Potato and vegetables

Brown rot of potato, caused by the bacterium Ralstonia solanacearum, causes significant economic damage to potato production. The bacterium is included in the Unified List of Quarantine Pests of the Eurasian Economic Union. According to existing data, the bacterium is present in countries bordering the Russian Federation and is continuously expanding its distribution and host plant range. The high risk of introduction of this phytopathogen to the territory of the Russian Federation necessitates the search for preventive plant protection agents, which may be based on biologically active substances. This study was conducted to determine the bacteriostatic properties of extracts from Echinops sphaerocephalus containing thiophene compounds against the causal agent of potato brown rot. The objects and materials of the study were Echinops sphaerocephalus L. grown under greenhouse conditions and a reference strain of Ralstonia solanacearum cultured on YPGA medium. Thiophene extraction was performed using an n-hexane-acetone mixture (9:1 in volume fractions), with incubation on an orbital shaker at 10°C and 100 rpm for 16 hours. Drying was carried out using a vacuum centrifuge-concentrator in V-HV mode without heating. The dry matter yield was assessed by measuring its mass. Statistical data processing was performed using ANOVA in MS Excel. The content of thiophene compounds was evaluated using thin-layer chromatography. To determine the bacteriostatic activity of the obtained compounds, extracts from the aerial parts (1 mg/mL and 5 mg/mL) and roots (1 mg/mL, 5 mg/mL, and 80 mg/mL) of Echinops sphaerocephalus, dissolved in 96% ethanol, were used. It was found that the content of thiophene compounds in the roots of Echinops sphaerocephalus exceeds that in the aerial parts of the plant. When using the root extract at a concentration of 5 mg/mL, the growth of R. solanacearum culture on Petri dishes was partially inhibited compared to the positive control, and at 80 mg/mL, it was almost completely suppressed. The obtained data indicate the potential of using Echinops sphaerocephalus extracts as a basis for biological control agents.

The aim of the study was to investigate the growth and development characteristics, bush formation, vegetative mass, root system, and leaf area, as well as the photosynthetic potential, productivity indicators, and yield of selected adaptive cucumber hybrids grown as a repeated crop under various rates of organic and mineral fertilizers, sowing schemes, and planting densities. Field experiments were conducted at the farmer enterprise “Asr Chorva Servis” in the Guzar district. The experimental plots consisted of irrigated light gray soils with a loam-sandy mechanical composition. The depth of groundwater was 20–25 meters or deeper. Agrochemical characteristics of the arable layer (0–30 cm) were as follows: humus content 0.79–0.87%, pH = 7.1, soil bulk density 1.27–1.30 g/cm³, soil particle density 2.5–2.6 g/cm³, total nitrogen 0.10–0.13%, total phosphorus 0.15–0.20%, potassium 2.23–2.31%, nitrate nitrogen 5.69–8.30 mg/ha, ammonium nitrogen 2.44–3.76 mg/kg, available phosphorus 12.32–14.40 mg/kg, exchangeable potassium 194–206 mg/kg. The study presents results on the growth, development, leaf area formation, photosynthetic potential and activity, productivity, and yield of the adaptive cucumber hybrids Record F1 and Fontina F1 as a repeated crop under various fertilizer rates, sowing schemes, and planting densities. It was found that cultivating the selected adaptive cucumber hybrids as a repeated crop with the application of organic and mineral fertilizers at a rate of 20 t/ha of manure + N200P160K100 kg/ha, sown according to the scheme (180+60):2x40 cm with a planting density of 20.8 thousand plants per hectare, resulted in the highest yield of 36.8–37.5 t/ha, of which 35.8–36.6 t/ha (97.2–97.6%) was marketable yield. The yield increase amounted to 6.0–6.5 t/ha or 119.8–120.5%. Furthermore, analyses confirmed improvements in biochemical composition and fruit quality, including an increase in dry matter by 0.1–0.3%, sugar content by 0.1–0.2%, and vitamin C by 3.0–8.0 mg/%. Key words: cucumber, hybrids, repeated crop, organomineral fertilizer rates, sowing scheme, planting density, growing season, main stem length, leaf area, photosynthetic potential, productivity, marketable yield, biochemical composition

This three-year field study (2021–2023) on sod-podzolic soils in the Central Region of the Russian Non-Chernozem Zone. The aim is to study the effect of differentiated mineral fertilizer application on the biometric, agronomic, and biochemical parameters of Vostorg, a new mid-season table potato variety developed by the Russian Potato Research Centre. The variety is promising for industrial processing under unstable moisture conditions. Three strategies were compared: Variant I (control) – a single application of N90P90K135 during ridge formation; Variant II – a two-stage application (N60P60K90during ridge formation, top dressing N30P30K457–10 days post-emergence); Variant III – a three-stage split application (N30P30K45during ridge formation, post-emergence, and budding). Although climatic conditions dominated yield levels (17.7–46.3 t/ha), the two-stage scheme proved most effective. It stimulated growth (haulm mass reached 15.6 t/ha, leaf area increased by 3,900 m²/ha) and increased yield by 2.1 t/ha (7.1% over the control). Quality also improved: marketability rose by 6 percentage points (to 83%), starch content by 1.1%, dry matter by 1.0%, and vitamin C to 15.3 mg/100 g. A 28% reduction in nitrates (to 92 mg/kg) and lower reducing sugars (0.36%) enhanced the tubers' suitability for French fry production. The three-stage split was ineffective due to insufficient starter nitrogen, which suppressed leaf development and reduced yield by 1.6 t/ha. Economically, the two-stage technology is optimal: estimated net income increased by 37.8% (to 135000 r/ha), and production costs dropped to 4.9 r/kg.

The problem of saturating the Russian market with competitive domestic products remains relevant. The key factors in increasing the production of protected-ground vegetables are the expansion of production capacities and the introduction of high-yielding varieties and hybrids. To ensure the country's food security, it is necessary to use domestic tomato hybrids that combine a set of economically valuable traits, including high productivity, marketable fruits, and resistance to common diseases. Breeding activities aimed at creating large—fruited heterotic tomato hybrids are actively underway in the sector of breeding and seed production of nightshade crops of the ARRIVG – branch of the Federal State Budgetary Scientific Vegetable Center. Breeding work is underway to create hybrids for both the professional segment (ground greenhouses of farms and private farms) and the amateur segment. The results of the analysis of the characteristics of tomato hybrids made it possible to identify valuable characteristics in the breeding of large-fruited tomatoes. Traditionally, the traits used to select donor lines remain crucial: «fruit weight of 150 g or more,» «high yield,» and «disease resistance.» For professional hybrids, we also evaluate traits such as «fruit density,» «high standardization,» and «ability to produce fruit with high standardization and marketability throughout the growing season.» For tomato hybrids and varieties for the amateur market, the most important traits are «excellent taste,» «aroma,» and «high dry matter content.» When developing new hybrids for both professional and amateur markets, resistance donor lines (homozygotes for genes) were used to ensure resistance to various diseases. Selection based on these traits resulted in the large-fruited Afanasy F1hybrid, resistant to three diseases and 53% higher yield than the standard Rumyany Shar F1.

Dill is a popular herb and spice crop, widely grown both outdoors and in protected conditions. With the advent of hydroponics, dill has also been cultivated using new technologies. However, experience with dill cultivation has shown that not all varieties are suitable for hydroponic cultivation. Therefore, the need arose to develop specialized dill varieties for hydroponic cultivation. To theoretically substantiate breeding work in this area, it is necessary to develop a variety model. The research was conducted at NPO Gavrish LLC at Agrokombinat Moskovsky JSC in 2024-2025 during the spring growing season on seedling tables under hydroponic conditions using the flooding method, as adopted by the enterprise. Plants were grown in 7.5 cm diameter pots. Thirteen dill varieties, previously grown or tested in hydroponic production, were studied. At harvest, biometric parameters of the plants were determined and their external characteristics were described. Based on the study, criteria for a hydroponic variety model were defined. The growing period, productivity, and size of the leaf rosettes in the pot, as well as the external characteristics of the plants inherent to these varieties, were recorded, and a variety model was developed based on these parameters. Dill varieties for hydroponics should be ready for harvesting 30-32 days after sowing. The plant weight including the pot should be at least 140 grams, the weight of marketable leaves in the pot should be at least 50 grams, the height of the leaf rosettes in the pot should be 28-30 cm, and the diameter should be 20-22 cm. Plants should have at least four leaves. Leaves can be glossy green or glaucous-green. Plants should be free of disease. The plant's root system should be healthy, white, and have a straight hypocotyl.