For the fi rst time, the results of studying of varieties and breeding forms of apricot in the gene pool collection of the Nikita Botanical Garden – the National Scientifi c Center of the Russian Academy of Sciences (NBS – NSC) (Yalta, Crimea) on the tolerance to the plum Sharka disease – Plum pox potyvirus (PPV), are presented in the article. The collection includes varieties from diff erent ecological and geographical groups that give us the possibility to present an objective comparative assessment of their susceptibility to phytopathogens. Based on long-term monitoring of the apricot orchards on PPV susceptibility in the collection of NBG-NSC, single aff ected plants were discovered and exterminated. Molecular genetic approaches to apricot breeding for tolerance were demonstrated and PPV tolerant genotypes were selected. According to the results of the research, hybridization was carried out. During the entire period of the research, in order to create genotypes tolerant to PPV, 28 738 fl owers were pollinated and 2 908 hybrid seeds were obtained from which plants were grown. Under in situ and in vitro conditions, new breeding forms tolerant to PPV were obtained. The prospect of biotechnological methods usage for inducing the development of hybrid apricot embryos was shown. The conditions for their culture (trophic, hormonal, and physical) were determined, viable seedlings and plants were obtained in vitro and planted for further adaptation ex vitro and to the open ground. New created plants were evaluated and breeding forms were selected, characterized by tolerance to PPV, good fruit quality and high stable yield. Based on the comprehensive studies, two breeding forms of apricot (‘97 -11 ’and ’97-17’) tolerant to PPV and promising for breeding and commercial cultivation were identifi ed.

The results of studies and use of apple varieties of natural breeding in the long-term breeding are given. At the Russian Research Institute of Fruit Crop Breeding (RRIFCB), a large apple gene pool has been collected, which is presented by varieties and forms of diff erent genetic and geographical origin including a collection of natural breeding varieties. The purpose of these studies is to identify apple varieties of natural breeding that are the best in the main economic and biological parameters for use in breeding to create new varieties adapted to local conditions. It has been found that the varieties of natural breeding, as a rule, are characterized by valuable economic and biological traits, which provide them with high environmental adaptability. The use of varieties of natural breeding has been analyzed. We have revealed the varieties that are more often used as parent forms in breeding: ‘Antonovka Obyknovennaya’, ‘Borovinka’, ‘Papirovka’ and some others. The sources of the most valuable economically useful traits have been identifi ed, such as high winter hardiness, productivity, resistance to diseases, long storage life and improved biochemical composition of fruit. Tetraploid forms of ‘Papirovka’ have been studied for using as donors of diploid gametes. Tetraploid mutant of ‘Antonovka Obyknovennaya’, i.e. ‘Antonovka Ploskaya’ has been studied. The description of apple varieties of natural breeding, which can yet be met in old orchards of Central Russia, is given. 20 apple varieties obtained with using varieties of natural breeding have been created at RRIFCB and included in the State register of breeding achievements. Varieties ‘Avgusta’, ‘Bolotovskoye’, ‘Vavilovskoye’, ‘Imrus’, ‘Osipovskoye’, ‘Svezhest’ and ‘Yablochny Spas’ already occupy large areas in the commercial orchards.

The eff ect of cytokinins from the adenine and diphenylurea groups on adventitious organogenesis in vitro in isolated tissues of the genus Rubus plants was studied. Leaf explants and callus of red raspberry of the Volnitsa variety, blackberry of the Chester Thornless variety and the Rubus odoratus species were cultivated in the dark at a temperature of +25 ±2 °C on Murashige and Skoog medium. The medium contained 0.5 mg/l of gibberellic acid (HA), 0.5 mg/l of indolylacetic acid (IAA), and 6-benzylaminopurine (6-BAP) at concentrations of 0, 1, 2 and 4 mg/l or thidiazuron (TDZ) at concentrations of 0.1, 0.2 and 0.4 mg/l. The number of explants that formed adventitious shoots and the number of shoots per explant were taken into account. It has been established that for the induction of adventitious morphogenesis from leaf explants and calluses of red raspberry and blackberry the use of 6-BAP is more eff ective, thydiazuron is more eff ective for Rubus odoratus. The optimal concentration for 6-BAP is 2 mg/l and 0.2 mg/l for TDZ. Exceeding these concentrations of cytokinins can cause shoot vitrifi cation. For blackberry, it is possible to increase the content of 6-BAP in the medium for the induction of morphogenesis to 4 mg/l. The unequal ability to regenerate adventitious shoots in diff erent genotypes was revealed. In optimal variants of the experiment, the maximum frequency of their formation ranged from 13.3 % in Rubus odoratus to 40.0 % in blackberry. The use of the established optimal concentrations of growth regulators made it possible to obtain regenerated plants from callus that underwent long-term cultivation (for 10 months) on artifi cial nutrient media during tissue selection for tolerance to heavy metal salts and pesticides. Despite the reduced morphogenetic potential of tissues undergoing prolonged cultivation in vitro, 3 red raspberry regenerant plants and 1 Rubus odoratus plant were obtained from callus selected for tolerance to cobalt chloride. 9 blackberry plants and 7 red raspberry plants were regenerated from the tissues selected for pesticide tolerance.

In the Russian Research Institute of Fruit Crop Breeding (RRIFCB), twenty-one new red currant varieties with a number of commercially valuable traits and high adaptive potential were created for the period of 1984-2018. The chemical composition of berries of these varieties was studied by the main components: soluble solids, sugars, organic acids, ascorbic acid and phenolic compounds as well as Ratio (sugar-acid index) was calculated. Widespread European varieties Hollandische Rote and Jonkheer van Tets were taken as standards. Genotypes that exceeded average values were revealed by each studied biochemical component. A signifi cant part of the RRIFCB breeding varieties accumulated more than 50.0 mg/100 g of ascorbic acid in berries. In varieties Marmeladnitsa, Niva, Podarok Pobeditelyam, Selyanochka and Ustina this parameter was higher than 60.0 mg/100g. The amount of phenolic substances was higher than the average value (more than 450 mg/100g) in varieties Asya (629 mg/100 g), Marmeladnitsa (466), Niva (473), Osipovskaya (435), Podarok Pobeditelyam (664), Premiyera (538), Selyanochka (593), Ustina (453) and standard Jonker van Tets (484 mg/100 g). Such red currant varieties as Vika, Marmeladnitsa, Orlovchanka and Osipovskaya had high parameters by several components. Varieties Asya and Selianochka were revealed by all studied components: soluble solids (Brix %) – 11.6 % and 12.9 %; sum of sugars – 2.23 % and 2.25 %; ascorbic acid – 54.0 and 62.9 mg/100 g; anthocyans – 95 and 85 mg/100 g; sum of P vitamin – 629 and 593 mg/100 g; Ratio – 3.5 and 4.1, respectively. Varieties Rosa and Bayana with pink and white berries, respectively, were characterized by high Ratio and taste.

Breeding work in the Michurinsk State Agrarian University (MSAU) is based on one of the eff ective strategies for producing high-quality planting material for establishment of intensive perennial fruit plantations – the use of apple varieties and clone stocks that are highly resistant to extreme factors and immune to diseases. As a result of many years of breeding work, the MSAU is the originator of 24 forms of clonal stocks (out of 46 forms allowed for cultivation in the Russian Federation) and the patent holder of 8 stocks. In 2018, 4 apple clonal rootstocks (70-20-20, 70-20-21, 71-7-22, 75- 1-62) were included in the State Register of Breeding Achievements admitted to cultivation on the territory of the Russian Federation. The main requirements for apple stocks for intensive orchards are high resistance to major environmental factors; suitability for intensive types of orchards; increased resistance to pathogens; good ability to vegetative propagation; lack of root shoots in the orchard; increase of productivity, early fruited varieties, quality of fruits. The advantages of planting material of apple trees on weak clonal rootstocks of the MSAU breeding are established: high compatibility of rootstocks with the best zoned and promising apple varieties; high frost resistance and winter hardiness of the root system, withstanding up to -16 °С – there are no foreign analogues on this basis; high resistance of stocks to the bacterial burn (unlike most foreign stocks); accelerated entry into fruiting, the onset of the period of commodity bearing fruit in the orchard on the 3rd ... 5th year; high productivity of commercial apple plantings in the conditions of Central Russia – an average of 25 to 40-50 tons / ha. For widespread introduction into production, the most studied clonal stocks of the MSAU breeding are recommended in Russia and in many countries of the world: the Paradizka Budagovsky (dwarf), 62-396 (half-dwarf), 54-118 (medium-sized). To increase the productivity and the resistance of plants and the eff ectiveness of Russian horticulture as a whole, it is necessary to create mother nurseries of apple rootstocks, free from harmful viral infections (repositories).

The Russian Federation imports large quantities of planting and grafting material of grapes, including from countries where dangerous harmful organisms are spread to vineyards. Plant protection specialists in this industry, as well as grape producers, must understand the possible risk associated with the danger of the entry of quarantine disease pathogens into the Russian Federation and the potential damage if infected plant material is imported. Studies have been carried out by the staff of All-Russian Plant Quarantine Center to assess the phytosanitary risk of pests associated with the import of seedlings, stocks and grape cuttings. Based on these studies, the list of pests for the vine that have quarantine status and potentially quarantine status for the Russian Federation, in particular bacterioses, phytoplasmas and viral diseases has been established. This article describes the main diseases that affect grapes and are included in the Unified List of Quarantine Pests of the Eurasian Economic Union, as well as potentially dangerous viral diseases that are not currently included, but planned for inclusion in the Unified List, which pose a serious threat if they penetrate to the territory of the Russian Federation. From quarantine pathogens, grapes are affected by grape bacteriosis (Pierce disease of grapevine) (Xylella fastidiosa Wells et al.), bacterial blight of grapevine (Xylophilus ampelinus (Panagopoulos) Willems et al.), Flavescence dorée of grapevine (Candidatus Phytoplasma vitis), from the planned inclusion grapes are affected by red spotting of grape leaves (Grapevine red blotch-associated virus), marbling of grape leaves (Grapevine vein clearing virus) and discoloration of the leaves of Roditis grape (Grapevine Roditis leaf discoloration-associated virus). The article considers the biological peculiarities of pathogens, ways of their possible penetration and spread on the territory of the cultivation of grape in the Russian Federation, host plants of quarantine and dangerous pests, the main symptoms of diseases on plants, possible vectors, damage caused by quarantine pests in the countries of spreading, diagnostic methods, as well as areas of possible harmfulness for the Russian Federation.

The article presents the estimation of the parasitic activity of Habrobracon hebetor against the codling moth, the initial population of which was captured in the apple orchard of All-Russian Research Institute of Biological Plants Protection. As a result of the research the biological peculiarities of the natural population of ectoparasite were studied, the host insect – the wax moth (Galleria mellonela L.) was selected, the effi ciency of the bioagent against caterpillars of middle and older ages of codling moth was studied, which was 51.7 and 75.6 %, respectively. In the organic apple orchard of the «List» group companies, the production of gabrobracon against codling moth was carried out on Liberty and Florina varieties of autumn maturation at the rate of 1500 individuals/ha. As a result of the experiment, uniform distribution of gabrobracon throughout the orchard was established. The degree of infection of the pest’s caterpillars by ectoparasite was 50-65 % and the fruit damage was 3.8 %. In order to include the bioagent in the system of orchard protection against the codling moth, a number of biological, biorational and chemical insecticides were evaluated in laboratory conditions for compatibility with ectoparasite. The survival rate of the gabrobracon population after Lepidocid, CK treatment was 79.8 %. The baculoviruses preparation FermoVirin YaP, based on granulosis of the codling moth, is absolutely non-toxic for H. hebetor (the imago emergence after treatment was 100 %, which indicates the complete compatibility of the entomophage and the preparation). On the basis of the received data the inclusion H. hebetor bioagent into the system of apple tree protection against the codling moth in conditions of plain part of Krasnodar region is expedient as it allows to increase the effi ciency of the biological protection system of the apple orchard.