The article evaluates hybrid strawberry seedlings obtained from controlled hybridization of 19 cross combinations and from open pollination of 10 cultivars. The regional assortment in the Middle Volga region currently includes 13 strawberry cultivars, most of which no longer meet modern production requirements. Therefore, the identification of promising introduced cultivars for use as parental material remains a priority for breeding. The study examined hybrid seedlings, identified elite selections, and determined the most promising parental sources for further breeding. A total of 1,501 hybrid seedlings produced in 2021–2022 were assessed. Research was conducted in 2021–2025 at the breeding site of the Research Institute of Horticulture and Medicinal Plants Zhigulevskie Sady (Samara Region, Russia) using standard methodology. Observations and trait assessments were carried out in Malaya Tsarevshchina, Krasnoyarsk District, Samara Region. The evaluation showed that parental sources involving the cultivars Karmen, Asia, Joly, Sugar Lia, Elianne, and Siria produced the highest proportion of seedlings expressing a complex of agronomically important traits. In total, 327 promising seedlings were identified, including 107 elite selections that combined multiple economically valuable traits; this represents 7.1% of the total seedling population. The highest proportions of elite selections were obtained from the following parental sources: the cross combinations Karmen × Asia (29.7 %) and Karmen × Sugar Lia (22.2 %), and the open-pollinated progenies of Siria (29.0 %), Elianne (27.3 %), and Joly (23.1 %). The largest number of elite selections combining large fruit size and field resistance to diseases was obtained from the combinations Karmen × Asia, Karmen × Sugar Lia, and Zhanna × Asia.

The article reports the outcomes of long-term breeding work with promising subtropical fruit species, namely eastern persimmon (Diospyros kaki L.) and feijoa (Feijoa sellowiana Berg), adapted to the climatic conditions of the Russian Black Sea region. Hybridization of Diospyros kaki L. resulted in two new cultivars, Khostinsky and Zukhra, which combine consistently high yield with favorable organoleptic and market traits and demonstrate resistance to major diseases and pests. The breeding program placed particular emphasis on wide hybridization. Crosses between D. kaki and American persimmon (Diospyros virginiana L.) produced novel genotypes: the cultivar MVG Omarova and hybrid 1-25. Their key advantage is exceptional winter hardiness: the plants tolerate temperatures down to −23°C without damage. These hybrids also exhibit elevated soluble sugar content, reaching 25%, compared with the typical 15–19% in conventional cultivars. This combination of traits extends the potential range of persimmon cultivation into more northern areas and broadens the geography of commercial production. Feijoa research focused on selecting superior individuals from seed-derived populations. Several forms with high agronomic value were identified; three forms have been included in the State Register of Cultivars and Hybrids of Agricultural Plants since 2016, and three additional forms are currently undergoing official trials. Vegetative propagation of these elite forms is expected to support the expansion of feijoa plantings in Russia while simultaneously increasing plantation productivity and improving fruit quality. Comprehensive biochemical profiling confirmed the high nutritional value of feijoa fruits, which contain readily assimilable carbohydrates and sugars (6.65–8.18 %), vitamin C (42.62–83.38 mg %), dry matter (16.10–20.00 %), polyphenolic compounds, and a diverse set of essential macro- and microelements. Owing to their unique combination of dietary and therapeutic properties, as well as their environmentally clean production, feijoa fruits represent a valuable raw material for the food industry and for the development of functional food products.

The study reports the evaluation of ten hybrid forms of pink-flowered strawberry developed at the North Caucasian Federal Scientific Center of Horticulture, Viticulture, and Winemaking (NCFSCHVW, Krasnodar, Russia). Research was conducted in 2023–2025 at the Shared-Use Facility for the Research and Breeding Collection of Genetic Resources of Fruit and Berry Crops, NCFSCHVW. The objective was to assess ornamental traits and consumer appeal and to identify hybrid selections suitable for different segments of the ornamental and amateur gardening markets. Hybrids were cultivated using the standard strawberry-production technology adopted in the Krasnodar Territory. Ornamental traits were evaluated according to the approach of V. V. Nikolenko, supplemented by a 15-point score for flower color in hybrid 9-4-21 and additional descriptors applied to all accessions, including inflorescence characteristics, vigor, and plant architecture. The following ornamental parameters were scored: flower color, diameter, and morphology; number of inflorescences and flowers per inflorescence; flower position relative to the foliage; plant vigor and growth habit; and flowering duration. Agronomic and biological traits were also recorded, including the number of inflorescences, flowers, and berries; mean berry mass; berry height and diameter; yield; and soluble-solids and vitamin C content. The evaluation identified several promising hybrid forms for ornamental and amateur horticulture. All selections exhibited 

The study aimed to evaluate apple and pear cultivars for key productivity traits and soluble solids content in order to identify superior genotypes suitable for use as parental material in breeding programs. Research was conducted in 2021–2025 at the Orenburg Branch of the Federal Horticultural Research Center, Russia. The experimental set included ten apple cultivars and ten pear cultivars of diverse genetic and geographic origin. Cluster analysis of agronomic and biological traits in apple genotypes identified three high-performing cultivars: Rozochka, Rodnikovaya, and Orenburgskoe (Cluster 1). These cultivars combined the highest productivity (16 kg/tree), fruit set (9.3%), and soluble solids content (18.8%). Among pear genotypes, the greatest values for fruit set (9.1%), fruit number (308 fruits/tree), overall yield (20.6 kg/tree), and soluble solids content (14.6%) were recorded in cultivars assigned to Cluster 4: Talitsa, Povislaya, and Tikhonovka. Additional pear cultivars, including Krasnobokaya (K), Berezhenaya, Skazochnaya, and Vekovaya, also exhibited high productivity (17.2–17.9 kg/tree) and were grouped in Clusters 1 and 3. The apple and pear cultivars identified through this evaluation can be recommended as promising parental forms for breeding programs aimed at improving productivity and other economically important traits.

The study evaluated a collection of plum cultivars and hybrid forms at the Far Eastern Agricultural Research Institute (FEARI), Russia, to identify genotypes with high resistance to major fungal diseases. The objective was to select sources of resistance to brown rot (moniliosis), red leaf spot (polystigmosis), and shot-hole disease (clasterosporiosis) for use in breeding programs to develop new environmentally adapted cultivars. The article presents the results of resistance evaluation in plum genotypes to key biotic stresses. Fungal diseases cause substantial damage to plum orchards in the Middle Amur region, with brown rot, red leaf spot, and shot-hole disease being the most harmful. Their development is promoted by unfavorable weather conditions during the growing season, particularly high humidity during flowering and prolonged rainfall at the onset of fruiting. Research was conducted in 2023–2025 using 27 cultivars and hybrid forms of Japanese plum (Prunus salicina Lindl.) of diverse geographic origin held in the fruit-crop collection of the FEARI. The degree of fungal infection was found to depend on cultivar-specific traits and the meteorological conditions of the year. Several cultivars and hybrid forms exhibiting stable resistance to the most damaging diseases of the Middle Amur region, namely brown rot, shot-hole disease, and red leaf spot, were identified. These resistant genotypes can be used in hybridization to obtain new breeding material.

The study presents a five-year experience in designing, constructing, and operating an innovative integrated automatic irrigation system at the ornamental plant nursery Izumrudny Gorod (Kirillovo, Republic of Bashkortostan, Russia). The need to increase the efficiency of seedling production, along with improving product quality and reducing labor inputs, is outlined. Technological solutions that significantly optimize the cultivation of high-quality ornamental seedlings, increase sapling production efficiency, and improve plant care are described. The selection of technical solutions and equipment was justified based on economic requirements, regional climatic conditions, and the characteristics of the product range. The use of low-pressure fogging inside greenhouses proved essential for maintaining the greenhouse microclimate required for cutting establishment. The effectiveness of a combined water supply system integrating a storage pond and wells was demonstrated. Particular attention was given to implementing an automated irrigation-control system based on autonomous valves, which enabled flexible delivery of water and fertilizer and ensured responsive adjustment to plant needs and weather conditions. This approach significantly improved the precision of agronomic operations and reduces labor costs. The efficiency of the selected water supply configuration, integrating an artesian well with a surface reservoir, was confirmed by calculations and practical results. Methods for mitigating the adverse effects of high water hardness using water-treatment systems were examined, along with approaches to optimizing fertigation. Implementation of the developed system led to a substantial increase in the production of high-quality plants, particularly during cutting propagation in greenhouses, as well as reduced production costs and improved overall nursery profitability.

Bacterial infectious diseases remain a major global public health challenge. In this context, heart-leaf plume poppy (Macleаya cordata (Willd.) R. Br.) and Kew plume poppy (Macleаya х kevensis Turill) of the family Papaveraceae are of particular interest. The total alkaloid fraction of these species, primarily sanguinarine and chelerythrine, formed the basis for the development of the original Russian antimicrobial phytopharmaceutical Sanguiritrin. This study evaluated the effectiveness of organo-mineral and micronutrient fertilizer complexes, as well as a plant-growth regulator, in increasing the yield of high-quality medicinal raw material from M. cordata and M. × kevensis. Field experiments were conducted in 2022–2024 at the North Caucasus branch of the All-Russian Research Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants. Foliar application of Siliplant (0.7 L/ha), Zircon (0.04 L/ha), and EcoFus (1.5 L/ha) was performed once at the onset of stem elongation. Comparative evaluation of the two Macleaya species revealed differences in morphometric and agronomically important traits. M. × kevensis exhibited lower plant height (by 18–28 %), leaf area index (by 24–33 %), and raw material yield (by 40–53 %) relative to M. cordata. However, it substantially exceeded M. cordata in total alkaloid content (by a factor of 7–8) and alkaloid yield per hectare (by a factor of 4–5.3). Application of growth-stimulating complexes enhanced vegetative growth in both species, increased raw material yield, and elevated alkaloid concentration. Under hydrothermal stress, these treatments improved plant adaptation to adverse weather conditions, reducing yield losses to 18–37 %, compared with 31–48 % in the untreated control. The most effective treatment was foliar application of a tank mixture of Siliplant and Zircon. Under favorable weather conditions, this treatment increased raw material yield by 16 % in M. cordata and by 15 % in M. × kevensis; under drought conditions, the increases were 21 % and 18 %, respectively. Alkaloid yield rose by 36 % and 27 % under optimal conditions and by 39 % and 32 % under drought stress.

This study refines the application of the Eberhart–Russell method for assessing the environmental plasticity of apple cultivars in the Tambov Region, Russia. The analysis covers classical and contemporary approaches to genotype–environment interaction, including the methods of S. Eberhart and W. Russell (1966), G. Tai (1971), S. P. Martynov (1989), and R. A. Udachin (1990), all of which are based on multiple nonlinear regression. Their methodological strengths, limitations, and constraints are evaluated in relation to fruit crops, which are characterized by long developmental cycles and age-dependent yield dynamics. Previous applications of these approaches to fruit and berry crops across different regions of Russia are also summarized. Modifications to the Eberhart–Russell method are introduced that provide a more precise characterization of cultivar responses to specific weather conditions in individual growing years. These modifications enhance the treatment of combined weather effects and plant age when calculating environmental indices. The approach was tested in 2022–2025 using four widely cultivated apple cultivars (Berkutovskoye, Bogatyr, Lobo, and Spartan) grown under production conditions in the Tambov Region and evaluated using standard horticultural techniques. The results demonstrated substantial inter-cultivar differences in plasticity (regression coefficient b_i) and stability (variance of deviations S_i²). The lowest responsiveness to improved growing conditions was observed for Berkutovskoye (b_i = 0.701) and Bogatyr (b_i = 0.682). In contrast, Spartan combined high sensitivity to environmental improvement with the greatest stability (b_i = 1.687; S_i² = 24.141). The findings indicate that the proposed modifications provide an accurate quantitative assessment of cultivar responses to environmental factors, and further refinement of stability models is required to incorporate inter-environment differences.