The article gives the analysis of 40-years selection activity of the academician I.G. Kalinenko in creation of the own initial material and the varieties of turgid and durum wheat which was new for the conditions of the Rostov region. The author gives characteristics of the initial material and the varieties on productivity, adaptability and other economic-valuable traits and properties in different period of I.G. Kalinenko work. His methods of work, initial material, a number of cycles of hybridization while creation of the varieties ‘Novinka’, ‘Novinka 2’, ‘Novinka 3’, ‘Novinka 4’, ‘Donskoy Yantar’ and other have been shown in the article. The author determines the principle role of step (gradual) hybridization to combine the desired traits and properties in the single genotype with the use of the varieties and intermediate forms of own selection, obtained in the creation of such varieties as ‘Aksinit’, ‘Kurant’, ‘Agat Donskoy’, ‘lazurit’, ‘Kristella’, ‘Oniks’. Their potential productivity is 8-10 t/ha, as the productivity of the best varieties of soft winter wheat, which the scientist, talented researcher, academician I.G. Kalinenko hoped to receive, starting breeding of durum winter wheat in 1961.  

Wheat is the most essential crop in Russia and in the whole world. Over a century in Kuban Area the average increase of its productivity was more than 40 kg of grain per hectare every year; the increase of genetic potential of its productivity due to breeding was 60 kg of grain per hectare every year. The combination of the maximum valuable traits and properties in one variety can result in the slower growth of productivity, which is the main purpose of the breeding process. The problem of the increase of winter wheat genetic diversity while maintaining the rate of growth through breeding can be solved through the use of varietal structures in the production. They require the development of agro-ecologic passports of each variety. For these purposes, Krasnodar RIA named after P.P. Lukiyanenko has been studying the biologic traits of the varieties since 1995. Over 21 years 137 varieties of wheat and triticale have been examined on more than 85 000 allotments. A new varietal policy, based on the system use of the varieties has been introduced in the Krasnodar Area. In 1995 about 80% of arable lands were occupied by 6 varieties; at present more than 40 genetically diverse cultivars are used and cultivated in the region. The productivity increase due to the change from mono-variety to varietal structures can be 5,2 hwt per ha with the improvement of grain quality. The use of the varieties with different duration of the vegetation expands the range of optimal terms for agro-technical works and stabilizes the productivity and quality of grain. The experiments with the passports promoted the improvement of the breeding process. They allow studying the correlation ‘genotype-environment’ and the correlation of economic-valuable traits and the features of their formation.  

The article gives the results of the structural analysis of the productivity of rice breeding samples from control seed-plot during the years of 2012-2014. There have been considered such essential features as number of productive stems per unit area, number of seeds per head, mass of grain and head that determine biologic productivity. The biometric and statistical analysis of 120 rice samples has been carried out to analyze the correlation among the components of the structure with productivity. The graphics of curvilinear relation between the productivity and the elements of its structure have been made. It has been determined that the productivity starts to increase through the increase of number of seeds in a head, and achieves its maximum and then slightly reduces. The best amounts of the trait were 100-110 pc in 2012 and 120-130 pc in 2013 and 2014. The samples with low and high 1000-grain weight produced high yields. In 2012 the most productive samples were the samples with 1000-grain weight of 26-27 and 31-32 g; in 2013 with 24-26 and 33-34 g; in 2014 with 25-26 and 29-32 g. The tendency of productivity increase through larger heads has been revealed. The samples with the grain mass pre head of 3,2-3,4 g gave the maximum productivity. The best stem density varied through the years: in 2012 it was 400-450 stems per 1m2; in 2013 it was 300-340 stems per 1m2; in 2014 it was 250-300 stems per 1m2. Thus, the maximum productivity of rice is usually formed when the elements of its structure have the best values.  

The article has given the results of the monitoring of soil sufficiency in nutrients and fertilizers, which is being carried out by the agrochemical service of the Rostov region. It has been shown that fertilizers are one of the most essential factors providing stable productivity of grain crops. Availability of labile phosphorus in soil is of special importance for the territories of the Rostov region. At present the element is the second essential element, limiting grain crop productivity in the Rostov region. During the last four years there was a stable tendency of increase of the amount of the fertilized fields with winter and spring wheat, maize for grain. Primary application of phosphorus fertilizer under plowing of the previous crop and the organization of fractional nitrogen and nitrogen-phosphorus fertilizing in the spring are of special significance during the formation of the system of winter wheat fertilizing.  

The article presents the first breeding result in the development of durum winter wheat varieties in the south of Russia. Evaluation of the gene pool of durum winter wheat in the world collection has been given. The problem of its disadvantage and its diversity of use in the breeding process has been considered. The methods of work with the initial material have been described. The gradual analysis of its use in the crossings of the initial material has been carried out. The essential part of some varietal samples for obtaining of the intermediate forms has been determined. It has been shown a significant role of the varieties of durum spring wheat ‘Oviachic 65’ from Mexico and a mutant form of soft winter wheat ‘Krasnodarsky karlik 1’ with efficient genes of height reduction ‘rht’ for plant height reduction and for further increase of productivity and of stability to lodging. We revealed the donors of short stem trait among the varieties of own breeding, which have been recommended as initial material during the selection on stability to lodging. The types of cross-breeding used in hybridization have been shown. The analysis of use of the initial material in Krasnodar RIA after P.P. Lukiyanenko has been presented. We gave the evaluation of its successful use in different stages of breeding work. Using the index ‘parental breeding value (PBV,%)’ we determined high variety forming ability of the varieties ‘Alena’, ‘Aly Parus’ and ‘Parus’. On the example of the development of durum winter wheat varieties we proved the effectiveness of the complex gradual hybridization. We showed the main role of domestic initial material in hybridization and initial material of other regions in development of intermediate forms as donors or sources of limiting traits.  

The article considers the varieties and selection lines of winter wheat developed in ARRIGC named after I.G. Kalinenko and the results of long-term study of their immunology to the North-Caucasus populations of the pathogens of leaf, yellow, stem (black) rusts, yellow leaf blotch, septoriosis, obtained on artificially infected plots of ARRIGP. During the years of 2007-2015 we studied the types of winter wheat resistance to the pathogens of epiphytotic dangerous diseases, i.e. 29 – to leaf septoriosis, 57 – to stem (black) rust, 59 – to leaf rust and yellow leaf blotch and 64 – to yellow rust. Using the method of phyto pathologic testing we found out, that 43 varieties developed in ARRIGC named after I.G. Kalinenko possessed 21 Lr genes (1, 2c, 3, 3ka, 3bg, 10, 11, 14a, 14в, 16, 17, 21, 23, 28, 30, 32, 33, 34, 40, B, Exch) during sprouting and 8 Yr genes and their combinations (2+6, 7, 7+22+23, 8+19, 9, 10, 21, 39+Alp). It has been established that the genes of resistance are inefficient in protection from original populations of the pathogens of leaf and yellow rust because of the high content of fungus isolates with complementary genes of virulence. But during the study of the varieties, selected as the sources of resistance we identified the efficient gene Lr17 in ‘Aksiniya’, ‘Izuminka’,‘Kapitan’ and the efficient gene Yr8+19 in ‘Lilit’. The characteristics of the varieties and breeding lines of winter wheat according to their types and genes of resistance have been given in the paper. It allows using them in the breeding practice and in agricultural production more efficient.  

The article gives the effect of water stress on formation of root system and overland parts of wheat under provoking conditions “zasushnik” (vegetation experience). It has been established that at the beginning of the stress the mass of roots reduced a bit, but then the process of accumulation of root mass stabilized due to adaptation to water stress. Comparing winter wheat samples ‘Don 93’ and ‘488/07’, the root system of ‘Don 93’ is more adaptive to drought than that of the sample ‘488/07’. In the phase of milky ripeness of the grain, dry mass of roots of the variety ‘Don 93’ decreased on 3%, and dry mass of roots of the variety ‘488/07’ reduced on 32%. In the phase of waxy ripeness of the grain, the number of roots varied from 9 to 16 pieces (trial) and from 10 to 17 pieces (control). The data about response of the root system of the varieties and lines of winter wheat on water stress in various phases of organogenesis have been given. It has been determined that root system plays an essential part in the process of adaptation to drought among steppe crop varieties. The varieties ‘Kaprizyulya’, ‘Asket’, ‘Kazaka’, ‘Kapitan’ and ‘Lidiya’ have shown the highest level of adaptation to harsh, severe drought.

The article has given the results of experiments with the growth regulators ‘ZSS’, ‘Nikfan’ and ‘Energiya M’ for spring barley variety ‘Strannik’. The field trials have been carried out by the Kalmykiya RI of agriculture on light-brown soils with 330 mm of annual precipitations. The regulators have been tested on the natural soils and the soils fertilized with N30P30 through the seed treatment and non-root fertilizing during the period of stem formation. The increase of the amount of easy available nitrogen and phosphorus has been noted in the soils with the use of regulators at the beginning of germination. At the end of vegetation there was an inverse situation. Dry biomass of vegetating plants contained general nitrogen and phosphorus on 0,01-0,18% and 0,01-0,03% more respectively. The use of regulators resulted in improvement of growth and plant development. Field germination of seeds increased on 2,5-4,7%, the co-efficient of general tillering increased on 0,6-1,3%. Even during the toughening of the soil and atmospheric drought the number of preserved seeds increased from 57,3% to 83,6-85,1%. Early and intensive development of the secondary root system with the use of the growth regulators caused such an effect. The yield increase due to the regulators is more significant during the drought. In 2014 the productivity of the crop increased on 43,8-60,4% under the shortage of precipitations and higher air temperatures, while it was 22,7-29,3% on average during the years of study. The seed treatment with N30P30 promoted the productivity increase on 27,3-34,2% on average. The share of the regulators effect was 7,7-34,4%, where the regulators ‘ZSS’ and ‘Energiya M’ showed the best results.  

The agricultural crops of dvuruchki (spring-winter wheat) possess advantages among winter and spring wheat due to genetically substantiated high adaptability that makes them the most popular crops in the production. The first variety of dvuruchka ‘Lastochka’, developed in 2005, possessed insufficient winter-frost tolerance and could freeze during hard winters. The variety ‘Afina’, developed in 2009, is more frost resistant, with high content of protein and tolerant to fuzariosis. Winter-frost resistance of the variety ‘Pallada’ is nearly the same as of the middle frost resistant variety ‘Bezostaya 1’. Besides, the variety ‘Pallada’ with a yellowish bread crumb due to the gene Y, is a carrier of the gene of leaf rust resistance Lr 19, closely connected with the gene of stem rust Sr 25, efficient against Ug 99, received from Ag. elongatum. When we improved the developed technology of the breeding process of the varieties with alternative way of living, made multiple artificial selections together with a natural selection under changeable effect of the factors which form the systems of adaptability of winter, spring and facultative ways of living, we created the variety ‘Anka’. The variety ‘Anka’ has been developed with the method of ecologic selection. Examining the responsiveness to day length (photosensitivity) and the demands in vernalization in KRIA (Krasnodar) the initial line of the variety ‘Anka’ showed itself as a reliable natural dvuruchka, i.e. it permanently produced heads at spring sowing and overwintered well (as the winter wheat variety ‘Bezostaya 1’) being artificially frozen in the fridge boxes and then tested on winter-frost tolerance on the shelves. The study of the line in ARRIR named after N.I. Vavilov (St.Petersburg) confirmed its weak sensitivity to vernalization and high sensitivity to photoperiod. Molecular testing of the alleles of the genes Vrn and Ppd showed the presence of the recessive allele of the gene Ppd-D1 responsible for high photosensitivity and found recessive alleles of the genes Vrn-А1, Vrn-В1 and a dominant allele of the gene Vrn-D1 responsible for reducing the need of vernalization. The variety ‘Anka’ is of middle-height, middle-maturing, heat tolerant and drought resistant. According to its grain productivity is possesses advantages before the standard varieties. High content of protein (up to 18,5%) and gluten (up to 35%) gives high nutrition of bread, made from flour of the variety.  

On the basic of the long-term experiments and study of morpho-biologic traits of triticale we determined the parameters of the model varieties of grain-fodder, fodder and bread-making triticale. According to the data the potential productivity of the model variety of the bread-making type should be 95 hwt per hectare. The variety must have good grain (8 points) with the test weight of 760 g/l and more, protein content from 12,5 to 14,5% and gluten up to 28%, good rheological properties of dough; it must form the loaves with the volume of 750 cm3, porosity of 3-4 points with the general bread-making assessment of 4-4,2 points. The leaf rust infection should be less than 10%. The variety ‘Khleborob’ was developed by the method of intervarietal hybridization within Triticale and the double individual selection in the hybrid population (Fahad-3/Erizo-15)/Mudrets// 98-115т3. The spring sample of Mexican selection ‘Fahad-3/Erizo-15’ possesses high indexes of the test weight, 1000-grain weight and wheat proportions of grain. ‘Mudrets’ is a frost tolerant sample with smooth large, vitreous grain. The variety ‘Khleborob’ is characterized with high productivity, adaptive properties, drought tolerance, and resistance to diseases. The main advantage of the variety is the grain of wheat type: the ratio of length to width (1:2,1); the ratio of length to thickness (1:2,3). The grain is of red color, with 1000-grain weight of 45-55 g, with high test weight of 750-782 g/l. The variety is later maturing; it produces spikes 3-5 days earlier than the standard variety ‘Soyuz’. It has a middle length of 110 to 130 cm depending on growing conditions, stable to lodging. The results of the variety-testing after four ancestors during the years of 2011-2013 showed that the average productivity of the variety was 76,1 hwt per ha, which was on 20,6 hwt more than the standard variety ‘Soyuz’ and on 8,4 hwt more than the variety ‘Valentin-90’. The variety showed high resistance to such diseases as yellow rust, powdery mildew and smut, leaf and stem rust. It possesses average stability to pirenoforoz (Pyrenophora tritici-repentis) of leaves and fusariosis of head.  

Barley is the main grain forage crop. Barley breeding on Don comes back to the beginning of the XX-th century; the breeding work was carried out with the method of individual selection, and with the method of hybridization since 1927. Then they started to use the method of individual selection from the best local varieties and their hybridization with the best collection samples. The principal results of barley breeding were obtained when A.A. Sokol became the supervisor of the breeding process of barley in 1962. Under his supervision the sowing of the ‘dvuruchka’ varieties in the summer periods was one of the methods to develop winter tolerant forms of winter barley in the Donskoy breeding center. Due to the method the forms with high winter resistance used as initial breeding material were obtained. The main breeding method was intraspecific intervarietal hybridization of the varieties having different biologic-geographic origin. The intervarietal hybridization using the forms and varieties with different ecologic-geographic origin and the goal-oriented sorting resulted in the obtaining of the winter barley varieties with high winter tolerance, productivity, resistance to lodging and to main diseases of the crop. The seventeen of them were sent to the State variety Testing of RF, Ukraine, Armenia, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan and Belarus; the eight varieties were introduced in the State Register of breeding achievements of RF. Properly chosen direction of selection, a large scale and the goal-oriented sorting determined the success in creating of local highly productive drought-resistant varieties of spring barley with a complex resistance to diseases and lodging. During the whole period of breeding work 30 varieties of spring barley were sent the State Variety Centers to study; and 18 of them were zoned or introduced into the State Register of breeding achievements of RF.  

One of the factors for winter wheat productivity increase is a proper choice of the variety. At present the productivity potential of the varieties of main grain crops is raised to 100 hwt/ha and more, but in the production it is not completely used. In the steppe region of the Crimea the level of demonstration of variety genetic potential largely depends on weather conditions, especially on the amount of moisture during vegetation period. The article gives the analysis of weather conditions of autumn and spring vegetation periods of winter wheat during 2010-2013. The two years from three (2011 and 2012) were characterized with unfavorable weather conditions, insufficient amount of precipitations and high air temperature. The article gives the effect of year conditions on productivity of the varieties. There have been determined the coefficient of regression (bi) and the index of stability (Si2) of the studied winter wheat varieties of the principal ecologic groups. It has been revealed that the varieties with high ecologic adaptability and low stability possess the biggest practical value. The varieties ‘Zorepad’, ‘Turunchuk’ and ‘Missiya Odesskaya’ show the most efficient combination of these indexes, that demonstrates their abilities to give stable yields under various growing conditions.  

Soft spring wheat is the main grain crop in Altay and it occupies more than 2 mln hectare. In 2015 the harvesting area of winter wheat was about 84000 ha, which was 4% less than that of spring wheat. Being highly vulnerable to Siberian winter the crop has limited distribution and grows well in the areas with good and steady reserves of snow. With good overwintering the productivity of winter wheat exceeds the productivity of spring wheat by 1,5-2 times. At present two varieties ‘Zhatva Altaya’ and ‘Zimushka’ developed in Altay RIA are introduced into the Register of the varieties approved for use in the West-Siberia region and the variety ‘Metelitsa’ is in the process of State Variety Testing. For the conditions of Siberia frost tolerance as the principal component of winter tolerance is the most essential property of the crop. The study of the varieties developed by All-Russian RIGC named after I.G. Kalinenko (town of Zernograd, Rostov region) in different conditions allowed finding the sources of useful properties. All varieties of ARRIGC are stable to lodging, they form large grain and with good overwintering they give the same or better productivity as the Siberian varieties. But in the hard conditions only the varieties ‘Izyuminka’ and ‘Stanichnaya’ showed the same productivity as the variety ‘Zhatva Altaya’. Such varieties as ‘Asket’, ‘Stanichnaya’, ‘Pamyati Kalinenko’, ‘Izyuminka’, ‘Dar Zernograda’ have been introduced in the program of hybridization of winter wheat genotypes for the conditions of Siberia.

The article considers opportunities and gives the study of grain crop cultivated with various mechanized technologies under the conditions of insufficient and unstable humidity in the south of Russia. The steady trials have been carried out in the conditions of four field crop rotation with various tillage (moldboard, chisel), including a non-tillage variant. It has been established that the productivity of the experimental crops doesn’t tend to reduce with the non-tillage variant. The productivity of winter wheat is on 8% higher, peas productivity is on 15% higher and soybean productivity is on 37% higher compared with the use of conventional technology. The calculation of economic efficiency included determination of labour cost for one hectare of the arable land and for one hwt of the product, relative size of the capital investments, fuel consumption, operating costs of prime costs of manufacturing, etc. The use of non-tillage method for winter wheat production provides 1,000 hectares of arable land with the labor costs equal to 7213.6 people which is less on 11-21% compared with other technologies of winter wheat cultivation. This technology also reduces operating costs of prime costs of manufacturing to 5934,9 thousand rubles, fuel consumption to 36,1 t, which is less on 66-87% and 97-142 % respectively. The analysis of the system of costs shows that the costs of harvesting and plant care are almost identical for all considered technologies. Their principal difference of costs in fuel consumption, labour and money resources are determined with a complex of works under basic tillage. More than a half of operating costs is required for renovation that reveals high cost of the applied technical means and their low reliability (a small amortization period and large maintenance costs). Cost price of winter wheat production using a non-tillage method is 212,8 rubles per hwt, which is on 31-38% less in comparison with other cultivation technologies. Fuel consumption for spring barley production is 22,8 kg/ha, which is in 2,3-2,9 times less, than with various variants of conventional technologies.

The article deals with the results of predictions of scientific-technological development of grain economy of the Russian Federation. The results of the study determined that the efficient use of land resources under grain crops could be achieved if the ratio of cultivation technologies (conventional, industrial and intensive) was 10%:35-40%:50-55% respectively. Such use of technologies for grain crops will give stable production of grain (120-130 mln ton per year) with the preservation of soil fertility. The results of predictions of technological development of grain breeding in Russia till 2020 demonstrate that a broad development of biological, agrotechnical and engineering innovations and results of NIOKR, new production resources, achievements of efficient ratio of plant-growing agrotechnologies will allow the Russian Federation achieving standards of food safety to 2020 (innovative forecast). If the current trends in the development of Russian grain economy remain the same (inertial forecast) over the medium term, it will preserve food dependence of Russia and will increase the cost of the crop production on 5-6% in comparison with optimistic forecast of technological development.

Maize is one of the principal crops, which supplies food safety of the Russian Federation. The strategic goal to substitute import of maize seeds in the country has been put. The further increase of maize production is planned due to the increase of its productivity, which is going to be achieved by using highly productive maize hybrids and by cultivating them with the economically feasible adaptive to landscape technologies. The domestic maize hybrids developed by the researchers do not concede to foreign analogues in productivity and they are better adapted to the various soil-climatic conditions of the country and can be sown in the North-Caucasus, Southern, Central and Pre-Volzhie Federal Areas and in other regions of the European part of Russia. At present 86 000 ton of maize seeds (56% of which are of domestic selection) are sown annually in Russia. To increase the production of the crop up to 25 mln ton till 2020 it’s necessary to increase domestic production more than twice. In the Republic of Kabardino-Balkaria we produce maize hybrid seeds of all types of maturity due to its weather-climatic conditions. Annually we produce 15-18 000 ton of maize hybrids that is 20% of the total demand of seed market. They are supplied to 31 regions of the country and to the Republic of Belarus. Kabardino-Balkaria possesses a potential to increase maize seed production. The maize seed production in the republic is going to be increased up to 32 000 ton till 2020, that will supply about 30% of cultivated areas of the Russian Federation with the seeds. The further increase of grain production is an important governmental goal and its fulfillment depends on the assurance of food safety in the North-Caucasus region and in the Russian Federation on the whole.