Search

The current study was carried out in 2019–2021 using the material and technical base of the FSBSI Agricultural Research Center “Donskoy”, in order to research winter bread wheat samples of various ecological and geographical origin according to productivity and some economically valuable traits, to identify the most adapted of them for the conditions of the southern part of the Rostov region. The objects of the study were 17 winter bread wheat samples of ecological variety testing. The variety ‘Ermak’ was used as a standard. As a result of the study, there was found that the productivity of the samples (2019–2021) ranged from 7.75 (‘Etana’) to 9.52 t/ha (‘MV 15-04’). The standard variety ‘Ermak’ (8.20 t/ha) was exceeded by 9 samples ‘Akhmat’, ‘MONE’, ‘KIV – 6’, ‘Astarta’, ‘Slavna’, ‘Chornyava’, ‘XE 9710’, ‘MV 15-04’, ‘No. 71 CIMMYT’, the increase was from 0.45 to 1 .32 t/ha (0.42 t/ha with НСР05). According to ‘heading date’, the samples ‘KIV-6’, ‘Slavna’, ‘Chornyava’, ‘No. 71 CIMMYT’ (May 19–20) belonged to the middle-early maturing group; the samples ‘Akhmat’, ‘MONE’ (May 21–22) belonged to the middle-late maturing group; the samples Astarta, XE 9710, MV 15-04 (May 23–24) belonged to the late maturing group. According to ‘plant height’, the variation ranged from 81.5 cm (‘Akhmat’) to 100.3 cm (‘XE 9710’), the standard ‘Ermak’ had 99.5 cm. All studied samples belonged to a medium-large-grain-sized group (34.05–40.72 g) according to ‘1000-grain weight’. Through the years of study, the sample ‘No. 71 CIMMYT’ showed 0 points of powdery mildew resistance (defeat in the field). There have been identified the best septoria blight resistant samples ‘KIV-6’ (Russia) and ‘Astarta’ (Ukraine), with a damage degree of 5–10 %. The standard variety ‘Ermak’ had 30–40 %. As for yellow rust, the standard variety ‘Ermak’ was damaged on 50–60 %, the sample ‘No. 71 CIMMYT’ was damaged on 20–30 %; the sample ‘MONE’ on 5–10 %; the sample ‘KIV-6’ was damaged on 0–5 %; the remaining samples ‘Astarta’, ‘Slavna’, ‘Chornyava’, ‘XE 9710’ and ‘MV 15-04’ were resistant to this pathogen. According to the complex of economically valuable traits for practical breeding in the conditions of the south of the Rostov region, three winter bread wheat varieties ‘KIV-6’ (Russia), ‘Astarta’, ‘Slavna’ (Ukraine) have been of the greatest interest.

The main purpose of breeding and commercial production is the quantity of grain and its quality. Occupying 74 % in the structure of grain crops, and 80 % in terms of gross yields, wheat grain is the most important source of income for grain producers in the Rostov region. The purpose of the current study was to reveal the effect of forecrops on productivity and SDS-sedimentation of the promising winter bread wheat varieties. In the trial there were studied 12 winter bread wheat varieties developed by the FSBSI “ARC “Donskoy” and sent to the State Variety Testing in recent years. There were estimated productivity and the amount of SDS-sedimentation. On average, over the three years of study (2019–2021), for all the studied forecrops, in terms of productivity there have been identified such winter wheat varieties of the intensive type as ‘Razdolie’ (7.14 t/ha), ‘Razgulay’ (7.67 t/ha) and ‘Vasilich’ (7.51 t/ha), which makes it possible to recommend these genotypes for sowing according to high and medium levels of Agricultural background. Among winter wheat varieties of semi-intensive type there has been identified only one variety ‘Donets’ (7.31 t/ha), which allows us to characterize it as a universal variety and recommend it for sowing in production according to high, medium and low levels of Agricultural background. According to the value of SDS-sedimentation for all the studied forecrops, there have been identified such varieties of intensive type as ‘Razdolie’ (62 ml), ‘Azov Sea’ (61 ml), ‘Razgulay’ (63 ml) and ‘Vasilich’ (63 ml). The varieties of semi-intensive type did not significantly exceed the value of SDS-sedimentation of the standard variety or were at its level, however, the values were high. Such SDS-sedimentation values have indicated that the presented genotypes are able to form high grain quality for all the studied forecrops and regardless of the productivity value.

The current paper has presented the results of the study conducted in the southern part of the Rostov region by the Agricultural Research Center “Donskoy” in 2019–2021. The purpose of the work was to identify how grain productivity and its qualitative indicators of the winter bread wheat variety ‘Yubiley Dona’ are formed under the influ­ence of various sowing dates and after various forecrops and to estimate the economic efficiency of these elements of cultivation technology. There were used such dates in the trial as September 10, September 20, September 30, and October 10; such forecrops as peas (for grain), sunflower, black fallow, green-manured fallow (corn kale). When laying and conducting the trial, there were used conventional methods. The total area of the plots was 55 m2, the accounting area was 41.25 m2, with four-fold repetition. The seeding rate was 5 million germinated seeds per 1 ha. The soil of the experimental plot was ordinary calcareous heavy loamy blackearth (chernozem). The arable layer of the soil contained 3.2 % of humus; 7.0 of pH; 18.5–20.0 of P2O5; 342–360 mg/kg of K2O. The variety ‘Yubiley Dona’ showed its adaptabil­ity to the sowing dates when sown in black fallow. At the same time, there was identified a positive effect of the sowing in black fallow on September 20 and 30, where the productivity level of the variety reached 6.92–6.95 t/ha, and there was obtained the largest conditionally net income of 62058–62732 rubles/ha. There was established that the highest production profitability was 165.3–168.7 % when the variety was sown after peas on September 30 and October 10. There was a high adaptability to the sowing of the variety at the end of the optimal sowing dates in green-manured fallow, after peas and sunflower. The lowest productive profitability was established when the variety was sown after sunflower (135.4–153.4 %) and in green-manured fallow (127.5–139.2 %). The determining factor in the productivity formation was a productive thick stand, which, depending on the forecrops and sowing dates, varied from 452 to 654 pcs/m2. Black fallow, green-manured fallow and peas contributed to the production of high-quality grain.

Breeding success is determined by the correct choice of agro-ecotype. In this regard, we have carried out a comprehensive estimation of 75 winter bread wheat varieties and samples of the competitive trials. The variety ‘Ermak’ was used as a standard. The study was carried out using the material and technical base of the Federal State Budgetary Scientific Institution Agricultural Research Center “Donskoy” (FSBSI “ARC “Donskoy”) in 2017–2019. The purpose was to study the correlation among economically valuable traits of winter bread wheat varieties and samples and to find genotypes similar in their parameters to the model variety based on curvilinear regressions. As a result of the phenotypic estimation of the quantitative traits of winter bread wheat varieties and samples, there was determined an average level and their variability degree. Their productivity ranged from 8.52 to 10.51 t/ha. Through the years of study, the variation coefficients indicated a high stability of these features (from 0.9 to 10.0%). In order to identify the similarities and differences between varieties and samples, there has been conducted a cluster analysis. As a result of this analysis, there has been selected the winter bread wheat variety ‘Yubiley Dona’ (C25), parameters which were more identical to the model (C76). This variety is recommended for further breeding process to improve the studied basic economic traits.

The purpose of the current work was to study the winter wheat varieties artificially infected with the North Caucasian population of brown rust to identify a damage degree. The study was carried out in two stages on two sets (8 and 10) of varieties with different level of resistance to the pathogen. The trials have established a high damage degree of rust on susceptible varieties, which resulted in productivity decrease from 16.3 to 32.2%. Among the varieties with the maximum damage degree, there was identified the most resistant variety ‘Tarasovskaya 29’ which, when completely (100%) damaged by the disease, showed a minimum productivity decrease, no more than 10.6%. The varieties being poorly susceptible to brown leaf rust reduced the productivity from 11.2% to 20.7%. The smaller indices of productivity decrease among this group were shown by the variety ‘Spartak’. Among the five varieties that showed moderate leaf rust damage, there were different degrees of productivity decrease. The variety ‘Donskaya Yubileynaya’ artificially infected with brown rust, showed a minimal productivity decrease and its structural elements, and it could be identified as the leaf rust resistant variety like the variety ‘Tarasovskaya 29’. When predicting the brown leaf rust epiphytoty, the susceptible and half-resistant wheat varieties require obligatory protection with fungicides.

The systematic study on winter wheat breeding began in 1955 in the former Zernograd experimental station, and now the Federal State Budgetary Scientific Institution “ARC “Donskoy”. Under these conditions, the development of the most suitable for local conditions varieties of intensive type with increased frost resistance determined the main direction of winter wheat breeding in those years. In the early 1980s, the area of black fallow increased in the Rostov region, much attention was paid to irrigated agriculture. There was planned to increase the area under irrigation in the North Caucasus to 1 million hectares. Therefore, there was set a goal to develop highly productive, low-stemmed, resistant to lodging varieties, responsive to mineral fertilizing with complex immunity to diseases. The breeding work of the laboratory for the breeding and seed production of winter bread wheat of an intensive type over the past forty years resulted in the development of 22 varieties of intensive type with good adaptability to the conditions of the Rostov region. In 2020, 17 winter bread wheat varieties of an intensive type were included into the State List of Breeding Achievements, five varieties ‘Yubiley Dona’, ‘Zodiak’, ‘Univer’, ‘Razdolye’, ‘Rubin Dona’ are currently undergoing the State Variety Testing at the SVTs of the Russian Federation. A stable productivity improvement is possible only with the emphasis on the development of varieties with broad adaptive properties, providing sufficiently high yields under various cultivation conditions. Among the breeding traits that affect productivity stability, the most significant in the conditions of the Don are winter and frost resistance, disease resistance, drought resistance, early ripeness, and grain quality. Therefore, the adaptive potential increase is the most important task for the future breeding. In order to solve this problem, intraspecific and interspecific hybridization, followed by targeted selection, remains the main breeding method of winter bread wheat of an intensive type.

The problem of resistance to lodging during winter wheat cultivation is of great relevance in modern conditions. This trait largely correlates to plant height. The purpose of the current study was to characterize and identify the general patterns of manifestation of the trait “plant height” in the conditions of the south of the Rostov region. The study was conducted in 2013–2018 in the department of the breeding and seed production of winter bread wheat in the FSBSI Agricultural Research Center “Donskoy”. The objects of the study were the collection wheat samples of various ecological and geographical origin. There has been established that the variability of the trait “plant height” was of a medium size (10% < CV < 20%) through all the years of study, excepting the year of 2015 (CV = 9.8%). This result has indicated a high degree of genotypic influence. There has been established that the maximum average yields for 6 years were produced by the samples with 81–90 and 91–100 cm of height. There has been identified a correlation between “plant height” and “productivity”, between “resistance to lodging” and “phase of head formation”. There have been identified such semi-dwarf samples with high resistance to lodging, characterized by a stable manifestation of plant height in various weather conditions as “Ling xing 99”, “Fuimai 5” (China); “Orienta” (USA); “Zlatka” (Serbia); “Minstrel”, “СО1044” (France).

To successfully increase grain production and improve its quality, the development and introduction of new winter wheat varieties is of great importance. The winter soft wheat varieties developed by the FSBSI “Agricultural Research Center “Donskoy” and included into the State List of Breeding Achievements of the Russian Federation are able to form grain with 30.0% gluten and more, and are suitable for the first, second and third class of baking. A comparative characteristic of the grain quality of winter wheat varieties of the intensive type included in the State List and their ability to form food grain suitable for baking is currently of practical interest. There have been studied 6 varieties in the conditions of drought in 2013 and 2014 (the amount of precipitation during the growing season was 190.0–191.5 mm, the average daily air temperature was 20.3–20.9 °C), and in the conditions of excess moisture in 2016, 2017 (the amount of precipitation was 274.2–292.8 mm, the average daily air temperature was 19.5–20.4 °C). The studied varieties formed the highest productivity from 8.70 to 9.01 t/ha under conditions of excessive moisture. Under drought conditions, productivity of the varieties decreased significantly and ranged from 6.50 to 7.69 t/ha. Better grain quality of the studied varieties was formed in the conditions of the drought of 2013, 2014 with 14.9 to 15.9% of protein and 27.9 to 31.0% of gluten. Food grain close to the first class (from 30.0 to 31.0% of gluten) were formed by the varieties “Aksiniya”, “Tanais” and “Nakhodka”; the second class (more than 28.0% of gluten) was obtained from the varieties “Shef” and “Etuyd”. The ranking method according to grain quality indicators allowed establishing an average rank and identifying the varieties “Aksiniya”, “Tanais”, “Nakhodka” and “Shef” with the best baking traits.

In the regions of insufficient and unstable moisture, hydrothermal conditions are the main natural factors that determine the level of crop productivity. The purpose of our study was to identify the role of the main meteorological factors in the formation of winter durum wheat productivity at different periods of its growth and development. The study was carried out in the southern part of the Rostov region in the FSBSI “Agricultural Research Center “Donskoy” in 2003–2014. The objects of the study were winter durum wheat varieties and breeding lines of competitive variety testing, sown in black fallow, in four replications, with a plot area of 25 m². The current paper presents the analysis results of the average daily temperature, precipitation, hydrothermal index (HTI) by the periods of winter durum wheat growth and development through the years of study, average varietal productivity for each year. It has been established that the characteristic features of the studied years are a temperature rise, especially in the pre-sowing and sowing periods, during the wintering period and the resumption of spring vegetation, and irregular precipitation, their shift in the fall from November to October, in the winter from February to January, in the spring from April to March, and its decrease or absence during the active growing season. The conducted correlation analysis between main meteorological factors and productivity showed a decisive role of the temperature regime in winter durum wheat productivity formation. It turned out to be less significant in relation to precipitation. This indicates that winter durum wheat productivity does not depend on the total amount of precipitation, but on its distribution, moisture presence in soil, and temperature. According to the analysis of the main meteorological factors, their connection with productivity, there have been identified positive and negative points in the ontogenesis of winter durum wheat associated with climate change, which must be taken into account in breeding and growing technology. There have been determined the main objectives for winter durum wheat breeding, aimed at improving such adaptive properties as drought resistance, heat resistance, especially at the initial stages of growth and development, winter tolerance, disease and pest resistance occurred due to climate change (septorisis, pyrenophorosis, bacteriosis and fusarium of heads and kernels).

The researches were conducted in 2016–2017 by the FSBSI Agricultural Research Center “Donskoy” to study varieties and promising lines of winter wheat of intensive type according to their productivity and economically valuable traits. According to productivity through the years of study the variety ‘Donskaya Step’ and the lines ‘1005/14’ and ‘1074/14’ have been identified with a yield increase from 0.52 to 1.38 t/ha (HCP05=0.47 t/ha) compared to the standard variety ‘Ermak’. The analysis showed that the maximum number of productive stems per unit area was formed by the varieties ‘Yubiley Dona’ (582 pcs / m2) and ‘Etyud’ (569 pcs / m2) in comparison to the average value of the standard variety ‘Ermak’ (488 pcs / m2). According to ‘length of an ear’, ‘number of kernels per ear’ and ‘kernels’ weight per ear’ there was identified the variety ‘Kipchak’ (10.39 cm; 43.05 pieces and 1.87 g respectively). ‘Kernels’ weight per ear’ of the other varieties varied from 1.36 g (‘Shef’) to 1.87 g (‘Aksiniya’). ‘Grain weight per plant’ ranged from 2.86g (‘Shef’) to 3.68g (‘1074/14’). ‘Number of kernels per plant’ of the studied varieties varied from 67.2 pcs (‘Shef’) to 87.2 pcs (‘1005/14’). The line ‘1074/14’ showed the largest index of ‘grain weight per plant’ (3.68g). The line ‘1005/14’ was the best in ‘number of kernels per ear’ (87.2 pcs).

The article presents the study results of winter soft wheat lines in competitive variety testing according to productivity and grain quality indicators. The study was conducted at the experimental plot of the laboratory of the breeding and seed-growing of winter soft wheat of intensive type in the FSBSI “Agricultural Research Center “Donskoy” in 2016–2018. 47 winter soft wheat samples of competitive variety testing were used as the studied material. The winter soft wheat variety “Ermak” was used as a standard. Over the years of study 23 lines exceeded productivity of the standard variety “Ermak”, the increase ranged from 0.49 to 1.66 t / ha on average. The maximum protein percentage in grain was formed by the samples “1992/16” (13.5%), “1221/16” (13.5%), “1914/16” (13.6%), “1788/16” (13.9%), “2030/16” (14.0%). The lines “1854/16” and “1990/16” combining high yields (11.17–11.30 t/ha) with protein percentage of 12.9–13.2% are of great interest for breeding. The highest content of gluten in the grain (29.3–30.0%) was identified in the samples “1992/16”, “1914/16”, “2030/16”, “1221/16” and “1093/16”. There were identified the lines “1385/16”, “1533/16” and “1862/16”, combining high yields (11.20–11.59 t/ha) and 27.9–29.1% of gluten in grain. The highest value of SDS-sedimentation (66–70 ml) was found in the samples “1093/16”, “1990/16”, “2079/16”, “1533/16” and “1987/16”. The lines “1547/16”, “1385/16”, “1854/16” combined high yields (11.10–11.31 t/ha) with high value of SDS-sedimentation (62–65 ml). The breeding material identified during the research was used for further study and has been involved in hybridization to increase productivity and grain quality.

One of the main requirements for the quality of winter durum wheat grain is the development of varieties with tough elastic gluten. The breeding process in this direction will be more successful if the assessment of the trait is known at the early stages. In our study SDS-sedimentation was used for such an assessment. In addition to assessing the quantitative severity of the SDS-sediment index, the breeder should be aware of the efficiency of high-quality progeny selection in generations of hybrids, the prospects of the population, the breeding value of the initial components involved in hybridization. In this regard, the main purpose of the conducted research is to reveal the efficiency of selection for the gluten quality from SDS-sedimentation in hybrid populations (F2 – F4) of winter durum wheat using breeding and genetic parameters. There have been presented the study results of 14 hybrid combinations of winter durum wheat obtained from crossing of the varieties with different or equal amount of sediment. It was shown that the response of hybrid populations (F2 – F4 ) to the selection of high-qualitative genotypes with different intensities was ambiguous, and in most combinations it was low or absent. The realized heritability in the groups of selection greatly varied depending on the severity of the selection; on the parental forms taken for hybridization; on the environmental conditions during the grain formation and ripening. There were identified such promising hybrid populations as “Kremona” × “Kurant”, “Terra” × “Kremona”, “Kremona” × “Terra”, “Zolotko” × “Aksinit”, “Zolotko” × “Kremona” in which the genotypic shift and realized heritability are revealed in all generations and selective groups.

According to the study of the collection material represented by the samples of various ecological and geographical origin, there has been determined the average level and range of variability of the main elements of yield structure. The average yield in the trial was 622.5 g/m2. The maximum variability has been identified in the trait “productive stand”. The variability of the traits “length of an ear”, “number of kernels per ear” and “kernels’ weight per ear” was average. Over the years of research, the average variability of the traits “1000-kernels weight” (V = 8.6%) and “number of spikelets per ear” (V = 7.5%) was weak that indicates the high stability of these characteristics. Due to the regressive analysis the optimal parameters of productive element of the model variety of winter wheat of intensive type has been specified for the southern conditions of Russia. To produce 7.0–8.0 t/ha, “density of productive stand” should be 500–580 pc/m2, “kernels’ weight per ear” should be 1.7–1.9 g, “1000-kernels weight” should be 44–47 g, “number of spikelets per ear” should be 18–20 pc., “number of kernels per ear” should be 37–41 pc., “length of an ear” should be 8.5–9.5 cm, “plant height” should be 85–95 cm. The specified indexes of such traits as “density of productive stand”, “plant height”, “number of spikelets per ear” have been practically achieved. It has been determined that the breeding work to improve productivity of the varieties of intensive type should be directed on the rise of kernels’ weight per ear by the increase of number and size of kernels per ear as well as by the increase of length of an ear and its density.

Winter wheat is the most important food crop, which occupies a significant share in the structure of the grain wedge of this country. The southern region of theRussian Federation, including theRostovregion, is the most favorable area for obtaining great harvests of winter wheat. Thus, the creation of stable highly productive varieties of winter soft wheat with resistance to stress factors of the environment is of primary concern. The research work was carried out at the experimental plots of the laboratory of breeding and seed-growing of winter soft wheat of intensive type ofFSBSIAgriculturalResearchCenter‘Donskoyʼ in 2016–2017. The winter soft wheat variety ‘Ermak’ was used as a standard variety. The article presents the study results of winter soft wheat lines in competitive variety testing based on the main economic-valuable traits. There have been chosen a number of lines-sources to use them in breeding programs to increase the values of individual parameters. The lines 1504/16 and 1942/16 (90.0 cm), 2049/16 (88.0 cm), 2057/16 (83.0 cm) were identified with the least values of the trait ‘plant height’. Practically all selection lines in the experiment had high resistance to lodging (from 4.0 to 5.0 points). According to the date of an earing (heading) phase the majority of the studied lines corresponded to the group of average-early varieties. The lines 1202/16, 1341/16, 1466/16, 1766/16, 1800/16, 1862/16 have been identified according to 1000-kernel weight (more than50 g). The lines 1533/16, 2141/16, 1850/16, 1852/16, 2148/16 have been found the most productive with a significant increase to the standard variety ‘Ermak’ (from 1.7 t/ha to 2.1 t/ha). These breeding lines are taken for further study and use in hybridization as an initial material.

Winter wheat is a primary food crop, which occupies a significant share in the Russian grain area. The crop uses bioclimatic potential of growing areas better and gives higher yields of grain than spring wheat. Winter wheat on Don produces 50% of gross grain, and in some years it produced till 70%. Nowadays under climate warming conditions it’s necessary to improve the cultivation technologies of the crop and to develop varieties able to adapt to any changes of agro ecological conditions. Plant-breeding makes a great contribution in the increase of gross grain yields. 30-40% of productivity increase of crops in the last 50 years, including that of wheat, is due to the use of new highly productive varieties. Acceleration and modernization of the breeding process, development and introduction of new more productive and high qualitative winter wheat varieties play a great part for a successful increase of grain production and its quality. Breeding of the varieties on productivity increase is one of the most difficult tasks because of a complexity of the trait. Highly productive variety should meet three primary demands: it should be tolerant to unfavourable environment; it should use favourable environment efficiently; it should have high productivity in the productive conditions. A winter wheat variety ‘Nakhodka’, which meets all these demands, was introduced into the State Register of the breeding achievements approved for use in 2015. The article gives morphological and economic-biological characteristics of a new variety of winter soft wheat ‘Nakhodka’.

The southern part of RF, including the Rostov region, is a favorable area for high yields of winter wheat. It can be also characterized as a territory with such sharp agro-ecological contradictions as intensive use of lands, large consumption of soil nutrients and moisture by previous crops, imbalance of macro and micro elements. Great number of crops, vast areas occupied with one or several genetically close varieties, use of pesticides and their mutagenic and selective effects worsen the further growth of productivity. In the 90-s the average productivity was about 4,0 t/ha in some parts of the Rostov region, in the others the potential of grain productivity was used only on 30-40%. All those made the researchers of ARRIGC completely change the breeding trends, i.e. taking into account the situation in the production, refocus it into an adaptive period, which combines a breeding, a variety testing and a seed-growing stages. Such approach allowed conducting variety breeding with a high adaptability to abiotic and biotic stresses, a vast geographic adaptability. The study of breeding material and new varieties in a wide range of agro technologic and ecologic conditions, comprehensiveness in cooperation with the laboratories of technologies, biotechnologies and immunity gave an opportunity to breed the cultivars with complex tolerance to pathogens, high productivity and grain quality. The article gives the breeding results of soft winter wheat of intensive type for the 50 years period. It has been given the characteristics of the cultivars and methods of their breeding.

Productivity and quality of winter soft wheat varieties and lines sown after different crops and studied by FSBSI ARRIGC named after I.G. Kalinenko The study was carried out in 2013-2015 to estimate the effect of various forecrops on the formation of productivity and quality of winter soft wheat varieties and lines in the Rostov region. The objects of the study were 7 varieties and 6 lines of winter soft wheat developed by FSBSI ARRIGC named after I.G. Kalinenko. During the study the average productivity of winter soft wheat sown in bare fallow land ranged from 7.25 to 8.16 t/ha; the productivity of winter soft wheat sown after peas ranged from 6.47 to 7.17 t/ha; the productivity of winter soft wheat sown after sunflower ranged from 6.14 to 7.07 t/ha. According to the productivity the following varieties and lines of winter soft wheat showed the best results, namely ‘Nakhodka’ (8.16t/ha), ‘Kazachka’ (8.10t/ha), ‘1377/06’ (8.08t/ha), ‘1062/09’ (7.91t/ha) and ‘1401/09’ (7.91t/ha) sown in bare fallow; ‘Nakhodka’ (7.17t/ha), ‘Kazachka’ (7.04t/ha), ‘1062/09’ (7.04t/ha) and ‘1491/07’ (7.05t/ha) sown after peas; ‘Kazachka’ (7.01t/ha) and ‘1062/09’ (7.07t/ha) sown after sunflower. According to the amount of protein in winter wheat, the variety ‘Nakhodka’ sown in bare fallow produced 15.01%, the line ‘1401/09’ produced 14.99%; the varieties ‘Nakhodka’ and ‘Aksiniya’ sown after peas produced 14.58% and 14.40% respectively. According to the content of gluten in kernels the varieties ‘Nakhodka’ and ‘Aksiniya’ sown in bare fallow gave 28.1%; sown after peas ‘Nakhodka’ produced 29.4%; the varieties ‘Nakhodka’,‘Aksiniya’ and the line ‘1491/07’ sown after sunflower showed 23.7%, 23.8% and 23.7% respectively. According to SDS-sedimentation the following varieties and lines showed the best results. The varieties ‘Aksiniya’, ‘Kipchak’, the lines ‘1377/06’, ‘1062/09’, ‘1401/09’ sown in bare fallow showed 56-60 ml; the varieties Aksiniya’, ‘Kipchak’, ‘Kazachka’, the lines ‘1377/06’, ‘1062/09’, ‘1401/09’ sown after peas showed 50.3-53 ml’ the variety ‘Kazachka’ and the line ‘1038/07’ sown after sunflower showed 50-50.3 ml.

The article gives the results of the study of protein and gluten fractions of soft winter wheat varieties of intensive type in their dynamics. We have considered varying of the traits ‘protein fraction’ and ‘gluten fraction’ during 10 years and a coefficient of their correlation. We have estimated content of protein and gluten fraction of 11 soft winter wheat cultivars on average for 10 years and in each year. The cultivars ‘Aksiniya’ and ‘Tanais’ showed high average content of protein fraction and a slight variability of the trait during the years with 15,2%; V – 4,6% and 15,3%; V – 5,1% respectively. The cultivars ‘Aksiniya’ (29,4%; V – 7,5%), ‘Tanais’ (28,7%; V - 7,2%), ‘Marafon’ (28,0%; V - 7,6%) and ‘Rostovchanka 7’ (27,4%; V - 8,0%) showed average content of gluten fraction and a slight variability of the trait during the years. The cultivars ‘Rostovchanka 3’(15,6%), ‘Donskaya Yubileynaya’ (15,5%) and ‘Tanais’ (15,3%) showed the largest protein fraction on average during 10 years. The cultivars ‘Donskaya Yubileynaya’ (30,6%), ‘Aksiniya’ (29,4%), ‘Rostovchanka 3’ (28,7%) and ‘Tanais’ (28,7%) showed the largest gluten fraction on average during 10 years. We recommend using the cultivars ‘Aksiniya’, ‘Tanais’, ‘Rostovchanka 3’ and ‘Donskaya Yubileynaya’ to improve the grain quality of soft winter wheat. We have carried out the analysis of the content of protein and gluten fractions depending on the amount of precipitations and active temperatures during the period of earing and maturation in the years of study.

Winter wheat is an important food crop. On the gross grain harvest and areas under crops it ranks first in global agriculture. In 2015 more than 2,2 ml ha of the sowing areas were cultivated in the Rostov region. The increase of it is going to be up to 2,4 ml ha to 2020. Nowadays grain branch of Russia is greatly influenced with several global factors, among which global climate warming, fertility decrease and new phyto pathogens effect. Development of winter wheat varieties adapted to definite climatic conditions with a guaranteed of productivity increase is a solution to the problem of grain production stabilization. The article considers economic-biological characteristics of soft winter wheat variety of intensive type ‘Rostovchanka 7’. The tested traits of the variety show, that fertilizing is the main agro technology which determines the amount of harvest of the variety. The variety of intensive type ‘Rostovchanka 7’ was introduced in the State Register of breeding achievements of RF from 2011. It’s middle early, highly productive variety. Its grain productivity if 9,5 t/ha. It possesses a high resistance to common leaf and stem diseases of wheat. The flour and baking properties are excellent. The variety is included in the list of the most valuable wheat of Russia. The most valuable traits of the variety are its frost and drought resistance.

The breeding and genetic assessment of winter durum wheat hybrids on gluten quality The improvement of grain quality is one of the principle directions in winter durum wheat breeding, as the present automated pasta producers need raw material with qualitative and strong gluten. The breeding process will be successful if the estimation of qualitative traits is known at the early stages. It would be an important criterion of selection while sorting out the breeding material and it would reduce the amount of work at the further stages of breeding. In our study for that purpose we have used a method of SDS-sedimentation, which is widely applied for the breeding work with spring and winter soft wheat. Thus the main purpose of the researches was to study variability and heritability of gluten quality in the hybrid populations F2-F4 of winter durum wheat by SDS-test. It has been done to determine the generation and the possibility to use it as a criterion of selection on quality and as a criterion on selection of parental pairs for hybridization. There have been studied 14 hybrid populations obtained by the crossing of varieties with contrast and similar SDS-indexes. They are the variety ‘Kurant’ with super-strong gluten (SDS of 40 ml and more), the variety ‘Terra’ with strong gluten (SDS of 35-39 ml), the varieties ‘Zolotko’ and ‘Aksinit’ with average gluten (SDS of 30-34 ml), the varieties ‘Kremona’ and ‘Gelios’ with weak gluten (SDS of less than 30 ml). The study of winter durum wheat sown in a green-manured fallow land was carried out in the FSDSI ARC ‘Donskoy’s laboratory in 2012-2014. It has been established that according to the amount of SDS-sedimentation the hybrids took an intermediate position among the parental forms with a shift to the best parent. The most hybrids had average indexes of the trait in the limits of parental variability. The SDS-sedimentation is a slightly variable trait. The coefficient of the variability was about 5-10%. It has been shown that genotypically controlled variability of SDS-sedimentation (H2) in the generation F2 was about zero, F3 and F4 hybrids possessed larger and more stable SDS-sedimentation in dependence on hybrid combinations, therefore it’s better to start selection of qualitative genotypes with F3. The degree and, especially, the frequency of transgressions in the generations of major winter durum wheat hybrids are small or absent in relation to parental forms with a higher value. However, it becomes possible to select qualitative progenies at the level of the average sedimentation value of the best parent or with the sedimentation value of more than 35 mm. We should exclude the use of two low-qualitative varieties or average varieties with low-quality in winter durum wheat hybridization on high quality.

The use of the indexes of relative and absolute content of protein in winter wheat grain selected on quality Winter wheat is the main food crop, which occupies a significant proportion in the structure of the grain area of Russia. The crop uses bioclimatic potential of the regions of cultivation better than spring wheat and supplies stable grain production. Winter wheat on Don supplies up to 50% of gross grain, and sometimes up to 70%. The article presents the study results of the accumulation of relative and absolute protein content in grain depending upon 1000-kernel weight on average during the years of 2014-2016. The obtained data indicate that absolute protein content in grain does not depend on the productivity. This index is really stable. Such indexes as 1000-kernel weight, relative protein content in grain, gross yield of protein per hectare, winter wheat productivity are significantly changeable. Protein content in grain is slightly affected by weather conditions. There is an inverse relation between 1000-absolutely dry kernel weight and relative protein content in grain. The more 1000-absolutely dry kernel weight is, the less protein content in grain is and vice versa. But there are significant differences of the trait among the varieties. The varieties “Rostovchanka 5” and “Rostovchanka 7” with less 1000-kernel weight than the varieties “Tanais”, “Aksiniya” and “Nakhodka”, have formed less protein content through all the years. The varieties “Tanais”, “Aksiniya” and “Nakhodka” with 1000-kernel weight of 41.1-43.7 g produced the largest amount of protein (14.7%, 14.4% and 14.2% respectively).

The monitoring of winter wheat varieties tolerance to yellow rust pathogens in the conditions of the Nizhniy Don The article presents the results of the immunity of the varieties and lines of winter wheat, developed in the FSBSE ARC ‘Donskoy’ and other breeding centers, to the North-Caucasus population of yellow rust in the conditions of artificial infection. In the 60s-80s of the last century the varieties ‘Krasnodarskay 6’, Khersonskaya 86’, ‘Lovrin 34’, ‘Sava’, ‘Drina’, ‘Don 85’, ‘Zernogradka 8’, ‘Don 93’, ‘Donshchina’ were used in the hybridization as the sources of tolerance to rust at that time. The varieties developed in the hybridization increased and improved the immunity of the plants to the pathogen. But over time the tolerant varieties have lost their resistance to the disease because of the new and more virulent biotypes of the pathogen, the climate change and the spread of the infectious diseases from the nearby areas. Thus the research center is constantly searching the tolerant varieties. Among the breeding samples developed by the local and other research centers there has been found material with high immunity to the pathogen. At present such new highly productive varieties tolerant to yellow rust as ‘Izyuminka’, ‘Lidiya’, ‘Nakhodka’, ‘Kapitan’, ‘Kipchak’, ‘Luchesar’, ‘Etyud’, ‘Shef’ and others are suggested to the production.