The priority direction in grain sorghum breeding is the development of new early maturing, highly productive hybrids adapted to the soil and climatic conditions of the region and their introduction into agricultural production. Thus, the use of the heterosis effect in hybrids developed from maternal lines with cytoplasmic male sterility is of particular interest. The current paper has presented the study results of heterosis of grain sorghum hybrids of the first generation, developed on the basis of CMS lines, according to the main quantitative traits. The trials were carried out in the laboratory for grain sorghum breeding and seed production of the FSBSI «Agricultural Research Center «Donskoy» in 2020–2022. The purpose of the current research was to study the heterosis effect of morpho-biological traits of grain sorghum hybrids of the first generation developed from crossing sterile lines with highly productive varieties and samples of various breeding. In most hybrids, true and hypothetical heterosis were identified according to plant height, weight, and number of grains per panicle, and the frequency of high heterosis values was estimated according to weight and number of grains. The maximum effect of heterosis manifestation was established based on the trait ‘protrusion of a panicle stalk’ in the combination of AZSK21 x ZSK 24/20 (H_true = 335.0 %; H_hyp = 694.4%). According to the length of a vegetation period during 2020–2022, all combinations turned out to be early maturing and the heterosis effectwas absent in most variants. 65 % of hybrids were classified as undersized, and the highest heterosis in the trait ‘plant height’ was 38.9 %. During the trials, the hybrid ‘Jetta x ZSK 217’ (87.35 g) showed an excess in the trait ‘grain weight per panicle’ over the best parental form. There have been identified the samples that are expedient to use in crossings to obtain highly productive hybrids, such as ‘By 112’, ‘ZSK 196/17’, ‘ZSK 217’, ‘Zhemchug № 56’, ‘Zhemchug № 59’ and ‘B-10434’.

Prolonged vegetation and changes in weather and climatic conditions according to seasons and vegetation periods result in the loss of sainfoin plants and a decrease in productivity of forage and seeds. The identification of new varieties with high adaptability to the agroclimatic conditions of a particular region of their cultivation, the study of patterns of changes in various economic traits according to a year of life will allow selecting more productive and adapted lines and forms of sainfoin plants. The purpose of current paper was to present the study of plant density of sainfoin varieties and new lines during 3 years of life according to their productivity. The study was carried out in the laboratory for breeding and seed production of perennial grasses of the FSBSI Agricultural Research Center «Donskoy». The objects of study in the nursery for preliminary variety testing were 3 varieties and 6 lines of sandy sainfoin that were promising for feed and seed productivity. Conditions in the south of the Rostov region made it possible to obtain seedlings with a plant density of 309–313 pcs/m² with a field seed germination rate of 75.2–80.2 %. In the second year of sowing, the plant stand density varied from 198 pcs/m² to 251 pcs/m². With such plant density there has been formed a dry mass yield of 6.41–7.17 t/ha. In the third year, the plant density compared to the previous year decreased significantly and varied from 109 pcs/m² to 127 pcs/m², while the dry mass yield was formed at 6.25–7.13 t/ha. The number of gen erative shoots in the studied varieties and lines varied over the years from 981 pcs/m² to 1244 pcs/m² in the second year, while the seed productivity of the best lines was 0.90–0.95 t/ha, and from 415 pcs/m² to 525 pcs/m² in the third year of life, while the best lines had a seed yield of 0.85–1.09 t/ha.

The purpose of the current work was to estimate the effect of sowing dates on a length of a vegetation period and the sowing qualities of spring wheat varieties of different maturity groups. The trials were carried out from 2018 to 2020. There have been studied such six varieties as middle-early varieties ‘Altaiskaya 70’, ‘Novosibirskaya 29’, ‘Tulunskaya 12’, Krasnoyarskaya 12, the middle-maturing variety ‘Kuraginskaya 2’, the middle-late variety ‘Svirel’. There have been studied such two sowing dates as optimal in May 15, and late in May 22. The sowing trials were carried out with a seeder SSFC – 7. Harvesting was carried out with the combine ‘Hege’. The grain was dried, cleaned on ‘Petkus’, and weighed. The germination was estimated according to GOST 12036-66. Grain crops were sown in weedfree fallow. The counting area of the plots was 10 m², with three repetitions. When sown in late dates, the ‘sprouting-ear formation’ period reduced on 4 days for the middle-late wheat variety ‘Svirel’, on 2 days for the middle-maturing varieties ‘Kur aginskaya 2’ and ‘Krasnoyarskaya 12’, for the middle-early varieties ‘Altayskaya 70’, ‘Tulunskaya 12’, ‘Novosibirskaya 29’ this period did not change. The length of the period ‘ear formation-maturity’ period for middle-early wheat varieties was 34–36 days, for middle-maturing varieties it lasted 36 days, and for the middle-late variety ‘Svirel’ it was 40 days. The varieties ‘Tulunskaya 12’, ‘Novosibirskaya 29’ and ‘Altaiskaya 70’ increased their productivity on 0.2–0.6 t/ha at a late sowing date, the middle-maturing varieties ‘Kuraginskaya 2’, ‘Krasnoyarskaya 12’ and the middle-late variety ‘Svirel’ increased their productivity on 0.3–0.5 t/ha at an early sowing date. There should be noted that 1000-grain weight changed similarly to the productivity of varieties. This indicator of the middle-early varieties increased in the late sowing date, and that of middle- and late-maturing varieties in the early sowing date. The recommended period for sowing spring wheat in the conditions of the Krasnoyarsk Territory for middle-early varieties for seeds is the beginning of the third ten days of May with a sum of active temperatures of 190 °C; for middle- and late-maturing varieties it is the middle of the second ten days of May at a sum of active temperatures of 150 °C.

Hybrid maize breeding is carried out based on interline hybridization using heterosis in the first generation. Hybridization efficiency can be increased using parental forms with high combining ability in crosses. The purpose of the study was to identify new self-pollinated lines of maize with high general and specific combining ability, to identify the impact on the accuracy of the estimation of related lines included in the study. The current study was carried out at the FSBSI Agricultural Research Center «Donskoy» in 2021 and 2022. The objects of the study were two testers PD 329, KV 399 and 10 self-pollinated lines, including two lines (KV 410 and DS 22/325) related to tester PD 329, twenty topcross maize hybrids. The method for estimating combining ability was complete topcrosses. Estimation of new self-pollinated lines by the topcross method made it possible to identify the lines ‘KV 498’ and ‘DS 498/203-3’ with a consistently high overall combining ability according to the trait ‘grain productivity’. The specific combining ability was characterized by variability depending on the year of study. Only the line ‘KV 401’ had a high SCR in all years of study. The inclusion of lines related to the testers in the set had no effect or only slightly affected the estimates of the TCS of the remaining unrelated lines. The effect on the SCS was not significant, however, the estimation of the SCS would be more accurate if related lines were excluded from the set. There have been identified such new testcross hybrids with large grain productivity as ‘PD 329 × KV 498’ (3.92 t/ha), ‘KV 399 × KV 498’ (4.71 t/ha),‘KV 399 × KV 401’ (4.80 t/ha), ‘KV 399 × DS 498/203-3’ (4.60 t/ha). They were obtained with the participation of new lines characterized by high general or specific combinative ability, which can be recommended to be included in crossbreeding programs to develop highly heterotic maize hybrids.

Rice is a valuable crop used for food throughout the world. To develop modern, productive and disease resistant rice varieties, it is necessary to accelerate the breeding process using molecular biology methods. The purpose of the current study was to identify alleles of six blast resistance genes (Pi-1, Pi-2, Pi-33, Pi-40, Pi-ta and Pi-b) in the selected rice samples using MAS (marker-associated selection method). The objects of the study were 446 breeding rice samples sent to the laboratory of cell breeding for analysis by breeders from the laboratory for rice breeding and seed production of the FSBSI «ARC «Donskoy». Identification of genes in them was carried out differentially and was determined by the pedigree of the samples. In order to determine the alleles of the blast resistance genes Pi-1, Pi-2 and Pi-33, all 446 samples were studied, for the Pi-40 gene there were studied 20 samples, for the Pi-ta gene there were studied 316 samples. For DNA extraction, there was used a Russian-made kit ‘DNA-Extran-3’. PCR was performed using specific primers of the target genes. Identification of reaction products was performed on agarosegels after photographing in ultraviolet light. As a result of the study, there were identified the rice samples which carried from 1 to 5 blast resistance genes in various combinations. There have been identified 14 samples that possess a set of 5 resistance genes, such as 2723, 2724, 2727, 2728, 2729, 2730, 2733, 2735, 2736, 5007, 5671, 5673, 5450/2 and 2450/2. The information obtained from the results of the study could then be used by breeders to use valuable genotypes as donors in crosses, as well as to select promising breeding material resistant to blast disease.

The current paper is devoted to the study of promising barley lines with an alternative type of development (facultative). Famous breeders P. F. Garkavy and V. M. Shevtsov believed that the future belonged to the facultative barley varieties, since they had high adaptive properties. Facultative varieties have several advantages, such as they can be used for early spring reseeding of sparse autumn crops of winter barley with seeds of the same variety and dead crops of winter cereals, as well as for obtaining high-quality seeds from spring sowing for autumn sowing. In connection with the above, the cultivation of facultative varieties for production is of great relevance and necessity. The purpose of the current study was to estimate new breeding material for facultative barley varieties in the conditions of the south of the Rostov region. The study was carried out in 2021–2023 in the fields of scientific crop rotation of the department of barley breeding and seed production of the ARC «Donskoy». In the first competitive variety testing there have been studied 12 promising facultative barley lines and the two currently best facultative barley varieties ‘Step’ and ‘Marusya’. There has been carried out comprehensive estimation of the studied samples based on such traits as the length of a vegetation period, resistance to lodging and damage by leaf diseases, 1000-grain weight, number of grains per an ear, number of productive stems per square meter, productivity. According to lodging resistance on average over three years, there were identified the varieties ‘Marusya’ and ‘Step’, as well as the lines Parallelum 2019, 2139, 2110, 2128, 2152, 2153 and Pallidum 2100; according to grain size the best varieties and lines were ‘Step’, ‘Marusya’, Parallelum 2141, 2110, 2128, 2149, 2152 and Pallidum 2100. The variety ‘Marusya’ and the lines Parallelum 2139, 2128, 2136, 2110, 2149, 2152, 2153 have shown the greatest productivity increase of 1 t/ha to the standard. Based on the data obtained, all studied varieties received a score based on a complex of economically valuable traits. The variety ‘Parallelum 2128’, which received the maximum number of points, was selected, and prepared for sending to the State Variety Commission of the Russian Federation for study.

Drought is the main stress factor when growing plants. The effects of drought on rice plants range from reduced dry matter accumulation to poor distribution of metabolites from stems and leaves into grain, resulting in reduced number of full grains per panicle, reduced grain weight and ultimately yield. Rice varietal diversity includes different drought tolerance genes. The purpose of the current research was to estimate upland rice samples and varieties for drought resistance under field conditions and the presence of the qDTY1.1 gene using the DNA marker RM431. PCR analysis was used to estimate 66 rice lines, hybrids and varieties grown in periodically wetted and constantly flooded fields. As a result of marker analysis, there has been identified the presence of the drought resistance gene qDTY1.1 in twenty-two rice varieties and samples such as ‘An-Yun-Ho’, ‘Volgogradsky’, ‘Stalingradsky’, ‘Volgogradsky x Atlant’, ‘Chan-Chun-Man’, etc. The highest value of the drought resistance index (DRI) was found in carriers of the qDTY1.1 allele, they are Manchurian upland varieties ‘An-Yun-Ho’ (79.4 %), ‘Chan-Chun-Man’ (88.5 %) and other samples developed earlier from crossing the variety ‘Chan-Chun-Man’ with productive varieties of Don selection ‘Razdolny’, ‘Boyarin’, ‘Komandor’, ‘Yuzhanin’, ‘Kuboyar’. The identified samples carrying the qDTY1.1 gene exceeded the other forms on average in terms of productivity under drought conditions by 0.20 t/ha, under the control by 0.21 t/ha, and under IZU by 3.9 %. In the long term of improving rice drought tolerance, it is necessary to identify and exploit other QTLs with large and consistent effects and key regulators of plant stress responses.

The current paper has presented the study results for the period of 2020–2022 to determine the effect of injury on the quality indicators of seed material in primary seed production of winter wheat varieties (‘Stanichnaya’, ‘Etyud’, Asket, ‘Lidiya’ and ‘Ambar’) during harvesting and post-harvest processing of seeds. There has been established that at different stages of technology in agricultural machines and grain cleaning equipment, during grain production, there was damage to the seed material. There have been identified certain types of injuries that most significantly worsen the sowing quality of seeds and reduce winter wheat productivity. The purpose of the study was to estimate the sowing seed qualities of winter bread wheat varieties of different maturity groups developed by the FSBSI «ARC «Donskoy» depending on their injury by the combine harvester and grain cleaning machines in the primary stages of seed production. The estimation of the quality of winter wheat seed material was carried out on the material obtained during winter wheat harvesting, such as manual threshing (control), threshing with the combine ‘Wintersteiger Classic’, after seed cleaning and sorting equipment VIM-1 «Selection» and Petkus K-531 «Gigant». When harvesting with the combine ‘Wintersteiger Classic’, two threshing modes were used: 1) recommended – 1500 rpm^-1; 2) with a reduced speed of the threshing drum – 1000 rpm^-1. There has been found that the highest level of seed injury was observed when threshing with a grain harvester (33–54 %). There has been determined that, depending on the type of the trial, the germination energy indicators varied from 89 to 98 %, and laboratory germination from 94 to 99 %. Caryopsis with damage in the embryo area had a high germination rate in laboratory conditions. With an increase in microtraumas, field germination has decreased by 4–17 % compared to the control. The maximum injury and reduction in field germination of seeds was observed in the varieties of the early maturing group. Post-harvest processing of seeds has led to an increase in the percentage of their injury by 1–6 %, regardless of the type of equipment used.

The purpose of the work was to study the effect of the experimental microbiological product ‘Naturost-Aktiv’, developed on the basis of live bacteria Lactobacillus buchneri, on barley growth and productivity in the Vologda region. The study was carried out during the vegetation periods of 2019, 2020 and 2022 on the experimental field of the FSBIS «Vologda Research Center of the Russian Academy of Sciences», as well as in production conditions on the fields of the APC Collective farm «Peredovoy» (Vologda Region). The product ‘Naturost-Aktiv’ was applied twice, when the seeds of the experimental group were soaked in the working solution (1 ml of the product per 1 liter of water) and the phyllosphere of the plants was sprayed in the tillering phase. Tap water was used as control. As a result, there has been identified an increase in the potential energy supply of barley. The area of an individual leaf of experimental plants exceeded the control by 16 %, and the content of the total chlorophylls (a+b) exceeded by 34–42 %, which contributed to a more active accumulation of dry mass of experimental plants in comparison with the control (duringthe action of the product there was an increase in the dry weight of the plant by 12–65 % relative to the control). The changes in the plant growth processes also affected the grain productivity, which increased by 8–26 % in the variants with the product compared to the control. The results of the production experiment, in general, turned out to be like the results of small-plot experiments. Thus, in the conditions of real management, grain productivity of the barley variety ‘Sonet’ increased by 14 % with the use of the product ‘Naturost-Aktiv’ relative to the control. Grain productivity improvement was associated both with an increase in the number of productive shoots and with an increase in the weight of an individual grain.

The current study was carried out in 2010–2022 to determine the effect of weather and landscape conditions on productivity of spring wheat (Triticumaestivum) in a stationary field trial located on a drained soddy-podzolic soil within a terminal moraine hill in the Tver region (ARRIMS). The object was drained by closed pottery drainage. The distance between drains in different agricultural landscapes was 40, 30 and 20 m. In the trial there was a grain-grass crop rotation (oats+grasses – grasses of 1–2 years – winter rye – spring wheat). The crop cultivation was carried out according to extensive technology. The years of different humidity were factor A; factor B was the type of agromicrolandscape, factor C was the type of soil. There has been studied the moisture supply and temperature regime of the soil, spring wheat productivity in various agricultural landscapes. There has been established that the maximum productivity of the spring wheat variety ‘Zlata’ (2.17 t/ha) was obtained in the optimal years for the growth and plant development. In dry years, the value of this indicator decreased by 49–70 % and 51–73 % compared with excessively wet and optimal years, respectively. The variability of wheat productivity raised in dry years to 26 % and decreased to 14.5 % in optimal and excessively wet years. During the period of 2010–2022 the maximum wheat productivity (2.25 t/ha) was obtained in the transit-accumulation variant of the northern slope, its increase was 0.4 t/ha compared to the average for the trial. In years of different moisture availability, there was studied a correlation between spring wheat productivity and various soil parameters. There was obtained a direct correlation dependence of productivity in dry years with the amount of productive moisture (r = 0.70) and with the biological activity of the soil (r = 0.49); an inverse correlation was obtained in excessively wet years with aeration porosity (r = –0.66) and biological activity of the soil (r = –0.55).

The study was carried out in the Kostroma region on soddy-podzolic soils with an average degree of cultivation in 2019–2022, with three repetitions of a field trial. The purpose of the study was to estimate the effect of different doses of nitrogen top dressings applied at critical phases of plant development on productivity and grain quality of winter wheat at seeding rates of 2, 4, and 6 million germinating kernels per hectare. There have been studied 5 winter wheat varieties of domestic breeding, such as ‘Moskovskaya 39’ (a standard variety), ‘Moskovskaya 40’, ‘Moskovskaya 56’, ‘Nemchinovskaya 57’ and ‘Nemchinovskaya 85’. The used agrotechnology corresponds to the zonal one in the Kostroma region. As a result of the study there has been identified a productivity variation from 2.9 to 3.7 t/ha depending on a variety. The largest productivity was formed by the variety ‘Moskovskaya 56’ with the use of a triple dose of nitrogen at a seeding rate of 6 million germinating kernels per hectare, which significantly exceeded the control variant on 0.5 t/ha. There has been estimated an influence of doses of nitrogen top dressings on technological parameters and flour properties of winter wheat grain. There has been found that the high content of crude protein (17.44–19.41 %), gluten (28.16–35.80 %) and hardiness (65.9–74.6 %) was demonstrated by the variety ‘Moskovskaya 40’. There has been also established a large hardiness of the variety ‘Nemchinovskaya 57’ (62.5–75.0 %). The largest 1000-grain weight (42.0–45.2 g) has been found in the variety ‘Moskovskaya 56’. Through three years of the study, there has been proved a stable response of the studied varieties to the improvement of productivity and n qualitative indicators as a result of the use of doses of nitrogen top dressings for winter wheat crops.

The current paper has presented the study results on the effect of sowing dates and seeding rates on productivity of wintering peas. Field trials were carried out during 2019–2021. The objects of research were the wintering pea variety ‘Fokus’, ‘Faeton’ and ‘Zimus’. The purpose of the study was to estimate the effect of sowing dates and seeding rates on productivity of wintering peas in the conditions of the southern part of the Rostov region. Sowing dates and seeding rates have influenced the elements of the yield structure and grain productivity of wintering peas. The weight of seeds per plant of the variety ‘Fokus’ ranged from 2.53 to 4.02 g; for the variety ‘Faeton’ it was 2.31–2.67 g, and 2.62–4.49 g for the variety ‘Zimus’. 1000-seed weight was in the range of 125.6–154.1 g for the variety ‘Fokus’, 130.1–157.6 g for the variety ‘Faeton’, 146.2–155.9 g for the variety ‘Zimus’. The maximum productivity of the variety ‘Fokus’ was established at a seeding rate of 1.4 million germ. seeds per ha, in the second and third terms of sowing it was 2.24 and 2.23 t/ha, respectively. In the first sowing period, the maximum productivity was established at a seeding rate of 1.8 million germ. seeds per ha. In the first sowing period the variety ‘Faeton’ demonstrated the maximum productivity (1.97 t/ha) at a seeding rate of 1.2 million germ. seeds per ha; in the second sowing period the yield was 1.93 t/haat a seeding rate of 1.4 million germ. seeds per ha; in the third sowing period the largest productivity (1.81 t/ha) was established at a seeding rate of 1.2 million germ. seeds per ha. The variety ‘Zimus’ gave the maximum productivity of 1.86 t/ha at a seeding rate of 1.4 million germ. seeds per ha in the first sowing period, 2.18 t/ha in the second sowing period, 1.96 t/ha in the third sowing period.

In the conditions of the Terek-Sulak lowland of the Republic of Dagestan, we studied the effect of biological products on productivity and grain quality of winter bread wheat varieties developed by the National Grain Center namedafter P.P. Lukyanenko and the North Caucasus Federal Scientific Agrarian Center in 2019–2022. An analytical review of the references indicates that the use of new varieties and biostimulants are important factors in improving productivity of grain crops, which ensure the profitability of their use at low costs. The trials were carried out on 5 winter bread wheat varieties with different application schemes of the organomineral complex ‘Biostim zernovoy’ in accordance with the B. A. Dospekhov’s field trial methodology. Weather conditions during the years of the trial were generally favorable. The spring-summer development of plants took place with slight differences in heat supply, with HTC fluctuations from 0.37 to 0.58. The purpose of the current study is to identify the adaptive potential of winter bread wheat plants and to establish the most optimal scheme for the use of biological products to increase the potential productivity of varieties. As a result of three years of study, there has been found that the productivity of crops depends not only on the variety, but also on the methods of using the biostimulant and their combinations. The maximum productivity has been provided by the variety ‘Karolina 5’ (6.44 t/ha), which was 0.87 t/ha larger than the control. The combination of pre-sowing seed soaking with potassium humate ‘Sufler’ and treatment of wheat crops with the biostimulant ‘Biostim zernovoy’ provided productivity increase on average for all varieties of 0.63 t/ha, and the largest for the variety ‘Karolina with 0.71 t/ha. Calculations of environmental adaptability parameters showed that the varieties ‘Karolina 5’ and ‘Alekseich’ are the most adapted ones to specific soil and climatic conditions and the level of technology used and, in this regard, can be used for zonation of winter wheat in the irrigated zone of the Republic.

In order to reduce the loss of stored grain, it is important to detect insects in it at the early stages of infection, for which it is important to know their preferred habitats. The purpose of the current study was to gain knowledge about the distribution of insects in the top layer of grain, from which samples are taken at enterprises to estimate pest infestation. In the samples taken in five repetitions from a barley bulk-grain stored in a granary, there were identified and counted pest species and their number. The temperature was determined at the sampling sites. The air temperature above the bulk-grain was from minus 2 °С to 0 °С. In layers with a depth of 0–28 cm, 28–56 cm, and 56–84 cm at a mean temperature of 9, 14 and 18°C, respectively, the confidence limits at p = 0.05 were within 5–13, 8–20 and 12–24 °C, respectively. The confidence limits of all three means have overlapped, proving that the difference in mean temperatures is not statistically significant. There have been found three species of insects in grain samples. Beetles Sitophilus oryzae clustered in greater numbers in grain layers where the temperature was higher. Rhizopertha dominica was found only in the warmest bottom layer of the grain. Liposcelis bostrychophila was concentrated in the greatest amount in the second deepest grain layer. There has been found an increase in the crowding of adults of all three species in grain layers with a higher temperature.

In 2022, a mass propagation of the berry bug occurred in the North-West of Russia, which had no analogues over the past decade. This made it possible to study in detail some issues of its biology and harmfulness on grain crops. The purpose of the current study was to determine food specialization, long-term population dynamics, seasonal development, and harmfulness of the berry bug in grain crops in the North-West of the Russian Federation. For this purpose, there was carried out regular mowing with an entomological net, timed to coincide with the phonological development of cultivated plants, the total number of which was 2544, of which 1380 were on grain crops. The estimation of the harmfulness of the berry bug was carried out on winter triticale by simply comparing the mass of damaged and undamaged caryopses. According to the study results, there has been revealed that grain crops were populated to a greater extent than agrocenoses of other crops. Among grain crops, winter triticale turned out to be the most populated crop, and winter rye was the least populated. The maximum number of berry bug occurred during the period of maturation of grain crops, when larvae of different ages feeding on caryopses were predominantly found in the crops. The study of topical confinement showed that the largest number of bugs’ pricks were located in the middle part of the caryopsis and mainly on the sides (75.0 %). Analysis of the harvested crop of winter triticale revealed that damage to the grain caused by berry bug was 6.4 %, 5.0 % of which 1–2 points, 1.4 % of which 3 points. Depending on the damage scale, the decrease in 1 caryopses weight was from 6.6 to 18.2 mg (13.2–36.5 %), the yield was 0.061 ton/ha (1.2 %). Thus, despite the high density of winter triticale crops with berry bug in the conditions of 2022, the proportion of damaged caryopses and their damage degree, as well as the total yield loss, turned out to be low, which means that the use of insecticides was inappropriate.

The current paper has presented the study results of the resistance of winter durum wheat varieties to the causative agent of smut under infectious background conditions. The purpose of the study was to identify new sources of smut resistance of winter durum wheat under conditions of artificial inoculation and their use in breeding programs. In the period from 2010–2022 there were studied annually more than 100 varieties and samples. According to the results of 2010, practically resistant varieties of Competitive (CVT) and Interstation Variety Testing (IVT) amounted to 1.4 and 6.7 % of those studied. The bulk has been represented by moderately susceptible and susceptible varieties. By 2015, among the selection samples, practically resistant and slightly susceptible ones amounted to 12.5 and 15.0 %. In 2022, the number of practically resistant ones increased to 26.9%, and weakly susceptible ones raised to 27.9 %. There have been identified the sources of resistance to the Rostov population of the smut pathogen. After introducing into the breeding process such sources of resistance as ‘Delta Odesskaya’, ‘Perlina Odesskaya’, ‘Dnepryana’, ‘Kermen’, etc., there have been developed the varieties ‘Agat Donskoy’, ‘Lazurit’, ‘Kremona’, ‘Oniks’ with practical resistance to the pathogen at the ARC “Donskoy”. Subsequently, when updating the initial material, there have been studied the new varieties of MSI and there have been identified such smut-resistant varieties as ‘Poseidon’, ‘Pributkova’, ‘Andromeda’, ‘Zhivitsa’, ‘Prikumskaya 142’, ‘Kharkovskaya 32’, etc. Using several of them in hybridization, because of many years of selection, there have been developed new winter durum wheat varieties with practical resistance, weak and medium susceptibility to smut, such as ‘Yubilyarka’, ‘Zoloto Dona’, ‘Lakomka’, ‘Dinas’, ‘Solntsedar’, ‘Karotinka’, ‘Grafit’, etc. Among the CVT samples there have been also identified such lines with smut resistance as ‘1273/19’, ‘335/20’, ‘893/20’, ‘1383/20’, etc. The identified sources and the developed pathogen-resistant varieties are recommended for use in breeding programs for winter durum wheat.