Twelve original parental forms of raspberry, as well as their nine progeny combinations of controlled breeding, were evaluated for the main performance characteristics. The work was carried out at the collection and trial gardens of the Kokin testing station of the FSBSO ARHCBAN in 2019-2021. The shoot loading was determined under field conditions by counting the fruiting branches on a stem and the average number of berries per 1 fruiting branch. The original forms were subjected to triple analysis. The average mass of berries was determined by measuring no less than 100 fruits in each analysis using the SCC-750 electronic balance. Hybrid seedlings were counted by bush, and at least 30 fruits were collected from each plant to determine the average berry mass. The weather conditions during the study period varied considerably. This ensured a more accurate evaluation of the studied raspberry material for its performance characteristics. Several varieties were differentiated by the following parameters: Smile, Gusar, Lavina, Skromnitsa and selected forms 8-6-3 and 11-126-1 by the number of laterals per stem (20 and more); Brigantina and selected form 11-126-1 by the number of fruits per lateral (16 berries per fruiting branch); Cowichan, Lavina, Phenomen by fruit mass (over 3.5 g). The negative association of berry mass with the number of berries per fruiting branch was confirmed. It was established that the berry mass is associated by 25 % with the variations in fruit number on the lateral. Analysing the hybrid progeny allowed the most promising breeding combinations to be identified based on performance characteristics. When breeding for improving the number of laterals per stem, the families Gusar×8-6-3, Gusar×Volnitsa, 8-6-3×Cowichan, 8-6-3×Smile deserve special attention; Gusar×Volnitsa, 8-6-3×Smile, 8-6-3×D-1-1, Skromnitsa×Phenomenon and 18-11-2×11-126-1 when breeding for improving polycarpic yield; Skromnitsa×Phenomenon and Brigantina×Lavina when breeding for improving the size of a fruit. Among the hybrid progeny of some breeding combinations, the genotypes 2-58-2, 2-58-3 (18-11-2×11-126-1), 2-60-1, 2-61-2 (Hussar×8-6-3), 2-59-1, 2-59-2 (Skromnitsa×Phenomenon), 2-83-1 (Brigantina×Lavina), and 2-60-2 (8-6-3×Cowichan) were obtained that exhibit several performance characteristics and represent novel material in raspberry breeding for yield improvement.

The fruiting behaviour of eight pear varieties of the Urals selection was studied: Tonkovetka Uralskaya, Nizkoroslaya, Talitsa, Zarechnaya, Permyachka, Gvidon, Dobryanka, Raduzhnaya; Polya was used as a reference. The research was carried out in 1992-2020. All examined varieties began fruiting at the age of 5-6 years; heavy bearing was achieved at the age of 7-13 years. The early maturity of the Gvidon variety was singled out, in which heavy bearing occurred at the age of 7 years and annually exceeded the reference variety by the total yield at a young age (6-12 years). The Gvidon, Raduzhnaya and Zarechnaya varieties showed statistically significantly higher yields at the age of 13-29 years (21.1-27.9 t/ha) than the reference variety; the Talitsa variety demonstrated similar yields to those of the reference (17.3 t/ha). The Tonkovetka, Uralskaya, Permyachka, Dobryanka and Nizkoroslaya varieties exhibited moderate yields (10.0-13.1 t/ha). In the Polya (k), Gvidon, Zarechnaya, Talitsa, Tonkovetka Uralskaya, Permyachka, Dobryanka, Nizkoroslaya varieties, positive dynamics was observed up to 15-19 years, in the Raduzhnaya variety — up to 20-24 years. The maximum growth rate in yield was reported for all varieties at 10-14 years. The Gvidon and Raduzhnaya varieties comprise high-yielding, regularly fruiting, with a medium stable yield; the Zarechnaya variety represents high-yielding with irregular fruiting. The Talitsa variety constitutes a high-yielding variety with irregular fruiting. The Tonkovetka Uralskaya and Permyachka varieties are medium-yielding with medium stable fruiting. The Dobryanka and Nizkoroslaya varieties are medium-yielding with irregular fruiting.

Currently, biologized systems of land use and cultivation of agricultural crops based on the application of biological methods of plant protection, organic and organomineral fertilizer systems are becoming more widespread in various branches of crop production, including industrial horticulture. At present, in various fields of crop research, including industrial horticulture, biological land use and cropping systems based on biological plant protection methods, organic and organomineral fertiliser systems, have increasingly been used. The fertilisation of the column-like apple tree, dramatically different in its parameters and characteristics of physiological development from the apple tree with a conventional crown, has been insufficiently studied. The specific biological fertiliser systems for column-like apple trees should be developed. It is necessary to define doses, forms, periods, methods of mineral and organic fertiliser application into particular soil and weather conditions of cultivation, which will ensure stable fruiting of column-like varieties, high performance of plants, commercial and consumer qualities and environmental safety of fruits, beneficial for human health. The present work established the influence of mineral and organomineral fertiliser systems on plant performance and fruit quality of column-like apple-tree cultivated on sod-podzolic soils. The research objects included the Triumph, President, Valyuta and Ostankino column-like apple varieties, organic and mineral fertilisers. The research was carried out in 2016-2020 in the field agrochemical experiment at the Demonstration Garden of FSBSO ARHCBAN (Moscow region) on the sod-podzolic soil having medium loamy particle-size distribution. The experiment included 4 groups: 1) control without fertilisers, 2) N90K90, 3) 100 t/ha of organic fertilisers, 4) N90K90 + 100 t/ha organic fertilisers. Mineral fertilisers (Na, Kc) were applied annually; organic fertiliser (bedding horse manure and sawdust) was applied in 2014. The performance measurements, plant biometrics and analyses of plant samples were carried out following the standard methods. The influence of mineral and organomineral fertiliser systems on plant performance and fruit quality of column-like apple trees growing on sod-podzolic soil showed varietal specificity and diversity, depending on the variety. The Valyuta variety was more sensitive to mineral fertilisers (plant performance improved by 22.1 % over the unfertilised control) than organic fertilisers (plant performance decreased by 14.3 % compared to the reference). Although the President variety reacted positively to the application of organic fertiliser (plant performance increased by 22.5 %), the apple mass per plant in this variety decreased by 9.0 % when mineral fertiliser was applied. Furthermore, the co-application of an additional fertiliser (organic or mineral, respectively) for Valyuta and President varieties reduced the plant performance. The Triumph variety showed a weak sensitivity to various forms of fertilisers; upon their coapplication, the plant performance of this variety decreased by 12.4 % relative to the unfertilised control. The Ostankino variety characterised by the highest plant performance (up to 5.5 kg/plant) showed low sensitivity towards each fertiliser; under their co-application, the plant performance increased by 14.6 % relative to the control.

Some species of parasitic fungi from the genus Colletotrichum afflict the vegetative organs of a plant, while the others affect the reproductive organs. This results in the deterioration of berry quality and yield and the potential death of a plant. Colletotrichum fungi causing anthracnose in the red currant berry were first isolated in Russia from the fruits of red currant (Ribes rubrum) and its varieties received from the Moscow, Yaroslavl and Kostroma regions and the Mari El Republic. The susceptibility of these crop varieties depended on the infection potential of Colletotrichums pp. in the plantings and weather conditions. Infestation symptoms include wrinkled fruit that develops during berry ripening. Species of this pathogen are preserved within mummy berries and dry clusters on the branches. The flowers were infected under the conditions of the Moscow Region in the first decade of May 2021; under the conditions of continental climate in the Mari El Republic, visual symptoms of the disease were absent within this period; however, the pathogen had already been present in the plantations. Therefore, it can be concluded that the pathogens behave as biotrophs when infecting red currant. The results of morphological and molecular genetic analyses showed that two species of the genus Colletotrichum parasitise on red currant in the Moscow region: Colletotrichum godetiae Neerg., Friesia and Colletotrichum fioriniae Marcelino&Gouli.

The grape bacteriosis agent (Pierce disease), namely, Xylella fastidiosa, represents a quarantine disease that is absent on the territory of the Eurasian Economic Union. For its efficient detection, the methods should be harmonised with international and local protocols; the import substitution of the recommended reagents should be considered. Five PCR tests were optimised using domestically produced compounds, and their main efficiency criteria, as per the EPPO standard 7/098 (4), were determined during studies carried out at the FSBI VNIIKR. In addition, a commercial kit, “Phytoscreen” (LLC “Syntol”, Russia), was validated. The results of the applicability assessment revealed a high sensitivity of real-time PCR (102 CFU/ml) following Harper et al. (2010), Li et al. (2013) and Ouyang et al. (2013), high sensitivity (no false positive or non-specific reactions were detected) and 100 % precision in experiment and site precision. These tests will be included in the guidelines for detecting X. fastidiosa as a screening test. It should be noted that the sensitivity of PCR, as per Li et al. (2013), using the 5x MasCFE TaqMIX -2025 reaction mixture (“Dialat Ltd.”, Russia), was improved relative to the data reported in TPS (2018). In addition, real-time PCR based on Francis et al. (2006) and classical PCR, as per Minsavage et al. (1994), exhibit an analytical sensitivity of 100 % at target concentrations of 103 and 104 CFU/ml, respectively. All real-time PCR showed selectivity for lavender extract, excluding the commercial Phytoscreen kit, which was characterised by inhibition of amplification.

The dry-air thermotherapy for fruit and berry crop recovery from harmful viruses has become a widely used technology. The method allows virus-free plants to be obtained within one year. The present work examines the heat resistance of pear plants during the recovery from major harmful viruses using dry-air thermotherapy. The method was employed on the pear plants of Belorusskaya Pozdnyaya, Bryanskaya Belitsa, Velesa, Letnyaya Zabava, Zolotoy Vityaz, Aurora, Gera, Chizhovskaya varieties, R-11-9, R-10-3, R-2-4 hybrids and Zagoryevskii rootstock in 2020-2021 at a temperature of 38 °C for 90 days. The recovery was carried out against harmful latent viruses of apple-tree stem pitting (ASGV), apple brown spot (ASPV), chlorosis (ACLSV), apple mosaic virus (ApMV). For thermotherapy, a temperature chamber designed at the FSBO ARHCBAN, having a temperature gradient for root and elevated systems, drip watering, illumination by LED fixtures, was used. The transpiration rate, leaf water content, water loss, water deficiency and recovery of water content were determined. The plant growth parameters of different pear varieties depended on the duration of thermotherapy and varietal features. The Velesa, Zolotoy Vityaz varieties and Zagoryevskii rootstock generated the longest shoots. As compared with winter greenhouse conditions, the transpiration rate decreased 2.1 times, the total water content in leaves increased 1.5 times, the water loss upon heat shock decreased 1.6 times, and the recovery of water content increased 1.8 times. The Bryanskaya Krasavitsa varieties and R-11-9 and R-10-3 hybrids exhibited the highest heat resistance during cultivation in a heat chamber; the Letnyaya Zabava and Zolotoy Vityaz varieties exhibited medium heat resistance; the Belorusskaya Pozdnyaya variety, R-2-4 hybrid and Zagoryevskii rootstock were characterised by low heat resistance. A high positive correlation (r = 0,92) between total water content in leaves and the recovery of water content following heat shock was established. The yield of ASGV, ASPV, ACLSV, ApMV virus-free pear plants in the year following dry-air heat treatment amounted to 83 %.