Search

The purpose of the current work was to search for sources of winter wheat varieties’ resistance to the most common pathogens of the area under artificial infectious backgrounds and recommend them for inclusion in the breeding process. The study was carried out on the experimental plots of the laboratory for plant immunity and protection of the FSBSI Agricultural Research Center “Donskoy” in 2021–2023. In order to expand the genetic diversity in immunity of newly developed varieties, it is necessary to use new sources of resistance. The objects of study were 78 winter wheat varieties from interstation variety testing, representing various breeding institutions in Russia and some foreign varieties. The study material was presented by the North Caucasian populations of pathogens of such wheat leaf diseases as powdery mildew, brown and yellow rust, and leaf spot (Septoria). Infectious backgrounds were formed according to generally accepted methods, using spore material of pathogens both stored and collected from crops in the previous year (types of rust) and collected from overwintered plants in the spring (powdery mildew, leaf spot). Weather conditions varied across the years of study (mainly in the autumn), but the damage to susceptible test varieties in the experiments was maximum. As a result of the study of the varieties on their resistance to one pathogen, there have been identified 23 varieties resistant to powdery mildew, 56 ones to leaf rust, 47 ones to yellow rust, 8 varieties to leaf spot. There has been given a characteristic of varieties according to various degree of resistance or susceptibility to each pathogen. On the resistance to two pathogens, there have been identified 17 varieties resistant to brown and yellow rust, 2 varieties resistant to brown rust and powdery mildew, 2 varieties resistant to yellow rust and powdery mildew, 1 variety resistant to brown rust and leaf spot. Ten varieties have shown resistance to no one pathogen, but they have had moderate resistance or moderate susceptibility to several other pathogens. 20 varieties were resistant to three diseases in various combinations, and 16 of them were resistant to brown, yellow rust, and powdery mildew. One variety ‘MV Nador’ from Hungary showed resistance to all 4 pathogens. All resistant varieties identified in the study can replenish the supply of winter wheat sources to the complex of leaf diseases for breeding purposes or be used in integrated crop protection against leaf diseases.

The current paper has presented the materials for studying collection samples of winter common wheat for resistance to leaf and smut diseases for use in breeding programs for immunity. The current study was carried out based on the FSBSI Agricultural Research Center “Donskoy” in 2021–2023. The objects of the study were 98 samples from the collection CUMMIT (Turkey). The objects of study were the North Caucasian populations of pathogens of leaf diseases, such as powdery mildew, brown and yellow rust, septoria and local populations of pathogens of loose and kernel smut. The study was carried out on field infectious backgrounds of diseases with artificial infection of plants in accordance with the methodological instructions for each of them. The purpose of this work was to identify winter wheat samples resistant to both individual pathogens and their complex. Susceptible test varieties of winter wheat had maximum damage scores for each disease studied. During the study there have been identified 19 samples resistant to powdery mildew, 67 samples resistant to leaf rust, 63 samples resistant to yellow rust, 2 samples resistant to septoria, 95 samples resistant to loose smut and 25 samples resistant to kernel smut. There have been identified samples 9855, 9859, 9883, 9884, 9894 that showed resistance or weak susceptibility to brown and yellow rust, powdery mildew, septoria, etc. 15 samples 9802, 9812, 9898, 9899, 9903 were not affected by loose and kernel smut. A number of samples that have demonstrated complex resistance to smut diseases over three years were 9855, 9859, 9884, 9894, 9883, 9902, etc. The sample 9859 showed high resistance to five diseases. The best samples in terms of complex resistance could be recommended for breeding programs for immunity.

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.

Barley production in the Rostov region, as well as throughout Russia, has taken its niche in agricultural production. Winter barley attracts farmers’ attention with its unpretentiousness and high productivity. The relevance of immunology used in the production of barley varieties does not decrease over time. Yield losses due to various leaf diseases can be as high as 30–50 %. The most common pathogens in the region are powdery mildew and helminthosporium blotches. The most effective and efficient way to improve the resistance of new varieties is the use of artificial infectious backgrounds. Provocative and extreme conditions promote a selection of parental forms and breeding lines that are most resistant to pathogens. The current paper has presented the results of the estimation of winter barley breeding and collection material based on the FSBSI Agricultural Research Center «Donskoy». The purpose of the study was to identify winter barley varieties and lines which are stably resistant and tolerant to leaf-stem pathogens common in the Rostov region. About 250 samples are being estimated in the period from 2019 to 2021. Over the years of study, there have been identified such varieties and lines resistant to powdery mildew as ‘Bezosty 1954’ (RF), ‘Grand’ (RF), ‘Parallelum 1967’, etc. Resistance to heliminthosporium spotting was demonstrated by the varieties ‘Bezosty 1954’ (RF), ‘Grand’ (RF), ‘Rostovsky 908’ (RF), ‘Donskoy 11’ (RF) and the lines ‘Parallelum 1967’, ‘Parallelum 1974’, ‘Pallidum 1916’, ‘Pallidum 1970’, ‘Parallelum 1960’, ‘Parallelum 1911’, ‘Nutans 1895’ and others. There were also identified such varieties with resistance or tolerance to both pathogens as ‘Grand’ (RF), ‘Sekret’ (RF), ‘Fox 1’ (RF), ‘Marusya’ (RF), ‘Karisma’ (England) and the lines ‘Bezosty 1954’, ‘Parallelum 1967’, ‘Parallelum 1974’, ‘Parallelum 2015’, ‘Parallelum 2016’, ‘Parallelum 2017’. All presented varieties and lines are proposed for use in further breeding for immunity to the studied pathogens.

In order to increase food grain production of winter durum wheat, which is of high quality for producing cereals and pasta, it is necessary to increase the sown areas, which require varieties that meet the requirements of modern production to develop highly productive varieties with specified grain quality parameters and resistance to diseases. Both for bread wheat and durum wheat the harmful diseases are leaf rust and powdery mildew. The generally accepted methods of fighting them is the development of pathogen resistant varieties. Breeding for the resistance of this crop has been carried out at the FSBSI Agricultural Research Center “Donskoy” since the middle of the last century, as a result of which there were developed the varieties with the constantly increasing level of resistance. Through different years, there were developed and sown the varieties ‘Novinka 5’, ‘Donchanka’, ‘Donskoy yantar’, ‘Terra’, ‘Agat Donskoy’, ‘Lazurit’ which were not infected by brown rust and powdery mildew. The purpose of the study was to identify new reliable sources of resistance to these diseases in order to use them in breeding programs for immunity. The study was carried out on infectious backgrounds in 2015–2021, using the North Caucasian populations of leaf rust and powdery mildew pathogens. In the trials there were identified 63 winter durum wheat varieties of different ecological and geographical origin from inter-station variety testing, 26 powdery mildew resistant varieties, 20 leaf rust resistant varieties and 17 varieties resistant to both pathogens. Among the identified varieties with group resistance there are both the Russian varieties ‘Krucha’, ‘Kermen’, ‘Krupinka’, ‘Dobryana’ and others, and foreign varieties ‘Akveduk’, ‘Andromeda’, ‘Kassiopeya’, ‘Afina’, Pributkova and others.

The purpose of the current study was to estimate the economic and biological characteristics and properties of a new, highly productive sainfoin variety resistant to various stressful conditions. The study was carried out as part of the competitive variety testing of the laboratory for breeding and seed production of perennial grass of the “ARC “Donskoy” in 2018–2021. The experimental sowing for the competitive variety testing was done in spring, with a seeding rate of 4 million germinated seeds per ha. The area of plots was 25 m2 , 4–6 times of repetition. There has been identified the new sainfoin variety ‘Atamansky 20’, an artificial synthetic population obtained by the methods of individual family selection and poly-crossing of the varieties ‘Atamansky’, ‘Zernogradsky 2’ and ‘Veles’. The variety belongs to the sandy species. The sainfoin variety ‘Atamansky 20’ during the years of competitive variety testing significantly exceeded the standard variety ‘Zernogradsky 2’. The green mass productivity of the variety ‘Atamansky 20’ was higher than that of the standard variety on 4.5 t/ha, dry matter on 1.4 t/ha, seeds on 0.14 t/ha, or on 17.1%, 20.6% and 21.2%, respectively. According to raw and digestible protein percentage per hectare, the sainfoin variety ‘Atamansky 20’ exceeded the standard one on 20.1% and 25.7%, respectively; gross energy yield on 12.3%. When using the sainfoin variety ‘Atamansky 20’ as a green manure crop there can be used an average of 297 kg/ha N, 65 kg/ha P2 O5 , 159 kg/ha K2 O, which is respectively on 32%, 27% and 30% more than used when the green mass of ‘Zernogradsky 2’ is applied into the soil.

In the Southern Federal District, winter wheat is a main food crop. One of the most important factors that can destabilize gross grain yields and reduce grain crop productivity are parasitic organisms. One of the most common wheat diseases is septoria blotch (Zymoseptoria tritici). The purpose of the current study was to analyze the biological cycle of distribution, harmfulness, measures to combat septoria blotch on winter wheat. The paper has considered the importance of winter wheat septoria disease in various countries and in Russia. There was noted a leading position in distribution and harmfulness of the disease, and according to the results of study conducted by Russian and foreign researchers, it was found that this pathogen was inferior in importance only to wheat rust. There were presented three types of septoria blotch pathogens and there was established a dominant type in the Southern Federal District. Yield losses caused by septoria blotch can reach upto 30-40%, and the optimal temperature for its development and spread is from 5 to 20°C, with frequent precipitation. There have been given the technological methods under which the crop damage by pathogens increased. There have been presented the measures to combat septoria blotch and there has been described the most effective, economical and environmentally friendly method, namely the development of resistant varieties and their introduction into production. There has been considered qualitative and quantitative resistance of varieties. Currently there have been identified 21 major septoria blotch resistance genes. There has been considered longevity of stb-genes and the reasons for its loss. It has been established that the development of winter wheat varieties resistant to septoria blotch is a priority issue of breeding, since this control measure reduces yield losses and potential reserve of the pathogen in the agrocenosis.

Systematic work on the development of winter wheat varieties possessing resistance to a complex of the most harmful diseases has been carried out in the Agricultural Research Center “Donskoy” since the early 1970s. During this period, there has been created a large number of varieties that possess resistance to 3–4 diseases in conditions of infectious backgrounds of pathogens. Due to the analysis of varieties, there was identified a small number of varieties resistant to powdery mildew. Powdery mildew, caused by the fungus Blumeria graminis (DC) Speer, annually occurs on wheat, affecting all aboveground plant organs. Earlier the FSBSI “ARC “Donskoy” developed and widely cultivated the medium-resistant varieties ‘Tanais’ (2006), ‘Nakhodka’ (2015), ‘Etyud’, ‘Shef’, ‘Lilit’ (2016), ‘Volnitsa’ (2017), ‘Polina’, Yubiley Dona’ , ‘Podarok Krymu’ (2018), ‘Niva Dona’ (2019). In recent years, breeders have developed such varieties with high resistance to the pathogen as ‘Donskaya Step’ (2016), ‘Premiera’, ‘Univer’ (2018), ‘Priazovye’, ‘Zolotoy Kolos’ (2020). But the breeding process of varieties for resistance to powdery mildew is difficult, since it is explained by the small number of effective resistance genes and their sources. Therefore, the purpose of the current study was to identify new sources of resistance to the pathogen. Under the conditions of artificial infection, during last 10 years there was conducted a testing of 302 varieties and samples of winter wheat of domestic and foreign breeding. There have not been identified immune varieties. There was identified a small percentage (15.2) of varieties that were resistant to the pathogen. Among the Russian varieties they were ‘L 3191 k-5-8’, ‘Akhmat’, ‘Alievich’, ‘Barier’, ‘Ulyasha’, ‘Knyaginya Olga’, which were not attacked by the disease over the years of testing. Among foreign varieties, the varieties ‘Bombus’, ‘Sailor’ (France), ‘Etana’, ‘Rotax’, ‘KVS-Emil’ (Germany), ‘Fidelius’ (Austria), ‘MV 09-04’ (Hungary) were identified as the best ones in their resistance to powdery mildew. All identified sources of resistance have been recommended in breeding programs for immunity.

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.

Spring barley resistance to diseases can reduce yield losses and amount of the applied plant protection products, and, accordingly, the costs for its cultivation. One of the most important tasks and conditions of the breeding process is the expansion of the genetic diversity of sources of resistance to unfavorable environmental conditions and the development of the varieties that possess resistance to pathogens. On the territory of the Rostov region, the most harmful and economically significant diseases of spring barley are helminth-spore spots and stone smut. The purpose of the current study was to identify the spring barley varieties resistant to helminth-sporiosis and smut. There have been presented the 3-year results on assessment of the domestic and foreign spring barley varieties for resistance to leaf diseases and smut. There have been studied 117 domestic and foreign varieties. The immunological properties of the spring barley varieties were studied in a field infectious nursery. The seed infection with spores was carried out by the S. Dimitrov's method using a nutrient environment. Sowing of the inoculated seeds was carried out at the end of the optimal terms. The analysis was carried out according to the number of infected stems. The infectious nursery with helminth-sporiosis was set up according to the Methodological recommendations (2008). On the basis of the current study, according to the immunological assessment, the varieties were divided into different groups of resistance to the studied pathogens. The genotypes with high immunological resistance degree to the complex of pathogens are of the greatest breeding value. There have been identified the sources of resistance to two pathogens. These are the varieties ‘Ratnik', ‘Zernogradsky 73', ‘Azov', ‘Kumir', ‘Elf', ‘Tan 1', ‘Zernogradsky 35', ‘Vikont' (Russia), ‘Getman', ‘Odessa 22' (Ukraine), ‘Viking' (Sweden). The identified sources of spring barley resistance to smut and spot diseases have been recommended for use in breeding programs for immunity.

The current paper has presented the results of joint long-term immunological study of winter wheat varieties and lines of the FSBSI “ARC “Donskoy” to the North Caucasian population of the yellow rust pathogen. The study was carried out under artificial in fection in various agro-ecological conditions (FSBSI “ARC “Donskoy” in Zernograd, Rostov Region and FSBSI “All-Russian Research Institute of Biological Protection of Plants” in Krasnodar). Yellow rust (the causative agent Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici West.) is a dangerous wheat disease in all regions of the world that cultivate grain, including in the south of Russia. In years with favorable conditions, the wheat yield loss caused by this pathogen can reach 70-100%. One of the most effective methods to protect wheat is the cultivation of pathogen-resistant varieties. To develop them, there is a great necessity in a regular screening of resistance sources among wheat varieties and lines of various breeding. In the conditions of field plots the FSBSI “ARC “Donskoy” (2014-2016) and the FSBSI “All-Russian Research Institute of Biological Protection of Plants” (2017-2019) on artificial infectious backgrounds of P. striiformis there were tested the breeding and collection wheat varieties and variety-samples developed by the researcher of the department of winter wheat breeding and seed production of the FSBSI “ARC “Donskoy”. Over the past 40 years, the Don breeders, attracting various sources and donors of resistance, have developed such wheat varieties with high resistance to major diseases, including yellow rust, as “Donskaya bezostaya”, “Don 85”, “Donshchina”, “Kolos Dona”, “Zernogradka 8”, “Don 93”, “Don 95”, “Donskoy Mayak”, etc. As a result of the studies conducted in various agroclimatic zones, among the studied material, there has been established a high percentage (from 52.0 to 87.3) of varieties and varietyyy-samples resistant to yellow rust. According to longterm data, the winter bread wheat varieties “Volnitsa”, “Izyuminka”, “Krasa Dona”, “Lidiya”, “Nakhodka”, “Shef”, “Yubiley Dona”, “Etud” and the winter durum wheat varieties “Zoloto Don”, “Lakomka”, “Uslada” have shown a great resistance to the disease.

The current paper presents the 3-year assessment results of domestic and foreign winter barley varieties and lines for smut resistance. The smut pathogen in the Rostov region causes one of the most harmful diseases, which, in addition to direct crop losses (head destruction), causes the so-called hidden losses, which can several times exceed direct ones. An effective way to counteract the disease is to cultivate resistant varieties, and farmers need the reliable sources of resistance to the pathogen. The immunological properties of winter barley varieties were studied in an infectious nursery (2016–2018). Seed infection with spores was carried out by S. Dimitrov’s method (1968) using a nutrient medium. Inoculated seeds were sown at the end of the optimal time. There was estimated a number of infected stems. The variety “Dobrynya 3” was used as a susceptible test-variety, which percentage of infection throughout the years ranged from 20.6 to 71.8%. There were studied 115 domestic and foreign varieties and lines. Among 69 domestic commercial varieties and breeding lines, 11 ones (15.9%) showed good resistance, 21 ones (30.4%) showed weak susceptibility, 30 ones (43.5%) possessed average susceptibility and seven varieties (10.1%) were severely affected by the pathogen. Among foreign varieties, resistance to barley smut has been established in seven German varieties, in three French varieties, in two Swiss varieties, one Czech variety and one Ukrainian variety. The varieties “Rocca”, “Nixe” (Germany), “Metelitsa” (Ukraine) are classified as the best ones in resistance to the pathogen during the artificial infection. The French variety “18513 ЕН11” had no affected plants during the study and was identified as an immune variety. The identified sources of winter barley resistance to smut are recommended for use in breeding programs for immunity.

The purpose of the study is to monitor the efficiency of wheat resistance genes to the causative agent of brown rust (Lr-genes) in the Rostov region. Brown rust is the most widely spread and harmful wheat disease which annually occurs on the crops from poor development to epiphytoties. Soft wheat varieties grown in the region are variously resistant to this pathogen. To breed the brown rust resistant varieties, it is necessary to expand genetic basis of the varieties grown in the region and to attract new Lr-gene donors. Due to it the study of the monitoring of pathogen populations and the effectiveness of the known Lr-genes to the Rostov pathogen population is of great importance nowadays. For this purpose, the isogenic lines of the variety “Thatcher” with Lr-genes are annually studied in the Agricultural Research Center “Donskoy” on the infectious plots and in the laboratory conditions in the sprouting phase. This paper presents the monitoring results of the populations in the period of 2015–2017. The variety “Tarasovskaya 29” served as a universally susceptible variety. In this work, there were used generally accepted methods of working with brown rust pathogen in the “sprouting” and “grown-up” periods. It has been established that in the “grown-up” period, 10 lines showed a high resistance to the disease (0% of damage), 6 lines did not exceed 10%, and 11 lines had moderate susceptibility (30–40% of damage) to the pathogen. The remaining lines were susceptible to the pathogen population. The virulence analysis of the plants in the sprouting phase showed high efficiency of the Lr9, Lr19, Lr24, Lr28, Lr29, Lr41, Lr42, Lr45, Lr47, Lr50, Lr51, and Lr53 genes. The phenotypic (racial) composition of the Rostov fungus population was identified using 20 TcLr-lines. In 2016–2017 in the Rostov population there were identified 6 phenotypes. RNTH, RNTKG and TNTTH were common phenotypes in both years of research. The identified effective Lr-genes can be used to develop resistant wheat varieties, taking into account the plants’ ontogenesis.

The purpose of this work was to characterize the virulence of the P. triticina population on durum wheat in the Rostov region and to assess the leaf rust resistance in the promising winter durum wheat varieties selected by the “ARC “Donskoy”. The joint studies were conducted in the laboratories of FSBSI “Agricultural Research Center “Donskoy” and FSBSI All-Russian Research Institute of Plant Protection. The samples of pathogen populations were collected on durum wheat varieties “Donchanka”, “Lazurit”, “Donskoy Yantar” and “Prikumskaya 142” and propagated on the susceptible soft and durum wheat varieties in the laboratory. There were studied 64 mono pustular isolate. The studied isolates were avirulent to the Thatcher lines with the genes Lr2a, Lr2b, Lr2c, Lr9, Lr15, Lr16, Lr19, Lr20 and Lr24 and were virulent to Lr3a, Lr3bg, Lr3ka, Lr10, Lr11, Lr14a, Lr14b, Lr18, Lr26, Lr30 и Lr44. All samples of populations propagated on durum wheat were characterized by avirulence to the TcLr17 line, and those propagated on soft wheat were mainly characterized by virulence. In general, the conducted analysis revealed significant differences in the composition of pathogen populations on durum and soft wheat. The isolates from durum wheat had a significantly smaller number of virulence alleles, compared with the isolates from soft wheat. In addition, there were observed differences in the latent period of isolates developing on soft and durum wheat (it was less on soft wheat). In 2015-2017 there were studied 17 varieties of winter durum wheat in the laboratory and field conditions. The variety “Arena” and line KS-586/13 were characterized with a high level of resistance in the field (0-5% of infestation) and laboratory conditions (score 0-2). There were identified the weakly susceptible varieties “Yubilyarka”, “Lazurit”, “Kurant”, “Aksinit”. A moderate infestation throughout all years of study was established on the varieties “Yakhont”, “Terra”, “Diona”, “Kristella”, “Agat Donskoy” (10-20%). The variety “Donchanka” (50-60% in 2015-2016; 40-50% in 2017) belongs to the susceptible group. The varieties “Donskoy Yantar”, “Gelios”, “Yantarina” and “Amazonka” were of medium susceptibility (20-40%).

On the fields with infectious backgrounds more than one thousands of varieties and samples of collection and breeding material of winter wheat are annually estimated for resistance to six diseases (brown and yellow rust, leaf blotch, powdery mildew, loose and kernel smut). Among the collection material there have been identified the samples tolerant and resistant to all studied diseases as well as the samples with complex resistance to 3–6 pathogens (e. g. “Maris Kinsman”, “Tucan”, “Liwilla”, “KS93V76”, “PL 178383” and others). Such varieties of the Inter-Station Variety Testing (ISVT) from Russia, Ukraine, Germany, France as “Etana”, “Kurs”, “Rotaks”, “Solokha”, “Shestopalovka” cannot be artificially infected with the diseases. There has been identified a small percentage among the present varieties and collection samples tolerant to such diseases as powdery mildew, leaf blotch and kernel smut. The winter soft wheat varieties developed in the FSBSI “ARC “Donskoy” both widely cultivated in production, and introduced for study in the SVT in recent years, are characterized by a high resistance to 2–4 studied diseases. These are the varieties “Tanais”, “Rostovchanka 7”, “Aksiniya”, “Nakhodka” which are recommended to plant after fallow forecrops and the varieties “Krasa Dona”, “Ermak”, “Donskoy Syurpriz”, “Don 107”, “Izyuminka”, “Asket”, “Lidiya” which are recommended to plant after non-fallow forecrops. The identified resistant varieties are recommended for wide cultivation, and the sources of resistance to a complex of the main harmful diseases on the Nizhny Don can be used in the breeding programs on immunity.

Brown rust is the main disease of wheat soft varieties in the Rostov region. The majority of wheat varieties (more than 87%) developed in the FSBSI “Agricultural Research Center “Donskoy” show resistance to this causative agent. In order to obtain a complete immunological characteristics of the developed varieties, there were carried out the researches to identify the resis­tance genes (Lr) in the early and adult stages of plant growing in cooperation with the Mycology and Phytopathology Laboratory of the FSBSI ARIZR. There were studied 37 varieties of winter soft wheat on the infectious fields of the south and northwest of Russia, as well as by the methods of a phytopathological test (to three isolates of the fungus with virulence to TcLr9, TcLr19, TcLr26 and the Zernograd pathogen population) and by the PCR analysis using 10 molecular markers Lr1, Lr3, Lr9, Lr10, Lr19, Lr20, Lr24, Lr26, Lr34 and Lr37. DNA was isolated by a micro-method according to K. Edwards, the PCR was carried out in a C-1000 amplifier (Bio Rad, US). The study established that there were no universal varieties among the studied ones which were resistant to all three clones and the Zergograd population. The varieties “Polina”, “Volnitsa” and “Zernogradka 11” showed resistance to the three clones, but in the phase of sprouting they show susceptibility to the pathogen population. According to the results of PCR analysis, the resistance genes Lr9, Lr19, Lr24, Lr26 were also not found in the varieties. 29 out of 37 studied varieties contained the adult resistance gene Lr34, and 20 varieties had the inefficient gene Lr3, which neither apart nor together could protect the plants from brown rust in the field. This indicates that the tolerant varieties carry additional non-identified Lr-genes. In a number of varieties there have been established 2 resistance genes. The variety “Kipchak” susceptible in the field contained the Lr1 gene, which lost its effectiveness. The differences in the damage degree of some varieties in the conditions of the Rostov region and St. Peters­burg indicate a difference in the North Caucasian and northwestern populations by virulence to the causative agent of brown rust.

116 cultivars of winter wheat of different ecological-geographical origin were analyzed on resistance to leaf rust (Puccinia triticina Erikss) and powdery mildew (Erysiphe graminis D.C.). These pathogens are the most spread and harmful in Rostov region. The infected plants decrease their productivity on 10-15%, sometimes even on 30%. Cultivars 75/481, Zolotokolosa, Pyvna (Ukraine) and KS 93 U 50 (US) which possess the highest resistance to leaf rust have been selected on the artificially infected allotment. Cultivars IL84-3132-1, KS 93 U 11 (US) and Zrazkova (Ukraine) turned to be the most resistant cultivars (infected on 10-25%). Cultivars KS 96 Wg RC 34 (US), Webster (Canada), Dobirna and Spivanka (Ukraine) turned to be less resistant. The rest cultivars were infected most of all, up to 40% and in some years up to 80-100%. During analyzing the study of winter wheat resistance to leaf rust we found 15 cultivars totally resistant to infection, among which Fokus, Derby, Gaspard (France), Banga (Latvia) and others. Due to long-term study we could select cultivars with a group resistance to leaf rust and powdery mildew. The study results can be used for cultivation of new varieties resistant to fungus diseases.

The article gives the analysis of the experiments of 106 winter wheat cultivars of different origin on tolerance to smut fungi. The pathogen being present from the moment of sprouting till seed maturation makes a suppressing effect on the plant. It reduces seed germination, makes plants be stunted and reduces seed filling. Besides grain infected by smut is unusable for food and forage. To protect wheat seeds from smut pathogen we widely apply chemicals, but a more ecological and less expensive method is of great importance nowadays. It’s a technology of hybridization and cultivation of tolerant to the disease cultivars, for selection of which we need the sources of resistance and tolerance to the pathogen. At the experimental field artificially infected with smut of Rostov origin the cultivars ‘Zolotokolosa’, ‘Pivna’ (Ukraine), ‘Hoff’, ‘KS 93 U76’ (US), Elba (Latvia) showed the best tolerance to smut. The infection of the cultivars varied from 0 till 9,8% during different years. Thirteen cultivars showed little response to the pathogen (from 10,7 till 22,6%). 49 cultivars showed average response to the pathogen, it’s 46,2% of all studied cultivars. 39 cultivars showed the highest response to the pathogen, that is 36,8% of all cultivars. The chosen cultivars are the most valuable material for further selection on smut tolerance.

Infestation of winter barley varieties with leaf diseases in the southern part of the Rostov region The yearly assessment and analysis of leaf diseases is carried out on the infectious field and the plots of the laboratory for barley breeding and seed-growing of FSBSI ARRIGC named after I.G. Kalinenko. The study allows estimating the variety resistance in the natural conditions and extreme infectious conditions similar to epiphytotic disease. The article presents the results of immunological assessment of the varieties of local development and of other RI. The study of the disease manifestation was conducted during the years of 2014-2016. The varieties ‘Timofey’, ‘Erema’, ‘Vivat’, ‘Artel’ (of ARRIGC named after I.G. Kalinenko), ‘Gordey’, ‘Samson’ (KRIA named after P.P. Lukiyanenko) have been found the most resistant to the complex of pathogens on average during 3 years of study.

The article gives the results of three-year study and assessment of the varieties of winter barley of Russian and foreign selection (Ukraine, Germany, France, Check Republic, US) on a response to a loose smut pathogen Ustilaqo nuda (Jens.) Kell. etSw. The study has been carried out on the infected field of the laboratory of immunity and plant protection of All-Russian Research Institute of Grain Crops named after I.G. Kalinenko. As the development of pathogen is biennial, the varieties-differentiators were inoculated with a spore suspension of pathogen in a flowering phase during the first year. The infected plants were labeled and harvested in the phase of total ripeness. Next year the infected seeds were sown into the phyto pathologic plot. The counting of the infected and healthy heads was carried out in the phase of milky ripeness. According to the results of artificial inoculation we have determined various degree of infection among the studied varieties. Two varieties ‘Mikhaylo’ and ‘Gorizont’ were found highly responsive and sensible to the pathogen. Eight varieties have been characterized with high resistance to the disease.

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.

The assessment of winter wheat resistance to brown rust and powdery mildew in the Rostov region The article presents the results of many-year study of winter wheat resistance to such leaf diseases as brown rust and powdery mildew. These pathogens are often spread on wheat sowings and largely damage yields. For successful selection on immunity it’s essential to introduce varieties with resistance to the local populations of brown rust and powdery mildew pathogens into hybridization. 268 varieties of winter wheat with various geo-geographical origins have been studied on the artificially infected areas. As a result of the field experiments, the varieties “Yumpa”, “Liga1”, “Yuzhanka”, “Grom”, “Kuren” (Russia, P. P. Lukiyanenko RCG), “Evgeniya”, “Berezit”, “Stavka” (Russia, North-Caucasus FRAC), “Anisimovka”, “Astarta” (Ukraine) have been found largely resistant to brown rust (infection less than 15%). 34 varieties (or 12.7% of all studied varieties) have been found resistant to powdery mildew. They are “Zhakhidka Odesskaya”, “Solokha” (Ukraine), “Famulus” (Germany), “Natula” (Poland), “Tatsitus” (Austria), “Karolina 5”, “KD Aliyans”, “Vekha”, “Vid” and others (Russia). The winter wheat varieties resistant to one or more pathogens are of special value for breeding. There are 16 varieties resistant to the leaf pathogens in the studied material. They are “Samuray”, “Rigi”, “Etana” (Germany), “Bombus”, “Seylor”, “Menestrel” (France) and others.