”. The research was carried out from 2018 to 2020 in the fields of experimental crop rotation of the department of barley breeding and seed production of the FSBSI “ARC “Donskoy”. The forecrop was peas. The accounting plot area was 10 m², the number of repetitions was 6. The winter barley variety ‘Timofey’ was used as a standard variety. The species was parallelum. The type of development was facultative. Over the years of study in the Competitive Variety Testing of the FSBSI “ARC “Donskoy” (2018–2020), the variety produced from 8.0 to 11.2 t/ha, that exceeded the standard variety ‘Timofey’ on 0.5–1.5 t/ha. Since 2020, the State Commission for Variety Testing of Agricultural Crops decided to include the variety ‘Marusya’ in the State List of Breeding Achievements in the North Caucasus region. The variety is being studied in the Central Blackearth and Lower Volga regions of the Russian Federation. The consistently high productivity of the new variety is achieved due to the large grain and higher indicators of the yield structure elements and resistance to diseases in comparison with those of the standard variety ‘Timofey’

The new early-maturing winter bread wheat variety ‘Zhavoronok’

There has been presented the characteristics of the new early-maturing winter bread wheat variety ‘Zhavoronok’ according to economically valuable traits and properties. The development of early-maturing grain crop varieties is one of the main issues of grain production. The combination of a relatively short vegetation period with high productivity in one genotype helps to solve a number of agricultural concerns. This allows using techniques more systematic, reducing the intensity of harvesting and yield loss significantly, which occur when cultivating simultaneously maturing varieties on large areas. The purpose of the current study was to evaluate the new early-maturing winter bread wheat variety ‘Zhavoronok’ on the basis of a set of economically valuable traits. The study was carried out in 2015–2019 with such forecrops as maize for grain, weedfree fallow, peas and sunflower. In the department of winter wheat breeding and seed production of the FSBSI Agricultural Research Center “Donskoy” a lot of work is being done on winter wheat breeding, and one of the important directions is the development of early-maturing varieties. The winter bread wheat variety ‘Zhavoronok’ has been included in the State List of Breeding Achievements of the Russian Federation since 2020 and approved for use the North Caucasus and Nizhne-Volga regions. According to the length of the growing period, it belongs to the early-maturing group. Its high and stable productivity with various forecrops is explained by a complex of positive economically valuable traits and properties, such as high productivity of a head, resistance to lodging and brown rust, high frost resistance (the same as that of the variety ‘Don 107’). The variety ‘Zhavoronok’ is capable of producing good yields and full grain in arid years, its early maturity allows it to ‘escape’ drought, disease and other unfavorable conditions.