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Background. Hordeum bulbosum L. is the only wild species of the genus Hordeum, the gene pool of which is successfully used in introgressive hybridization to increase the genetic diversity of H. vulgare L. When creating introgression forms based on hybrids of H. vulgare with H. bulbosum, it is necessary to take into consideration the ploidy of the parent species, and their genetic features that determine the intensity of the process of H. bulbosum chromosomes elimination in embryogenesis. The purpose of our investigation was to study the features associated with the elimination of bulbous barley chromosomes in embryos obtained in various combinations of crosses involving the tetraploid hybrid H. bulbosum with H. vulgare for its effective use in obtaining introgression lines of H. vulgare. Material and methods. The analysis was performed on 9-15 days old embryos obtained in crosses of the tetraploid hybrid F2 (H. bulbosum A17 (4x) × H. vulgare ‘Borwina’ (4x)) (HbHbHvHv) with ‘Igri’ (2x) and ‘Borwina’ (2x) barley varieties, with H. bulbosum A17 (4x), as well as during its self-pollination. The chromosomal composition of embryos of different ages was analyzed on squashed embryo slides using genomic in situ hybridization (GISH). Results. Among the 11-15 days old embryos obtained from self-pollination of the hybrid, approximately half of the studied ones were mixoploids, while in other embryos the majority of cells contained only the genomic material of H. vulgare. The elimination process was very intensive in crosses of the hybrid with the barley varieties ‘Igri’ (2x) and ‘Borwina’ (2x), and by day 10-11 after pollination cells containing only the genomic material of H. vulgare predominated in all embryos, regardless of the direction of crossing and the variety used. Hybrid embryos with a stable chromosomal composition resulted from a cross of a tetraploid hybrid with H. bulbosum A17 (4x). Embryos with recombinant H. vulgare chromosomes carrying alien genetic material of bulbous barley were identified in all types of crosses. Conclusion. The most efficient way for the mass production of introgression lines of cultivated barley varieties based on the partially fertile hybrid F2 (H. bulbosum A17 (4x) × H. vulgare ‘Borwina’ (4x)), is the crossing with varieties of H. vulgare (2x). The progeny from such crosses will contain only cultivated barley plants, among which it is possible to identify forms with the introgression of H. bulbosum and use already the first generation from their self-pollination for selecting H. vulgare lines carrying the genetic material of bulbous barley in both homologs.

Wild allotetraploid potato species Solanum stoloniferum Schltdl. & Bouché from Mexico is regarded as a valuable source of resistance genes for use in breeding. However, introgression of its resistance genes into breeding material is hampered by a set of reproductive barriers. The genomic difference between S. stoloniferum (genome ААВВ) and S. tuberosum L. (AAAA) is one of them. This makes questionable the possibility of transferring a variety of valuable genes of the wild species localized on the chromosomes of its genome B into the genome of cultivated potatoes. It is proposed to produce tetraploid (4x, AAAB) interspecific hybrids of S. stoloniferum, which are regarded as more promising for homoeological recombination than pentaploid (5x, ААААВ) hybrids commonly used in the introgression schemes. However, the effective ploidy of tetraploid hybrids (3EBN) hinders their backcrossing to cultivated potatoes (4 EBN). For instance, our attempts to involve the tetraploid hybrid of S. stoloniferum IGC16/36.1 obtained by us into hybridization with potato varieties were unsuccessful for a number of years. To solve this problem, we suggested a technique based on the production of 4x plants obtained in anther culture of this hybrid. The present research was aimed at assessing the efficiency of this approach.

Thirty-one plants were obtained in anther culture (androgenic clones, androclones) of the hybrid IGC16/36.1 in 2018. Most of them exceeded the initial hybrid in habitus strength and flowering intensity. As a result of crosses made in 2019, 1039 hybrid seeds were obtained from crossing 21 androclones with the ‘Lemhi Russet’ variety (8.7 seeds/pollination), 1017 seeds (7.5 seeds/pollination) from crosses of 23 androclones with the ‘Quarta’ variety, and 716 seeds (12.3 seeds/pollination) from crosses of 11 androclones and a diploid potato line IGC 17n8 capable of producing fertile unreduced (2n) pollen. The hybrid seeds had good germination rate of 70-90%. Among the androclones that gave progeny in crosses with potato varieties, we identified genotypes carrying DNA markers of late blight (LB) resistance genes Rpi-sto1, R2 and R3b, PVY resistance genes Ry_adg, Ry_sto and Ry_chc, and potato wart disease resistance gene Sen2 (these markers were found in the initial accession of S. stoloniferum PI 205522 and in the IGC 16/36.1 hybrid). Despite the complex nature of inheritance of the analyzed markers in progenies of backcrosses of androclones, a number of isolated hybrids carried several markers, including those of the Rpi-sto1, a broad-spectrum gene for high resistance to late blight. Hybrids with relatively high tuber productivity, features of cultivated potatoes such as regularly shaped tubers with small eyes, and high field resistance to late blight were selected.

The prospects for using androclones of the tetraploid interspecific hybrid IGC 16/36.1 for increasing the frequency of homoeologous A/B recombination of chromosomes are discussed.

The article provides a review of data on the Altai endemic Sibiraea altaiensis (Laxm.) Schneid., one of the archaic species of the genus Sibiraea Maxim. The species is included in the Red Books of the Altai Republic, the Altai Territory, and of Kazakhstan as a rare species, whose numbers are decreasing, mostly due to the influence of anthropogenic factors in its habitats. At the same time, S. altaiensis belongs to agriculturally important species, which is valued for its decorative, medicinal and other useful properties. The species is reproduced by seed, layering shoots, root and summer stem cuttings; however, these methods do not always give good results, and also require large areas for growing plants and are confined to a certain season of the year.

Microclonal propagation of plants can become a promising method for the propagation and conservation of S. altaiensis. It consists in the use of in vitro techniques of rapid asexual production of plants that are genetically identical to the original specimen, with a significant saving of time and space required for growing planting material. The use of microcloning for the conservation and reproduction of rare and endangered species is highly justified, since it allows a significant increase in the reproduction rate of plant species, which are difficult or impossible to reproduce vegetatively, or those with low viability or seed productivity.

Using in vitro protocols for the propagation of S. altaiensis, 10-28 microshoots were obtained from one lateral bud, which was used as an explant, when cultivated on a modified and a classic Murashige and Skoog (MS) nutrient media supplemented with 1.0 mgL^-1  6-benzylaminopurine (6-BAP). These works confirm that in vitro cloning ensures a high reproduction rate of S. altaiensis and, thus, makes it possible to preserve the gene pool of the species and obtain planting material on a commercial scale without causing damage to natural populations.

Background. Naked barley is a promising food crop. To enhance its production, active breeding is required to create productive varieties. The purpose of this study was to test the STS-marker for the Nud1 gene controlling the hulled phenotype, and use it for the production of naked barley hybrids. Materials and methods. Genotyping of 112 F₂ hybrids obtained by crossing the naked black variety ‘Jet’ and the hulled white variety ‘Elf’ was carried out using wF2 and kR1, or tR2 primers in the regular PCR mode to amplify the recessive or dominant alleles of the Nud1 gene, respectively, and also in the multiplex PCR mode, which allows simultaneous amplification of both dominant and recessive alleles of the Nud1 gene. The genotyping data were compared with those on phenotypes of hybrids. Results and discussion. The possibility of using multiplex PCR with a set of primers wF2, kR1, and tR2 for identifying dominant and recessive alleles of the Nud1 gene in hybrid material has been demonstrated. However, while the observed number of hybrids homozygous for the recessive allele nud1 almost completely corresponded to their expected number, the clear predominance of homozygotes for the dominant allele Nud1 and the lack of heterozygotes compared to the expected number of hybrids of these groups indicates erroneous identification of some heterozygotes as dominant homozygotes, which must be taken into account during selection of hulled barleys by genotyping. Conclusions. The STS-marker amplified by primers wF2, kR1, and tR2, can be used to select recessive homozygotes nud1nud1 from hybrid populations, however, additional analysis is required for a more reliable identification of heterozygotes and homozygotes for the dominant allele of the Nud1 gene.

On March 20, 2024, an outstanding Russian breeder Grigory Fedorovich Monakhos, Head of a scientific school in the field of vegetable breeding, turned 70 years old. The labor, scientific and pedagogical activities of Grigory Fedorovich for more than forty years have been associated with «Timiryazevka” – the Russian State Agrarian University – Moscow Timiryazev Agricultural Academy. Grigory Fedorovich is the author/co-author of more than 70 hybrids of vegetable crops, of which more than 40 are of white cabbage. In his breeding work, G.F. Monakhos paid the greatest attention to the most complex aspects: the genetic resistance of plants to phytopathogens and pests. Under his leadership, 18 candidates of science defended their theses. G.F. Monakhos is a co-author of more than 130 publications, including a textbook and educational manuals. Grigory Fedorovich is a member of the editorial boards of scientific journals “Izvestiya of Timiryazev Agricultural Academy” and “Potato and Vegetables”.

On January 1, 2024, Academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences Igor Anatolyevich Tikhonovich, an outstanding specialist in the field of genetics of plant-microbial interactions, a prominent higher education teacher and organizer of science, turned 75 years old. He has published more than 250 papers in peer-reviewed journals, prepared 10 monographs and textbooks, and received 12 patents. Academician Tikhonovich led the All-Russian Institute of Agricultural Microbiology for more than forty years, which under his leadership developed into a leading internationally recognized scientific school in the field of symbiogenetics. One of the most important conceptual generalizations formulated by I.A. Tikhonovich was the principle of complementarity of genomes. Under the leadership and with the direct participation of Igor Anatolyevich, the formation and development of new Master’s degree programs in agrobiotechnology and molecular biology of plants was started at St. Petersburg State University and the Sirius University of Science and Technology. During the leadership of Igor Anatolyevich, the Vavilov Society of Genetics and Breeders was replenished with new departments and held a number of important scientific events, including the VII Congress of VOGiS and the “Russian Genetic Resources” Forums.

Friends and associates, the community of geneticists and breeders of the Russian Federation warmly congratulate Igor Anatolyevich on his anniversary and wish him major scientific discoveries, new pedagogical achievements and the attainment of all his goals.

On February 12, 2024, Academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences Vladimir Konstantinovich Shumny turned 90 years old. V.K. Shumny from 1985 to 2007 headed the Institute of Cytology and Genetics of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences (ICG SB RAS). For more than 30 years he was the head of the Department of Cytology and Genetics of the Faculty of Natural Sciences of Novosibirsk State University and the chairman of the dissertation council of the Institute of Cytology and Genetics SB RAS. Since 1980, he was a member of the Presidium of the Siberian Branch of the USSR Academy of Sciences / RAS, since 1986 he became deputy chairman, and since 1992 - chairman of the Joint Scientific Council of the SB RAS for biological sciences. Since 2004 V.K. Shumny headed the Vavilov Society of Genetics and Breeders (VOGiS) for 10 years, and since 2014 he has been the honorary president of this society. For more than 20 years V.K. Shumny was the editor-in-chief of the periodical scientific publication “VOGiS Herald” (now the Vavilov Journal of Genetics and Selection). The scientific activity of V.K. Shumny is related to plant genetics. He is the head of one of the largest scientific schools in this field. Under his leadership, 6 doctors and 24 candidates of science defended their dissertations. He has published more than 500 scientific papers and received 12 copyright certificates for plant varieties. V.K. Shumny is co-author and editor of several school textbooks on biology.