The article provides a brief historical overview of research work on rice at the Agrarian Scientific Center “Donskoy”, from 1957 to the present. Rostov Region is located on the northern border of the rice distribution area. Therefore, the rice cultivated here must be fruitful, cold-resistant and guaranteed to ripen at these latitudes. Therefore, studies were started on this culture with the aim of adapting it to new soil and climatic conditions. The work was carried out in such areas as selection, seed production, cultivation technology (norms and terms of sowing, doses of fertilizers and stimulants, protection of plants from diseases, pests and weeds). The breeding work was headed by Kosarev N.I. (1957–1967), Sindetsky A.L. (1967–1977), Rossikhin V.P. (1978–1994), Parfenyuk A.A. (1994–2000), Kostylev P.I. (2000–2018), Krasnova E.V. (since 2019). Research on agricultural technology of rice was supervised by Parfenyuk A. A. (1977–2003) and Stepovoj V.I. (2003–2010). The technical work was carried out by a large team of researchers, laboratory assistants and workers due to the multiple turnover. In total, 26 varieties of rice were created and entered into the State Register of Breeding Achievements of the Russian Federation for the North Caucasian (6) and Lower Volga (8) regions: Donskoy 1, Donskoy 2, Donskoy 3, Donskoy 4, Donskoy 402, Donskoy 63, Don 22, Don 26, Zernogradsky, Primanychsky, Salsky, Budennovsky, Privolny, Razdolny, Kontact, Zlaty, Virazh, Boyarin, Svetly, Komandor, Yuzhanin, Kuboyar, Acoustic, Virasan, Pirouette, Kapitan, Argamak etc. 13 master's and 3 doctoral dissertations, 15 monographs and a large number of articles have been published. 

In the current spring barley breeding, the leading direction is the development of early-maturing, drought-resistant, highly productive varieties with good technological grain quality. The productivity of these varieties is influenced both by the economic and biological parameters of the variety and, to a greater extent, by the environmental conditions in the growing area. The purpose of the current study was to carry out a comparative estimation of the spring barley varieties according to ecological adaptability and productive stability under environmental variability. In 2020–2021 there was conducted the study to estimate ecological adaptability and stability of 17 spring barley varieties of Russian breeding (FSBSI “ARC “Donskoy”) in the Ecological Variety Testing in the Rostov and Samara regions. The trial was carried out in four repetitions with a plot area of 10 m². When assessing adaptability, there were used the methods of S.A. Eberhart, W.A. Rassel as edited by V.A. Zykin (2005), V.V. Khangildin and N.A. Litvinenko (1981), A.A. Rosielle, J. Hamblin as presented by A.A. Goncharenko (2005), E.D. Nettevich (2001). The productivity formation through the years of study was mainly influenced (96.5%) by the factor ‘cultivation zone’. The index of environmental conditions showed that more favorable growing conditions were developed on the ecological variety-testing plot of the “ARC “Donskoy” (Ij = +0.61). According to productivity, there has been identified a number of varieties, significantly exceeding the standard variety in only one ecological variety-testing plot. The linear regression coefficient ranged from 0.43 to 1.43, revealing varieties both responsive and weakly responsive to changing growing conditions. According to a number of indicators, there have been identified the varieties ‘Zernogradsky 1755’, ‘Zernogradsky 1724’, ‘Zernogradsky 1754’ valuable for spring barley breeding. 

The current study was carried out in order to analyze the literature devoted to the researches of a number of factors affecting the processes of androgenesis in vitro in wheat anther culture. Triticum aestivum L. is one of the most stable food crops in the world. An important step for wheat breeders is to improve the productivity potential with appropriate grain quality and resistance to unfavorable environmental factors. In order to improve and speed up the breeding process, a targeted selection of the initial material is required with the involvement of donors according to the main limiting traits and properties. In this regard, the use of modern breeding methods and biotechnological techniques, which make it possible to quickly obtain a new initial material with desirable economically valuable traits becomes an urgent issue. The use of haploidy methods, namely, the development of plants with a single set of chromosomes from an immature wheat anther culture (androgenesis), has great prospects for such work. According to the researchers, the efficiency of the method in vitro depends on many factors, such as influence of a genotype, growing conditions, a selection period, pre-treatment, a nutrient medium formula and cultivation conditions. According to some critical reviews, a genotype dependence, low efficiency, and albinism can pose serious limitations to the application of the anther culture method. However, other research groups have made significant efforts to reduce the impact of these negative factors. Due to continuous improvements, the well-established method of anther culture cultivation in vitro can be an effective way to develop wheat varieties and lines with the desired traits and properties. 

Hulles oats is a promising grain crop for germination (bioactivation), that is, it is both a technological additive and a functional ingredient that influences the biological value and consumer properties of a new product. The purpose of the current work was to identify the biochemical composition of hulles oats after the bioactivation process and to estimate the state of the carbohydrate-amylase complex of grain. The study was carried out at the experimental plots of the Samarsky Research Institute of Agriculture named after N.M. Tulaykov during 2018–2021. There were studied such oat varieties as the hulled variety ‘Konkur’, the hulles varieties ‘Baget’ and ‘Bekas’. In the long-term trials there was established the high nutritional value of the hulles oat varieties ‘Baget’ and ‘Bekas’ with on 4.5–4.8% of protein, 33.0% of starch and 27.0–39.0% of oil more than these of the hulled variety ‘Konkur’, which indicated great prospects in baking, possibilities of using this crop in the production of starch and oil. The period of bioactivation has shown that 80% of hulles variety seeds demonstrated more active and friendly kernel sprouting, growth and development up to 1.5 mm. There has been experimentally established that the conditions created during germination (water, temperature, air) reduced mass fraction of protein in kernels on 5.4 – 8.8%, starch content in kernels on 19.5–22.9%, oil in kernels on 5.1 – 7.0% compared with non-sprouted oats. Due to more active germination of hulles oats, the consumption of protein, polysaccharides and oil by the kernels of the varieties ‘Baget’ and ‘Bekas’ was on 2.3–3.4% more active. There has been estimated the state of carbohydrate-amylase complex. The kernels of hulles oats in contrast to hulled oats were characterized by lower amylolytic activity (880–890 u.a. of viscosity on the Brabender amylograph and 348–354 c of ‘falling number’ according to Hagberg-Perten). Bioactivation of grain greatly increased the amylolytic activity: the maximum viscosity of the suspension in the varieties Baget and Bekas stopped at the level of 105 AU, the falling number was 75 s. The total enzymatic activity of amylases has increased in absolute terms on 13.3 – 43.4 mg, the dextrinating activity of α-amylase increased in 2.2–9.8 times, and the saccharifying effect of β-amylase increased in 1.7–3.9 times. The hulles oats, having low amylolytic activity, in the process of bioactivation has acquired greater manufacturability and functionality as an ingredient that influences the biological value of a new product. 

The current paper has presented the data on the organization of primary seed production of spring barley. There has been considered the concept of “primary” seed production, which is based on the individual-family method of selecting families with a two-year estimation of progeny, which allows preserving and identifying varieties according to the most important economic and biological traits and properties. There has been emphasized an importance of using qualified seeds in the preservation of the variety. The purpose of the current study was to evaluate the varietal and sowing qualities of spring barley varieties in the primary links of seed production in the conditions of the Rostov region. The study was carried out in the research crop rotation of the laboratory for primary seed production in 2019–2021. In the study there were used 7 spring barley varieties developed by the FSBSI “ARC “Donskoy”. There was found that the field and laboratory culling in the nurseries for testing a first-year progeny varied from 16.6 to 45.3%; and in the nurseries for testing a second-year progeny it ranged from 13.6 to 33.3%. There was determined that the largest productivity was formed by the varieties ‘Priazovsky 9’ (7.3 t/ha) and ‘Gris’ (7.4 t/ha) in 2019, and by the varieties ‘Gris’ (7.5 and 6.3 t/ha), ‘Fedos’ (8.0 and 6.1 t/ha) and ‘Format’ (7.6 and 6.3 t/ha) in 2020 and 2021. 1000-seed weight of more than 45 g was produced by the varieties ‘Priazovsky 9’, ‘Gris’ and ‘Format’. There was found out that the yield of qualified seeds changed from 73.9% (the variety ‘Shchedry’) to 80.6% (the variety ‘Ratnik’) in 2019, from 70.0% (the variety ‘Shchedry’) to 76.0% (the variety ‘Gris’) in 2020, from 68.1% (the variety ‘Shchedry’) to 78.4% (the variety ‘Format’) in 2021. There was established that the seed material of all spring barley varieties met the requirements of GOST according to the main sowing and varietal indicators, such as seed purity, moisture, germination energy and sowing suitability. 

Russia occupies a leading position among the largest wheat producers and exporters. One of the key requirements for the biological safety of domestic grain products is the phytosanitary requirements of importing countries. The conformity of grain products with regard to phytopathogenic micromycetes is determined by their complete absence or the minimum content in the batch. When shipping exported products, it is necessary to carry out a phytosanitary estimation of a batch of plant products in a short time. In the current paper there has been estimated the effect of the proposed method of sample preparation of grain crop seeds on the quality of an isolated fungal pathogens’ DNA. The purpose of the study was to optimize the methods of sample preparation of grain products for the extraction of nucleic acids with further identification to reduce laboratory trials. The development of modern, reliable and low labor-consuming methods for diagnosing phytopathogens in plant products is of great urgency. In order to conduct the current research, wheat, barley and rye kernels were artificially inoculated with such fungal pathogens as Parastagonospora nodorum, the causative agent of Septoria leaf spot, and Alternaria infectoria, the causative agent of Alternaria leaf spot. The infection was carried out by soaking the kernels in a spore suspension followed by incubation. In order to assess infection, there were used the classical methods of mycology, as well as the patented E.Yu. Toropova’s method. The pathogens were identified by a classical PCR analysis using the target-specific primers. There has been given an assessment of the sensitivity of the proposed extraction method for each of the studied crops. The method allows identifying target objects even with a minimum number of infected kernels in the sample (1–5 infected seeds per 195–199 healthy ones). There were not identified any related pathogens, and there were no false-positive results during the conducted PCR analysis. 

The purpose of the current work was to develop and introduce into production a spring durum wheat variety adapted to the climatic conditions of the Lower Volga region, which meets the modern requirements of the raw material market for pasta producers to productivity and grain quality. Grain quality is the most important criterion by which durum wheat is evaluated. For modern pasta production, there is a great need in grain with a grain unit of at least 770 g/l; with kernel hardness of at least 80.0%; with high quality of gluten (gluten index of at least 80 u.); with carotenoid pigments of 7.0–8.0 mg/kg, where the yellowness index (semolina color) is not less than 22.0 c.u. The new spring durum wheat variety ‘Tamara’ meets all the requirements. The variety was developed by the method of complex hybridization between the best varieties and lines of the laboratory for spring durum wheat breeding and seed production of the “FARC of South-East” and selected samples from the collections of the breeding centers of the Russian Federation, VIR, and ICARDA. The variety is middle-maturing, with 50 days from a germination to heading stage, with plant height of 96 cm. On average, through three years (2019–2021), the productivity of the variety exceeded that of the standard variety ‘Krasnokutka 13’ on 0.3 t/ha, and the variety ‘Saratovskaya zolotistaya’ on 0.5 t/ha. In 2020 in the production sowing of the Krasavskoye OPH the maximum productivity was 3.14 t/ha. The variety is characterized by a high percentage of carotenoid pigments, gluten elasticity and strength, an amber-yellow shade of spaghetti, their low digestibility, delicious taste and nutritional value. The new spring durum wheat variety ‘Tamara’ has been included in the State List of Breeding Achievements since 2022. The variety has been recommended for cultivation in the 8th region of the Russian Federation. 

The current paper has presented data on the study of the flag leaf conducting system of winter wheat grown under drought in the period of 2018–2020. The objects of the study were 10 winter wheat varieties, developed by the researchers of the FSBSI «ARC «Donskoy». The purpose of the work was to study the influence of the development degree of the leaf conducting system of winter wheat under conditions of simulated drought on productivity and 1000-grain weight. When studying samples under conditions of simulated drought, there were obtained data on the development of the leaf conducting system (number and total area of vascular bundles). As a result of the study, there was established that when developing under conditions of insufficient moisture supply, the varieties ‘Etyud’, ‘Zodiak’, ‘Asket’, ‘Zhavoronok’ and ‘Ermak’ had the maximum number of vascular bundles in the leaves and a minimum decrease of the triat ‘1000-grain weight’ and productivity in relation to optimal growing conditions. The identified samples had the following indicators: the variety ‘Etyud’ (47 pieces, on 9.2 and 27.3%), the variety ‘Zodiak’ (53 pieces, on 10.5 and 30.5%), the variety ‘Ascetik’ (51 pieces, on 11.7 and 31.1%), the variety ‘Zhavoronok’ (49 pcs., on 12.6% and 27.5%) and the variety ‘Yermak’ (50 pcs., on 12.6% and 30.8%), respectively, which indicates the drought resistance of the varieties. There has been found a strong and medium positive correlation between the traits ‘number of bunches’ and ‘1000-grain weight’ (r=0.74) with productivity (r=0.68). A powerful leaf conducting system in arid conditions was determined in the varieties ‘Yubiley Dona’ (13.080 µm²), ‘Podarok Krymu’ (11.339 µm²), ‘Etyud’ (11.003 µm²), ‘Zodiak’ (10.907 µm²), ‘Premiera’ (10.560 µm²), which are able to provide emerging grains with a sufficient quantity of organic substances. 

In accordance with the purpose of the current study, there have been presented the study results of the productivity and grain quality of the co-breeding winter bread wheat varieties. Kalmykia RAI, the branch of the “Pre-Kaspy AFRC RAS” in cooperation with the FSBSI “NCG named after P.P. Lukyanenko” developed five winter bread wheat varieties. The Competitive Variety Testing was laid down in 2 layers in 4-fold repetition using a CH-16 seeder in 2017–2021. The accounting area of the plot was 50 m². The sowing was carried out at the optimal time, in the third decade of September. The seeding rate was 300 germinating seeds per 1 m². The crop was sown in weedfree fallow. The mean grain productivity of the co-breeding varieties through 5 years in the arid conditions of the Republic of Kalmykia was 3.06 t/ha. The variety ‘Khasyr’ had the maximum productivity. The study has confirmed that the co-breeding varieties formed high-quality grain suitable for baking. The highest percentage of protein (14.8%) and gluten (31.1%) among the varieties through the past 5 years was in 2020. Grain unit of all varieties exceeded the basic rate of 750 g/l and ranged from 765 to 786 g/l. The best grain unit was demonstrated by the new variety ‘Khamdan’. Grain sedimentation among the varieties varied on average from 42.0 to 49.4 ml, which is an average ratio for this crop. The flour strength ranged from 171 to 299 u.a. Strong flour was obtained from the variety ‘Bulgun’. In recent years the bread volume varied from 515 to 650 cm³, the total rate of grain and flour of the co-breeding varieties was 4.0 - 4.8, which is typical for valuable and strong wheat. 

Sorghum is one of the most adaptable and undemanding forage crops cultivated in arid zones. The crop is characterized with high quality foliage, which can be used in fodder production in various forms (both in single-crop silage and in multi-crop mixtures). The purpose of the current study was to estimate the variability of the main productivity elements of sweet sorghum green mass depending on weather indicators. The initial material was presented by 180 collection samples of sweet sorghum from Russia, the USA and Ukraine. There have been used conventional breeding methods, such as hybridization, selection and inbreeding. The weather conditions during the study years of 2017–2021 were contrasting. The hydrothermal coefficient for the vegetation period of sorghum indicates that the year of 2018 was the driest one (HThC = 0.38). The variability coefficient of collection samples of sweet sorghum according to green mass productivity has shown a strong variability of this indicator (V = 27–35%). The green mass productivity had a close direct correlation with the length of a leaf (0.73±0.05) and an average correlation with its width (0.61±0.06). The variability coefficient has shown that the samples of sorghum collection had an average variability according to the traits ‘leaf length’ (V = 15.3%) and ‘leaf width’ (V = 11.8%), and were stable according to the trait ‘number of leaves per plant’ (V = 7.4%). Correlation and regression analysis has shown that ‘leaf length’ had an average inverse correlation with air temperature (r = –0.42±0.06) and a strong direct correlation with precipitation (r = 0.78±0.05). The trait ‘leaf width’ is practically independent of weather conditions. The number of leaves had an average negative correlation with air temperature (r = –0.55±0.06), and a weak correlation with amount of precipitation. A leaf length and width are marker indicators of high productivity, so they can be used in plant selection for productivity. 

The purpose of the current research was to study and identify new promising pea lines with stable indicators of the trait ‘1000-seed weight’. The study was carried out in the fields of the laboratory for legumes breeding and seed production of the FSBSI Agricultural Research Center “Donskoy”, located in the southern part of the Rostov region, in the Competitive Variety Testing in 2018–2020. The objects of the study were 12 new pea lines developed by the FSBSI “ARC “Donskoy”. The standard variety was ‘Aksaisky usaty 5’. The study conducted in 2018–2020 resulted in assignment of all samples to the medium-size group, which had 150–250 g of ‘1000-seed weight’. The lines ‘B-3626/20’ (213.3 g) and ‘B-3733/9-1’ (210.7 g) produced the largest size of seeds. Intervarietal variability differed through the years. In 2018 it was 13.6%, in 2019 it was 11.5% and in 2020 it was 21.1%, with an annual average indicator of 19.8%. The analysis of intravarietal variability showed that the lowest variability (less than 10%) was characteristic for the standard variety ‘Aksaisky Usaty 5’ (5.9%), the lines ‘G-1014’ (7.7%) and ‘B-3733/9-1’ (9.1%). The average variability (10-20%) was characteristic for the lines ‘G-1008’ (13.7%), ‘B-3790/30-3’ (11.2%), ‘B-3626/20’ (19.8%). In the rest of the breeding samples, intravarietal variability was high (more than 20%) through the years of study. In this study, the standard variety ‘Aksaisky Usaty 5’ had the highest homeostasis of 157.5. Not a single new line has exceeded this figure. This indicates that this variety least of all among the studied samples, changed the size of seeds under different growing conditions through the years of study. Among the studied new breeding lines, the breeding lines ‘G-1014’ (86.3), ‘B-3733/9-1’ (64.6) had high homeostaticity due to the trait ‘1000-seed weight’. 

The current paper has presented the results of a three-year study (2019–2021), the purpose of which was to study and evaluate the impact of various tillage methods on pea productivity. The trials were carried out on the fields of the structural subdivision of “NCRIMEA” of the FSBSI “Agricultural Research Center “Donskoy”. There have been studied four tillage methods such as subsurface; layer-by-layer; moldboard; ‘no-tillage’ variant. Weather conditions during the study period were contrasting and affected plant vegetation period. When estimating the effect of tillage methods, there were taken into account such indicators of pea productivity as number of productive plants, number of productive nodes, number of productive beans, number of seeds per bean, number of seeds per plant, weight of seeds per plant, 1000-seed weight, and productivity. The three-year study and estimation of the effect of various tillage methods on pea yields and its productivity, there was found that the growing season decrease negatively affected pea productivity under all tillage methods, along with this the plants reacted more sharply to this under the moldboard tillage. The most favorable effect on pea productivity was provided by variants ‘no-tillage’ and subsurface tillage due to the maximum formation of number of nodes, beans and seeds in plants, as well as seed weight increase. The estimated mean pea productivity in 2019–2021 showed the advantage of a subsurface tillage (3.15 t/ha). Relative to it, there was established productivity decrease on 2.2% in the variant ‘no-tillage’, on 13.97% in the variant with a layer-by-layer tillage, and on 28.25% in the variant with moldboard tillage. 

In the Republic of Tatarstan, due to favorable soil-climatic and market conditions, spring wheat production is developed, but wheat grain yields are limited by a number of unfavorable factors, one of which is a spread of fungal diseases. At the same time, the pressure of pathogenic fungi makes it possible to carry out fruitful breeding work in Tatarstan on resistance to diseases, which is on of the main activity of the Kazan Research Center of the RAS. The purpose of the current study was to estimate ten new varieties for resistance to major fungal diseases. The study on resistance to leafy diseases, such as powdery mildew, stem rust, brown leaf rust, dark brown leaf blotch was carried out at a natural infectious background, to kernel smut on an artificial infectious background inoculating seeds with spores of kernel smut. The study was carried out between the years of 2017 and 2021. The analysis for the possible presence of stem rust resistance genes was performed by a PCR analysis. As a result of the study, there was found out that the varieties ‘Sto let TASSR’, ‘Balkysh’, ‘Khazine’, ‘Chistopolskaya’, ‘Bulyak’ had a complex resistance to all studied diseases. The variety ‘Sitara’ had a strong field resistance to powdery mildew and kernel smut. The variety ‘Barakat’ had a strong field resistance to powdery mildew and leaf rust. The variety ‘Nadira’ was moderately resistant to powdery mildew and dark brown leaf spot. The varieties ‘Ekada 265’ and ‘Ekada 282’ were highly resistant to local stem rust populations. The molecular genetic estimation of the stem rust resistant varieties of spring bread wheat ‘Chistopolskaya’, ‘Sto let TASSR’, ‘Balkysh’, ‘Ekada 282’ for the identification of effective Sr-genes has shown that their resistance is apparently regulated by the Sr31 gene. 

Winter wheat occupies the main share in the structure of agricultural land in the Rostov region. The main factor in the deterioration of high-quality grain production in this area is the corn bug. Agrotechnical measures and plant protection products used in wheat cultivation have a significant impact on the formation, development and structure of the pest population. The purpose of the current study was to determine the effect of the sown winter wheat varieties on the number and phenotypic structure of the Rostov corn bug population under the use or absence of chemical treatments. In accordance with the “Methodical recommendations on the registration tests of insecticides, acaricides, molluscicides and rodenticides in agriculture” and phenogenetics methods, there have been conducted the analysis and registration of the corn bug number and the study of its phenotypic structure. There has been established that fluctuations in the number and changes in the intraspecific structure of the corn bug population depended on the varietal characteristics of the sown wheat. The most significant changes in the pest population were established on untreated sowings of the variety ‘Yuka’. There has been found out that the use of insecticides of different chemical classes reduces the number of bug larvae from 3 to 0 pcs./m2 , but at the same time, there is a transformation of the phenotype of the pest population, when the share of morphotype 1 in the structure increases on 13.5–23.5% and the share of morphotype 2 decreases on 10.4–36.3%. The greatest phenotypic modification of the corn bug population was registered on wheat sowings treated with insecticide Bi-58 New, EC (400 g/l), which indicates the need to limit its use or use in tank mixtures. 

Loose smut (Ustilago avenae (Pers.) Jens.) and covered smut (Ustilago kolleri Wille) are considered to be the most harmful and widespread in the forest-steppes of the Pre-Ob region. The poor grain yields in some years could reach up to 25%, and up to 50% in the years of epiphytoties. The purpose of the current study was to identify the resistance of oat varieties to dusty and covered smut in the forest-steppes of the Pre-Ob region. The study was carried out at the phytopathological plot of the laboratory for plant gene pool of the SRIPCB, the branch of Institute of Cytology and Genetics, Siberian Branch of RAS in 2018–2021. The objects of research were Russian varieties from the world collection of VIR named after V.I. Vavilov. There have been studied 64 oat genotypes for resistance to local populations of loose and covered smut. There has been established a significant correlation between plants’ damage caused by loose and covered smut and soil temperature during the period ‘third decade of May – the first decade of June’ (r = 0.76 and r = 0.73). There was no significant correlation between plants’ damage and the average daily air temperature (r = 0.32 and r = 0.48). There has been determined a negative relationship (r = –0.77 and r = –0.71) between the manifestation of the disease and the amount of precipitation during the period ‘sowing-sprouts’. There has been established that most varieties are susceptible to pathogens. According to smut fungi resistance under conditions of an artificial infectious background, there have been identified such oat varieties as ‘Sibirsky Gerkules’, ‘Fakel’, ‘Rysak’ and ‘Uralets’. These varieties are characterized by large productivity, 1000-grain weight, resistance to lodging.