The results of application of microsatellite markers for the study of genetic diversity of 16 apples varieties breeding in All Russian Research Horticultural Institute for Breeding, Agrotechnics and Nursery on the basis of Vavilov Institute of General Genetics are presented. The DNA of all analyzed apple varieties was isolated from fresh young leaves by the STAB method. For the analysis, 10 SSR markers were selected: CH02c02b, CH03d01, CH03a04, CH02g04, CH01f03b, CH04e03, CH03d08, CH03d11, CH05g08, CH03d12. Amplifi cation of the SSR-loci selected for analysis was carried out using reagents manufactured by Dialat Ltd., in the T100 Thermal Cycler (Bio-Rad). As a result, 75 allelic variants were identifi ed at ten of the studied loci. The number of alleles per locus varied from 5 (CH04e03, CH03d11, CH05g08) to 11 (CH03d01, CH03a04), and averaged 7.5 alleles per locus. For each of the microsatellite loci studied, clear and reproducible results of fragment analysis were obtained. On the analyzed 16 apple varieties 75 alleles at ten studied loci were revealed. For one variety on all microsatellite loci used in the analysis, 17 to 20 alleles were amplifi ed. For all studied varieties, except Triumph variety, at least in one of the 10 examined SSR, loci allelic variants or combinations of allelic variants were marked and they not were found in other varieties of the sample. At the varieties Legenda, Marat Busurin and Mayak Zagor’ya, such specifi c allelic combinations of allelic variants were revealed in six of the ten analyzed loci. The value of the informative index (PIC) was ranged from 0.49 (CH03d11) to 0.84 (CH03a04) and averaged 0.720. The indicators of the expected (He) and observed (Ho) heterozygosity were varied from 0.54 (CH03d11) and 0.50 (CH04e03) to 0.85 (CH03a04) and 1 (CH02g04, CH01f03b and CH03d12) with an average value of 0.752 (He) and 0.838 (Ho). All the studied SSR loci showed a fairly high level of polymorphism. Data on the allelic composition of the 16 studied apple varieties can be used to identify and certify these varieties.

The possibility of improving the breeding process when creating apple varieties with a fundamentally new complex of characters is shown in this article. Breeding for the development of columnar, triploid and scab immune apple varieties is carried out at the Institute. Eight columnar varieties have been created, three of which have already been included in the State Register of breeding achievements admitted for use (‘Priokskoye’, ‘Poezia’ and ‘Vostorg’). In 2017 it is suggested to replenish the zoned assortment of the Central-Chernozem Region with columnar variety ‘Girlianda’. ‘Zvezda Efi ra’ is suggested for State testing. Both varieties are characterized by winter maturing of fruit. Production-biological descriptions of these varieties are given. All mentioned columnar varieties have immunity to scab (Vf). At the Institute for the fi rst time in the breeding practice, a series of triploid varieties have been created. They have been obtained from the parents with different ploidy. Triploid varieties are characterized by more regular fruit-bearing by years, high fruit marketability and higher autogamy (‘Augusta’, ‘Aleksandr Boiko’, ‘Bezhin Lug’, ‘Vavilovskoye’, ‘Dariona’, ‘Maslovskoye’, ‘Ministr Kisilev’, ‘Orlovski Partizan’, ‘Osipovskoye’, ‘Patriot’ and ‘Yablochny Spas’). Triploid apple varieties having immunity to scab (3x + Vf) are of particular interest (‘Aleksandr Boiko’, ‘Vavilovskoye’, ‘Maslovskoye’ and ‘Yablochny Spas’). Two triploid varieties with scab immunity have also been obtained from crosses between two diploid varieties. Great perspectives in breeding are opened at the creation of varieties, which combine columnar habit (Co), scab immunity (Vf) and triploidy (3x). There are no such apple varieties in the nature yet. We have obtained more than hundred such hybrids. Several elite seedlings have been selected from them (variety candidates). We believe this apple breeding direction to be rather promising, because in the nearest future it can give fundamentally new apple varieties with a complex of valuable characteristics.

The results of a long-term study of varieties and samples of blue honeysuckle Lonicera caerulea L. in the conditions of Moscow region are presented. The purpose of the work is to identify sources of economically valuable features. 36 domestic samples of different origin were studied. The most valuable forms for cultivation and further breeding work, possessing large fruit content, good taste of fruits, as well as high values of antioxidant activity and content of ascorbic acid in fruits (up to 59.9 mg/100 g) were revealed. Varieties differ in the absence of susceptibility to untimely awakening of buds and the shedding of the fruit when ripe. The varieties of mid-early and middle maturity are different for these characteristics: Lebedushka, Morena, Kuminovka, Lazurnaya, Moskovskaya 23, Gzhelskaya Rannyaya, mid-late and late maturation - Leningradskiy Velikan, Yulya, Fialka. The earliest varieties - Nizhegorodskaya Rannyaya and Tatiana are sources of good taste of fruit and are not prone to bud break in autumn and winter, but their fruits when ripe strongly crumble.

The results of researches of the complex of water regime indicators of 9 primocane raspberry varieties in different phenophases of plants development have been presented. The evaluation of the total water content, water defi cit, waterholding capacity, the degree of water restoration in leaves tissues after high temperature exposure has been made in the laboratory. As a result it is established, that the greatest amount of water in the leaves (72.6 %) is contained in the phase of intensive shoots growth; a little less in the phase of budding-beginning of fl owering (63.0 %), even lower the water content in the fruiting phase (61.1 %). The water defi cit in all varieties was an average level and varied from 12.3 % in the variety Gerakl to 14.4 % and in the variety Oranzhevoe chudo. The loss of water after 4-hours of wilting decreased on vegetation phases. Among the studied assortment, the water of the varieties Gerakl, Poklon Kazakovu and Atlant, in which water losses amounted to 22.5-24.2 % have been relatively slowly given off. The dynamics of water content restoration after the heat shock on the vegetation phases had the opposite direction and looked as follows: intensive shoots growth (average 93.3 %)

To successfully solve the problem of import-dependence of horticultural products, it is necessary to create a high-tech and science-intensive domestic industry to produce high-quality planting stock. This is due to the widespread introduction of intensive production schemes into domestic industrial horticulture, the transfer of nursery to a virus-free basis and the introduction of a certifi cation system for planting material.The main stages of the formation and development of a certifi ed planting stock production system were defi ned: the formation of basic knowledge, terminology, industry standards and GOSTs; formation of technological appearance; development of basic technological processes; the introduction of technological processes on the basis of modern industrial technologies; effi cient functioning of the industry on the basis of transfer and convergence of high and high technologies. Formulated terms, concepts and defi nitions were harmonized with international terminology. The categories of planting material of fruit and small fruit crops in accordance with the norms of phytosanitary condition and varietal purity were established and fi xed at the legislative level: initial, basic, certifi ed plants (3 reproductions). The terms and principles of the new technology policy have been elaborated, the main production and technological blocks, the competence areas and the responsibility of the performers at all stages of production of certifi ed planting material have been determined. The conditions for the successful implementation and introduction of an industrial technology for the production of certifi ed planting stock of fruit and small fruit crops in the Russian Federation were established.

The possibilities of methodical support for the selection and evaluation of land plots for placing industrial plantations of fruit and small fruit crops were considered. It was indicates the need for it to monitor environmental conditions in areas recommended for the creation of horticultural ecosystems and landscapes. The goal of solving this problem is formulated by conducting situational and analytical expertise of the adaptability of the territorial location of agrolandscape systems and habitats, using for this information and methodical resources of the ecological and landscape scientifi c approach. Taking into account the use of this know ledge format for small fruit, the article suggests a scenario in the examples of models presented by the structural schema. In the explanatory notes and comments on the diagram of depicted modeling of bio- and geosystems relation chips, attention is drawn to the constraints and translations of characteristics between them in the landscape. The principle of applying the methods of landscape and agroecological approaches to justify the selection (evaluation and land management) of primary ecologically homogeneous areas suitable for the placement of industrial plantations of small fruit crops is shown in the composition of the agrocenoses being formed. A structure of the small fruit methodology is proposed, including a monitoring and auditing methodology confi rming the validity of research fi ndings in industrial gardens of environmental phenomena. It was suggested that it would be useful to use appropriate databases and knowledge, procedures and auditing techniques to plan management of small fruits farming. The conclusions set out the need to use the theory of eco-landscape approach for small fruits farming in order to reasonably substantiate the suitability for ecologically homogeneous land plots for small fruit crops, their subsequent land use by working sites with the provision of audit supervision over the use of soils and the impact on the ecology of the garden of intensive technology selected for cultivating plantations of small fruit crops.

The article focuses on the possibility of introducing into urban landscaping only varieties of perennial phlox resistant to diseases. The data of phloxes damage of the ARHIBAN collection by the main fungal diseases causing leaves blotch, are given (pathogens: Erysiphe cichoracearum, Phyllosticta decussatae, Septoria phlogis, Cercospora omphacodes and Alternaria sp.). Based on the results of many years of research, including those favorable for the development of fungal diseases in recent years, the resistance of phloxes varieties to them has been estimated. When placing the plants Phlox subulata with creeping shoots on elevated areas they had no signs of disease lesions. Of the phlox with erect shoots, the varieties of Ph. maculata (‘Rosalinde’, ‘Shneepyramide’, ‘Delta’) were more resistant to diseases than most Ph. paniculata. The most resistant, medium-resistant and susceptible varieties of Ph. paniculata to the group of fungal diseases were revealed. The most resistant to disease varieties of this species were recommended for landscaping in the Moscow region (‘Creme de la Crème’, ‘David’, ‘Hochgesang’, ‘Peppermint Twist’, ‘Wilhelm Kesselring’ ‘Anya Gaganova’, ‘Batik’, ‘Belyy Biryulevskiy’, ‘Golub’ Mira’, ‘Kiyev Prazdnichnyy’, ‘Rozovyy Bordyurnyy’, ‘Uspekh’). It was concluded that it is possible to use in landscaping medium-resistant varieties to diseases with all the agrotechnical measures limiting the development of diseases.