The purpose of the study was to identify the effect of the length of a vegetation period of collection samples on protein percentage in pea seed. The study was carried out in the southern part of the Rostov region on the fields of the FSBSI «ARC «Donskoy» in 2017–2020. The objects of the study were 100 collection pea samples from the N. I. Vavilov ARIPGR (VIR), including 53 leafless samples and 47 leafy ones. The longest vegetation period on average for the collection (93.8 days) was identified in 2017. The intervarietal variability of this trait, expressed by a variation coefficient, this year was 5.5 % with a minimum value of 63 days and a maximum of 101 days. In the group of varieties of the leafless type, the intervarietal variability was 6.4 % (min. 63 days; max. 100 days), in the leafy group it was 4.2 % (min. 80 days; max. 101 days). In other years, there was a reduction of a vegetation period and a decrease in its intervarietal variability due to unfavorable weather conditions in the form of a lack and shortage of precipitation against the background of elevated and high air temperatures. But they also led to the maximum accumulation of protein in seeds of collection samples, thereby showing the greatest intervarietal variability of this indicator. The calculation of the correlation coefficient showed the absence of a correlation dependence of protein percentage on length of vegetation, both on average for the collection (r = 0.03+0.10) and for the groups of leafless (r = 0.08+0.14) and foliate (r = 0.05+0.15) leaf morphotypes. The construction of graphs with errors for groups of leafy morphotypes revealed samples with a protein percentage of more than 25.0 %. In the group of the leafless morphotype, they had a vegetation period of 78–80 and 83–85 days, and in the group of the leafy morphotype, it was 77–79 days on average over the years of study.

The current paper has presented the estimation results of productivity, feed quality and bioenergetic efficiency of cultivation of the sainfoin varieties and promising lines. The study was carried out at the FSBSI «ARC «Donskoy» in 2019–2022. The objects of the study were 5 sainfoin varieties included in the State List and approved for use in different regions of Russia, one variety, which is currently on the State Variety Testing, and three promising lines. The standard variety was ‘Zernogradsky 2’. For 4 years the sainfoin varieties, included in the List, exceeded the standard variety on 8.3–17.4 % of green mass yield, on 5.4–10.8 % of dry matter, on 6.8–13.9 % of seeds. The variety ‘Atamansky 20’ and promising lines exceeded the standard on 17.8–23.4 %, 23.0–29.7 % and 16.7–31.0 %, respec tively. The sainfoin varieties and lines significantly exceeded the standard variety in their nutritional value. These indicators were the highest in the line ‘Sin 3/2004’ and amounted to 5.610 thousand/ha f.u., 1.59 t/ha of crude and 990 kg/ha of digestible protein. The varieties ‘Atamansky’, ‘Veles’, ‘Sudar’ and ‘Shuravi’ accumulated energy on 8.5–16.5 % more than the standard variety with green mass productivity, net energy income exceeded that of the standard variety on 9.1–17.7 %. The promising lines produced on 21.2–23.6 % more energy with vegetative mass harvesting than the standard variety. The coefficients of energy efficiency of the varieties and promising lines were 3.4–3.6. With seed yields, sainfoin varieties and promising lines accumulated energy on 6.5–31.1 % more than the standard variety. At the same time, net energy income was higher on 16.3–83.5 %, and the CEE was 1.7–2.2.

Anther culture is the most effective and not technically complex tool for obtaining double wheat haploids. The current study is devoted to the research of the influence of the genotype and concentration of the growth regulator 2.4-D on the efficiency of androgenesis in vitro of spring bread wheat. The purpose of the study was to estimate the efficiency of the anther culture of hybrids of the first and second generation and their parental varieties and to study its dependence on different concentrations of the growth regulator 2.4-D. There has been carried out the estimation of the traits of the F₁ hybrids, the F₂ population, and the parental varieties ‘Obskaya 2’ and ‘Novosibirskaya 15’ when 2.4-D was added to the induction medium at a concentration of 1 and 2 mg/l. There has been established that the F₂ population and the parental variety ‘Novosibirskaya 15’ are characterized by the largest indicators. The average values were significantly surpassed by the F₂ population in the traits ‘number of productive anthers per 100 anthers’ and ‘number of all regenerants per 100 anthers’ at 1 mg/l of 2.4-D. The variety ‘Novosibirskaya 15’ surpassed the average values in traits ‘number of sprouts per 100 anthers’ and ‘number of all regenerants per 100 sprouts’ at 2 mg /l of 2.4-D. The trial has shown that the best responsiveness of the anther culture for the studied genotypes was when the growth regulator 2.4-D was added to the induction medium at a concentration of 1 mg/l. The variety ‘Novosibirskaya 15’ has been characterized by good responsiveness in anther culture in vitro and could be used as a donor of valuable alleles in wheat breeding programs using DH technologies.

In the Rostov region, among cereal crops, winter wheat occupies a leading position in terms of the sown area. Breeders have developed wheat varieties, a productivity potential of which is 1.5–2 times higher than their actual yield in production. One of the most important factors that can destabilize gross grain harvests and reduce productivity are parasitic organisms, the most dangerous of which are rust pathogens (Puccinia triticina, P.striiformis, P.graminis). Brown rust (pathogen Puccinia triticina Erikss.) is one of the dangerous wheat diseases. The genetic diversity of cultivated varieties according to resistance types and genes that control it, provides reliable wheat protection against this pathogen. The purpose of the current study was to identify leaf rust resistance genes (Lr-genes) using marker selection for the winter bread wheat lines. The study was carried out in 2020–2021. The objects of research were 311 winter bread wheat lines of the FSBSI Agricultural Research Center «Donskoy». In the study of winter bread wheat lines, there were used such methods as DNA isolation using CTAB, PCR, and electrophoresis on agarose gels. Using molecular markers, there have been identified 24 samples with a functional allele of the Lr10 gene (1672, 518/21 (1), 595/21 (1) 595 (4), 625/21, 626/21, etc.), 49 samples with the dominant allele Lr26 (1105, 502/21, 526/21 (1), 526/21 (2), 529/21 (12), 557/21, etc.), 13 lines with the resistance allele of the Lr37 gene (1105, 1609, 1610, 1611, 1612, 1613, 1615, etc.). There was also found that the Lr17a gene was not detected in the studied lines.

There has been shown a main direction of winter rye breeding in the institution. There have been described the main stages of this process. There has been reported that the reduction in the length of the stem at the first stage due to the use of sources of short stems made it possible to increase the productivity level of the developed varieties on 17.2 %, and lodging resistance on 32.0 %. In order to compensate for the significant reduction of the assimilation surface area due to a stem length decrease as a main assimilating organ in rye, and to increase the role of leaves in this process, there have been developed the varieties with high resistance to a group of diseases, including leaf ones. In order to increase productivity and its stability, there were subsequently developed and used the large-leafy forms with an erectoid orientation. As a result, a productivity potential of the varieties reached 9 or more tons per hectare. The late-term variety ‘Talovskaya 45’ developed as a result of long-term and purposeful breeding, has been characterized as highly productive, winter tolerant, resistant to lodging and drought. The variety has been recommended for cultivation in three regions, namely Central Blackearth, Central and Middle Volga. The productivity on variety testing plots in these regions during the years of trials averaged 5.25 t/ha, 4.50 t/ha and 4.52 t/ha, respectively, and the maximum yield was 8.92 t/ha. The excess of the new variety over the standard varieties reached 0.5 or more tons per hectare. There has been given a morpho-biological characteristics of the new variety. The purpose of the current study was to show the efficiency of further improvement of the plant architectonics in improving winter rye productivity, to tell the history of development and provide a description of the new variety.

The main task for the near future is to identify the best samples from the collection to develop the winter barley varieties that meet the modern requirements of domestic agricultural producers. The purpose of the study was to identify the effect of the yield structural elements and other traits on the productivity of collection winter barley varieties and to identify the most adapted for use in the breeding process. The current paper has presented the study results of collection winter barley samples. The study was carried out in the department of barley breeding and seed production of the FSBSI Agricultural Research Center «Donskoy» (2018–2021). Based on the study results of this material, there were identified new sources for use in breeding programs to increase the values of individual traits:

– low stem: ‘Perkins’ (USA), ‘Novosadski 331’ (Yugoslavia);

– resistance to lodging: ‘Hobbit’ (Switzerland), ‘Merchant’ (Bulgaria), ‘Akademichesky’ (Ukraine), ‘Gust’ (Belarus), ‘18513 EN11’ (France), ‘Explorer 2’, ‘Explorer 3’, ‘Explorer 4’, ‘Explorer 6’, ‘Explorer 8’, ‘Wintwalt’, ‘Tiffani’ (Germany), ‘Perkins’ (USA), ‘Novosadski 331’ (Yugoslavia), ‘Posaune’, ‘Sombrero’, ‘Karisma’ (England), ‘Duet’ (Germany);

– number of productive stems per area unit: ‘Explorer 8’, ‘Explorer 4/2’, ‘Wintwalt’ (Germany), ‘Baraka’ (France), ‘Posaune’ (England);

– grain content per head: ‘Artel’ (Russia), ‘Caprice’, ‘Azurel’, ‘Rurdue’ (France), ‘HWV1427’ (Germany);

– 1000-grain weight: ‘Randevu’, ‘Premier’ (Russia), ‘Nectaria’, ‘Vanessa’ (France), ‘Explorer 3’ (Germany);

– grain weight per head: ‘Randevu’, ‘Pallidum 1916’ (Russia), ‘Oribi’, ‘Bezosty’ (France), ‘Explorer 2’, ‘KWS-Scala’ (Germany), ‘Hobbit’ (Switzerland);

– fast-maturity: ‘Parallelum 1963’, ‘Sekret,’ ‘Bezosty 1953’, ‘Bezosty 1954’ (Russia), ‘Fermer’ (Ukraine);

– high productivity: ‘Rostovsky 55’, ‘Grand’, ‘Artel’ (Russia), ‘KWS-Hiskory’, ‘Explorer 8’ (Germany), ‘Esterel’ (France).

According to the complex of economically valuable traits (4 or more traits), there were identified 15 varieties: ‘Randevu’, ‘Parallelum 1960’ (Russia), ‘KWS-Scala’, ‘KWS-2-117’, ‘KWS-2-234’, ‘Explorer 4’, ‘Explorer 3/2’ (Germany), ‘Baraka’, ‘Rebelle’, ‘6577 CH’, ‘18513 EH11’ (France), ‘Cello’, ‘Fenesse’ (USA), ‘Novosadski 321’ (Yugoslavia), ‘Posaune’ (England).

From 2018 to 2020, there was studied a collection of sesame varieties of various ecological and geographical origin at the Don Experimental Station, a branch of the Federal State Budget Scientific Institution Federal Research Center VNIIMK. The research was carried out within the framework of State assignment No. 0684-2019-0013 ‘Development of new source material and identifying varieties and hybrids of oilseeds: sunflower, mustard, flax. Preservation of the gene pool of the main oilseeds’. The purpose of the current research was to study the morphobiological characteristics of sesame samples of various ecological and geographical origin, to study the growth and development of light- and dark-seeded groups, to identify samples with positive economically valuable traits. The color of sesame seeds is associated with their biochemical functions involved in protein and oil metabolism, as well as with the content of antioxidants (Chengqi et al., 2021). Studying collection samples by a set of traits, it is necessary to identify the most promising ones (Bashlakova, Sintsova, 2021). They must have high productivity, resistance to unfavorable conditions of the cultivation region. It is necessary to pay attention to a length of a vegetation period, a shape, location and capsules’ cracking. (Kalitskaya, Sinegovskaya et al., 2021). The current paper has presented the study results of sesame varieties from the VIR collection. There has been presented a comparative characteristic of light- and dark-seeded groups. There have been described the differences in the main economically valuable traits, phenological phases, and fatty acid composition. There has been established a range of variation between groups with different vegetation periods, fatty acid composition and other economically valuable traits. Phenological observations have shown that the range of variation in a vegetation period and plant height in the dark-seeded group was wider than in light-seeded samples. Productivity of the light-seeded group was 0.56–0.62 t/ha, which was 0.13–0.24 t/ha higher than the dark-seeded samples with 0.32–0.49 t/ha. The range of variation within the groups was 0.16 t/ha for light-seeded and 0.17 t/ha for dark-seeded samples. The oil content in the light-seeded group is also higher than the samples with dark seeds on 0.8–1.2 %, the variation range within the light-seeded group was 2.9 % and 2.5 % within the dark-seeded group. 1000-seed weight was practically at the same level between the groups and amounted to 2.9–3.0 g for light-seeded samples and 2.9–3.1 g for dark-seeded samples.

The current paper has presented the study results of the second-generation hybrid population of ‘Bakhus x Kontakt’ combination. The variety ‘Bakhus’ is large-kernelled, vigorously growing, tall, unresistant to lodging, the variety ‘Kontakt is short, resistant to lodging, medium-kernelled. The purpose of the study was to analyze the inheritance of a number of quantitative traits in the F₂ rice hybrid ‘Bakhus x Kontakt’ and select the best plants for the further breeding process. In the process of hybridological analysis, there have been established the patterns of inheritance of the main quantitative traits affecting productivity, there have been identified the best undersized forms, in which there were formed compact erect panicles and large kernels, and there has been selected the source material for breeding work. The study was carried out on the plots of OP «Proletarskoe» in the Rostov region in 2019–2021. The crossing was carried out in 2019, F₁ was reproduced in 2020, F₂ rice plants were grown in 2021. There has been found that according to ‘plant height’ there was a partial dominance of lower trait values and allelic differences in parental varieties for one pair of genes. There was no dominance according to ‘panicle length’; there were found digenic differences in the initial varieties. According to the trait ‘number of spikelets in a panicle’, there was a dominance of large values and positive transgression. According to spikelet length in F2 hybrids, there was a wide variation of the trait within the variability of parental varieties from 6.8 to 11.0 mm. there was no dominance. There was noted a digenic splitting in a ratio of 1:4:6:4:1. According to 1000-kernel weight, there has been identified a monohybrid splitting of 3:1. There were selected the best morphotype F₂ forms, which differed in optimal plant height, long panicles, their increased kernel percentage and 1000-kernel weight.

The current paper has presented the ecological testing results of the winter bread wheat varieties and lines developed in the FSBSI «ARC «Donskoy» in the soil and climatic conditions of the Kursk region. The purpose of the current study was to identify promising varieties and breeding lines of winter bread wheat adapted to the conditions of the Central Blackearth region of the Russian Federation. The objects of the study at the initial stage (2018–2020) were such winter wheat varieties included in the State List of Breeding Achievements as ‘Volny Don’, ‘Krasa Dona’, ‘Donskaya Step’, ‘Volnitsa’, ‘Etyud’, ‘Zhavoronok’, ‘Yermak’, and in the following years (2020–2021) there were studied from 15 to 40 lines developed on the basis of hybridization in the «ARC «Donskoy». As a result of ecological testing, there has been identified a number of varieties and lines that are most adapted to the soil and climatic conditions of the Kursk region. A new joint variety of winter bread wheat ‘Vertikal’ has been sent to the State Variety Testing. Productivity of the variety ‘Vertikal’ in the Kursk FANC varied from 50.1 to 71.9 hwt/ha; in SamRC RAS it was from 32.4 to 71.6 hwt/ha; in the Research Institute of Agriculture of the Crimea it was from 38.7 to 49.5 hwt/ha. Productivity of the standard varieties ‘Moskovskaya 39’, ‘Skipetr’ and ‘Ermak’ was 47.8–52.0 hwt/ha, 25.3–63.9 hwt/ha, 37.0–42.2 hwt/ha, respectively. Ecological testing was carried out in the breeding crop rotation of the Kursk Federal Agricultural Research Center (FSBSI Kursk FANC). The soil cover of the experimental plot was represented by typical heavy loamy blackearth (chernozem). The forecrop was black fallow. Sowing was carried out in an ordinary way with a row spacing of 15 cm, with a seeder SKS-6-10. The plots were with an accounting area of 10 m² in six repetitions, the seeding rate was 500 germinating grains per 1 m², the standard variety ‘Moskovskaya 39’ was sown every 10 numbers. Lodging and winter hardiness and structural analysis of plants was estimated according to the methods of the State Variety Testing of Agricultural Crops. Over the years of study, there have been identified the winter bread wheat lines with economically valuable traits that exceeded the standard one and could be used in further breeding work. Breeding varieties on a cooperative basis makes it possible to expand the area of distribution of research by breeding centers to develop new varieties in other ecological and geographical conditions.

The study has been carried out at the FSBSI «Ural Federal Agrarian Research Center of the Ural Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences» on the fields of the Krasnoufimsk Breeding Center in 2019–2021. The purpose was to develop new highly productive varieties of spring bread wheat adapted to the climatic conditions of the Middle Urals using parental forms with high breeding indices in hybridization. There has been given a characteristic of the earlymaturing variety ‘Ekstra’ and middle-early maturing ‘Nitsa’ and their parents, namely, ‘Omskaya 35’ and ‘Iren’, ‘Ekaterina’ and ‘Krasnoufimskaya 100’, according to such breeding indices as Mexican, Canadian, Poltava, attraction, productivity, potential head productivity, intensity, micro-distribution, linear head density, grain filling. There has been shown that the productivity advantage of the variety ‘Ekstra’ over the variety ‘Iren’ was 0.37 t/ha (11.1 %) and over thevariety ‘Omskaya 35’ it was 0.31 t/ha (9.1 %). The variety ‘Ekstra’ has combined the high values of six breeding indices from the middle maturing variety ‘Omskaya 35’ and exceeded both parents in the studied indices. The productivity advantage of the variety ‘Nitsa’ was 0.52 t/ha (19.2 %) over the variety ‘Ekaterina’ and over the variety ‘Krasnoufimskaya 100’ it was 0.40 t/ha (14.2 %). It has combined the high values of four indices from the variety ‘Ekaterina’, six from the variety ‘Krasnoufimskaya 100’ and significantly exceeded the parental varieties according to such indices as Poltava, Mexican, microdistribution, attraction, grain filling, intensity. There has been identified a high positive correlation between grain productivity and attraction indices (r = 0.761) and Mexican (r = 0.864), an average positive correlation between indices of intensity (r = 0.601), potential head productivity (r = 0.507), grain filling (r = 0.333). The results have showed that involving parents with high values of breeding indices into hybridization could contribute to the development of new highly productive varieties of spring wheat.

The current paper has presented the study results of the application of herbicides ‘Meister Power MD’; ‘Remus VDG’; ‘Dianat, VR’; ‘Sekator Turbo, MD’ as elements of maize cultivation technology in the southern part of the Rostov region. Field trials were carried out in 2019–2021. The object of the study was the maize hybrid ‘Zernogradsky 354MV’, (included in the State List of Breeding Achievements in the 6th (North Caucasian) region in 2010). The purpose of the study was an economic and agronomic estimation of the application of herbicides ‘Meister Power MD’; ‘Remus VDG’; ‘Dianat, VR’; ‘Sekator Turbo, MD’ in the southern part of the Rostov region when cultivating maize for grain. The soil of the experimental plot was ordinary calcareous heavy loamy blackearth (chernozem) on loess-like loams. The content of humus in the arable layer was 3.36 %, pH was 7.0, P₂O₅ was 24.4; K₂O was 360 mg/kg of soil. The hydrothermal coefficient during a vegetation period of maize was 0.62 in 2019; 0.70 in 2020; 0.86 in 2021. Thus, during the study years, the humidification conditions were very arid. As a result of the conducted study, it was revealed that the application of herbicides ‘Meister Power MD’; ‘Remus VDG’; ‘Dianat, VR’; ‘Sekator Turbo, MD’ had a positive effect on the phytosanitary conditions of maize sowing. The weediness reduced on 95.3–97.1 %. The grain productivity increase due to the application of herbicides was significant and amounted to 0.28– 0.53 t/ha or 17.4–24.2 % compared with that of the control. The cost of the herbicide ‘Meister Power, MD’ (5670 rubles per hectare norm) did not contribute to its high payback. The maximum payback was identified in the variant with the complex application of herbicides ‘Remus, VDG’ + ‘Dianat, BP’ and amounted to 5.50 rubles/rub. The application of herbicides ‘Remus, VDG’ and ‘Sekator Turbo, MD’ was also cost-effective with a payback of 5.36 and 5.45 rubles/rub., respectively.

There was studied the possibility of reducing the effect of weather conditions on spring wheat productivity in the Non-Blackearth zone due to improving tillage technologies. There has been established that on soddy-podzolic light loamy soil, on the fields of the Ivanovsky Research Institute of Agriculture in the period 2013–2019, the difference in the number of productive stems per m2 when using plowing or minimal tillage was not significant when the HTC changed from 0.73 to 2.65, except the year of 2017 (HTC = 2.19), when there was increased soil moisture throughout the vegetation period. The advantage of minimal tillage under these conditions was 30 %. According to number of kernels per ear, there was identified a significant advantage (more than 20 % (HTC = 2.65; 0.99)) of plowing over minimum tillage (by 13–14 %) during the years with soil moisture in the wheat booting stage. When applying experimental tillage, there have been formed areas with a variable density in the lower part of the arable layer, each of which is favorable for plant development under a certain soil moisture. The transition to experimental tillage has increased number of productive stems on 1–6 %. Number of kernels per ear when using experimental tillage significantly exceeded this indicator (by 5–18 %) under a minimum tillage in the entire range of moisture. Compared to plowing, the advantage of experimental tillage according to number of kernels per ear was 0–27 %. The effect of weather conditions on a number of productive stems was 74.8 %, and number of kernels per ear was 32.4 %. The effect of mineral fertilizers on these parameters of the yield structure was 1.8 and 26.2 %, respectively.

In 2018–2020 there was studied the efficiency of new herbicides ‘Fenizan’, VR (water solution 360 + 22.2 g/l) and ‘Avroreks’, KE (332 + 21 g/l) at various doses (0.14-0.2 and 0.5–0.6 l/y) against weeds on the sowings of a new winter wheat variety ‘Pamyati Shatilova’ (co-breeding of the Institute of Agriculture of the Kabardino-Balkarsky Research Center of the Russian Academy of Sciences” and the National Grain Center named after P. P. Lukyanenko) in the conditions of the steppe part of Kabardino-Balkaria. The purpose of the current study was to identify more effective doses of these herbicides with a single application. As a control (without herbicides), there was adopted an agrotechnical method, namely harrowing across the direction of BZSS-1.0 crops in the tillering phase in spring. The soil of the experimental plot was an ordinary (calcareous) blackearth of heavy loamy granulometric composition. The arable (0–20 cm) layer contained 3.0–3.5 % of humus; 100 g of soil contained 1.56–2.87 % of Р₂О₅ (according to Machigin); 3.61–4.30 mg of K₂O (according to Machigin); 6.8–7.0 of pH. The average annual rainfall is 360–400 mm. There was found that in the control variant, the total number of weeds decreased by 26.3 %, while the number of perennials remained unchanged. On variants with the use of herbicides, weediness of crops decreased on 71.1–83.8 %, including the increase of perennials on 52.6–80.7 %. A higher effect was obtained at 0.2 l/ha (73.2 and 60 %) of ‘Phenizan’, VR and 0.6 l/ha (83.8 and 80.7 %) of ‘Avroreks’, KE. By the time of winter wheat harvesting, the least amount of weeds was identified on the variants using these herbicides. The best results in reducing weeds’ amount were obtained from the use of ‘Avroreks’, KE at dosages of 0.5 and 0.6 g/l – 150–175 g/m² of weeds, the percentage of their death was 88.9–93.6. The indicators of grain yield structure and the average yield for 3 years (46.7 and 47.7 c/ha) on the experimental variants were also in favor of ‘Avroreks’, KE (0.6 g/l). The yield increase in comparison with the standard herbicide ‘2.4-D Zernomaks’, KE was 17.4%, and with the control it was 29.6 %.

The development of new crops (for example, by hybridization) requires significant costs, both resources and time, and therefore justified reasons. The work on the development of trititrigia (perennial wheat) variety ‘Pamyati Lyubimovoy’ has been carried out by the FSBSI «National Grain Center named after P.P. Lukyanenko» for almost 70 years. The development of such grain crop makes it possible to apply new technological methods and technical means to realize its potential. It is also necessary to establish the applicability of existing mechanization means in its cultivation in various natural and climatic zones of the Russian Federation, where it is possible to obtain and analyze data on its physical, mechanical and biological characteristics. Despite a big breakthrough in the development of trititrigia (it was included in the State List of Breeding Achievements in 2019), there are few scientific works devoted to it and there is not enough information about it, or it is contradictory, fragmentary, and it is almost impossible to meet such grain crop in the fields. In this regard, the purpose of the current work was to obtain statistically reliable information on the value of the force of kernel separation from a trititrigia ear of the variety ‘Pamyati Lyubimovoy’ in the dead-rape stage. This indicator is important for estimating such crop properties as self-shedding after reaching full ripeness, determining the degree of heavy threshing, which will make it possible to identify the features of its harvesting by existing combines. During the current study, there were used statistically generally accepted data processing methods, namely, the estimation of release, the normality of distribution using the Shapiro-Wilk test, and the comparative Student’s T-test. The average value of the separation force along the entire ear length was 5.16 N. When dividing the ear into zones: lower, central and upper (20, 60 and 20 % of the ear length from the point of attachment of the ear to the stem, respectively), the values were 4.3 H, 5.65 N and 5.27 N.

Crop infection is a stress factor for plants. The development and spread of fungal phytopathogens (Fusarium, Bipolaris, Alternaria, etc.) of the root system leads to a significant decrease in both quantitative, and qualitative parameters of grain crop productivity. The current paper has presented the data (2011–2018) on the study of subsoil parts of spring wheat plants when they are damaged by root rots of various etiologies, depending on the forecrops, agricultural technology and plant protection products. In the conditions of the Omsk region, the introduction of rapeseed into field crop rotations is justified. The grain crop has a positive effect on improving the phytosanitary condition of the soil and crops. There has been established that the greatest spread of infection on the root system of plants is identified on wheat sown in fallow (35–46 %), the minimum spread after rapeseed (7–16 %). Seeds of bluegrass weeds during protective tillage are concentrated in an uppermost (0–10 cm) soil layer. The increased weed infestation of agrophytocenosis reduces the competitiveness of cultivated plants and, as a result, the population of B. sorokiniana conidia in soil increases, creating unfavorable conditions for spring wheat development, especially during the initial period of growth. The highest crop productivity, regardless of a forecrop, mean for intensification options, was provided by moldboard tillage with 3.02 t/ha (wheat sown in fallow); 2.60 t/ha (wheat sown after wheat) and 2.15 t/ha (wheat sown\ after rapeseed). With a protective tillage, there was grain productivity decrease on 0.20 t/ha (wheat sown in fallow); 0.22 t/ha (wheat sown after wheat) and 0.12 t/ha (wheat sown after rapeseed) t/ha, respectively, in comparison with a moldboard technology. When fertilizing and herbicidal-fungicidal treatment of sowings during a vegetation period of plants, there is a slight difference between agricultural technologies. The complex use of chemicals reduces the infection of agrophytocenosis on 7–11 % and increases spring wheat productivity upto 4.14 t/ha (on 98 %) relative to extensive agricultural technology.

The current work was carried out on the experimental plot of the research crop rotation of the laboratory for cultivation technology of row crops of the FSBSI Agricultural Research Center “Donskoy”. The soil is represented by ordinary calcareous heavy loamy chernozem with such agrochemical parameters in the soil layer of 0–30 cm as 7.1 pH, 3.3 % of humus content, 18–20 mg/kg of P₂O₅; 340–370 mg/kg of K₂O. The trials were carried out on the early-maturing grain sorghum varieties ‘Zernogradskoye 88’ and ‘Ataman’. The purpose of the current research was to identify the moisture consumption of new grain sorghum varieties, depending on the sowing norms and methods in the southern part of the Rostov region. The year 2018 was arid with 93.4 mm of rainfall. In 2019 there was also a shortage of precipitation, which amounted to 66.9 mm to the long-term average. The weather conditions of 2020 were characterized by the highest amount of precipitation (223.2 mm). The reserves of productive moisture on average over the years of study at the beginning of plant development in terms of sowing rates and methods in a meter-long soil layer were at the level of 111.2–113.9 mm, which is enough to obtain thick seedlings. The smallest amount of moisture was noted by the dead-rape stage and ranged from 6.5 to 20.5 mm for the studied varieties. On average, over the years of study, for all variants of the trial, the variety ‘Ataman’ was more productive, its productivity varied within 3.75–4.83 t/ha. At the same time, this variety formed the highest yield indicators (727 tons) with a row spacing of 0.45 m and a seeding rate of 0.4 million germinating seeds per ha, with the lowest moisture consumption per 1 ton of grain. As for the variety ‘Zernogradskoe 88’, the lowest moisture consumption was 823 tons at a seeding rate of 0.6 million germinating seeds per ha with a row spacing of 0.45 m.

Barley production in the Rostov region, as well as throughout Russia, has taken its niche in agricultural production. Winter barley attracts farmers’ attention with its unpretentiousness and high productivity. The relevance of immunology used in the production of barley varieties does not decrease over time. Yield losses due to various leaf diseases can be as high as 30–50 %. The most common pathogens in the region are powdery mildew and helminthosporium blotches. The most effective and efficient way to improve the resistance of new varieties is the use of artificial infectious backgrounds. Provocative and extreme conditions promote a selection of parental forms and breeding lines that are most resistant to pathogens. The current paper has presented the results of the estimation of winter barley breeding and collection material based on the FSBSI Agricultural Research Center «Donskoy». The purpose of the study was to identify winter barley varieties and lines which are stably resistant and tolerant to leaf-stem pathogens common in the Rostov region. About 250 samples are being estimated in the period from 2019 to 2021. Over the years of study, there have been identified such varieties and lines resistant to powdery mildew as ‘Bezosty 1954’ (RF), ‘Grand’ (RF), ‘Parallelum 1967’, etc. Resistance to heliminthosporium spotting was demonstrated by the varieties ‘Bezosty 1954’ (RF), ‘Grand’ (RF), ‘Rostovsky 908’ (RF), ‘Donskoy 11’ (RF) and the lines ‘Parallelum 1967’, ‘Parallelum 1974’, ‘Pallidum 1916’, ‘Pallidum 1970’, ‘Parallelum 1960’, ‘Parallelum 1911’, ‘Nutans 1895’ and others. There were also identified such varieties with resistance or tolerance to both pathogens as ‘Grand’ (RF), ‘Sekret’ (RF), ‘Fox 1’ (RF), ‘Marusya’ (RF), ‘Karisma’ (England) and the lines ‘Bezosty 1954’, ‘Parallelum 1967’, ‘Parallelum 1974’, ‘Parallelum 2015’, ‘Parallelum 2016’, ‘Parallelum 2017’. All presented varieties and lines are proposed for use in further breeding for immunity to the studied pathogens.