The gliadin banding patterns of important accessions from the collection of the N. I. Vavilov All‑Russian Institute of Plant Genetic Resources (VIR) registered in the form of “protein formulas” provide reliable information for the preparation of a “protein passport” for each accession and is convenient for storage and computer processing. It helps to control originality and integrity of accessions during regeneration and their use in breeding. The study involved 17 triticale accessions resistant to leaf rust. The analysis was carried out on single grains of the original accession (a sample of 13–26 kernels) according to the standard protocol adopted by VIR and approved by the International Seed Testing Association (ISTA). The gliadin electrophoretic banding patterns of triticale accessions were registered in the form of “protein formulas”; polymorphism of each accession and genetic diversity within the collection were estimated, and genetic structure of accessions was identified based on the marker protein components. A large variety of the revealed genotypes opens a possibility to identify accessions that combine resistance with other useful traits. Stable and polymorphic accessions including from 2 to 7 biotypes were found. The discovery of interbiotype hybrids and recombinant genotypes in the composition of some polymorphic accessions indicates the instability of their genetic structure and the ongoing formation process. This is due to the heterogeneity of the original parental forms, the tendency to cross‑pollination and insufficiently thorough selection. The data on the triticale genotypic structure can be used in introgressive breeding to control the transfer of rye genetic material to wheat varieties in order to increase their immunity and resistance to adverse factors.

Leaf and stem diseases (rusts and blotches) are harmful to spring wheat in all areas of its cultivation. The use of resistant varieties is an environmentally safe way of protection. The objective of the present study was to comprehensively evaluate leaf and stem disease resistance in 44 promising cultivars of soft spring wheat, as well as to identify Lr‑ and Sr‑genes in them. The accessions were obtained from the Kazakhstan‑Siberian Spring Wheat Improvement Network (KASIB) in 2017 and 2018. Wheat resistance to leaf and stem rust, to septoriosis and to tan spot was evaluated in field conditions in Southern Kazakhstan (infection plot at the Research Institute for Biological Safety Problems). Wheat seedlings resistance to septoriosis, leaf and stem rust was evaluated under laboratory conditions. The Lr and Sr genes were identified using a phytopathological test and molecular markers. Field studies resulted in selection of two lines, Lut. KS 14/09‑2 and SPCHS 69, with highly effective group resistance to rusts and blotches. By using molecular markers, the gene cluster Lr34/Sr57/Yr18/Pm38, Lr1 gene, and wheat‑rye translocation 1BL.1RS carrying genes Lr26/Sr31/Yr9/Pm8 were detected in Lut. KS 14/09‑2. A translocation from wheatgrass with highly effective genes of resistance to stem (Sr24) and leaf (Lr24) rusts, as well as 1AL.1RS translocation from rye with a complex of effective genes of resistance to fungous diseases and pests were detected in the line SPCHS 69. Eight wheat lines (Lut. 393/05, Lut. 2028, Lut. 261, Lut. 1103, Lut. 22‑17, Lut. 37‑17, line 4‑10‑16, Stepnaya 245) appeared to be resistant to Stagonospora nodorum blotch and tan spot; and four varieties (OmGAU‑100, Element 22, Stolypinskaya 2, and Silach) demonstrated resistance to leaf and stem rust. The molecular marker analysis showed moderate genetic diversity of the studied collection in terms of resistance genes. The genes Lr1, Lr9, Lr10, Lr19/Sr25, Lr24/Sr24, Lr26/Sr31/Yr9/Pm8, Lr34/Sr57/Yr18/Pm38, Lr37/Sr38/Yr17, both separately and in different combinations, were detected in the tested accessions. The evaluated material may be recommended for the use in wheat breeding for disease resistance in Russia and in Kazakhstan.

The doubled haploid (DH) lines, obtained by doubling the haploid genome, are now widely used in breeding many crops, since they allow to transfer gene variants to the homozygous state in a short time. However, the advantages of doubled haploids are not fully utilized in maize breeding. The present work is devoted to the evaluation of the backcrossing method efficiency and to further development of the original schemes of creating highly productive homozygous maize lines on the basis of DH lines originating from an interline F₁ hybrid. Rf7 and Ku123 maize lines were used as the initial material. The breeding cycle consisted of producing haploid plants in the selected genotype (matroclinic haploidy using an inducer), subsequent chromosome doubling (colchicine‑induced or spontaneous), followed by multiplication of the doubled haploids for obtaining a new set of DH lines. In the first cycle, the DH lines were obtained from the F₁ hybrid (Rf7 × Ku123), while in the subsequent cycles they were obtained from the genotypes obtained by crossing a DH line selected from the previous cycle with F₁, P₁ or P₂. Three cycles of selection for productivity were performed, and in 2017 the DH lines obtained in all cycles were simultaneously tested in the field. The breeding progress was estimated by the increase in the first ear productivity compared to the best parent Rf7 (103.9 g per plant in 2017). The first selection cycle resulted in 43 DH lines obtained on the basis of the F₁ hybrid. Productivity of the best line rk‑5 amounted to 112.5 g per plant. Three lines (rk‑6, rk‑5 and rk‑22) selected for the next cycle were further crossed with F₁ or with the parental line Rf7. The second selection cycle yielded three series containing 41, 49 and 16 lines, while productivity of the best genotypes was 121.2, 117.0 и 107.1 g per plant, respectively. The third cycle included populations of 24 and 8 lines obtained through backcrosses with Rf7 and Ku123 lines, respectively. The best genotypes in these series had productivity of 135.6 and 97.7 g per plant. As a result of selection, the obtained rk‑433 line had a productivity 30.5% higher than that of the best parent Rf7. The progress averaged 10.2% per cycle. In maize breeding using doubled haploids it is promising to use backcrosses of the selected DH lines with the initial material or with F₁. Thanks to such an approach, a noticeable progress can be reached with a small number of cycles including from 20 to 50 DH lines.

Natural rubber is a strategic natural raw material, which is used in the production of tires and military equipment, in medicine and other industries. An alternative to Hevea brasiliensis (Willd. ex A. Juss.) Müll. Arg. and the most promising rubber plant is the Russian dandelion (Taraxacum kok-saghyz Rodin). The rubber that accumulates in the roots of this dandelion is not inferior in quality to the natural rubber from H. brasiliensis, and its content reaches 27% of the dry weight of roots. The purpose of this paper is to describe the economically important components of T. kok-saghyz roots, the main methods for extracting natural rubber from the roots, as well as the approaches to micropropagation and genetic transformation of kok-saghyz and related species. In the middle of the 20th century, the industrial method of isolating rubber from Russian dandelion in the USSR was based on preliminary treatment of the roots with a 2% solution of alkali, which could negatively affect rubber quality. Therefore, it is important to develop new, rapid, but at the same time, inexpensive methods of rubber extraction from T. koksaghyz. Some of them are considered in this paper. The breeding of Russian dandelion should be aimed at both increasing the root size and the content of rubber. In this regard, the development of laboratory express methods for rubber extraction is also important. The authors have developed and optimized a method for extracting rubber from dry plant tissue using polar solvents (water and acetone), with the final extraction with a non‑polar solvent (hexane). The developed rubber extraction protocol showed results comparable to the literature data. In order to create more productive plant forms, experiments are also being conducted on T. kok-saghyz micropropagation and genetic transformation. However, the number of such works is still very small, probably due to the low regenerative abilities of this dandelion species.

Elimination of chromosomes is a phenomenon widespread in distant hybrids. It ranges from the loss of one or two chromosomes to elimination of whole chromosome complement of one of the parents. Such elimination leads to the production of haploid plants, which then are treated with colchicine to double the chromosome number and to develop DH‑lines. Homozygosity of doubled haploids serves as a basis for their wide use in plant genetics and breeding. The use of this approach reduces the time required for obtaining homozygous lines by 5 years on the average. It leads to savings in human resources, energy and acreage. The development of the “bulbosum” method for haploid barley production had a strong influence on the chromosome engineering in cereals and its implementation in plant breeding. However, the method developed on that basis could not be used effectively for producing haploids of wheat, triticale, etc. because of Hordeum bulbosum L. pollen sensitivity to genes inhibiting wheat crossability (Kr genes). The crosses with Imperata cylindrica (L.) Raeusch. is an efficient alternative to the widely used wheat × maize and triticale × maize crosses due to abundant pollen supply within a longer time period, significantly higher frequency of embryos formation and haploid plants regeneration.