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Relevance. The state of Russia's agro-industrial complex determines the country's national security, as it provides the population with quality agricultural products and raw materials, which affects state sovereignty. According to a number of analysts, in commercial vegetable growing, about 80 % of sown areas are annually sown with imported varieties and hybrids, and this is a vulnerability in ensuring the industry's independence and the country's competitiveness. Strengthening technological sovereignty in the field of vegetable production is one of the priorities of the state agrarian policy, as well as the main focus of scientific organisations and private companies.Results. Federal State Budgetary Scientific Institution Federal Scientific Vegetable Center (FSBSI FSVC) is a major scientific center of the industry, which can compete with foreign companies with its breeding achievements. The article shows the leading position in the breeding of vegetable and melon crops FSBSI FSVC, which actively conducts research on private genetics, biotechnology, contributing to the acceleration of the breeding process; varieties and hybrids are created that combine consistently high productivity, early maturity, resistance to biotic and abiotic stressors, high quality products with an optimal content of biologically active substances to obtain potential raw materials and products of functional action; development of resource-saving, environmentally safe, high-precision technologies for cultivation of vegetable and melon crops, taking into account species and varietal characteristics, as well as scientific bases and practical recommendations for production of original seeds taking into account zonal specifics.However, there are problems hindering the introduction of breeding achievements: the increased cost of registration of breeding achievements in the State Register of Selection Achievements of the Russian Federation of the Russian Federation, bureaucratic difficulties in their approbation, which arose for breeders after the adoption of the new law "On Seed Production". In order to solve the problems of seed production, the Ministries in charge of vegetable production have launched a sub-programme "Development of breeding and seed production of vegetable crops", which aims to increase the production of domestic competitive seeds and brings together the state, science and business.

April 12 is Cosmonautics Day, International Day of Human Space Flight. This is a memorable date dedicated to the flight of the first cosmonaut of the planet, Yuri Alekseevich Gagarin, who became a symbol of the earthlings' dream come true. The All-Russian Research Institute of Vegetable Breeding and Seed Production (Federal State Budgetary Scientific Institution Federal Scientific Vegetable Center (FSBSI FSVC)), like a number of other academic institutions, from the beginning of space exploration, got involved in the work to solve the problem of developing food for astronauts and continues research to this day. In the embodiment of the ideas of K.E. Tsiolkovsky and S.P. Korolev on the creation of space greenhouses received a number of significant achievements in the Federal Scientific Vegetable Center, Russian State Agrarian University – Moscow Timiryazev Agricultural Academy, Institute of Biochemical Physics N.M. Emanuel, SSC RF IBMP RAS and others. Varieties of vegetable crops have been created, tested and recommended for weightlessness conditions: radish, Chinese cabbage, dill, lettuce and other rapidly maturing plants. The variety of Chinese Vesnyanka cabbage has successfully passed biotechnical tests on the ground model of the Phytocycle-SD space conveyor greenhouse, during which good production and biochemical parameters were obtained. Russian scientists are conducting research on developing a technology for cultivating various vegetable plants under space flight conditions – in closed ecosystems (synergotrons), which can serve as the basis of life support systems during space flights, at space stations or in space habitats, where some conditions specific for ISS. Studies have been carried out to study tomato plants grown from seeds that have been under space flight conditions for a long time. As a result of the study, a statistically significant increase in the levels of ascorbic acid, polyphenols and carotenoids, the total antioxidant activity of tomato fruits compared to plants grown from control seeds (ground control) was found.

The vegetable growing industry in Russia is the main component of crop production, the development of which determines the basis of life and food security. Being the most important and indispensable products of plant origin in the human diet, for a Russian, vegetables are in third place in importance after bread and potatoes. However, according to Rosstat, the level of selfsufficiency in vegetables and food melons in the country is 86,3%, which implies the need to increase their production. To improve the situation in the vegetable growing industry, an important place is given to the issues of improving selection and seed production, since the variety and high-quality seeds are the main elements of modern zonal crop cultivation technologies. At the Federal Scientific Center for Vegetable Growing, selection and seed production of vegetable crops is moving to an innovative development path, where, along with classical methods, modern methods are used: molecular marking according to the main economic characteristics, accelerated creation of homozygous lines using doubled haploid methods, plant immunity. In recent years, various methods of pre-sowing preparation of seeds have been developed to increase their viability and germination friendliness, to obtain even seedlings without harming the ecosystem. Based on the fundamental and priority applied research of previous years, in 2022, the creation of 17 varieties and hybrids of vegetable, melon and flower crops for all potential vegetable growing zones was completed. In order to provide the industry with pure-grade high-quality seed and increase the productivity of crops through the full use of the potential of the variety, the Federal Research Center for Vegetable Growing is constantly working in primary seed production. The developed zonal cultivation technologies will allow growing domestic products in various soil and climatic conditions of the country.

The article reflects the issues of the current state of scientific research in the FSBSI FSVC, directions and prospects for the development of selection and seed production of vegetable crops are shown. Varieties have been created that realize the bioclimatic potential of the cultivation zone, meet market requirements, and are capable of producing high yields under the influence of biotic and abiotic stressors. Selection is carried out in a combination of classical methods with innovative technologies.Biotechnologists have improved the basic protocol for in vitro microspore culture for the Brassicaceae, stages of technology for obtaining doubled haploids in microspore culture in vitro for the Apiaceae are being developed. For the first time, an effective protocol for obtaining double haploids of European radish has been developed. Doubled haploids of vegetable crops of the Cucurbitaceae, Amarantháceae, Amaryllidáceae were obtained in vitro in the culture of unpollinated ovules. The Center conducts research on the increased content of biologically active substances and antioxidants. An important place is occupied by immunological studies on the resistance of vegetable crops to harmful diseases. The institution develops systems of protective measures against pests, diseases and weeds for vegetable crops based on the use of new environmentally friendly preparations. On the basis of fundamental and priority applied research of previous years, the creation of 21 varieties and hybrids of cabbage, table beet, tomato, sweet pepper, onion, chives, leek, cucumber, melon, lettuce, chervil, potato, aster, lychnis has been completed. Along with the creation of new breeding achievements, technologies for their cultivation are being improved through the use of new agricultural practices, microfertilizers, biological products and humates on vegetable crops in various soil and climatic zones of Russia. New agricultural methods are being developed in the cultivation of mushrooms. In the field of seed production, methods are being developed to increase the germination of seeds, seed production, elements of the technology for the production of mother liquors and seeds of various vegetable and melon crops; zonal seed production technologies that increase their yield. In 2021, a team of scientists received an award from the Government of the Russian Federation for scientific work "Development and implementation of innovative technologies for growing vegetables and potatoes to provide the population with environmentally friendly food".

The article describes the life and creative path of the famous scientist, a prominent specialist in the field of ecology, breeding and seed production of vegetable crops, аcademician of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Honored Scientist of the Russian Federation, laureate of the State Prize and the Prizes of the Government of the Russian Federation Viktor Fedorovich Pivovarov.

The article reflects the issues of the current state of scientific research at the FSBSI FSVC, shows the directions and prospects for the development of selection and seed production of vegetable crops. The main mission of the selection and seed-growing work of the FSVC is the creation and reproduction of varieties and hybrids of vegetable and melon crops of a new generation, characterized by resistance to abiotic and biotic stressors, high productivity and product quality. One of the main ways to increase the efficiency of the breeding process is the use of modern methods of biotechnology and molecular genetics, which make it possible to obtain new genotypes and reduce the time of breeding. Success has been achieved in the creation of homozygous lines of cabbage, squash, cucumber, carrots. For the first time, it was possible to complete a full cycle of obtaining doubled radish haploids in microspore culture in vitro. The institution pays special attention to immunological research on the resistance of crops and new varieties to diseases, as well as protecting plants from pests and diseases. Phytosanitary monitoring, assessment and selection of resistant genotypes are carried every years. One of the important theoretical and practical problems solved at the institution is the development of environmentally friendly products based on preparations obtained from plants with a high content of biologically active compounds with adaptogenic properties. In the center, a new direction of research in traditional breeding has received significant development - the creation of varieties of vegetable plants with an increased content of biologically active substances and antioxidants, on the basis of which functional products are created. The persistence of modern varieties and hybrids of table carrots, depending on the biochemical composition, has been studied. Methods for enriching vegetable plants with micronutrients are being developed. A large amount of scientific research is being carried out on the development of technologies for the cultivation of new varieties and hybrids, as well as technologies for their seed production. At the branches located in different soil and climatic conditions, hospitals were established to study the interaction of factors controlling soil fertility and the productivity of vegetable crops in agrocenoses (crop rotation, soil treatment systems, fertilizers and plant protection). In general, at the FSBSI FSVC, all research is aimed at developing and improving methods in breeding and seed production of vegetable crops, creating new breeding achievements and developing varietal technologies for their cultivation.

Relevance and methods. For the Non-chernozem zone, the main factor for the active development of late blight is the low air temperature and its sharp fluctuations during the day, contributing to the formation of increased air humidity and drip-liquid moisture on the plants. In the Moscow region, the causative agent of late blight is manifested almost annually. Populations of Phytophthora infestans are represented by the To and T1 races. Epiphytotic development was observed periodically (1977-1979, 1982, 1986, 1996-1999, 2000, 2001, 2003-2004, 2008-2009, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2019) and was provided by the virulent T1 race. Observations showed that epiphytotic situations arose in those years when the minimum air temperature was below long-term average values, and relative humidity and precipitation exceeded them. With a deviation from the norm in the direction of increasing temperature, decreasing rainfall and relatively low humidity, years were observed with a depressive (1992, 1994) or moderate development of the disease (1980, 1981, 1983, 1985, 1987-1991, 2002, 2005-2007, 2010-2012, 2018). Results. As a result of breeding work, a Grot tomato-tolerant tomato variety was obtained, on the basis of which varieties with high resistance Grand, Dubok, Gnom, Chelnok, Patris, Geya, Zolushka, Perst, Severyanka, Blagodatny were obtained. In the general collection of VIR as a source resistance to leaf spot pathogens were registered: Geya (v.k. 14839), Slavyanka (v.k. 14840), Patrice (v.k. 14841), Rossiyanka (v.k. 14842), Krepysh (v.k. 14843), Sibiryachka (v.k. 14444) and line 1079-94 (v.k. 14845) donors, in addition to their high resistance to late blight, have excellent economic characteristics.

The article is dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the head institution of the Federal Scientific Vegetable Center - the oldest and leading breeding organization for vegetable crops, better known in the scientific and socio-economic spheres of the Russian Federation by its historical name - VNIISSOK. The center's activity dates back to the creation in 1920 of the Gribovskaya Vegetable Breeding Experimental Station, where, under the leadership of Professor Sergei Ivanovich Zhegalov, a theoretical and practical basis for the development of domestic breeding was laid. In 1970, the experimental station was transformed into the AllUnion Research Institute of Selection and Seed Production of Vegetable Crops, and in 1992 into the All-Russian Research Institute of Selection and Seed Production of Vegetable Crops. Over the years, breeding methods have been developed and improved, including modern biotechnological methods, using molecular marking and interspecies hybridization. The results obtained during this period reflect the traditions of scientific schools and approaches laid down by scientists-breeders, seed growers, vegetable growers, flower growers, both in the field of basic research, and in the creation of varieties and hybrids of vegetable crops. The organizational and structural reform of breeding institutions carried out in 2017 contributed to the formation of the Federal scientific vegetable center (FSBSI FSVC), which includes VNIISSOK as the parent organization and 8 branches located in various ecological and geographical zones. At a new stage of development, the FSBSI FSVC continues its glorious traditions. Scientists have obtained world-class results in basic research and competitive selection achievements in priority applied research. The scientific results and structural changes that have occurred over the hundred-year period of the breeding establishment are the foundation for the further development of the vegetable science in the country.

In recent years, in the agricultural sector there is a tendency to increase the production of crop products. However, its quality is still not high enough. To improve the situation in the vegetable growing industry, an important place is given to improving breeding and seed production, since the variety and high-quality seeds are the main elements of modern crop cultivation zonal technologies. At the Federal State Budgetary Scientific Institution “Federal Scientific Vegetable Center” (FSBSI FSVC), vegetable crop breeding has been put on the innovative path of development, where modern methods are used along with classical ones: molecular markers on the main of economical important plant determinants, accelerated creation of homogeneous lines using the methods of doubled haploids and biotechnology of functional products for healthy nutrition. As a result of purposeful selection work, domestic varieties and hybrids of vegetable crops with fundamentally new qualities were created. The geographical location of the branches of the Center allows you to create breeding achievements for all potential regions of vegetable growing. In 2019, 36 varieties and hybrids of vegetables and melon crops were created, including cabbage, carrot, tomato, onion, onion Shallot, perennial onion, garlic, peas, bean, cowpea, pumpkin, cucumber, sugar corn, green vegetables culture, spicy-flavouring plant and floral crops. In order to provide the industry with pure-grade quality seed material and increase the productivity of crops due to the full use of the potential of the variety in the FSBSI FSVC, constant work is carried out in primary seed production. Zonal cultivation technologies have been developed that will allow growing domestic products in different soil and climatic conditions of the country. Wide introduction of achievements of the Russian vegetable growing science in agricultural production is capable to provide the population of the Russian Federation with high-quality, domestic production.

Increasing the competitiveness of the agro-industrial complex is inextricably linked with the development of science that ensures the development of innovative methods, the introduction of new knowledge and achievements of agricultural science in production. In order to provide scientific support to the vegetable-growing industry in 2017, the Federal State Budgetary Scientific Institution “Federal Scientific Vegetable Center” was founded. The main directions and tasks of the Center are presented in the article. Brief results of research work for the current year are given: 47 new varieties and hybrids have been created; more than 200 gene sources and 30 donors of especially valuable features were allocated, 28 patents for selection achievements, inventions and utility models were obtained. The publication activity of the center for 2017 is 159 publications in the RINC system, as well as 22 articles in the journals included in the Web of Science, Scopus and RSCI databases. Citation of FSBSI FSVC articles on the RINC database -1075.

Selection based on interspecific hybridization of fundamentally new plant forms with a unique combination of genetic material allows expanding the scope of genotypic and phenotypic variability. In this work the comparative analysis of plants of interspecific hybrids of genus Allium L. from various inbred descendants of combinations of crossing of species A. cepa х A. vavilovii and A. cepa х A. fistulosum on selection traits is carried out.Forms were identified: by mass of the bulb more than 100 g; with contrasting coloration of dry cover scales bulbs; by the index of the shape of the bulb; on the resistance to peronosporosis of plants of the first year of vegetation and seed plants; by the number of arrows; height of the arrow; on seed production with a sufficiently high percentage of fertile plants. Plants of interspecific hybrids of onions formed bulbs weighing from 20 to 120 g, with white, golden-yellow, dark golden-yellow, brownish and dark purple color of dry covering scales of a bulb. Plants of interspecific hybrids of onions were flat and round-flat shape of the bulb with the frequency of symptoms ranging from 6.9 to 93.3% and from 11.7 to 93.3%. In a phytopathological evaluation of interspecific hybrids of onions the first year of vegetation identified plants with resistance to downy mildew is from 0 to 4.0 points. Was studied the frequency of occurrence of plants in the progenies weight, colour, bulb type, number, height of the seedstalk, seed productivity and resistance to downy mildew. The increase of genetic diversity in onion plants obtained on the basis of interspecific hybridization, backcrossing and inbreeding is shown.

The vegetable production is one of the economic sectors that provides the population with foodstuff products with high biological values. To achieve independence in production of the agricultural foodstuffs, the part of imported products should not be beyond 25 % from total volume of foodstuffs fabricated. As a result of national breeding program, the varieties and hybrids adapted to different growing conditions, with resistance to local races of pathogens, temperature stresses, and ground frosts were developed to provide the sustainable production of vegetables with high nutritional and medicinal qualities. The varieties and hybrids F1 of white head cabbage that have been created for the last 5 years are distinguished from foreign ones by taste qualities, appropriate pickling characteristics with increased sugar, and decreased cellulose contents. The local onion varieties combine long shelf life, early maturing, well bulb formation, high dry matter content (18-20%) and ability to form the bulb for one year. The cucumber is the traditional vegetable crop in Russia and very profitable for greenhouse enterprises. Breeders have developed bee-pollinated and parthenocarpic hybrids well adapted to local growing conditions and suitable for open field cultivation in different regions of Russia. Parthenocarpic heterotic hybrids of the multi-propose use, corresponding to the modern variety model with high productivity, early-ripening, bunch ovary disposition, resistance to abiotic stresses, and most harmful diseases. The carrot and red beet varieties with high nutritional qualities, long shelf-life, ecological plasticity that are widely used for seed production have been created. The varieties of nightshade crops have been developed to cultivate in NonChernozem zone, Far East, Western Siberia, the Middle Belt of Russia and the south of Russia, are also suitable for different greenhouse complexes located in different light zones of the Russia. Wide application of varieties produced through national vegetable breeding programs can provide the population with our own products of high quality.

On April 18th, a doctor of agricultural sciences, professor, a member of Russian Academy of Sciences, academician, Honored Research Worker in Science and Technology, State Laureate of the Russian Federation Government Prize in Science and Technology, a director of Federal State Budgetary Research Institution ‘All-Russian Research Institute of Vegetable Breeding and Seed Production’, Victor Fedorovich Pivovarov celebrates his 75th birth anniversary.

The problem of stability of plants of the onion to the most nocuous diseases acquired in the world a paramount value. Untrue mealy dew or peronosporoz onion related to their number, astonishes many kinds of the sort Allium L. and, primarily, onion napiform. Information of presence of immune grades of the onion of napiform are absent, are just of the grade with various level of stability. In years, the favorable for development of this disease, it can cause larger losses at cultivation a sevka, onions turnip and seeds. This disease almost everywhere is widespread. The activator of a peronosporoz is the mushroom of Peronospora destructor (Berk) of Casp. the typical obligate parasite living and eating on the growing plants and striking leaves and flower-colored. Use of expensive chemical means of struggle just limits dissemination of peronosporoz, but radically does not solve the problem of protection of plants, not to mention deterioration in an ecological situation. At selection of the onion of napiform to resistance to peronosporoz interspecific hybridization is the most promising, though this way is long and difficult. The main purpose with the use of interspecific hybridization is creation of forms combining presence of stored bulbs and with high resistance to peronosporoz and sufficient a fecundity. The pollen of plants for transfer of genes supervising high stability and high content they be valuable substances from multi-annual onions to the onion to napiform. In the article results of joint researches of the laboratory of selection of onions cultures, genetics and cytology, immunity of the All-Russian Scientific Research Institute of selection and seed farming of vegetable cultures (VNIISSOK) on development of methods of interspecific hybridization and creation of the forms of interspecific hybrids combining presence of stored bulb with high resistance to peronosporoz, the technology of selection process, results of selection and interspecific hybrids of the onion created in the VNIISSOK and approved to use in various Russia regions are presented.

On the second of October, in 1881, Sergey Ivanovich Zhegalov, an establisher of national breeding and seed production of vegetable crops was born in a little village Vasilkovo of Vyazemskogo uezda. He was a founder and a first director of Gribovskaya Vegetable Breeding Station. This year marked by 135th anniversary from the date of birth of the outstanding scientist. All the time at All-Russian Research Institute of Vegetable Breeding and Seed Production (VNIISSOK), its scientific leader and mastermind is honored and remembered for his heritage that is still preserved andaugmented. This scientist was at the beginning of plant breeding science and became the first who brought scientifically proved methods into agricultural plant science. The process of newplant- form-producing and development of new more qualified breeding forms through distant crossing, hybridization, heterosis effect, are the problems which interested the mind of Zhegalov and always were the sense of his life. These problems still remain in these days, where his ideas are embodied in scientific program of the institute covering theoretical researches for development of innovation method needed for creation of new highly qualified breeding plant material regarded as a source for nearest breeding practice and seed production. At VNIISSOK the richest plant collection with important genes and donor genotypes of productivity, fast ripening, high quality, resistance to biotic and abiotic stresses is created in Cucurbitaceae, Solanaceae,Alliaceae, Fabaceae, root vegetables, Brassicas, leafy crops, aromatic and medicinal crops and ornamental crops. Core plant collection is substantially extending by means of introduction of new crops and non-traditional ones as well. The specialist-breeders of VNIISSOK have developed over 800 cultivars and hybrids F1 of vegetables, melons and gourds, aromatic plants, ornamental plants, non-traditional. 546 accessions out of 118 crops have been included into State Register of Breeding Achievements of Russian Federation in 2016.

All-Russian Scientific Research Institute of vegetable breeding and seed production is the biggest scientific and methodological center in field of breeding and seed production of vegetable crops. In this article, the main stages of establishment and development of the institute, the biographies of leaders of the institute who made an invaluable contribution to development of breeding of vegetable crops are presented. Highly skilled scientific team of VNIISSOK and material and technical resources and facilities allow keeping the leadership in many areas of science and breeding of vegetable crop and seed production.

The main directions and new achievements of the research investigations on vegetable breeding and seed production carried on the All'Russian Research Institute of vegetable breedingand seed production are shown.

On the 21th September of 2018 Pivovarov Victor Fedorovich – scientific adviser of the Federal Scientific Vegetable Center, Academician of Russian Academy of Sciences, Honored Scientist of Russian Federation, State Laureate of Science and Technology, Doctor of Agricultural Science, Professor, is celebrating 50 years of his scientific and pedagogical activity. Dr. Pivovarov V.F. is the leading scientist in the field of ecology, introduction, horticulture, breeding and seed production of vegetable crops. Since having been appointed to a director of VNIISSOK, V.F. Pivovarov has continued to keep up the best traditions of Russian plant breeding school. By now, the VNIISSOK has become a scientific and methodical center for vegetable plant breeding and seed production, where many theoretical studies, the advanced technologies and methods of development of initial breeding material of vegetable plants for further breeding programs are carried out.

Valeeva Zarya Tadzhievna – 80th Anniversary.

November 25, 2012 the international scientific community of geneticists and plant breeders will be celebrating the 125thanniversary of the birth of botanist and genetics, agronomist, geographer and founder of the national school of biology and breeding, Academician Nikolai Ivanovich Vavilov. A III-rd International Scientific-Practical Conference «Modern trends in plant breeding and seed production of vegetable crops. Traditions and Prospects» took place in VNIISSOK in August 2012, dedicated to the 125th anniversary of the birth of the scientist.