Realization of the bioresource potential of the middle late hybrid of corn Beshtau in the steppe zone of the Chechen republic

The article presents the results of studying the bioresource potential of the medium-late hybrid of corn Beshtau at the All-Russian Research Institute of corn on dry land and at the Chechen Research Institute of Agriculture on irrigation. In the steppe zone of the republic, against the background of the use of irrigation, the application of mineral fertilizers at a dose of N90P120K60 in combination with pre-sowing seed treatment with the agrochemical Bioplant Flora (1.0 l / t) and foliar top dressing with a tank fertilizer mixture Kristalon (3 kg / ha) + Brexil Zn (0, 15 kg / ha) + urea (7 kg / ha) showed high efficiency in realizing the potential of the Beshtau hybrid. Due to irrigation and the use of these fertilizers, it turned out to be possible to increase the grain yield of the Beshtau corn hybrid to 12 t / ha. The application of mineral fertilizers to the soil at a dose of N90P120K60 in combination with foliar feeding of plants with the agrochemical Bioplant Flora at a dose of 1.0 l / ha in 5 leaves and 2.0 l / ha in 8 leaves increased the starch content in the grain from 62.63 to 72.08%, protein - from 10.65 to 12.28%.

Plutella xylostella (L.) population control in sowings of spring rapeseed using pheromones

The diamondback moth Plutella xylostella (Linnaeus, 1758) is a common pest of rapeseed and other crops of Brassicaceae family. Annual yield losses and costs of pest control worldwide are estimated at $ 4-5 billion. The pest has an increased tendency to develop resistance to insecticides. The use of traps with synthetic sex pheromone is a modern instrumental method of monitoring P. xylostella. The use of the mating disruption method will effectively decrease pest numbers and reduce the application of insecticides. In 2017-2020, we researched the pheromone activity and evaluated the mating disruption method in the sowings of spring rapeseed at V.S. Pustovoit All-Russian Research Institute of Oil Crops (VNIIMK) (Krasnodar). We established that P. xylostella males were caught in traps with all tested dispenser types. The pheromone showed the greatest activity on the foil-film dispenser (F). The mating disruption method effectively decreased P. xylostella population in rapeseed sowing; the disruption effect by the end of crop vegetation was high and reached 82.5 %.

Sunflower diseases control by biological fungicides

The demand for organic food has grown rapidly over the last 25 years in many countries of the world. Organic farming standards require the application of biological products of disease control. The article presents the material on studying the effectiveness of fungicides based on microbiological antagonists against sunflower diseases. We carried out the study in 2020-2021 at V.S. Pustovoit All-Russian Research Institute of Oil Crops (VNIIMK) (Krasnodar). We established that the fungicides Geostim Fit type E, WS based on microbiological antagonists did not reduce the germination of sunflower seeds and actively suppressed seed infection. Their effectiveness against Alternaria spp. reached 50-74 %, against Rhizopus spp. – 74–100 %, against bacteria – 76–80 %. Double treatment of sunflower plants with BFTIM, WS (different strains) reduced the frequency of bacterial blight to 37 %, of dry rot – to 60 %, of Alternaria blight – to 39 %, of Phoma rot – to 41 %, and of Fusarium blight – to 75 %. The application scheme of Geostim Fit E (G), WS; BFTIM (E), WS; BFTIM (Zh), WS showed the best economic effectiveness with a seed yield of 3.56 t/ha, net income of 122 910 rubles, and profitability of 311 %.

Frontenac Gris as colour-mutant Frontenac grape variety

The work aimed to assess the cultivation and breeding prospects of the new Frontenac Gris technical grape variety obtained in 2003 by clonal selection as a colour-mutant Frontenac red technical grape originated by the University of Minnesota, USA. The variety is a complex cross-species hybrid with early maturity in the zone of Novocherkassk, Rostov Region. The variety was studied in 2018-2020 following the common viticulture and winemaking protocols at an experimental plot of the Novocherkassk trial field of All-Russian Research Institute of Viticulture and Winemaking named after Ya.I. Potapenko — Branch of the Federal Rostov Agricultural Research Centre. Vineyards were uncovered, unirrigated, grafted, Berlandieri×Riparia Kober 5BB rootstock, 3×1.5 m planting scheme. Formation as medium-standard double-shouldered horizontal cordon. By combination of economic value and agrobiological traits (cold and winter hardiness, yield, anti-phytopathogen resistance, high wine material quality), the Frontenac Gris variety holds promise in industrial viticulture. It can be recommended for gardening in sufficiently humid cool climates avoiding winter bush sheltering, as well as for breeding. The variety is low-hardy to drought and summer heat, which hinders its growing in the southern country. The variety’s disadvantages are in early maturity and slight berries wilting on bush in dry and windy air, which can pose an issue in juice production from pressed berries.

The results of preliminary trial experimental hybrids of winter rapeseed bred at VNIIMK by economically valuable traits

The purpose of the research was a preliminary estimation of ten experimental hybrids of winter rapeseed (Brassica napus L.) bred in the V.S. Pustovoit All-Russian Research Institute of Oil Crops by the primary economically valuable traits. The research was conducted in the central zone of the Krasnodar region in 2019–2020. The results of the research are presented for the first time. On average for two years, nine of ten the best experimental hybrids increased by seeds yield by 0.32–0.76 t per ha both the standard cultivar Loris and the foreign hybrid Mercure. Middle seed yield of the studied hybrids varied significantly, variance range was from 4.99 t per ha (VN-3 × ОРK-10) to 5.62 t per ha (VN-4 × ОРK-20). Maximal values of seed and oil yields per a unit area were fixed for a hybrid combination VN-4 × ОРK-20. Except that, the hybrid is characterized with high weight of 1000 seeds (4.5 g). A hybrid combination VN-13 × ОРK-10 demonstrated high average by years seeds yield (5.33 t per ha) and oil yield (2.25 t per ha).Oil content in seeds and weight of 1000 seeds of this combination were at the level of the standard cultivar and the foreign hybrid. This hybrid shows the lowest glucosinolate content in seeds – 16.7 µmol/g, that is less that the foreign hybrid Mercure has by 2.3 µmol/g. The preliminary conclusion based on our researches is: the selected hybrids after confirmation of the competitive trial results can be of a great interest for production.

The number of glandular trichomes on the peduncles of true lavender inflorescences as an additional breeding trait for essential oil

The main receptacle of essential oil in true lavender is the peltate glandular trichomes of the calyxes in the whorls of the inflorescences. Their average size is 175 ± 25 µm, in some cases – up to 250 µm. For the extraction of lavender oil, not only the calyxes are used, but the whole inflorescences including the flowering shoots. The surface of the peduncles of lavender inflorescences is also covered with peltate glandular trichomes. However, their contribution to the total volume of essential oil in the inflorescence has almost never been determined. The aim of this research was to study the distribution density of glandular trichomes within the inflorescence and to determine the proportion of the contribution of flowering trichomes to the formation of essential oil in the inflorescence. The research was carried out in 2021 on the basis of the V.S. Pustovoit All-Russian Research Institute of Oil Crops in two ecological and geographical points of the Krasnodar region. The object of the study was the true lavender varieties Voznesenskaya 34, Rannyaya, Yuzhanka and Voznesenskaya Aroma. It was found that the size of glandular trichomes on peduncles of true lavender is 90 ± 15 µm. Their number on peduncles, depending on the variety, varies from 2141 to 3003 pcs. The density of distribution of glandular trichomes on the surface of peduncles is equal to 8.60–14.93 pcs/mm3 . The total volume of essential oil in all glandular trichomes of peduncles is 0.41–0.57 cmm . The total volume of essential oil in the inflorescences varied from 2.28 to 5.15 cmm . The share of essential oil in the glandular trichomes of the peduncles in relation to the entire inflorescence ranged from 9.33 to 19.56%. It is concluded that peltate glandular trichomes on flower-bearing axes make a significant contribution to the essential oil content of lavender inflorescences. For the selection of true lavender to increase the essential oil content and the yield of essential oil, an additional selection trait is proposed – the amount of glandular trichomes on the surface of peduncles, which can be regulated by changing their distribution density on the surface of peduncles, or increasing the length of inflorescences.

Anatomical features of conductive tissues of soybeans that prevent the penetration of pathogenic agents of bacterial blight into seeds

The ways of penetration of pathogenic bacteria from the infected vegetative parts of plants into soybean seeds remain practically unexplored. It is widely believed that soybean seeds are infected through the vascular system from already infected areas of the vegetative parts. The aim of the present research was to study the possibility of penetration of pathogens of bacterial blight into soybean seeds through the conductive tissues of plants. The studies were carried out in 2019–2021 in V.S. Pustovoit All-Russian Research Institute of Oil Crops on plants and seeds of soybean variety Vilana. It was found that the size of stomatal slots in soybean leaves is 8–12 µm. This ensures free penetration of bacteria with a diameter of 1.3–1.7 µm into the leaf mesophyll. The pore sizes of the sieve plates of the phloem range from 0.4–0.7 to 0.8–1.6 µm, depending on the age of the plants. The largest pores of the phloem sieve plates are comparable to the diameters of pathogenic bacteria. However, a large number of transverse sieve plates located in the vessels of the phloem every 0.05–0.1 mm will filter and partially retain bacteria in each sieve tube along the path of cell sap in the phloem. Therefore, the pathogenic bacteria passing through the entire phloem from leaves infected with bacteriosis up to pods is physically unlikely. In pods, the vascular system ends in the area of attachment of the placenta to the seed hilum. In the hilum, there are no conductive tissues, and the further flow of water and nutrients into the seed is carried out diffusely through the plasmodesma of cell walls. It was found that the anatomical structure of the soybean phloem prevents the free movement of pathogenic bacteria along the conductive system directly into the inner tissues of the seeds. Therefore, the hypothesis of infection of soybean seeds with pathogens of bacterial blight through the conducting system of the plant should be considered untenable

Breeding of winter rapeseed in VNIIMK: history and new results (review)

Breeding of winter rapeseed in the V.S. Pustovoit All-Russian Research Institute of Oil Crops was started at the end of 60th of previous century with a selection of perspective winter forms from hybrids of spring brown mustard and winter rapeseed. Heterosis in intraspecific hybrids was studied. The best intraspecific hybrids exceeded the parental forms by 20–36% by seed yield, by 20–27% by green mass yield. A possibility to create intervarietal hybrids based on heterostyly was studied. Conditions for plants acclimation to increase cold resistance of winter rapeseed were studied; methods of selection for cold resistance were developed. In 1982, the development of rapeseed and turnip rape cultivars of ‘00’ type began. To create diversity of breeding germplasm, a great amount of samples from European counties that actively deals with rapeseed breeding were included into the work. In the V.S. Pustovoit All-Russian Research Institute of Oil Crops, the methods of estimation of oil and fodder protein quality were perfected, cultivars of rapeseed and turnip rape of ‘00’ type (e.g. erucic acid free and with low glucosinolate content) were developed. As a result of breeding for oil quality, high oleic cultivars were developed, that not only improve upon the oil nutritive efficiency but open new possibilities of its technical uses due to increasing oxi- and thermostability. The first Russian high oleic winter rapeseed cultivar Olivin was developed in the V.S. Pustovoit AllRussian Research Institute of Oil Crops and introduced in the State Variety Commission in 2019. The linear cultivars of winter rapeseed were developed by inbreeding, the first interlinear hybrids – using a CMS Ogura system. One of them named Debyut was introduced in the State variety trials 2020.

Selection for resistance to broomrape race G in confectionary sunflower OP-population

The purpose of the work was to develop forms of confectionary sunflower resistant to broomrape race G on artificial infection background both in fields and greenhouses and artificial climate chambers. The researches were conducted in V.S. Pustovoit All-Russian Research Institute of Oil Crops, Krasnodar, Russia, in 2019–2021. A line RG (Or7) was used as a donor of gen of resistance to broomrape race G. The confectionary sunflower variety SPK plus was a recipient. Using methods of hybridization, back-crosses and group interpollination, on severe infection background, a sunflower population resistant to the aggressive broomrape race was develop for the further breeding of confectionary sunflower varieties. These methods allowed increasing resistance step-by-step while maintaining high polymorphism that makes it possible to continue breeding of confectionary sunflower varieties for the further rise of productivity.

Adaptive reaction of perspective spring rapeseed cultivars in conditions of the central zone of the Krasnodar region

We studied 18 perspective and already registered spring rapeseed cultivars of VNIIMK breeding. Impact of weather conditions in a period flowering – maturing on economically valuable traits was revealed. The cultivars were compared by calculated statistic parameters of adaptivity, environmental plasticity, stability in the conditions of the central zone of the Krasnodar region. The perspective linear cultivars which demonstrated the most stably yield in the different years were selected. The researches were conducted in the V.S. Pustovoit All-Russian Research Institute of Oil Crops, Krasnodar, Russia, in 2017– 2020. The most favorable weather conditions for cultivation of spring rapeseed appeared to be in 2017. Index of environmental condition (Ij) was 1.01. On average for rapeseed cultivar, yield varied from maximal in 2017 (2.83 t per ha) to minimal in 2019 (1.31 t per ha). Oil content in the different years varied from 40.9 to 46.34%, weight of 1000 seeds – from 2.22 to 3.85 g. Glucosinolate content was minimal (14.16 µmol/g) in 2017 and reached maximum (21.48 µmol/g) in 2020. The linear cultivars ВН-LР13, ВНDl 2, and ВН-Dl 1 are characterized with the highest environmental plasticity, having the indicators bi = 1.30; 1.24, and 1.21, respectively. The cultivars Amulet and Ruyan were the most stable: Si² was equal to 0.65 and 0.69, respectively, as well as the main applicant for being a cultivar: ВН-4801, ВН-191, and ВН2478 having the indicators 0.40; 0.62, and 0.80. The perspective cultivars ВН-4801 and ВН-906 (Kenar) are characterized with a valuable combination of increased and stable for years yield. Due to absolute indicator of adaptability, all the studied cultivars are ranking as following: ВН-4801 (113.6%), ВН-Dl 1 (106.3%), ВН-Dl 2 (105.9%), ВН-LР 13 (105.0%), ВН-XT (103.4%), Руян (102.9%), and ВН-906 (101.9%).