Dmitry Marchenko

Relevance . Protein and gluten content, and grain hardness are among the key indicators which determine the commercial value of durum wheat varieties. The study of these parameters is of great interest for selection and development of new varieties with improved nutritional and technological characteristics. The purpose of the current work was to evaluate winter durum wheat varieties according to quality indicators and determine the variability of these traits under different cultivation conditions. The study was conducted in the southern part of the Rostov Region from 2021 to 2025 on 12 varieties developed by the ARC “Donskoy”. Results . The highest values of protein percentage were recorded in the varieties Khrizolit (14.80%), Amazonka (14.87%) and Diona (14.91%); the highest values of gluten content were demonstrated by the varieties Karotinka (28.1%), Diona (28.1%), Amazonka (28.2%), Agat Donskoy (28.2%), Kristella (28.6%); highest values of hardness were identified in the varieties Diona, Kristella, Pridonie, Karotinka, Grafit and Amazonka (85-89%). The values of the coefficients of variation (less than 10%) in protein and gluten content have shown their weak variability, while hardness, on the contrary, is characterized by significant variability over the years (Cv=19.9-25.6%). The analysis of variance has shown that the variability of these characteristics is determined mainly by the factor “year” with 62.30% (protein), 50.04% (gluten), 91.39% (hardness). Linear regression coefficients and variances have shown the value of the varieties Pridonie, Dinas, Diona, Kristella, Grafit, and Amazonka as highly flexible and stable varieties in their quality indicators. The varieties Karotinka and Diona are characterized by a combination of high values of protein (14.50% and 14.91%), gluten (28.1%), grain hardness (88% and 85%), and productivity (8.89-8.92 t/ha).

The current paper has presented the study results of 109 winter wheat samples of various ecological and geographical origins conducted between 2022 and 2025. The study was carried out at the experimental field of the laboratory for breeding and seed production of winter common wheat of semi-intensive type of the FSBSI “ARC “Donskoy”. The purpose of the study was to identify the most valuable collection winter common wheat samples based on stability of productivity. 60.6 % (66 samples) of the studied samples were of Russian breeding; 6.4 % (7 samples) of Ukrainian breeding; 3.7 % each (4 samples) of Turkish, Kazakh, and Hungarian breeding; 2.8 % each (3 samples) of Czech and American breeding. The share of samples from other countries was 16.3 %. On average, productivity varied over the years of study, ranging from 420.5 g/m² for the variety Kanto 107 (Japan) to 881.5 g/m² for the variety Muck (Germany). Productivity varied significantly through the years, from 230.0 g/m² for the variety Kanto 107 (Japan) in 2024 to 1040 g/m² for the variety Solokha (Ukraine) in 2022. Thirteen varieties significantly exceeded productivity of the standard variety Don 107 (707.0 g/m ² , HSR ₀₅ =124.5), with increases ranging from 126.5 g/m ² for the variety Retezat (Romania) to 174.5 g/m ² for the variety Muck (Germany). Genotypes that form stable productivity and are responsive to improved conditions include Moskovskaya 56 (Russia) (bi=1.45 and σ d ² =0.67), Muck (Germany) (bi=1.41 and σ d ² =4.04), and Retezat (Romania) (bi=1.40 and σ d ² =1.27). The samples Martanvasari 9 (Hungary) (CV=12.1 % and Hom=32.6), Irda (Russia) (CV=14.1 % and Hom=31.7) and Zapashna (Ukraine) (CV=15.4 % and Hom=23.6) have been found stable in productivity. Stress-resistant genotypes included such varieties as Irda (Russia) (Ymin-Ymax = -169), Flesh (Russia) (Ymin-Ymax=-156), Kuban (Russia) (Ymin-Ymax=-148), Don 95 (Russia) (Ymin-Ymax=-108) and Martanvasari 9 (Hungary) (Ymin-Ymax=-184), which had a smaller difference between the minimum and maximum values of productivity. According to a set of indicators, the most valuable samples, taking into account stability, are Muck (Germany), Retezat (Romania), XE 9710 (France) and MV Nemere (Hungary), which should be used in further breeding work to increase productivity.

Winter common wheat is an agricultural crop with a wide cultivation area and significant potential. The development of new highly productive genotypes requires a comprehensive approach, including not only assessment of productivity but also a detailed analysis of yield structure elements. The purpose of the current study was to estimate productivity and its correlation with its primary elements of modern winter common wheat varieties developed by the developed by the FSBSI “ARC “Donskoy”. A three-year study (2023–2025) of fifteen modern winter common wheat varieties, developed by the FSBSI “ARC “Donskoy”, was conducted in the North Caucasus region. The mean productivity varied from 7.03 to 8.76 t/ha, in the trial it was 7.74 t/ha, the increase to the standard varied from 0.11 to 1.73 t/ha. The maximum productivity (over 8 t/ha) was obtained from such varieties as Premiera (8.16 t/ha), Donetsk (8.11 t/ha), Ermak 2 (8.24 t/ha), Stolitsa (8.58 t/ha), Elbrus (8.76 t/ha). The genotypes demonstrated a high degree of susceptibility (V=23.2–34.5%) to annual fluctuations in cultivation. The results of the trials have shown that the studied varieties surpassed the standard variety Don 107 in productivity due to various structure elements. Highly productive genotypes have demonstrated significant increases in four to six structure parameters. A correlation analysis has revealed that productivity is positively correlated with such traits as productive stem density (r=0.36±0.14), grain weight per ear (r=0.55±0.12), and 1000-grain weight (r=0.68±0.10). Further increases in productivity are possible through the development of optimal values for the primary yield structure elements.

The purpose of the current study was to identify the dependance of protein percentage in grain and grain productivity upon environmental factors, as well as the correlation between these indicators, using winter durum wheat varieties as an example. The study was conducted from 2021 to 2025. The objects of the study were twelve varieties developed by the “ARC “Donskoy”. The variety Kristella was used as the standard one. The weather conditions varied during the period of study, with HTC _April-July of 0.28 to 1.23. The varieties Dinas, Ellada, Agat Donskoy, Grafit, and Pridonie have shown the best grain productivity, exceeding the standard by 0.92–1.55 t/ha, or 11.1–18.8%. Variation among varieties ranged from 15.25 to 29.32%, indicating significant variability in this indicator. According to the analysis of variance, the factor ‘year’ had a greater impact on grain productivity of the studied winter durum wheat varieties than on protein percentage, amounting to 87.9%. Protein percentage in grain varied insignificantly (4.44–8.39%), indicating stability among these varieties. The highest values were established in the varieties Khrizolit (14.80%), Amazonka (14.87%), and Diona (14.91%). The highest average protein percentage in grain among the varieties was recorded in 2021 (15.01%), 2023 (14.89%), and 2025 (14.67%), characterized by moderate and insufficient moisture. Correlation and regression analysis has confirmed a strong positive correlation between HTC (0.98±0.11) and protein percentage in grain. An analysis of variance has confirmed that the factor ‘year’ has the greatest effect (62.3%) on trait variability. Despite a negative correlation between productivity and protein percentage in grain (r = -0.68 ± 0.42), there were established the high varietal average values for both traits in 2022. A combination of high productivity and protein percentage in grain was identified in the varieties Agat Donskoy (9.29 t/ha and 14.62%) and Pridonie (9.81 t/ha and 14.20%).

Relevance . Currently, the main aim of winter durum wheat breeding in the Rostov Region is to develop varieties for arid regions that are comparable in productivity to common wheat varieties and have highly stable grain quality. In this regard, the purpose of the current study was to carry out a comparative analysis of winter durum wheat lines to identify the best ones in terms of grain quality indicators. Metods . The study was conducted on experimental plots of the winter wheat breeding and seed production department of the FSBSI ARC “Donskoy” in 2023–2025. There have been studied 44 promising winter durum wheat lines in the trials. Results. The analysis of the coefficient of variation has shown that all quality indicators studied in our trials were characterized by low variability (Cv < 10.0%). Based on protein percentage, most samples corresponded to the 1 ^st grain quality class (> 13.5%), while the lines 1354/20 and 529/21 corresponded to the 2 ^nd class (12.5–13.49%). High gluten content, corresponding to the 1 ^st class (> 28.0%), was established in nine studied lines. According to the GOST standard for durum wheat, grain hardness of five samples (> 85%) met the 1 ^st grain quality class. High carotenoid pigment content, exceeding the standard variety Kristella (508 μg/%, HSR ₀₅ = 34.7 μg/%), was determined in nine studied lines. Based on the study of grain quality, there have been identified several winter durum wheat lines 216/21, 529/21, 732/21, 298/21, and 336/21 that meet GOST standards for the 1 ^st and 2 ^nd grain quality classes. Their widespread use in breeding will enable the development of new, highly productive, highqualitative varieties suitable for the pasta and cereal industry.

Winter wheat is the main food crop in the Russian Federation. However, extreme weather conditions have increased dramatically in recent decades, exacerbating the dependance of the size and quality of winter common wheat productivity on weather. There is a need for the proper selection of varieties in these conditions. The purpose of the current study was to identify, through post-registration variety testing, winter wheat varieties of different ecological and geographical origins with large productivity, adaptability, and resistance to agro-ecological changes to introduce into production, and to evaluate their profitability and production benefits. The study of winter wheat varieties during post-registration testing at the Slavyanoserbsk Variety Testing Station of the branch of the FSBEI HE LSAU in the Lugansk People’s Republic in 2023–2025 has established that the most productive varieties were ‘Shef’, ‘Zhavoronok’, ‘Lilit’, ‘Yubiley Dona’, ‘Donskaya Yubileinaya’ developed in the FSBSI “ARC “Donskoy”, with average productivity of 2.98 t/ha over the years of study. The average productivity of the varieties developed at the National Center of Grain named after P.P. Lukyanenko was 2.84 t/ha, with promising varieties ‘Alekseich’ and ‘Bezostaya 100’. The varieties ‘Gubernator Dona’ and ‘Tarasovskaya 70’ developed at the FSBSI FRASC are of production interest. Despite the large average productivity in 2024 (29.8 t/ha), the varieties developed at “EkoNiva-Semena” have shown 2.55 t/ha over the years of study. The calculation of economic efficiency has shown that the highest net income (RUB 17,650) per 1 hectare and profitability (68.5 %) of winter wheat production in the Luhansk People's Republic were registered for the varieties developed by the FSBSI “ARC “Donskoy”.

Winter common wheat is one of the most important food crops in Russia and worldwide. It plays a vital role in ensuring food safety. This makes it important to develop varieties resistant to dangerous foliar diseases such as pyrenophorosis. One of the key genes providing resistance to this disease is the gene Tsc2. Previously, the collection and breeding samples of the department of winter wheat breeding and seed production of the FSBSI “ARC “Donskoy” were not evaluated for pyrenophorosis resistance using molecular diagnostic methods.    The purpose of the current work was to study collection and breeding material of winter common wheat to identify alleles of the pyrenophorosis resistance gene Tsc2. The analysis was conducted in the laboratory of cell breeding, dealing with marker-assisted breeding in 2023–2024.    The objects of the study were 102 winter common wheat samples of varying ecological and geographical origins. To identify alleles of the pyrenophorosis resistance gene Tsc2, there has been used the molecular marker XBE444541. The samples were distributed according to allele size with 340 base pairs (bp) for the dominant, ToxB-sensitive type; 505 bp for the recessive, pathogen-resistant type. There has been established an extensive allelic diversity in several samples studied. There have been identified new alleles of 400, 450, and 490 base pairs in size. There has been identified a dominant allele of the gene Tsc2, associated with susceptibility to the ToxB toxin of the pyrenophorosis pathogen in 48 samples. Eleven samples have been found to carry the recessive allele tsc2, which is linked to disease resistance, but in a heterozygous allelic state (ASV 141, Vassa, SO 911, Grom, Liangxing 99, Fuimai 5, Voyazh, Univer, Fazenda, 591/20, and 1278/21). To improve winter common wheat resistance to pyrenophorosis, there has been recommended using samples carrying the allele tsc2in breeding programs.

At present, the high level of breeding work requires careful selection of initial material, identification of valuable forms in the world collection of wheat to develop highly productive varieties resistant to infectious diseases and with high grain quality. Therefore, the purpose of the current study was to estimate the initial material of winter durum wheat and identify sources of resistance to the main foliar diseases in the south of the Rostov region. The study was carried out in the fields of the department of winter wheat breeding and seed production of the FSBSI “ARC “Donskoy” in 2020–2022. There have been studied 159 genotypes of various geographical origins, represented by 13 countries, namely 44.8 % from Russia, 15.8 % from Mexico, 9.4 % from Ukraine, Turkey, etc. The estimation of genotypes for resistance to foliar diseases (powdery mildew (Blumeria graminis tritici), brown (Puccinia triticina) and yellow rust (Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici), septoria (Zymoseptoria tritici)) was carried out on a natural background. High air humidity and abundant precipitation in the spring-summer period through all yearsof study favored the development of foliar diseases on winter durum wheat. As a result there have been identified several genotypes with complex resistance to the main foliar diseases common for the south of the Rostov region such as 1148/12, 1015/16, 1006/15, 323/17, 955/17, Cremona, Krupinka (Russia), SN TURK MI 82-83 90/GUTROS-2, P 1290493//HUI//AV79 (Mexico), Rodur (France), which can be recommended as promising material for further breeding work in order to develop resistant varieties with economically valuable traits.

One of the main trends of winter common wheat breeding at the FSBSI “ARC “Donskoy” is the development of universal varieties that combine a set of economically valuable traits and properties, such as high and stable productivity at various growing conditions, short stems, complex resistance to unfavorable environmental factors and product quality corresponding to valuable and strong wheat. The purpose of the current work was to estimate the new winter common wheat variety ‘Ayuta’ according to economically valuable traits in comparison with commercial varieties bred by the FSBSI “ARC “Donskoy”. There have been studied 10 varieties of Zernograd breeding in 2020–2024 after such forecrops as maize for grain, green manure fallow, peas and sunflower. The new winter common wheat variety ‘Ayuta’ has been included in the State List of Breeding Achievements of the Russian Federation since 2024 for the Central Blackearth and North Caucasus regions. During the years of study, the variety formed large productivity in comparison with the standard after all studied forecrops, namely maize for grain (7.90; +0.63 t/ha), green manure fallow (9.88; +0.60 t/ha), peas (8.11; +0.29 t/ha), sunflower (6.08; +0.24 t/ha). The most stable varieties with high ecological resistance in the trial were ‘Don 107’, ‘Lidiya’ and ‘Ayuta’ (productivity range of 26.5–28.8 %; stability factor of 1.36–1.40). The new variety meets the main requirements of agricultural production, such as a low height (84.1 cm), lodging resistant (5 points), resistant to brown rust (0–5 %), powdery mildew (1.5 points). The variety was included in the lists of “valuable wheat” due to grain quality.

Relevance. One of the essential factors for further increasing the yield of grain crops and increasing the gross grain harvest is the introduction of new highly productive varieties with a complex of economically useful characteristics and properties.The purpose of the research is to evaluate modern varieties of winter durum wheat selected by the Federal State Budgetary Budgetary Institution ANTS “Donskoy” according to a set of economically valuable traits and properties.Results. The new winter durum wheat varieties studied in the trial were developed by the method of intervarietal and stepwise hybridization using the variety Teiya, lines of our own breeding (2257/07, 1036/09, 2424/07, 776/10) and varieties from other regions (Krupinka, Solo, Tur, Poseidon) as parental forms. Their mean productivity in 2021–2024 ranged from 8.16 t/ha (Kristella) to 9.70 t/ha (Pridonie). There were significant increases in the new winter durum wheat varieties Ellada (+0.48 t/ha), Grafit (+0.82 t/ha) and Pridonie (+1.27 t/ha). The studied new varieties are short-stemmed, lodging-resistant and large-grained, and belong to different groups of maturity. The plant survival rate of these varieties varied from 56.1 to 68.5%, with 59.1% of the standard variety Kristella. Frost resistance of the varieties Ellada, Khrizolit and Pridonie was similar to that of the standard variety. Protein percentage in grain was 13.70–14.40%, gluten was 27.4–28.9%, which corresponded to the 1st-2nd grain quality class (GOST 9353-2016). Grain hardness during the studied period ranged from 78 to 88%, with 83% of the standard. Despite abundant precipitation during the 2023 harvesting, there were identified such winter durum wheat varieties with high grain hardness as Karotinka (85%), Grafit (87%), Pridonie (88%), which corresponded to the 1st grain quality class. The pasta color of the promising winter durum wheat varieties was amber or dark amber, which corresponded to 5 points.