The current paper has presented the study results on the change of adaptability to water and temperature stresses and the value of productivity according to the stages of variety changing. There have been selected 13 winter bread wheat varieties developed in the FSBSI Agricultural Research Center “Donskoy”. It was found that the varieties of the first stages of the variety changing (I–IV stage, 1950–1989) practically did not differ in the degree of drought tolerance and the value of productivity of winter bread wheat. In this regard, there was carried out an analysis of changes in the adaptability of winter wheat varieties starting from the V stage of the variety changing. The degree of drought tolerance increased from the weakly-medium drought-resistant varieties (37.4–51%) belonging to the V stage of the variety changing to highly drought-resistant samples (80.4–93.3%) belonging to the VII stage of the variety changing. There was a significant productivity increase of the winter bread wheat varieties zoned from 2010 to 2019 (the VII stage of the variety changing). The largest number of stomata per unit of leaf area in the V stage of the variety changing was identified in the variety ‘Don 95’ (12.2 pcs/mm²). In the VI stage of the variety changing, the largest value of this indicator was identified in the variety ‘Don 105’ (18.8 pcs/mm²), and in the variety ‘Krasa Dona’ (26.9 pcs/mm²) in the VII stage of the variety changing. The dry weight of roots of the varieties of the V stage of the variety changing varied from 1.18 (the variety ‘Donshchina’) to 1.41 g (the variety ‘Don 95’), while in varieties of the VI stage this indicator varied from 1.97 (the variety ‘Donskoy Mayak’) to 2.29 g (the variety ‘Don 105’), and the largest dry weight of roots was identified at the VII stage of the variety changing and ranged from 2.34 (the variety ‘Don 107’) to 2.79 (the variety ‘Asket’). The same regularity was established for the change in the amount of roots according to the stages of variety changing.

The purpose of the current work was to develop a highly productive winter rye variety for bakery with improved resistance to a complex of unfavorable factors and broad adaptability. The breeding work on the rye variety ‘Zilant’ was conducted in the Tatarsky Research Institute of Agriculture FRC of the Kazan Scientific Center of RAS in 2005–2015. The study of the variety in the Competitive Variety Testing was carried out in 2016–2019, in comparison with the standard varieties ‘Radon’ and ‘Tantana’. There has been presented a detailed characteristics of the variety ‘Zilant’ in terms of economically valuable indicators and adaptive potential according to grain productivity. The winter rye variety ‘Zilant’ formed the largest productivity on average for 4 years (50.2 hwt/ha) and produced high grain quality (229 s of a falling number and 647 u.a. of amylogram height, versus 224 s of a falling number and 625 u.a. of amylogram height of the standard variety ‘Radon’). The variety ‘Zilant’ has a dominant-monogenic type of short stems, strong short straw (on 14–13 cm lower than that of the standards). The variety possesses the same degree of field resistance to rust infections and ergot, resistance to powdery mildew as the standard variety ‘Radon’. There was determined that the rye variety ‘Zilant’, on average over the years of trials, was characterized by a significantly higher productivity (50.2 hwt/ ha, НСР₀₅ = 1.5 c/ha) compared to the control, had a good combination of adaptability (b_i = 1.149) and stability (Ϭ_d² = 3.17). These advantages of the variety are provided by resistance to unfavorable environmental conditions, the formation of a denser cenosis, field resistance to diseases, and a short non-lodging stem. The rye variety ‘Zilant’ produced grain with high baking qualities, corresponding to the 1st class of standards for grain and flour. The variety was responsive to improving growing conditions, showed less response to stress factors and was adapted to a wide range of environmental conditions.

There has been conducted a comparative analysis of productivity and adaptive potential of 12 spring barley varieties. The field trials of the spring barley varieties were laid in 2009–2019 in crop rotations of the Institute of Seed production and Agrotechnologies, Branch of the Federal Budgetary Scientific Institution “Federal Research Agro-Engineering Center VIM”. The purpose of the study was to conduct research to estimate the role of the variety and variety changing in increasing productivity, to study the dynamics of productivity changes in the breeding process. The trial results identified that the spring barley varieties developed in recent years had an advantage in productivity in comparison with previous ones. The minimum productivity of the new varieties has raised by 22%, which indicates the high efficiency of breeding work on the varieties to improve stress resistance. It was determined that the productivity was on 20–50% higher in the varieties of the new generation. The most productive varieties are ‘Yaromir’ and ‘Znatny’ with 7.1 and 7.48 t/ha, respectively. It has been found that the present varieties in the Ryazan region reveal only 74–78% of their productivity potential, and 85% by the new variety ‘Rafael’. The new varieties have a 10–20% less variation in productivity from year to year, which indicates a high degree of adaptability of the varieties to environmental conditions. There have been presented the promising varieties with high genetic flexibility and stress resistance, a high indicator of productivity stability. It has been established that the varieties ‘Elf’, ‘Nur’, ‘Vladimir’, ‘Yaromir’, ‘Nadezhny’, ‘Znatny’ and ‘Rafael’ have the highest potential of productivity. In terms of stress resistance and stability of productivity, there have been identified the new varieties ‘Znatny’ and ‘Rafael’, developed in recent years.

The developed spring oats varieties should combine potential productivity with resistance to abiotic and biotic environmental factors due to increased adaptability. The purpose of the current study was to develop a new highly productive spring oats variety with a complex of economically valuable traits that are resistant to abiotic and biotic stressors. The current paper has presented a description of the new spring oats variety ‘Arkhan’ (mutika), developed by the Moscow RIA in cooperation with the FSEI “Kotlasskoe” by the method of individual-family selection from a hybrid population obtained from step hybridization of the varieties of different origin. The Competitive Variety Testing of the variety ‘Arkhan’ was carried out in 2013–2016 on the basis of the FSEI “Kotlasskoe” of the Arkhangelsk region, the variety ‘Krechet’ was the standard variety. The grain productivity of the new variety averaged 4.5 t/ha over 4 years, which was significantly larger than that of the standard variety ‘Krechet’ (3.5 t/ha). The average green mass productivity of the variety ‘Arkhan’ was 26.7 t/ha, which on 8.5 t/ha higher than that of the standard variety ‘Krechet’. The variety ‘Arkhan’ is characterized by resistance to head smut, being relatively resistant to crown oats rust. The variety is highly resistant to grain shedding and lodging. According to the best indicators, the new spring oats variety ‘Arkhan’ in 2017 was sent for the study to the State Variety Network of the Russian Federation. According to the results of the State Variety Testing, the variety has been included into the State List of Breeding Achievements approved for use on the territory of the Russian Federation since 2020 (in regions 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5).

The current paper has presented the analysis results of the value of heterosis and the degree of phenotypic
dominance of hybrids F₁ obtained by saturating crossings of two-row and multi-row spring barley forms. The purpose of the study was to determine the value of heterosis and the degree of phenotypic dominance of the main quantitative traits of the multi-row hybrids of spring barley. The study was carried out in the laboratory for grain crops and groats breeding of the FSBSI FRC of Agrobiotechnologies of the Far East named after A. K. Chayka. There were studied 68 varieties of multi-row spring barley forms selected from the world collection of IPI of various ecological and geographical origin. The two-row varieties ‘Primorsky 98’, ‘Primorsky 44’, ‘Primorsky 89’, ‘Tikhookeansky’ and ‘Vostochny’ developed by FSBSI FRC of Agrobiotechnologies of the Far East named after A. K. Chayka were taken as maternal forms. Four multi-row barley varieties ‘Kazminsky’ (Khabarovsk Territory), ‘Peguis’ (Canada), ‘Kolchan’ (Altai Territory), ‘07N1’ (China) with valuable economic traits were taken as a paternal form. There was conducted a five-fold backcrossing of hybrids with paternal forms and there were selected the populations of multi-row genotypes. The most of the hybrids F₁ manifested their heterosis simultaneously according to four traits, productive tillering, number of grains per main head, grain weight per main head, and grain weight per a plant. Only two hybrids ‘Primorsky 98 x Kolchan’ and ‘Primorsky 89 x Peguis’ showed a depression. There was identified heterosis by the traits ‘number of grains per main head’, ‘grain weight per main head’ in all hybrids. When analyzing the inheritance of the trait ‘grain weight per a plant’, there was established overdominance of this trait at the highest values of the hybrids ‘Tikhookeansky x Peguis’ (9.7) and ‘Primorsky 44 x 07N1’ (5.2), the heterosis degree was 50.4% and 82.2%, respectively. There has been established that three hybrids ‘Primorsky 98 x 07N1’, ‘Primorsky 44 x 07N1’, ‘Tikhookeansky x Peguis’ can belong to the most promising ones.

The current paper has discussed information on the characteristics and properties of the zoned spring bread wheat varieties developed in the Federal Agricultural Scientific Centre named after V.V. Dokuchaev. The purpose of the study was to develop new spring bread wheat varieties with high productivity and grain quality, resistant to unfavorable biotic and abiotic environmental factors and adapted to the conditions of the Central Blackearth Region. In the FASC named after V.V. Dokuchaev there were developed such highly productive spring bread wheat varieties as ‘Krestyanka’, ‘Kurskaya 2038’, ‘Voronezhskaya 12’, ‘Chernozemnouralskaya 2’ and ‘Voronezhskaya 18’, which are currently approved for use in production. There were analyzed the study results of productivity, grain quality and resistance to unfavorable environmental factors in different growing periods of the varieties. There was found an unambiguous productivity excess of the developed varieties over the standard ones. The endurance of the presented varieties in unfavorable conditions indicates an increase in the stability of the main traits that characterize productivity, resistance to drought, diseases, and lodging. There has been established, that in terms of grain quality the varieties ‘Krestyanka’ and ‘Chernozemnouralskaya 2’ belong to strong wheat with potential productivity of 7.20 and 6.65 t/ha, respectively. The varieties ‘Kurskaya 2038’, ‘Voronezhskaya 12’ and ‘Voronezhskaya 18’ are valuable wheat varieties with realized productivity potential of 5.31, 5.70 and 6.96 t/ha, respectively. There has been identified that the varieties ‘Chernozemnouralskaya 2’ and ‘Voronezhskaya 18’ are recommended to sow with a seeding rate of 6.0 million germinating grains per hectare for the rapid seed reproduction and obtaining high gross grain yield, since productivity, yield of conditioned seeds, germination and 1000-grain weight at this rate was the best. The sowing dates of these varieties were early.

The current paper has presented the study of productivity, environmental stability and adaptability of 11 Russian grain sorghum varieties of various groups of ripeness in the conditions of the Ural steppe of the Republic of Bashkortostan, conducted in 2015–2019. The purpose of the study was to estimate the grain sorghum varieties according to the parameters of environmental adaptability and stability of productivity in changing environmental conditions. The weather conditions during the years of study were different in temperature and water supply, which made it possible to evaluate the lines in the contrasting cultivation conditions. The index of environmental conditions for grain yield of grain sorghum in 2015 was 0.9, in 2016 it was 1.3, in 2017 it was -1.0, in 2019 it was -1.2. The data completely characterizes the weather conditions of the years of study and their effect on the growth and development of plants. Environmental adaptability (b_i) and stability (Ϭ²_d) were calculated according to the methods of S.A. Eberchart and W. A. Rassel (1966) interpreted by V. A. Zykin, stress resistance (Y_min–Y_max) was estimated according to the equation of A. A. Rossille, J. Hamblin interpreted by A. A. Goncharenko, productivity range (d) was evaluated according to V. A. Zykin. The varieties ‘Kamelik’, ‘Ogonyok’, ‘Orlovskoe’ turned out to be adaptable (b_i was close to 1); the varieties ‘Slavyanka’, ‘Zernyshko’ and ‘Ros’ were responsive to the improvement of growing conditions (b_i > 1). Based on a comprehensive estimation of the value of environmental adaptability and stability, the varieties ‘Premiera’, ‘Belochka’, ‘Ogonyok’, ‘Orlovskoe’ were identified as the best ones. These varieties are highly intensive, responsive to the improvement of growing conditions and characterized with high productivity. The paper has collected and presented the material of the long-term study of the environmental adaptability and stability of the grain sorghum productivity in the conditions of the Ural steppe of the Republic of Bashkortostan.

In modern rice growing, the development of new varieties and their rapid introduction into agricultural production is of great importance. Every year the Federal Research Center of Rice and the ARC “Donskoy” develop more productive rice varieties with improved tolerance to unfavorable biotic, abiotic stress factors, with various nutritional qualities of seeds. Any variety responds differently to a variety of agro-ecological conditions, forming different productivity, as the main indicator of cost and demand in production. The current paper has presented the results of ecological variety testing of four rice varieties conducted in 2020 on the fields of ‘Krasnoarmeisky’ and ‘Krasnaya’ located in the Krasnoarmeisky district of the Krasnodar Territory. Each variety was identified on variability of productivity and number of plants per unit area. The productivity of rice varieties varied significantly depending on the variant of the trial (2.93–8.79 t/ha). The variety ‘Kapitan’ significantly surpassed the standard variety ‘Rapan’, when sown after rice and alfalfa, but was at the same level in the agro-ameliorative field. The variety ‘Kapitan’ when sown after ‘AMP’ (high check) formed the maximum productivity of 8.79 t/ha in the background variant and 8.66 t/ha when topdressing with N₃₀. It was due to the high resistance of the variety ‘Kapitan’ to local species of blast in difference from other varieties. Rice stand ranged from 70.5 to 519.0 pcs/m². The variability between the varieties within the variant was medium (CV = 11.1–19.2%), and between the experimental variants it was high (CV = 59.0–71.3%). For cultivation in the Krasnodar Territory there has been recommended the rice variety ‘Kapitan’, developed by the ARC “Donskoy” together with FRC of rice, which has shown fairly high productivity with little variability.

Winter wheat is currently the main grain field crop in the European part of Russia. However, to increase the cultivation efficiency, it is necessary to improve cultivation technology. The purpose of the work is to identify new promising varieties and improve the winter bread wheat cultivation technology for the arid conditions of the Povolzhie. In 2015–2019 there was conducted an agroecological testing for 17 winter wheat varieties, which were most widespread and had the prospects for their introduction in the Povolzhie. During 2011–2018 there were studied five cultivation technologies (options) of the winter wheat variety ‘Svetoch’ in the six crop rotation sequences. The study has established that when cultivating winter wheat in the blackearth (chernozem) steppe of the Povolzhie, the varieties ‘Marafon’, ‘Novoershovskaya’, ‘Zhemchuzhina Povolzhiya’, ‘Severodonetskaya yubileynaya’ and ‘Svetoch’ were the most promising varieties. Under favorable moisture conditions, it was most profitable to cultivated the varieties ‘Rostovchanka 7’, ‘Izyuminka’, ‘Marafon’, ‘Bazis’, ‘Severodonetskaya yubileynaya’, ‘Skipetr’. When cultivating winter wheat in ‘black’ fallow, it is more rational to use early fallow, which begins to be cultivated in the spring when the soil is physically matured. The early spring additional fertilizing with ammonium nitrate increases winter wheat productivity on 0.28 t/ha (9.3%). In order to obtain the maximum net income (11324.8 rubles/ha) and profitability (115.0%), it is most expedient to use the biological product ‘Bionex Kemi’ (3 l/ha) on commercial wheat crops.

In the conditions of the Sverdlovsk region, spring wheat is the main grain crop, which occupies 40% in the grain wedge structure. The purpose of our study is to identify the effect of the weather factors and nutritional backgrounds on wheat productivity in field crop rotations. The study was carried out on dark gray forestry soil in the stationary trial of the Ural Federal Agricultural Research Center of the Ural Department of RAS. The object of study was the spring wheat variety ‘Krasnoufimskaya 100’, sown after various forecrops. The current paper has presented the results of the analysis of data on precipitation, average daily air temperature, STC according to some months, as well as the spring wheat productivity, depending on the moisture conditions and the background of nutrition. There has been identified that in the moisture years the growing season of spring wheat lasted 90 days, in the arid years it reduced on 10 days, and with moisture excess it was 102 days. All differences in the growing season length are mainly due to the length of the interphase period ‘heading – full ripeness’, which varied from 40 to 60 days depending on the year moisture conditions. When using mineral and organic fertilizers, the largest wheat grain yield (3.80–4.25 t/ha) was obtained with 1.62 units of STC in May-August. With insufficient moisture on an unfertilized nutritional background, the spring wheat productivity was not more than 1.4–1.6 t/ha, and under favorable hydrothermal conditions, it increased in 1.8–2.1 times compared to the arid conditions. The maximum intensity of grain formation in the interphase period ‘heading – full ripeness’ was identified under moderately moisture conditions.

The main purpose of using plant growth regulators is to improve the resistance and adaptation of grain crops to unfavorable environmental factors, which ultimately result in an increase of productivity and product quality. Therefore, the energetic estimation of the efficiency of their utilization is of practical importance. The purpose of the research was to study the bioenergetic efficiency of the use of plant growth regulators and micronutrient fertilizers separately and in combination with mineral fertilizers on millet. The study was conducted on ordinary blackearth (chernozem) in the central part of the Lugansk region on the basis of the experimental plot of the Lugansk National Agricultural University in 2016–2018. In the field trials there was used the millet variety ‘Mironovskoye 51’. The trial included three nutritional backgrounds, such as without fertilizers; with N₃₀P₃₀K₃₀ and N₆₀P₆₀K₆₀; treating seeds and plants during the vegetation period with plant growth regulators ‘Kelpak’, ‘RK’, ‘Black Jack’, ‘Niva Lyuks’ and ‘Siliplant’. The trials, records and observations, and the study of bioenergetic efficiency of plant growth regulators were carried out in accordance with generally accepted methods. There was found that the use of mineral fertilizers with N₃₀P₃₀K₃₀ and N₆₀P₆₀K₆₀ significantly (by 17.4–32.1%) raised the total energy consumption by millet in comparison with unfertilized sowings. The use of the studied fertilizers increased the energy yield by 15.3–29.8% and allowed obtaining 24.8–26.6 hwt/ha of grain on average. There has been established that the largest energy yield (46.5 GJ/ha) and productivity (25.6–29.0 hwt/ha) of millet were provided by the utilization of the product ‘Siliplant’. The smallest indicator of energy output (41.3 GJ/ha) and productivity (24.4 hwt/ha) was identified when using the products ‘Kelpak’, ‘RK’ and ‘Niva Lyuks’. There have been established the such effective variants of the trial as the use of the products ‘Black Jack’, ‘Niva Lyuks’ and ‘Siliplant’ on an unfertilized background with the largest coefficient of energetic efficiency (4.0–4.3 units).

The current paper has presented the study results of the effect of different dosages of the herbicide ‘Ballerina SE’ on the weediness of sorghum sowing, as well as the economic efficiency of the application. The purpose of the study was to estimate the efficiency of the use of the herbicide ‘Ballerina’ on grain sorghum and its effect on the weediness of the sowing and the amount of productivity. The field trials were carried out in 2017–2019 in the laboratory for cultivation technology of row crops of the FSBSI Agricultural Research Center “Donskoy” (Zernograd). The experimental plot is located in the southern agricultural zone of the Rostov region (with insufficient and unstable moisture). The soil of the experimental plot was ordinary heavy loamy blackearth (chernozem) on forestry loams, with 3.2% of humus, 18.5–20.0 mg of P₂O₅ and 342–360 mg of K₂O per kg of soil. The hydrothermal coefficient during the years of study ranged from 0.32 to 0.89, which characterized the insufficient moisture supply of the growing season. There was presented the information on the varietal composition of grain sorghum in the southern zone of the Rostov region. The applied dosages of the herbicide had a significant effect on the reduction of the weediness of grain sorghum after their application (the decrease ranged from 78.3 to 96.7%). The greatest decrease in weediness was noted for dicotyledonous weeds. When using 0.5–l of the herbicide ‘Ballerina SE’ per ha, there was obtained the highest conditional net income of 22,230 rubles/ha, with the lowest production cost of 4,329 rubles/ha and the highest profitability level of 163%.

The study of the effect of the chelate complex “Akvarin 5” on grain productivity and quality was conducted on sodpodzolic soil in 2017-2019. The objects of the study were the spring wheat varieties ‘Daria’ (a standard), ‘Sudarynya’, ‘Ladya’, ‘Kamenka’. The purpose of the study was to determine the efficiency of the water-soluble mineral fertilizer with a complex of microelements “Akvarin 5”, produced by the local industry, on grain productivity and quality of various spring wheat varieties. The highest grain productivity was obtained with the use of mineral fertilizers in combination with additional fertilizing of 3 kg/ha of “Akvarin 5”. The productivity increase was 0.53–0.64 t/ha with 0.19–0.24 t/ha of НСР_0.5 in comparison with the control. Spring wheat additional fertilizing with water-soluble fertilizer in its pure form increased protein in grain on 0.27–0.94% in comparison with the control, and when fertilizing “Akvarin 5” according to the N₂₆P₃₈K₃₈ background, this indicator increased to 9.69–11.09%. When treating sowings with 1.5 and 3.0 kg/ha of “Akvarin 5” in its pure form, gluten content in grain increased to 18.71–20.30% in all varieties (in the control it was 17.71–18.91%). Treating of growing plants with “Akvarin 5” against the background of mineral fertilizers promoted the varieties to form grain with 19.89–21.26% of gluten. When treating spring wheat sowings with the water-soluble complex “Akvarin 5”, the cost of grain reduced by 14.4–17.5%, profitability raised on 17.7–22.6 in comparison with the control.

The current paper has presented the study results (2016–2017) of the products ‘Selest Top’, ‘KS’ (the active ingredients are thiomethoxam (262.5 g/l), difenoconazole (25 g/l) and fludioxonil (25 g/l)) for pre-sowing treatment of rice seeds. The purpose of the work was to estimate the effect of the disinfectant ‘Selest Top’ on the sprouting energy, germination, the processes of initial growth and development of rice plants, to find out the biological efficiency of the product against root rot. There has been carried out a number of laboratory trials to study the effect of the product on sprouting, germination energy of seeds. When conducting a vegetation trial, there was estimated efficiency of the disinfectant against root rot. The test results were compared with the effect of the product ‘Vintsit’ (25 g/l of thiabendazole and 25 g/l of flutriafol). The disinfectant ‘Selest Top’ was used at a rate of 1.0 l/t, 1.5 l/t and 2.0 l/t. It was established that the studied products had no negative effect on sprouting energy and germination of rice seeds. The disinfectant had a positive effect on the length of the rice sprouts and also has a stimulating effect on the plant root system. It was identified that the length of roots increased on 2.2–3.0 cm (7 days) and 1.0–3.8 cm (14 days). There was established that the product had a high biological efficiency against root rot at all stages of rice development. The maximum indicators were obtained at a rate of 1.5 l/t with 57.3% (complete sprouts), 57.2% (panicle formation) and 37.2% (milky-wax ripeness). Under the agroclimatic conditions of Primorsky Krai, the pre-sowing seed treatment with the product ‘Selest Top’ is justified due to the high biological efficiency and increased plant resistance to root rot pathogens.

The study was carried out in 2018 and 2019 in the southern forest-steppe area of the Omsk region. The soil of the experimental plot was chernozem-meadow, medium and heavy loamy. The crop rotation was as follows: ‘black’ fallow – spring wheat – spring wheat – spring wheat – barley, the forecrop was second wheat. It was a two-factor field trial, the area of the plots was 50 and 25 m², with three-fold sequence. The purpose of the current work was to estimate the effect of nitrogen fertilizer as a basic one and in the form of top dressing combined with fungicidal and herbicidal treatment on the productivity of spring wheat grain. There was identified a positive effect of the factor of nitrogen fertilization N₃₅ on the productivity of spring wheat grain when sown in ‘black’ fallow. In 2018 there was productivity increase on 0.43, and in 2019 it was 0.74 t/ha, or 25.1 and 39.2%, respectively, according to the control. The utilization of the mixture of herbicides and carbamide (5 kg/ha) had only a tendency to productivity increase in comparison with herbicide control. The additional top dressing of 5 and 10 kg/ha of carbamide in ‘head formation period’ increased productivity by 0.32 and 0.42 (in 2018) and 0.45 and 0.47 t/ha (in 2019). The best results were obtained from the combination ‘herbicides + carbamide (tillering) + fungicide (head formation)’, the average productivity increase was 0.60 (in 2018) and 1.83 t/ha (in 2019).