The article presents the results of many years of breeding studies with species and varieties of the genus Pelargonium L`Herit. A genetic collection of pelargonium has been formed on the basis of the Subtropical Scientific Center of the Russian Academy of Sciences. It has 215 accessions and includes 35 natural species, 30 varieties of domestic and 150 foreign breeding. The hybrid fund contains 77 variety and 59 interspecific hybrids. Hybridization of species, varieties and hybrids of P. crispum, with a set of positive qualities, was carried out. The breeding is aimed at creating varieties of a new generation, not only decorative, but also aromatic. The following species in interspecific crosses involved the types of: P. crispum (Berg.) L’Herit., P. betulinum (L.) L’Herit, P. capitatum (L.), L’Herit., P. citronellum J.J.A. van der Walt, P. cordifolium (Cav.) Curt., P. cucullatum (L.) L’Herit., fragrant pelargonium variety ‘Gemstone’, interspecific hybrids Sp12-01, Sp-12-05 and Angel varieties: ‘Michael’, ‘Tip-Top’, ‘Pansy’, ‘Ralf’. Promising hybrids most adapted for cultivation in the humid subtropics of southern Russia were identified on the basis of a comprehensive evaluation of ornamentality and biological features. The possibilities of creating new modern pelargonium genotypes using the interspecific hybridization method are demonstrated. The object of research was a hybrid fund of interspecific crosses of 2012-2017. Species and varieties that are capable of transmitting to the first generation of hybrids a complex of breeding-significant characters: P. crispum, R.‘Gemstone ’and‘ Freshness of Morning ’have been identified. Morpho-biological features of interspecific hybrids are studied. Six hybrid forms have been identified for cultivation in the humid subtropics of Russia. They are promising for phytocompositions in sanatorium parks. Hybrids GG 15-15 and Sp16-07 are interested for further breeding as sources of breeding-significant characteristics (aroma and adaptability) for creation new generation of domestic varieties.

The expansion of viticulture in the world is accompanied by the spread of diseases and plant pests. Phylloxera is one of those organisms causing enormous damage to the world’s viticulture. The discovery of the possibility of grafting varieties on stock has led to the development of the breeding of stock originating from North America. Currently, the active use of different types of molecular markers for the identification and study of the genetic diversity of grapes allows to more accurately and efficiently study the biological peculiarities and genetics of plants. Obtaining good reproducibility of the analysis results and revealing the polymorphism between varieties and clones when using different types of markers, you can further use this knowledge for breeding in the selection of crossed pairs. The aim of the study in the present article was to study the common stock grape varieties - hybrids of American species. The article presents a study of the five most famous stock grape varieties: Kober 5BB and 420-A, Paulsen 1103, 101-14 and Richter 57 to identify genetic relationships and polymorphism between samples, based on the use of IRAP and iPBS primers. We used thirteen selected DNA markers that generated a total of 308 polymorphic DNA bands with 54.95 % polymorphism. The effectiveness of iPBS markers was comparable or even more effective than the markers based on retrotransposons. As a result of research, differences and commonality between stocks were clearly demonstrated by both cluster analysis and PCoA analysis.

The work reflects the aspects of introducing two varieties of apple trees into the culture in vitro: Prikubanskoe and Kubanskoe Bagryanoe. The aims of study included testing a new disinfection protocol that accurately regulates the content of active chlorine in the disinfecting solution, as well as studying the regenerative ability of explants of apple trees of the Prikubanskoe and Kubanskoe Bagryanoe varieties on different culture medium: Murashige and Skoog (MS) ¼ NH4 NO3 , and Kvorin-Lepuavra (QL). The disinfection protocol used made it possible to obtain an insignificant level of explant contamination with fungal infection in passage zero, which indicates the effectiveness of the tested extraction protocol. The contamination of explants in passage zero by fungal infection was insignificant, which indicates the high efficiency of the sterilizing agent. The level of bacterial infection is higher in the Kubanskoe Bagryanoe variety (21.3 % of the total amount of explants). The influence of the component composition of nutrient media on the primary growth of apple micro-shoots was revealed. The following results were obtained: the yield of viable explants of the Prikubanskoe variety grown on nutrient medium MS ¼ NH4 NO3 was 44,4 %, which is 16,4 % higher than explants grown on QL medium (28 %). Explants of the Kuba nskoe bagryanoe variety, in turn, have a yield of vital microplants grown on MS ¼ NH4 NO3 16.7 %, which is 30.4 % lower than explants grown on QL medium (47.1 %). The combined effect of the genotype and the composition of the nutrient medium on the development of explants was statistically significant for the studied parameters. The share of the cumulative effect of factors of the variety x medium is 74.93 %, the influence of the genotype is 20.72 %. The data obtained indicate the variety specificity of the nutrient medium during clonal micropropagation of these apple varieties.

The degree of fruit maturity varies from year to year, depending on hydrothermal conditions, and therefore it is impossible to focus only on the calendar dates of harvesting due to their seasonal changes. The keeping capacity and quality of apples have variety specificity and depend, among other factors, on the meteorological conditions of the growing season. The analysis of the quantitative content of ascorbic acid (AA) in the fruits of five new columnar scab immune apple varieties – Vostorg, Zvezda Efira, Poezia, Priokskoye and Sozvezdiye at the beginning and at the end of storage in different years (2012, 2014, 2016, 2018) showed the closest dependence of this parameter on the conditions of humidification of the active growing season (hydro-thermal coefficient (HTC)). The dependence of the AA content in fruits on the hydrothermal coefficient was approximated by the second-order parabola equation. Certain regularity was revealed in the content of AA in fruits depending on HTC. The parabolic curve, reflecting the maximum calculated AA content, increases to maximum values at HTC – 0.85-0.90 at the beginning of fruit storage and 0.79-0.89 at the end of storage. Under droughty conditions, the dependence curve decreases. The comparison of the experimental data with calculated data showed that the correlation relations between them had values from 0.61 to 0.88 at the beginning of storage and 0.40-0.99 at the end. The calculated data can be interpolated, and it makes sense to use HTC as one of the predictor parameters of fruit quality during harvesting and potential keeping capacity of fruits.

The article presents data on the study of the radiation regime and photosynthesis net productivity in the crown of an apple tree in connection with the regenerative pruning of old-aged trees. The object of the research was an apple tree of the Antonovka obyknovennaya variety, a seed stock (seedlings of cultivated varieties), planted in 1987. The test plot soil is leached chernozem. Options: 1. Established pruning (control); 2. Pruning for 5-6 year-old wood; 3. Pruning for 7-8 year-old wood. The experiment was arranged inrandomized blocks of 6 accounting trees in 3 replicates. The regenerative pruning was carried out in spring 2016. Every year damaged branches were removed in the control variant, while “wolf-like” shoots were thinned in other variants. The solar output was accounted within the daytime with the 2-hour interval from the northern and southern sides of the apple tree crown in its center, as well as under the crown at a distance of 1, 2 and 3 meters from the periphery to the center of the crown. The measurements were carried out after the growth activity cessation in the fine weather in August with a universal albedometer M-69 coming with a galvanometer GSA-1. The net productivity of leaves was determined by the method of A. S. Ovsyannikov in parallel, taking into account solar radiation. It is revealed that the regenerative pruning has a considerable impact on the performance of the solar output. The greatest arrival of solar radiation is noted on the periphery of the crown. In the treatment with pruning branches for 5-6 year-old wood, this parameter was 10.5-13.5 % higher than in the control variant. Pruning branches for 7-8 year-old wood improved lighting conditions by 27.6-31.7 % compared to the control. In the lower part of the crown, the radiation regime is less favorable for the photosynthesis process relative to the central part of the crown. Regenerative pruning increased the photosynthesis productivity significantly. In the central part of the crown, the highest parameters of the net photosynthesis productivity were observed on the periphery on the southern side when pruning for 7-8 year-old wood - 7.81 g of dry basis/m2 *day.

The article presents the results of the study of drought resistance of various grape varieties in the parameters of water regime and content of pigments. The objects of research were the grape varieties (interspecific hybrids) of the following origin: European-American (Dostoynyi, Krasnostop AZOS, Vostorg), Western European (Aligote), Eastern European (Zarif), Euro Amuro-American (Krystall). The aim of research was the comparative evaluation of resistance of grape varieties of different ecological-geographical origin to elevated temperatures and low water availability in the conditions of Anapa-Taman area, and selecting the most valuable genotypes. It was established that by the end of summer, the water content of leaf tissues decreased to varying degrees in all grape varieties, depending on their biological peculiarities. In the Kristall, Dostoyny, Krasnostop AZOS varieties, the water content of the tissues decreased to a lesser extent (by 4.0 - 4.1%) in comparison with Zarif and Aligote varieties (by 6.8 and 7.2 %, respectively). Kristall, Dostoyny, Krasnostop AZOS varieties showed the highest rates of the ratio of bound and free forms of water during the summer (2.01-2.50) due to the increased content of bound water. Same varieties are marked by a stable amount of chlorophyll content (a+b) during the summer, with some tendency to increase by 1,07- 1.18 times in August, and the increase in the proportion of carotenoids in the pigment complex, indicating an active adaptation of these varieties to drought and high temperatures. These parameters can be used as diagnostic characteristics to assess adaptive capacity of grapes.

The aim of the research is to reveal the peculiarities of the influence of agro-climatic factors of the humid subtropics of Russia on the yield of the industrial variety Hayward. The causal relationship between the value of variety Hayward yield and weather condition of the subtropics of Russia is revealed by multiple correlation-regression analysis over a 20-year period (2000-2019). Investment embedding in agrofi tocenosis creation of Actinidia allow effi ciently use the variety Hayward rather long time, considering its potential productivity, resistance to diseases and pests, quality of fruit, requirements to soil condition and pay-back period of the establishment of the planting. Long-term observations of productivity and modeling of the interaction of weather factor with yield of Hayward Actinidia deliciosa variety have shown the following: weather conditions of humid subtropics in the flowering phase of the crop are decisive for the year’s harvest size and are critical in their importance, since they refer to independent factors; unfavorable weather conditions in the Russian subtropics are repeated two years in a decade. At the same time, due to late spring frosts (-1,80 and -5 0 С) at the end of March – begin of April, young escapes perish, and against the background of a signifi cant deterioration in the conditions of pollination and fruit setting at temperatures above 30 0 C, abnormal pollen grains appear during flowering and the fertility decreases. At the late variety Hayward in such periods the yield forms 8-10 % from average (112.5 centers per hectare).

Strawberry vein bordering virus (SVBV) is a harmful strawberry pathogen and is spread in a number of European countries that supply the planting material of this crop to the Russian Federation. The virus spreads effectively with infected planting material and several aphid vectors. The climatic and agroecological conditions of many regions of the Russian Federation are favorable for the acclimatization and wide spread of this pathogen. SVBV is a quarantine object of European and Mediterranean Plant Protection Organization (EPPO) and several countries of the world. However, this dangerous pathogen is not regulated by the quarantine lists of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) and the Russian Federation. The most effective measure to prevent the spread of SVBV is the use of virus-free planting material obtained in accordance with an internationally recognized certification scheme. The most important measures to prevent the spread of SVBV are the control of aphid vectors and the reduction of the duration of the operation of the strawberry plantations. In existing plantations, due to the lack of registered antiviral drugs, the fight against viruses is difficult and consists in the removal and destruction of infected plants.

The article presents the results of a study of the process of inversion of sucrose in apple, carrot and pumpkin puree, occurring under ultrasonic action on them, with the formation of the total amount of reducing sugars, as well as with the identification of the autonomously manifested cavitation component that occurs simultaneously with thermal inversion. The relevance of research consists in identifying the quantitative value of reducing sugars formed due to a separately flowing cavitation component in the general inversion of sucrose, when exposed to ultrasound with specified parameters, in order to obtain new types of products with different physicochemical parameters and organoleptic characteristics, depending on changes in parameters processing. To identify the part of reducing sugars formed by the cavitation effect alone, in the total inversion of sucrose occurring during ultrasonic exposure to the product, it is necessary to exclude part of the increase in reducing sugars from the total amount of increase detected by thermal exposure. As a result of the calculations, the following values of the increase in the amount of reducing sugars (relative to the original data), obtained only due to the cavitation effect during ultrasonic processing of puree, were obtained. In natural apple puree the increase was 240 mg per 100 g, and in puree with added sucrose – 495 mg per 100 g, which is 2 times higher. In carrot puree the natural increase was 74 mg per 100 g, and in puree with sucrose it was 150 mg per 100 g, which is twice higher and confirms the same pattern as in apple puree. In natural pumpkin puree the increase was 27 mg per 100 g, and in puree with sucrose it was 84 mg per 100 g, which is more than 3 times higher than in natural. The results obtained allow us to conclude that when processing the product with ultrasound, the process of sucrose inversion is intensified; including its component obtained due to the cavitation effect, and the inversion is more deeply manifested in puree with added sucrose.