The state of breeding and seed production of cucumbers in the Khabarovsk Territory: problems and prospects
The paper considers the problems of seed production of vegetable crops, as well as issues of cucumber breeding in the Middle Amur Region. The local agriculture is developing under conditions unique for Russia - under the influence of the monsoon climate. The dangerous disease downy mildew (peronosporosis) of cucumber (Pseudoperonospora cubensis Rostowz.) is widespread in the region with a high frequency of the most aggressive races. In the past few years, this disease developed epiphytotically. All foreign varieties (bred outside the Far Eastern region) are severely affected by peronosporosis and die in the first ten days of August. Under local conditions, only the samples bred in the Far East are resistant to this disease. In recent years, the Far Eastern Research Institute of Agriculture has developed cucumber varieties that differ in ripening dates: Kit, Lotos, Yerofey, Amurchonok, Naslednik, and Khabar. In addition to their main quality - poor susceptibility to peronosporosis and bacteriosis - they possess a complex of economically valuable traits such as good regenerability, high palatability and marketability of fruits. In the Khabarovsk Territory there is not a single state seed-growing farm left, therefore, breeders, authors of varieties, are engaged in seed production. The employees of the vegetable growing department of the institute developed a methodology for maintaining the genetic structure of each variety during its reproduction, based on selection by biotypes. For the production of original seeds, it is recommended to choose the seed fruits of those biotypes that, when copied, the most accurately reproduce the given variety population according to the initial composition and ratio of biotypes.