The efficiency of donors in plant breeding depends on the degree of knowledge of the physiological and genetic background of agronomic characters. The research is aimed to assess quantitative agronomic traits (1000-grain weight, grain weight, grain number per spike and spikelet number per spike) in soft spring wheat varieties with different maturation timing in order to identify genotypes that show the best adaptation to the regional environment, high yield and resistance to stress. Agronomic traits were studied in 139 soft spring wheat varieties in contrasting years. The cultivars were divided into the following maturation groups: mid-early and early (31 plants), middle (94 plants) and mid-late (14 plants). In the mid-early and early group, Leningradskaya 97 and Rosinka 1 had three measures of maturation (grain weight per spike, grain number per spike, and spikelet number per spike) higher than the group average. In the middle group, Baganskaya 51, Prokhorovka, Omskaya kormovaya, Amir and Lada each had two or more measures significantly higher than the group average. In the midlate group, the winners were Omskaya 24 (grain weight per spike, grain number per spike and spikelet number per spike), Sibirskaya 16 (grain weight per spike and spikelet number per spike) and Ishimskaya 98 (1000-grain weight and spikelet number per spike). Varieties identified and characterized in this way can be used in the selection process as a source of higher 1000-grain weight, grain number per spike, spikelet number per spike and grain weight per spike. A tendency towards increase has been demonstrated for 1000-grain weight, spikelet number per spike and grain weight per spike depending on the length of the growing season. No reduction in vegetation period was observed in epiphytotic years in susceptible varieties as compared to resistant varieties.

A comprehensive field- and laboratory-based assessment of the eco-geographical and intraspecific diversity of oats helps determine the parameters, on the basis of which it is possible to select genotypes that may serve as genetic sources for breeding. The study aims to analyze the relationship of agronomic traits of oat genotypes from the VIR collection with resistance to Fusarium disease. The agronomic characters and disease resistance of 340 genotypes of hulled and naked oats belonging to the cultivated species Avena sativa L., A. byzantina C. Koch, A. abyssinica Hoch. and A. strigosa Schreb. of different geographical origin have been tested in field and laboratory conditions in 2007–2009 and in 2014. The artificial infection with Fusarium sporotrichioides Sherb. was used to evaluate bacterial loads and mycotoxin contamination in the oat genotypes. An integral analysis has shown that the duration of the second half of the vegetation period, resistance to lodging and pathogen infection, plant height and panicle elongation facilitate grain infection. It has been found that A. strigosa and A. sativa are less susceptible to Fusarium than A. byzantina and A. abyssinica. Naked oats are more resistant to Fusarium disease if compared to the hulled ones. A comparison of evaluation results for the local and bred genotypes has shown that local accessions with the unilateral panicle and dark-colored floral glumes are more resistant to Fusarium disease. When considering the geographical origin, a higher degree of resistance was discovered in local varieties from China as well as in some accessions from Russia and USA and bred cultivars from Belarus. In total, the characters studied made it possible to identify oat genotypes with high yield and resistance to Fusarium disease.

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.

Twenty six varieties of Kazakstani and 42 soybean breeding varieties from Russia, Ukraine, France, and Serbia have been studied. Depending on the length of the vegetation period from within 90–135 days, these varieties were divided into five ripeness groups. None of the Kazakstani varieties has been assigned to early season ripening group 00. Varietes in the mid-late and middle season ripening group, which are the most adapted to the cultivation conditions in the southeastern area of Kazahstan, showed the highest yield. Kazakstani varieties have been found superior to the others in average yield by 2.3 q/ha in mid-early group 0, by 3.6 q/ha in mid-late group II, and by 7.9 q/ha in late group III. The highest range of variation and the maximum level of protein collection was characteristic of the middleand of medium group. The amounts of protein and fat in the Kazakhstani and other varieties within the groups was found to be almost identical; at the same time, there was a notable positive correlation between precocity and high protein content. As a result, early-ripening soybean genotypes (groups 000 and 00) with promise for cultivation in the northern areas of the Republic of Kazakhstan have been identified and put together as a whole. The most productive Kazakstani variety was Zhansaya (included in the register of the Republic of Kazakhstan in 2012), which yielded 38.3–45.8 q/ha over the study period. High-protein variety Zara, with a protein content of 37.7 %–43.3 %, has been in variety testing in the Republic of Kazakhstan since 2011.

Development of resistant cultivars is one of the effective ways for protection of common wheat T. aestivum L. from fungal pathogens. The gene pool of wild and cultivated wheat relatives is often used for widening the wheat genetic diversity of resistance genes. However, alien genetic material introgressed into the wheat genome can contain genetic factors negatively affecting agronomically important traits. T. aestivum/ T. timopheevii introgression lines derived from different common wheat cultivars have characteristically good resistance to leaf rust and powdery mildew. A comparative assessment of these lines and initial wheat varieties during four field seasons revealed a significant effect of environmental factors on the phenotypic differences between traits that have relevance to productivity. Averaged data obtained for individual introgression lines and for cross combinations revealed both positive and negative tendencies in variations of agronomical traits. The positive effects include a significant increase in the numbers of tillers and spikelets per spike of the lines derived from cv. Skala. Reduction in spike productivity was found in groups of the lines derived from cv. Tselinnaya 20 and cv. Novosibirskaya 67. However, no significant differences in 1000-grain weight were found between most lines and original wheat cultivars. Analysis of the data obtained showed no apparent correlation between the reduction of agronomic traits and the amount of alien genetic material introgressed into the common wheat genome. T. aestivum/T. timopheevii introgression lines can be used as a source of resistance genes without reducing the yield of wheat cultivars.

Donors of resistance of common wheat to stem rust race Ug99 (breeding lines GT 96/90, 113/00i-4 and 119/4-06rw) are involved in cross breeding with the use of the step crossing and backcrossing method. While developing hybrids with the spring mode of life, donor of resistance 113/00i-4 (Sr2, Sr36, Sr39, Sr40, Sr44, Sr47) and accession 145/05i, which is resistant to leaf rust under the conditions of the RF Central Region but susceptible to Ug99, were used for backcrossing, 137 individual plants with the homozygotic state of alleles of 2–5 genes of resistance to stem rust were selected from the obtained hybrid families F4–F5 and backcross progeny BC1F3-BC2F2-BC3F2 by means of molecular markers. The progeny of these individual plants was tested in the North Caucasian and West Siberian regions of the RF for natural populations of stem and leaf rust and for powder mildew in the Central Region. The lines resistant to these diseases were estimated as to the other economically valuable features: plant height, number of days before heading, ear productivity, weight of 1,000 grains, protein and gluten content in grain, 71 spring wheat line with multiple resistance to two or three diseases and the development of best agronomic characters were selected for the Central region and 20 lines were selected for West Siberia for further testing of their competitiveness with the best varieties and lines in the breeding nurseries. As a result of the work, original source material was developed with several spring wheat resistance genes to Ug99.

Monogenic scab resistance and columnar growth habit are important breeding traits of apple. The use of molecular markers very accurately determines the presence of necessary genes in the genome early during ontogenesis and reduces the time of selection. The purpose of this study was molecular genetic testing of initial forms of apple and hybrid seedlings of apple to identify carriers of the target alleles of genes for monogenic scab resistance (Rvi6) and columnar growth habit (Co) and the clarification of the pattern of inheritance of the Co and Rvi6 genes in hybrid progeny populations. This paper presents the results of molecular genetic analysis of varieties Valuta, Uspenskoe, Belarusskoe sladkoe and seedlings of the Valuta×Uspenskoe and Valuta×Belarusskoe sladkoe hybrid families for genes controlling columnar growth habit (Co) and scab resistance (Rvi6). The presence of the dominant allele of the Co gene was diagnosed with primers 29f1 and JWI1r flanking the 5’-end of the insert at the Co locus controlling columnar genotypes. Allelic status of the Rvi6 gene was determined with the AL07-SCAR marker mapping at about 0.2 cM from the Rvi6 locus. The correlation frequency of inheritance of the allelic states of these genes has been determined. Valuta×Uspenskoe crosse yielded 48.1 % columnar genotypes and 77.8 % scab-immune genotypes; Valuta×Belarusskoe sladkoe crosses, 46.8 % and 68.0 %, respectively. The observed segregation conforms to the expected Mendelian ratios: 1:1 for columnar habit and 3:1 for scab resistance. The joint inheritance of columnar growth habit and monogenic resistance to scab has been analyzed. The hybrid seedlings that had the dominant Co allele together with the Rvi6 gene in the homozygous dominant state (Rvi6 Rvi6) in their genome have been identified, which can significantly intensify the selection process and run it into 100 % of hybrid seedlings with monogenic scab resistance and up to 50 % of genotypes with columnar growth habit.

Blast caused by fungal pathogen Magnaporthe oryzae B.C. Couch, 2002, is one of the most harmful diseases of rice (Oryza sativa L.), and so the development of resistant varieties is important in rice breeding. Evaluation of the efficiency of blast resistance genes against local populations of the blast pathogen is an important preliminary stage in the formation of the breeding program. In the course of the study, the level of resistance to blast pathogen was estimated for hybrid lines BC1F3 derived from local rice variety Khazar and containing the Pi-40 gene. Plants carrying the dominant allele of the Pi-40 gene in the homozygous state were used in the study. A synthetic population of Magnaporthe oryzae consists of six strains selected at different rice-growing regions in the Krasnodar territory and Rostov region in the season with epiphytotic development of blast disease was used for phytopathological evaluation. Resistance to neck and panicle blast was estimated. Phytopathological testing revealed that the disease had high prevalence in domestic rice varieties Diamant, Courage and Khazar (74.4 %, 57.9 % and 83.3 %, respectively). Khazar/IR 83260-2-10-5-2-1-B hybrid plants from population BC1F3 carrying the target gene showed a high level of resistance (7.6 % prevalence). They are valuable for breeding blast resistant varieties. These findings confirmed a wide spectrum of blast resistance of the Pi-40 gene and promise for use for development of rice cultivars resistant to the population of Magnaporthe oryzae common in the Krasnodar territory.

The presence of traits with negative effects for yield in breeding samples has forced breeders to reject them in the field. As a result, the risk of loss of valuable genotypes has appeared. In this article, it has been proposed that traits as these can serve as indicators of high adaptiveness of a variety if, in spite of their presence, the cultivar has high yield. The aim of the research was to assess the applicability of V.A. Strunnikov’s hybrid vigour hypothesis in soft wheat breeding. The experiment was conducted in 2010–2012 on the experimental field of FSSI Altai RIA. The object of research was a collection of 75 varieties and lines of bread soft wheat of different origin and groups of ripeness. Cultivars were evaluated for yield and eight more traits associated with yield. A retrospective analysis of yield from F2–F4 hybrid populations in 2010–2014 has been conducted for assessment of different methods of selecting parent pairs for crossing. It has been established that crossing two high-yield varieties and high-yield varieties that have a trait with a negative effect to the donor of this trait leads to highyield hybrid populations. In the latter case, high-yield hybrid populations that are less likely to be rejected by the 4th generation occur at higher rates.

Common vetch Vicia sativa L. is one of the major annual fodder legume crops in Russia. Like other legumes, it can enter into symbiosis with nodule bacteria of the genus Rhizobium and to fix molecular nitrogen from the air. This ability contributes to the enrichment of soils with nitrogen and the possibility of growing crops on poor soils. Vetch symbiotic genes have not yet been identified, so the breeding of this crop is confined to the assessment of breeding material with regard to nodulation and very rarely to the activity of nitrogen fixation measured by the acetylene method. This paper presents the results of studies of nodulation and nitrogen-fixing activity that we conducted with four spring vetch cultivars raised at the Siberian Research Institute for Plant Industry and Breeding. Two varieties of forage pea, namely Druzhnaya and traditional cv. Falenskaya 42, were taken as references. The activity of nitrogen fixation was assessed from nitrogenase activity, assayed by the acetylene method. The study revealed significant varietal differences in nodulation and nitrogen fixation, determined on a gas chromatograph Tsvet 500, Russia. The nitrogenase activity rates in vetch cultivars under study varied from 2811 to 6890 С2Н4 nmol/ plant/h. Two of them, Lena and Priobskaya 25, were prominent in high nodulation nitrogen fixation rates. Nodulation in the two reference pea cultivars was weaker than in vetch. However, their nitrogen fixation activities were higher.

Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L. Walp.) is a vegetable legume with promise for agricultural production in Russia. The impact of inoculation with three strains of Bradyrhizobium sp. from the All Russian Institute of Agricultural Microbiology (St. Petersburg) on nodulation and nitrogen fixation on two cowpea cultivars, Sibirskiy razmer and Yunnanskaya, has been explored All the strains used made both cultivars produce nitrogen fixing nodules. Differences between the varieties in the ability to form nodules and fix nitrogen following exposure to the different strains have been identified. High variation of the nodulation ability of both cultivars has been observed: at the beginning of flowering, the number of nodules per plant was 4–47 in Sibirskiy razmer and 17–117 in Yunnanskaya. Uninoculated vigna roots used as the control did not form nodules. At the beginning of flowering (48 days after inoculation) Sibirskiy razmer plants inoculated with strain 164 0503 (03) had the highest nodule weight per plant (0.79 g) and N2 fixation rates (5155.3 nmol С2H4/plant/h). The corresponding measures in Yunnanskaya were 1.41 g and 5255.5 nmol С2H4/plant/h following exposure to strain 162 0501 (01) and 4673.0 nmol С2H4/plant/h following exposure to strain (03). Analysis showed a correlation between nitrogen fixation rate and nodule weight (pcs./plant), r = 0.78 (p > 0.95). Data obtained suggest that effective symbioses are achieved between Sibirskiy razmer and strain 03 as well as between Yunnanskaya and strain 01.

Parameters of spike productivity in plants varieties Novosibirskaya 67 (N67), Saratovskaya 29 (S29), Puza-4 and «many-flowered» line Skle 123-09 were assessed in two years with different weather conditions. It was shown that «many-flowered» line Skle 123-09 is significantly higher in the number of grains per spike and number of grains per spikelet than varieties N67, S29 and Puza-4, and that the expression of «many-flowering» depends on the environmental conditions and the genetic background. It was shown that the «many-flowering» is a genetic trait and is therefore workable. A study of hybrids F2 С29×Skle123-09, N67×Skle 123-09, P-4×Skle 123-09 isolated plants with fan-shaped cones and a high number of grains per spikelet as Skle 123-09 and having the best performance of other features as ear varieties recipients. The seeds of these plants will be used to secure «flowering». Two-factor analysis of variance showed that the number of grains per spike knotted depends on growing conditions, genotype and their interaction. Variability of grains per spikelet in drought-resistant varieties of S29 and Puza-4 is mainly dependent on the genotype and, to a lesser extent, on the «genotype×environment» interaction. In variety N67 created for West Siberia, only genotype is a factor. The weight of a grain per ear primarily is primarily affected by «genotype×environment» (almost 60 %), while the influence of «genotype×environmental» was half as strong. The variability of «masse of one grain» in F2 hybrids (S29, P-4×Skle123-09) is influenced by environmental factors, genotype and their interplay. Genotype accounts for the highest impact (> 70 %). F2 hybrids (N67×Skle 123-09) share the greatest variability in the «genotype×environment» interaction (77 %).

The reed canarygrass (Phalaris arundinacea L.) is a wild-growing rhizomatous perennial cereal plant. This is a valuable forage and decorative crop, widely spread over all the continents except for Antarctic. So far, the reed canarygrass has become rather demanded in many European countries as a source of bioenergy. Among the major advantages of the reed canarygrass are high biomass yield, ecological stability, tolerance, and high seed production. Similar to most of wild-growing plants, the reed canarygrass is poorly studied. In the current study, the genetic diversity of a reed canarygrass collection (42 populations collected in meadow biocenoses of several regions in Russia and some other countries) was investigated using isozyme markers IDH (isocitrate dehydrogenase), GDH (glutamate dehydrogenase), MDH (malate dehydrogenase), ME (malic enzyme), and SKDH (shikimate dehydrogenase). Genetic control of these enzymes was determined in reed canarygrass for the first time. IDH and ME are controlled each by one locus (Idh and Me, respectively), SKDH and GDH have digenic control (loci Skdh1 and -2; Gdh1 and -2, respectively), MDH is controlled by 3 loci (Mdh1, -2 and -3). A number of alleles per locus varied from 1 to 3. High activities in different organs and tissues, as well as codominant inheritance make isozymes convenient genetic markers in various studies into ecological and population genetics, especially in plant species, like reed canarygrass, with unsequenced genome. Cluster analysis based on isozyme data distinguished 22 diverse groups. The degree of genetic similarity was not related with geographical origin of the material.

Anther culture is one of the methods to obtain DH lines of wheat. A limitation of this method can be cytogenetic instability in plants R0, leading to a decrease in fertility or sterility. In this study, we have investigated the fertility of R0, the fertility and cytogenetic variability of R1 in alloplasmatic introgression lines of common wheat in order to develop a cytogenetically stable DH lines with introgressions from different species. Lines 311/134, 311/FL, 311/IR with the cytoplasm from H. vulgare were studied. 311/134 carries the wheat-rye 1RS.1BL and wheatwheatgrass 7DL-7Ai translocations; 311/FL has the 1RS.1BL translocation and probably introgressions from A. glaucum; and 311/IR has the wheat-rye 1RS.1BL and wheat-Ae. speltoides T2B/2S#2 translocations. Green seedlings developed in anther culture for all lines. Differences between the lines in the ability for androgenesis and in the level of fertility in R0 and R1 have been revealed. Depressed androgenesis, low fertility and high aneuploidy were observed in 311/IR. It has been proposed that the reason for this is cytogenetic instability in gametes, which is caused by Gc genes located on T2B/2S#2. 63.3 % of 311/134 and 311/FL R1 plants that were grown from low seed-set R0 plants were aneuploids. Fertile R0 regenerant plants were identified that segregated in R1 for fertility and chromosome numbers. It has been demonstrated that DH lines are best developed from highfertility R1 plants with 2n = 42 irrespective of fertility in R0.

The process of microevolutionary differentiation of cereals by formation of recombinant genomes was studied in dynamics (F6–F17) with tetraploid wheat-rye amphidiploids as examples. Evidence that joint growing of tetra ploid amphidiploids having a common (pivotal) genome in their composition and differing in secondary (differential) genomes leads to their hybridization with high probability has been found. The forms developed are characterized by a very wide range of variability caused by different combinations of chromosomes and chromosome segments in dif­ferential genomes yet maintain the same structure of the pivotal genome. Intergenomic recombinations at the level of intact chromosomes were characteristic of homeologous groups with a high rate of stabili zation of the chromosomal composition, and recombinations at the level of chromosomal segments, of groups with a low stabilization rate, where heterologous chromosome pairs remained preserved for a long time. Dominance of regulatory genetic systems of the pivotal genome provides a high pairing level of homeologues from heterologous pairs in meiosis followed by intergenomic recombinations at the level of chromosome segments. Experimen tal data suggest that newly developed tetraploid forms interbreed easily forming a single hybrid zone, where permanent redistribution of genetic material of differential genomes and further range expansion of genotypic variability available to selection take place during alternation of generations whereby such a zone becomes a poten tial centre of speciation. Subsequent adaptive radiation of hybrid material in an ecologically separated environment occurs by selection of forms with different variants of the recombinant genome in various ecological niches.

Plant hormone ethylene regulates a wide range of physiological processes during plant development and coordinates different stress responses. Among others ethylene controls such practically significant characteristics of agricultural crops as fruit ripening rates and plant tolerance to stress conditions. That is why understanding molecular mechanisms underlying ethylene action is one of the basic questions in plant biology that is addressed in the context of both fundamental research and application in agriculture. Ethylene biosynthesis from methionine amino acid and the main points of its signaling pathway from membrane receptors to effector genes are studied in details and widely reviewed. Far less is known about genetic regulation of these two processes although it is the one that ensures accurate plant reaction to different endogenous and exogenous signals and causes the multiplicity of different physiological responses to ethylene. This review summarizes data about regulatory mechanisms of ethylene biosynthesis and signaling. It reports the key transcriptional and post-translational regulatory factors which control expression and stability of the main components of ethylene biosynthesis and signaling pathways, and describes multiple feed-backs supplementing the linear model of ethylene signaling. Particular attention is given to the role of hormonal crosstalk in the process. Different mechanisms of hormonal interaction are illustrated by synergy or antagonism of ethylene and auxin, jasmonates, cytokinins, brassinosteroids. Possible molecular basics of multiplicity of different physiological responses to ethylene is also discussed.