It is possible to achieve the target indices of the Russian Doctrine of Food Security (self-sufficiency in fruits and berries should be at least 60 %) by combining the competencies of science and business. At present, hundreds of varieties of small fruit crops are included in the State Register of Breeding Achievements Admitted for Use. Domestic breeders have obtained substantial results; the share of their assortment is 79–100 %. Federal Research Center of Horticulture (Moscow) (101 pcs.), Federal Altai Research Center of Agrobiotechnology (Barnaul) (85 pcs.), Michurin Federal Research Center (Michurinsk) (42 pcs.) are the leaders in the number of created hybrids and varieties. Over the past five years, 133 new breeding achievements of traditional small fruit crops have been submitted to the State variety testing, the originators of which are research institutions, private companies and individuals. The creation of modern seed-breeding (nursery-breeding) centers (SBC) on the basis of leading specialized research institutions is expected to be the solution to the problems of modern breeding and nursery breeding and to give impetus to the development of domestic small fruit growing. The research programs of the SBC involve an integrated approach that combines the knowledge and capabilities of researchers from different disciplines, the concentration of a complex analytical instrument base in the Centers of collective use, the using of biotechnological and molecular genetic research, along with traditional methods of breeding. An analysis of the achievements in small fruit growing in research institutions under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation revealed a huge scientific potential (genetic collections, hybrid funds) for creating competitive commercial varieties and technologies for their cultivation by establishing plantations with certified planting material in accordance with international requirements. Information from literary sources indicates that one of the main criteria for the value of varieties is resistance to harmful viral diseases. The cultivation of such varieties will reduce the cost of producing planting material for small fruit crops of the highest quality categories. In the near future, the most relevant areas for the breeding of small fruit crops will be: breeding for resistance to the most harmful viruses, winter hardiness, increased transportability and long-term post-harvest storage of fruits, suitability for mechanized cultivation, high content of biologically active substances.

Microdochium nivale is one of the most harmful fungal diseases, causing colossal yield losses and deteriorating grain quality. Wheat genotypes from the world collection of the N.I. Vavilov Institute (VIR) were evaluated for fifty years to investigate their resistance to biotic stress factors (M. nivale). Between 350 to 1085 of winter wheat genotypes were investigated annually. Ten out of fifty years were identified as rot epiphytotics (1978, 1986, 1989, 1990, 1993, 1998, 2001, 2003, 2005 and 2021). The wheat collection was investigated by following the VIR methodological requirements and CMEA unified classification of Triticum aestivum L. The field investigations were carried out in the early spring during fixed-route observations and data collection was included on the spread and development degree of the disease, followed by microbiological and microscopic pathogen identifications. The observations revealed that the primary reason for pink snow mold to infect the wheat crops was abiotic stress factors, such as thawed soil covered in snow that increased the soil temperature by 1.0–4.6 °C above normal. Under these conditions, the plants kept growing, quickly exhausting their carbohydrate and protein resources, thus weakening their immune systems, which made them an easy target for different infections, mainly cryophilic fungi, predominantly Microdochium nivale in the Moscow region. In some years, the joint effect of abiotic and biotic stresses caused crop failure, warranting the replanting of the spring wheat. The investigated wheat genotypes exhibited variable resistance to pink snow mold. The genotypes Mironovskaya 808 (k-43920) from Ukraine;l Nemchinovskaya 846 (k-56861), from Russia; Novobanatka (k-51761) from Yugoslavia; Liwilla (k-57580) from Poland; Zdar (UH 7050) from the Czech Republic; Maris Plowman (k-57944) from the United Kingdom; Pokal (k-56827) from Austria; Hvede Sarah (k-56289) from Denmark; Moldova 83 (k-59750) from Romania; Compal (k-57585) from Germany; Linna (k-45889) from Finland and Kehra (k-34228) from Estonia determined the sources, stability and tolerance to be used in advanced breeding programs.

The paper presents the results of a 50-year research of the genepool of the winter wheat from the world’s largest wheat collection of N.I. Vavilov Institute of Plant Industry (VIR) to investigate its resistance to the abiotic stress factors of the Moscow region and see how closely it matches the attributes of a wheat ideotype as postulated by N.I. Vavilov in 1935. The critical years in studying the wheat’s winter resistance were 10 years out of 50: excessive water saturation during the year 2013; soil drought in 1988; and atmospheric drought in 1972 and 2010. During the investigation, the following gene pool features were analyzed: frost characterized by the cultivar Sojuz 50 (Russia), rapid temperature change, thawing, ice, and rotting resistance characterized by the cultivars Zarya 2 (Russia), Sv 75268, (Sweden), Caristerm and Tukan (Germany), PP 114-74 and Liwilla (Poland), Maris Ploughman and Granta (Great Britain), Titan (USA), Zdar (Czech), and Zenta (Switzerland); regeneration capacity in spring after poor wintering expressed by the cultivars Pamyati Fedina (Russia), TAW 3668.71 (Germany) and Rmo (Poland); resistance to excessive soil and air saturation exhibited by the cultivars Moskovskaya 39 (Russia), Tukan, Compal, Obelisk, Orestis, and Bussard (Germany); solid standing culm that is resistant to lodging characterized by the cultivars Tukan, Kronjuwel, Compal (Germany), Zenta (Switzerland), Moskovskaya 56 (Russia), and Hvede Sarah (Denmark); resistance to enzyme-mycotic depletion of seeds characterized by the cultivars Tukan, Compal, Obelisk, Orestis, Bussard (Germany), Sv 75268, Helge, VG 73394, Salut, Sv 75355 (Sweden), Zenta (Switzerland), Moskovskaya 39, and Ferrugineum 737.76 (Russia); and resistance to soil and atmospheric drought demonstrated by the cultivars Liessau, Heine Stamm, Severin, Neuzucht 14/4, Haynes, Rus 991, Halle 1020 (Germany), Gama (Poland), Sv 71536 (Sweden), and Moskovskaya 39 (Russia). Moreover, the cultivar Mironovskaya 808 (Ukraine) showed resistance to almost all abiotic stress factors studied. The performed study contributes towards the provision of potential sources of resistance to abiotic stress factors prevalent in the Moscow region that can be incorporated in advanced breeding programs.

The article presents a model of a commercial variety of strawberry for the conditions of central Russia. This model covers 40 features and properties, which are combined into three groups: 1) plant resistance to a complex of adverse abiotic and biotic factors (adaptive potential); 2) productivity and quality of products; 3) manufacturability of the variety. In the middle zone of Russia, adapted strawberry varieties should develop normally and produce a high quality crop of 20-25 t/ha with the sum of temperature from 1800 to 2000 oC and the duration of the vegetative period from 130 to 180 days. They must withstand spring frosts, sharp and prolonged cooling during the vegetative period, more frequent droughts and high temperatures up to +36 oC, early-winter frosts up to -25 oC in the absence of snow, the frosts up to -36 oC in winter under snow cover, temperature drops from 0…+3 oC to -20 oC in December-March after thaws and have fi eld resistance to numerous diseases and pests. The parameters of high productivity of a biennial strawberry bush are: the number of fl ower stalks ≥10 pieces, the number of berries ≥50 and the average weight of fruits for all collections is more than 10.0 g. The ideal strawberry variety should contain >12 % RSV, >8 % sugars, >80 mg% ascorbic acid, >80 mg% anthocyans and no more than 1.5 % organic acids in berries. In addition to the high taste qualities and biochemical composition, strawberry berries should be attractive, one-dimensionally, have good transportability and keeping quality. According to the ideal variety model, the crushing force of strawberry berries, which determines their preservation during harvesting and long-term transportation, must be at least 10.0 N. The combination of the above-mentioned features and properties in one genotype is a task of the future, but systematic researches in this direction should be carried out constantly. The creation and gradually updating of sources and donors for each of breeding features on a genetically diverse basis will accelerate the implementation of this model into specifi c varieties.

The questions of the practical usage of the analytical scanning electron microscope JSM 600 LA by JEOL company (Japan) with EDS system - microanalysis for the studying of the ash elemental composition of seeds 9 breeds (Vegetable and Grain application) 4 species genus Amaranthus L. - A. hypochondriacus, A. cruentus, A. hybridus, A. caudatus, A. tricolor. Plant seeds by Federal center of vegetable production selection were envisaged. We studied the concentration of 14 basic elements (in weight %) contained in the mineral part of amaranth seeds. In the amaranth seeds of vegetable forms the accumulation order of the elements is the following: Ca >K >P >Mg >Si >Se >Fe >Mo ≈ S ≈ Cl ≈ Zn >Na >Al. In the seeds of the grain forms the order is different: К >P >Ca >Si >Se >Mg >Fe >Na >Mo >Cl ≈ S ≈ Mn ≈ Zn ≈ Al. The amaranth seeds of the grain forms are rich in macro - and microelements. P, K, Cl and S in the seeds of the grain forms are accumulated on 50, 37, 15 and 5% more and Si, Fe and Al in 2.6 and 1.8 times more than in the vegetable forms seeds. The breeds with the high concentration of the elements are recommended for using in the selection process. The elevated level of the essential macro- and microelements such as Ca, K, P, Mg, Mo, S and Cl stipulates the perspective of the functional products creation on the base of the studied amaranth seeds for the enrichment of the food stuffs.

Statistics show negative forecasts of the demographic indicators of the Russian population including their size and health. The human habitat which has been deteriorating in recent decades causes cardinal changes in the assortment and variety of food and significantly contributes to the reduction of their biological value. The depletion of food products (FP) of vegetable and animal origin in vital mineral elements, vitamins and other physiologically active components represents a serious long-term threat to human health and the national security. Industrial methods of enriching FP have certain limitations: a narrow set of micronutrients, their interaction among themselves and accessibility for not all groups of the population. One way to reduce the negative consequences is through the introduction and breeding of new for Russia species and varieties of agricultural plants and organize a mass production of functional foods (FF) that contribute to the prevention and/or suspension of the development of dangerous diseases and slowing down the aging process. The solution of this multifaceted problem lies in changing the consumption structure of foods and their chemical composition conditioned by both the assortment of grown plant species and cultivars of food plants, as well as the composition and quality of soils, fertilizers and the conditions for crop cultivation. Taking into account the prevailing demographic situation in the Russian Federation, it is necessary to create a comprehensive national program for the allocation of new high-content sources of FF ingredients based on traditional and underutilized crops, cultivars and forms of cereal, vegetable and fruit crops and their inclusion in agricultural production as well as existing and newly created technological processes in food industry. The advantages of creating and developing a national system of the functional food in Russia will be: the improvement of public health and life expectancy, the reduction of the Federal Compulsory Medical Insurance Fund expenditures and the development of business structures involved in the production of the FF.