Word from the Editor-in-Chief.

Background. Resistance of potato сultivars to late blight caused by oomycete Phytophthora infestans (Mont.) de Bary is one of the priority areas of global and domestic potato breeding. To improve the breeding technology, the identification of DNA markers of resistance genes that are effective for the selection of valuable segregants in hybrid offspring is of particular relevance. Objectives. The aim of this study was to determine the diagnostic value of the Rpi-R1, Rpi-R8, Rpi-R3b, Rpi-blb1, and Rpi-blb2 gene markers for the selection of valuable segregants in the progeny of interspecific hybrid clones from the VIR collection – sources of the late blight resistance trait. Material and methods. Two families of F₁ hybrids (156 individual plants), their parental clones 16/27-09, 171-3, 8-1-2004, Chilean potato cv. ‘Magelanes’, and potato cvs. ‘Alouette’, ‘Nayada’ and ‘Sudarynya’ were screened for the presence of five Rpi genes and tested in field trials for resistance to P. infestans. SCAR markers for Rpi genes were Rpi-R1-1205, Rpi-R3b-377, Rpi-R8-1276, Rpi-blb1-821, Rpi-sto1-890, and Rpi-blb2-976. Sequencing of PCR amplicons was used to verify the presence of Rpi-blb2-976 marker. Experimental data were analyzed by standard statistical methods like cluster analysis, analysis of variance (ANOVA), chi-square test (χ 2 test) and coefficient of association. Results. Cultivars and clones of interspecific potato hybrids – sources of late blight resistance, and F₁ hybrids from two types of crosses, differing in the reaction of parental forms to late blight (moderately resistant × resistant, and resistant × susceptible), were characterized for the target trait and the presence of SCAR gene markers. It was established that SCAR markers for the Rpi genes in parental forms of F₁ hybrids are in simplex condition, namely the SCAR marker for the Rpi-R1 gene in cv. ‘Magelanes’, that for Rpi-R8 and Rpi-R3b in hybrid 171-3, and the marker for Rpi-R1, Rpi-R8 and Rpi-blb1 in clone 16/27-09. The F₁ progeny of 16/27-09 × 8-1-2004 hybrid (resistant × susceptible type cross) demonstrates a reliable relationship between late blight resistance and the presence of markers for Rpi-R8 and Rpi-blb1 genes (association coefficient r=0.24). The diagnostic value of markers for two genes (Rpi-R8 and Rpi-blb1) is 85.4%.The F₁ progeny of ‘Magelanes’ × 171-3 hybrid (moderately resistant × resistant type cross) showed no association between late blight resistance and the presence of Rpi gene markers. Conclusions. Markers for Rpi-R8 and Rpi-blb1 genes can be used in potato breeding programs which use clone 16/27-09 as a source of late blight resistance.

Background. Melanins are a group of pigments with a complex crystalline structure and high molecular weight, which are widely used in modern medical, perfume, food, and polymer production. They have pronounced antiviral, antibacterial, antifungal, antiradiation effects, and antioxidant activity. Melanins of animal (melanin), microbial (mycomelanin), and plant (phytomelanin) origin are distinguished. At present, the search for new sources of plant melanins and simple methods for their determination is relevant, allowing for the further identification of accessions with a higher content of these substances for various uses. An important role of melanin, which accumulates in the sunflower seed coat, is its role in ensuring the resistance of this crop to the sunflower moth (Homoeosoma nebulella Hb.). The present study was aimed at developing a method and demonstrating its capabilities using accessions from the VIR sunflower collection. Materials and methods. The paper presents a modified method for determining allomelanins (phytomelanins) in husk and seed of sunflower accessions from the VIR collection. Optimal modes of allomelanin extraction, filtration, precipitation and washing from impurities have been developed. Results. The allomelanin content in sunflower husk averaged 5.7% with a minimum of 1.5% and a maximum of 8.7%. The fraction of pigment in the studied sunflower seeds ranged from 0.4% to 2.7% and averaged 1.7%. The accessions with a higher pigment content in husk are k-2776, k-3511, k-3892, k-3901, and k-641884, and those with a lower pigment content are k-3568, k-3647, k-3649, k-3760, and k-3762. A high positive correlation was found between the allomelanin content in husk and seed (r=0.83). Conclusion. A simple method for isolating allomelanins has been developed. It yields highly reproducible results and can be used to screen a collection of plant genetic resources to identify accessions with high melanin content. This method allows the identification of the most promising accessions which can be involved in breeding for resistance to the damaging effects of sunflower moth caterpillars.

Background. The maintenance of purity, control of identity, and reproduction of seeds of different taxonomic groups of plants entering the collection requires simple and rapid screening methods that allow preliminary identification and registration of the material. The most suitable method for these purposes is SDS-electrophoresis of seed storage proteins, but its variants known from the literature mainly include analysis of the total protein pattern, which is usually very heterogeneous and thus complicates the interpretation of the obtained results. The objective of the work was to find a clearly identifiable and species-specific group of polypeptides of a particular protein in this multicomponent pattern. Materials and methods. The objects of the study were seed proteins of 47 accessions of five species of Vicia L. subgenus Vicia, analyzed by SDS-electrophoresis in 12.5% PAAG. Results and discussion. A comparison of patterns of the total extracted seed proteins separated by electrophoresis in the presence and absence of 2-mercaptoethanol identified a group of the 11S globulin (legumin) basic polypeptides, which allows visual unambiguous determination of a species (both self- and cross-pollinated) to which vetch seeds belong. It was found that the accessions differed only in the intensity of individual bands within the species, but not in the band composition, indicating the species-specific pattern of the 11S globulin basic polypeptides. Clear differences in the basic polypeptides composition were observed between the closely related species of the V. narbonensis complex, which are difficult to distinguish in the field. The species specificity of the patterns in this group of polypeptides correlates with the reproductive isolation of the species. In turn, cultivated and weedy accessions of Pannonian vetch, V. pannonica Crantz, of different geographical origins from the VIR collection with a likely predominance of cross-pollination showed homogeneity in the patterns of the legumin basic polypeptides. The patterns of the 11S globulin basic polypeptides of V. hyaeniscyamus Mout., V. narbonensis L., V. serratifolia Jacq., V. johannis Tamamschjan in Karyagin, and V. pannonica were recorded using the “soybean scale” in the form of a “polypeptide formula”. Conclusion. Therefore, the proposed method, including the identification of the 11S globulin basic polypeptides in the multicomponent pattern of seed proteins, can be recommended for rapid screening of seed collections of both self-pollinated and cross-pollinated species of the genus Vicia. This simple method is also promising for identifying species of other dicotyledonous crops.

In recent years, the priority of the interest expressed by the society and scientific community to the issues of ensuring safe, healthy or functional, nutrition, preserving the regional human habitats which have developed over centuries with their specific food supply and areas for regionally adapted agricultural production, and protecting regional diets from the negative impact of globalization processes has been quite obvious. This country, represented by VIR with its unique collection, accumulated methodology, instrumental base and highly qualified specialists, has an exceptional potential for solving these strategically important problems. The pioneering works, which made it possible to substantiate the above trends at the end of the 20th century, were initiated and developed in this country at VIR by N.I. Vavilov's associates, namely by the founder of applied plant biochemistry N.N. Ivanov, who organized research into biologically active compounds in the 1920s, and G.T. Selyaninov, who formulated the concept of "climatic analogs" and organized the development of recommendations for the rational placement of agricultural crops in the regions of the country. The modern technologies of analytical biochemistry currently used at VIR in combination with classical biochemical methods increase the demand for the biochemically characterized accessions of the Vavilov collection, in particular for solving problems of functional nutrition and preserving (restoring) regional human habitats with their specific provision of food products and resources for regionally adapted agricultural production.

On November 8 (October 27), 1894, the Bureau of Applied Botany was created under the Scientific Committee of the Ministry of Agriculture and State Property of the Russian Empire. The Bureau is the predecessor of VIR, a world-famous institute, the director and organizer of which was our famous compatriot Nikolai Ivanovich Vavilov. It was with the Bureau of Applied Botany that the scientific and technological creation and provision of the food shield of our country began – the famous Vavilov collection of genetic resources of cultivated plants. The conference "VIR-130: Plant Genetic Resources" was held on November 5-9, 2024 in St. Petersburg. The conference served as a platform for discussing the most pressing issues of preserving the genetic resources of cultivated plants and their wild relatives today – from the need to prepare new regulatory acts at the federal level to successes in domestic breeding of various crops and strengthening the role of genetics in ensuring food and technological security of Russia. The conference included a series of 10 events and round tables designed to cover the entire breadth of modern areas of work with collections of plant genetic resources and their application in fundamental science, agriculture, medicine, and industry.

Separate events were dedicated to outstanding plant researchers – associates of N.I. Vavilov: G.D. Karpechenko, N.N. Ivanov, A.I. Maltsev, as well as our contemporaries. In total, more than 180 oral reports were presented at the events. The Conference ended on November 8 with a ceremonial session and an extended video lecture “Genetic Resources of Russia: Scientific and Cultural-Historical Heritage”, organized by the Presidential Library jointly with the Vavilov All-Russian Institute of Plant Genetic Resources (VIR) as part of the “Knowledge of Russia” series.

The lecture brought together more than 300 in-person participants and more than 1,500 online. The sessions and round tables held, the discussion of the reports showed that the research carried out in the field of conservation, study and use of plant genetic resources at the modern level meet the directions set by the Strategy for Scientific and Technological Development of the Russian Federation (approved by Decree of the President of the Russian Federation No. 145 dated February 28, 2024), the national development goals of the Russian Federation (defined by Decree of the President of the Russian Federation No. 309 dated May 07, 2024), the tasks of the Doctrine of Food Security of the Russian Federation (Decree of the President of the Russian Federation No. 20 dated January 21, 2020) and correspond to critical and end-to-end technologies (designated by Decree of the President of the Russian Federation No. 529 dated June 18, 2024).