The article presents the results of a long-term study of the winter hardiness of pear varieties of domestic breeding in the conditions of the steppe zone of the Southern Urals (Orenburg region). The research was carried out in the Orenburg branch of the Federal Horticultural Research Center for Breeding, Agrotechnology and Nursery in 2018-2021 at the experimental site of the genetic collection of pears in 2002 planting according to generally accepted methods. Mathematical processing of the obtained data was performed using variance analysis by Dospekhov B. A. (2011). Field assessment of winter hardiness was carried out in the I-II decades of May after flowering and budding of vegetative buds. Damage to the bark, kidneys and wood was assessed by eye on a scale: 0 points − no damage, 5 points − tissues died. The objects of research were 15 varieties of pears. Planting scheme: 6×4 m. It was found that during the years of research in the conditions of Orenburg, the most unfavorable weather conditions were observed in the winter of 2017-2018 and 2020-2021, which made it possible to study the hardiness of varieties in the field by II-IV components. It was found that the studied pear varieties have sufficient winter hardiness, the degree of damage to them was: wood − 0,5-1,5 points, bark − 0,5-1,8 points and kidneys − 0,8-1,8 points. At the same time, the plants quickly recovered and began to actively vegetate, which indicates the high adaptive ability of most varieties. The greatest resistance to adverse winter conditions at the level of the control winter-hardy variety Krasnobokaya was shown by the varieties Krasulya, Skazochnaya, Pingvin, Isetskaya Sochnaya, Lel, Chizhovskaya, Lada, Uralochka and Povislaya, which can be recommended for use in the breeding process as sources of a sign of high winter hardiness.

Modern realities dictate the need to obtain scientific results and technologies that will be the basis for the innovative development of the domestic market for products and services. Creation and introduction into production of a new variety of brewing barley to fill the resulting niche. The purpose of the research is to determine the key points of the strategy for implementing the program for creating a brewing barley variety. The main points are: the availability of conditions and tactical decisions for the implementation of the program, the development of program stages and the production base. The project implementation period will be 3 years; net present value (NPV) – 1,348,141.7; project profitability index (PI) – 1.18; discounted payback period (DPP) – 7 years.

Micropropagation is a widely used method of plant propagation in the world, incl. rootstocks of fruit crops. Although methods are generally well developed, problems often arise in the process of work, which are mainly associated with the individual characteristics of the genotypes propagated in vitro. Therefore, for each variety and rootstock, an individual study of all stages of reproduction is necessary. In the course of this work, the influence of the chelated form of iron on the propagation rate and rhizogenesis of the rootstock for stone fruit crops PK SK 1 was assessed. At the stage of micropropagation, Fe-EDDHA (6 %, 100 mg/l) and 6-BAP (0,5 mg/l; 0,75 mg/l; 1,0 mg/l). Fe-EDTA (0,5 mg/l; 0,75 mg/l; 1,0 mg/l) was used as a control. On the medium with the addition of Fe-EDDHA and 6-BAP in the amount of 0,75 and 1,0 mg/l, 9-10 new shoots are formed from one explant, which is 11-28,6 % higher than on the medium with Fe-EDTA. Also, on the medium with Fe-EDDHA, 13–26 % less vitrified shoots are formed. At the rooting stage, the usage of Fe-EDDHA (100 mg/l) with IBA 1,0 mg/l and 2,0 mg/l in the medium makes it possible to increase the rooting of plants by 12,1 and 26,9 %, respectively. On a hormone-free medium (without IBA) containing Fe-EDDHA 100 mg/l and 200 mg/l, 43,8 and 48,5 % more plants rooted than on a hormone-free medium with Fe-EDTA.

The results of studying the amino acid composition, macroand microelements, vitamins and other food substances in Golden Delicious apples grown in terroirs located at various altitudes above sea level in the south of Dagestan are presented in order to determine cultivation sites with natural conditions contributing to the greatest accumulation of these valuable components in fruits. The elemental composition of apples was studied using flame and atomic absorption photometry, mass concentrations of amino acids by HPLC methods, the content of sugars, titrated acids, pectins and vitamin C – titrimetrically, phenols and vitamin P colorimetrically. It was found that natural factors of the fruit zone located on the plain cause a high concentration of sugars in Golden Delicious apples – 11,3 %, soluble dry substances – 14,9 % and minerals: potassium (135.5 mg%), calcium (19.0 mg%), sodium (25.6 mg%), magnesium (12.6 mg%) and iodine (2.4 μg%), and the climatic conditions of the foothills are favorable for the synthesis of titrated acids (0,51%), vitamins C (6,8 mg %) and P (63,1 mg %), phenolic (362,1 mg %) and pectin substances (0,83 %), as well as iron, zinc and copper. The difference in the formation of minerals in apples, depending on natural conditions and the altitude gradient of the place of growth, was: for potassium – 7,2; sodium –   8,2; calcium – 9,5; magnesium – 9,4; iron – 10,9; copper – 10,2; zinc – 9,3, iodine – 8,3 %. The total amount of amino acids in apples, depending on the culture site, ranged from 683,2 to 696,9 mg/dm3. In fruits from the foothills, the total mass concentrations of replaceable and essential amino acids were 1,3 and 5,9% higher, respectively, than in apples grown on the plain. The results of the study can be taken into account in the rational use of agroecological resources of fruit zones that differ in soil-climatic conditions and altitude gradient, as well as to reveal the biological potential of the Golden Delicious apple variety.

The issues of grape resistance to drought have acquired particular importance due to the decrease in precipitation during the phenophase of growth and ripening of berries, which reduces their quality and yield. The purpose of these studies was to evaluate grape varieties of various ecological and geographical origin to drought and elevated temperatures according to physiological and biochemical parameters, to identify varieties with high adaptive resistance for cultivation in the conditions of the Anapo-Taman zone of the Krasnodar Krai and use in breeding. The objects of research are grape varieties (interspecific hybrids): European-American origin – Dostoyny, Krasnostop AZOS, Vostorg; Western European – Aligote; Eastern European – Zarif. The control was the Crystal variety of Euro-Amur-American origin. The article presents the results of studying the hydration of leaf tissues, the content of photosynthetic pigments and proline in leaves during the summer growing season 2020-2022. It was found that by the end of summer, the water content of the leaves decreased to the least degree in the varieties Kristall, Krasnostop AZOS, Vostorg, Zarif, in comparison with the varieties Dostoyny and Aligote, in which a decrease was noted by 4.70-4.88 %. Due to the increase in the proportion of carotenoids that perform a photoprotective function in the varieties Crystal, Krasnostop AZOS, Vostorg, Zarif, the lowest values of the chlorophylls/carotenoids ratio (2.8-3.4) were found, indicating their high adaptive ability to drought and elevated temperatures.In contrast to them, the ratio of chlorophylls/carotenoids in the varieties Dostoyny and Aligote was 4.1-4.2, indicating their low adaptive resistance. In all studied varieties, the maximum content of proline in the leaves – 43.27-59.57 μg/g wet weight was found in August in response to extremely high temperatures and lack of precipitation compared to June, when it was 17.83-30.55 μg/g fresh weight, depending on the variety. Grape varieties Crystal, Krasnostop AZOS, Vostorg, Zarif proved to be more resistant to drought and elevated temperatures in comparison with the varieties Dostoyny, Aligote, and are recommended for cultivation in the conditions of the Anapo-Taman zone of the Krasnodar Territory and use in breeding. The indicators of leaf water content, the ratio of chlorophylls/carotenoids pigments, and the proline content can be considered as reliable criteria for the adaptive resistance of grape varieties to summer stress factors.

The productivity of plants depends on the efficiency of photosynthetic pigments, of which chlorophyll is the most important. In the conditions of sod-podzolic medium loamy soils of the Moscow region, the features of the accumulation of photosynthetic pigments (chlorophyll a and chlorophyll b) and the photosynthetic apparatus of a new synthetic grain crop Trititrigia cziczinii Tzvel. were studied. (Pamyati Lyubimovoj variety, line № 3202) compared to the winter wheat variety (Rubezhnaya) obtained by remote hybridization. The dynamics of the accumulation of chlorophyll a and chlorophyll b in the leaves of grain crops was measured during the generative development of plants starting from the earing phase (BBCH-scale code 52-53) on a spectrophotometer. The research results showed that all the studied varieties have their peaks of accumulation of the amount of chlorophyll a and chlorophyll b, depending on their biological characteristics. In winter wheat, the maximum amount of the sum of the two pigments fell on July 2 and amounted to 3,3 mg/g of raw leaf mass. In the trititrigia variety of the Pamyati lyubimovoj, the peak of pigment accumulation was noted almost a month later (July 30). The amount of pigments was 4,45 mg/g of raw mass. Trititrigia line № 3202 accumulated the maximum amount of chlorophyll (4,20 mg/g of raw leaf mass) even later than the Pamyati Lyubimovoj variety – August 5. The higher content of photosynthetic pigments in the cells of trititrigia leaves, compared with winter wheat, may indicate its high adaptive characteristics. And the peaks of chlorophyll accumulation, shifted by almost a month, indicate the long-term work of the assimilation apparatus and the uniqueness of the new synthetic culture. The leaf area measured in a straight linear way was different for all the studied objects. The largest leaf area was noted in the variety of trititrigia in Pamyati Lyubimovoj – 21,2 thousand m²/ha on July 13. The maximum leaf area at line № 3202 was 14.4 thousand m²/ha, then it gradually decreased. Rubezhnaya winter wheat had a significantly lower leaf area compared to trititrigia samples (the maximum was 6.1 thousand m²/ha), then the activity of the active assimilating surface decreased.

The paper presents the results of variability of fruit weight and crop load per unit area of crown projection of apple varieties of the summer ripening period in the conditions of the Siberian region: Arcade summer, White filling, Moscow Grushovka, Golden spike, Nobilis, Papirovka for a five-year period. The studies were conducted annually, from 2018 to 2022. These varieties are characterized by good winter hardiness, early entry into the fruiting season (for 3–6 years), earlier maturation dates (end of July–August), but short-term fruit storage (from seven days to one and a half months), which is a disadvantage of this group of varieties. The object of the study is a collection of apple trees of summer varieties growing in an open form in the Botanical Garden named after Vs. M. Krutovsky, which is located on the right bank of Krasnoyarsk. The purpose of the research was to establish the variability of the fruit weight of apple trees of large-fruited varieties depending on the varietal affiliation and the growing season. The paper presents field and laboratory research methods. During the research, the generally accepted methods specified in the «Program and methodology of variety study of fruit, berry and nut crops» were used. As a result of the conducted studies, a significant variability in fruit weight was revealed depending on the growing season. In general, the weight of fruits of all varieties is 18,1–21,41 % less than provided for in their characteristics according to literature data. The yield of trees varies from 0 to 117,4 kg. The varieties of the summer ripening period were selected, which revealed the highest average weight of fruits, as well as those that are valuable in terms of nutritional and aesthetic qualities, which is a promising factor for further breeding: White filling, Grushovka Moskovskaya, Papirovka. This indicator, depending on the variety and the year of fruiting, is less than provided for in the pomological description. Nevertheless, for the conditions of the sharply continental climate of the Siberian region, fruits of such sizes are considered large.

The article presents the results of the assessment of the decorative effect of perennial herbaceous plants (on the example of the genus Thymus of the Lamiaceae family) of the genetic collection of ornamental crops of the Orenburg branch of the Federal Horticulture Research Center for Breeding, Agrotechnology and Nursery. The purpose of the work is to evaluate valuable decorative features of collectible species specimens of the genus Thymus in connection with the prospects of cultivation in the conditions of the steppe zone of the Southern Urals. The assessment of the aesthetic qualities of 3 species (Thýmus serpýllum, Thýmus marschallianus, Thýmus mugodzharicus) was carried out in 2019–2021 in typical soil and climatic conditions of Orenburg. The phenological phases of the development of collection samples were studied. The assessment of decorativeness was carried out on the basis of a scale developed by Ostapko V.M., Kunets N.Yu. The duration of flowering of groundcover perennials of the genus Thymus in the conditions of the steppe zone of the Southern Urals averaged from 17 to 29 days. Generative shoots of representatives of the genus Thymus are not susceptible to lodging under adverse weather conditions. In the studied perennials, the leaf apparatus is characterized by durability, all leaf formations are present, they are resistant to burnout in the growing zone. Simultaneous flowering of more than 70 % of flowers is inherent in the species Thýmus serpýllum, Thýmus mugodzharic. In the representatives of the genus Thymus in the conditions of the steppe zone of the Southern Urals, the appearance of the second wave of flowering during the growing season was noted during observations. In the observed collection species, the color of the flowers is stable, practically not subject to burnout; the flowers are characterized by low shedding (up to 20 %). The fruits of the studied samples practically do not affect the decorative effect, are not subject to intensive shedding. The results of the decorative assessment (Thymus serpýllum – 170 points, Thymus marschallianus – 160 points, Thymus mugodzharicus – 159 points) indicate the presence of valuable aesthetic qualities in the studied samples, These herbaceous perennials are classified as promising in the conditions of the steppe zone of the Southern Urals. Further study of the representatives of the genus Thymus will clarify the directions of application in landscaping of various scales.

Fungi of the genera Alternaria and Cladosporium, can cause mycoses in a significant part of people. To reduce air pollution by spores of fungi dangerous to human health, the degree of involvement of ornamental and fruit crops, lawn grasses, as well as weed plants with fungi from the genera Alternaria and Cladosporium was studied. To determine the prevalence of fungal pathogens during 2017-2020, collection and microscopic analysis of plant samples of 64 species of higher plants from 12 botanical families was carried out in 12 administrative districts of Moscow. Species diagnostics of fungi of the genus Alternaria were carried out according to the morphological features of conidia and the habit of sporulation. It has been found that most species of fungi identified in the urban area belong to the toxic non-specialized species A. tenuissima, A. infectoria and A. alternata. A high degree of lesion with fungi of the genus Alternaria is determined – at the level of 20-40 % – introduced species: Ash maple (Acer negundo), Hawthorn semi-soft (Crataegus submollis), as well as such crops common in urban landscaping as small-leaved Lipa (Tilia cordata). A high degree of damage to Cherry acidic (Prunus cerasus) fungi of the genus Cladosporium has been established, with a maximum degree of development of up to 30 %. The least affected ornamental and fruit crops suitable for urban landscaping have been identified, species suitable for landscaping areas of new buildings and areas with a large wind load have been described.

Based on the monitoring data of the introduced fallow lands in the agricultural crop rotation, a technical and economic assessment of agrotechnical measures to combat Sosnowsky’s hogweed in observations with agrochemical observations was carried out. The conducted patent research allowed the development of a laboratory sample of the sample and a field study of organs on high-stemmed weeds. A decrease in the number of invasive plants was noted due to the combined impact on the aboveground and near-surface parts.