In this work, we studied in vitro propagation of three cultivars of Mentha × piperita L. Murashige and Skoog medium (MS) supplemented with 0.5 mg·L⁻¹ BAP was the most optimal medium for micropropagation of the cultivars studied. The ability of peppermint plants field-acclimated after in vitro micropropagation to produce essential oils (EOs) was investigated. EO was obtained by hydrodistillation from dried leaves and flowering shoots from control (field grown) plants and plants acclimated in field conditions after in vitro propagation. The samples were collected at the first and second year of vegetation, and their chemical composition was investigated using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Differences were observed in the yield, as well as in the quantitative and qualitative composition of the EOs extracted from the control plants and field-acclimated plants after in vitro propagation. Menthol was the main component of the EO in control plants, while pulegone and menthone were dominant in the EO pattern in field-acclimated in vitro regenerants in the first year of the growing season. However, in the second year of vegetation, the content of the main EO components in field-acclimated peppermint plants was approximately the same as in control plants. The antioxidant activity of EOs extracted from field-acclimated after in vitro micropropagation plants was found to be the same as in control field-grown M. × piperita plants.

The study of the leafmining moth of the chestnut miner (Cameraria ohridella Deschka & Dymić, 1986) was carried out through the planting of the common horse chestnut (Aesculus hippocastanum L.) in the Main Botanical Garden of the Russian Academy of Sciences. The effect of various degrees of insolation of horse chestnut plants on leaf morphology and the composition of secondary metabolites, as well as the relationship of these parameters with the number and density of C. ohridella populations during the growing season, was studied. The solar influence, it was noted, had a significant impact. Thus, the largest number of the pests was recorded on the leaves of the sunlit side of the tree crown, and the smallest on the leaves of the shady part of the crown. The low content of polyphenols in the pool of secondary metabolites in the tissues of the A. hippocastanum leaves did not deter C. ohridella and poorly protected the plants from this miner, while the significant content of carbohydrates in the leaves reduced the resistance of chestnut plants to damage by the Ohrid leaf miner.

A comprehensive study was conducted to develop an effective protocol for the clonal micropropagation and subsequent acclimatization of three mint (Mentha) cultivars: ‘Pamyati Kirichenko’, ‘Botanicheskaya’, and ‘Serebryanoe Chudo’. This research investigated the influence of nutrient Murashige–Skoog medium composition with the addition of growth regulators (BAP/NAA) on in vitro morphogenesis, as well as the impact of two acclimatization methods to in vivo conditions (direct field planting and a two-stage acclimatization approach) on field performance, yield, and essential oil composition in three mint cultivars. The results revealed a distinct cultivar-specific response. The ‘Pamyati Kirichenko’ and ‘Botanicheskaya’ cultivars showed high efficiency on the BAP/NAA medium and good survival rates with both acclimatization methods. In contrast, the ‘Serebryanoe Chudo’ cultivar exhibited pronounced sensitivity to the medium with growth regulators and a low survival rate upon direct planting (40.5%). The two-stage acclimatization method proved critically important for this cultivar, enabling an increase in survival to 68%, as well as improvements in yield, essential oil output, and the restoration of its cultivar-specific linalool profile (59.5% linalool). It was established that, for cost-effective production, an individual selection of technological parameters for each genotype is necessary at all stages of microclonal propagation.

In the middle of the 20th century, specialists of the Tsitsin Main Moscow Botanical Garden of the Russian Academy of Sciences collected a valuable apricot gene pool characterized by high diversity and winter hardiness. From this gene pool, L.A. Kramarenko carried out selection work to develop winter-hardy apricot varieties, such as Aisberg, Vodoley, Guiani, Lel’, Tsarsky and others, which were included in the State Register of Breeding Achievements of the Russian Federation. The use of these varieties in further selective breeding requires information on their carotenoid content. In this work, we determine carotenoids in apricot (Prunus armeniaca L., Rosaceae) fruits of Moscow breeding varieties Aisberg, Vodoley, Guiani, Lel’, Tsarsky and Zachat’ievsky. We employed different extraction methods of plant raw materials, contributing to the optimal extraction of carotenoids from apricot fruits. Extraction was performed with hexane, 96% ethanol at room temperature, and EtOH heated to 60°C (water bath) for 40 min. The highest carotenoid content was observed in Lel’ (31.73 mg%) and Vodoley (31.77 mg%) varieties, while the lowest content was observed in the Zachat’ievsky sample (11.93 mg%). The application of multiple solvents increases the reliability of determining carotenoids in plants for computational and experimental studies. The discovered range of their content can be used for description of promising forms during breeding works. In this way, new and beneficial for health varieties may emerge.

Background. Apricot is one of the most popular fruit crops in the world. Central Russia belongs to the moderately cold climatic subzone of climatic zone II with the sum of effective temperatures of 1000-2200ºС. Therefore, the biological characteristics of apricot varieties for this zone must correspond to the environmental conditions of the region. Studying the process of fruit ripening of winter-hardy apricot varieties can be useful when carrying out breeding work. Purpose. To study the dynamics of the main physiological and biochemical parameters of leaves and fruits of apricot varieties of Moscow selection. Material and methods. The object of the study was the fruits and leaves of apricot varieties selected by GBS RAS (Moscow) during the formation and ripening of fruits. During the period of fruit formation (June-August), the content of mono- and polysaccharides, photosynthetic pigments - chlorophylls and carotenoids, flavonoids, as well as the HPLC method of some phenolcarboxylic acids was determined in the samples using the spectrophotometric method according to generally accepted methods. Morphometric indicators were also recorded: weight and diameter of the fruit, leaf area. Results. Varietal specificity has been established based on the studied biochemical and morphometric parameters of leaves and fruits. The largest fruits were in the Tsarsky variety, the minimum size in the selected Zachatievsky variety. A similar picture was observed for fruit diameter and leaf area. The level of chlorophylls and carotenoids in the leaves remained stable throughout the entire study period in the Tsarsky variety, the best in terms of fruit ripening and taste. In the leaves of the Tsarsky variety in June and July, the level of carotenoids was ~35% higher than in other samples. No significant varietal differences were found in the content and ratio of mono- and polysaccharides. A decrease in the level of phenols and an increase in the content of polysaccharides and carotenoids contributed to the formation of the sweet-sour taste and color of the fruit. The presence of phenols involved in the activation of protective mechanisms at all stages of fruit formation and development apparently makes it possible to overcome the negative effects of weather conditions. According to biochemical and organoleptic indicators, early ripening varieties Tsarsky and Lel are distinguished. Conclusion. The dynamics of the biochemical composition of leaves and fruits of winter-hardy apricot varieties of Moscow selection during the process of fruit formation was studied for the first time. Such data may help identify markers for selecting breeding material with adaptive capabilities to biotic and abiotic stresses in central Russia.

The present study is necessary for a deeper study of the beneficial and biologically active substances contained in the fruits of Prunus armeniaca L. (Rosaceae). Plant material belonging to 5 varieties – Lel, Tsarsky, Vodolej, Zachatievsky and Guiani of Moscow selection, was collected at the stage of technical ripeness in Moscow in July-August 2022–2023. The purpose of this work is to investigate varietal specifics by studying the content of carotenoids, the amount of flavonoids, phenolic carboxylic acids (chlorogenic, ferulic, coffee) and carbohydrates (mono-, polysaccharides, pectin substances) in fresh and dried apricot fruits of Moscow selection. A comparative analysis of the main biochemical parameters of fresh apricot fruits in terms of dry weight and dried at 40° C revealed trends in changes in chemical composition, nutritional value, as well as varietal specifics of the studied samples. It is noted that during the drying process, the amount of carotenoids in fruits decreases by 10–60%; the proportion of monosaccharides increased from 30 to 200% and pectin substances from 3 to 65%, depending on the variety. The total amount of flavonoids and sugars remained at the level of 97–99% in the dried fruits of most varieties. According to organoleptic indicators, dried fruits are better in the Tsarsky, Lel and Guiani varieties. For the first time, phenol-carboxylic acids were determined in apricot fruits of the Moscow selection, the maximum proportion of these substances in the Aquarius variety was noted. The results obtained can be used in the selection of apricot varieties and for the selection of recommendations for the nutritional use of fruits.