FIELD ASSESMENT OF THE COLLECTION SAMPLES OF <i>AVENA SATIVA</i> FOR RESISTANCE TO CROWN AND STEM RUST UNDER CONDITION OF KUBAN BRANCH OF VIR
The effectiveness of oats cultivation in some years is reduced because of diseases. The research aimed at finding new genetic sources to create resistant varieties is an urgent solution to the problem. The aim of the research was to conduct screening of the promising samples of Avena sativa of different ecological and geographical origin to identify sources of resistance to different rusts to include them (A. sativa samples) into breeding programs. Field assessment was carried out in 2014-2017 under conditions of the Kuban experimental station of the VIR branch. The weather during the years of research differed in hydrothermal conditions. Heavy precipitation and low temperatures were observed in 2014 and 2016. Elevated air temperatures werein 2015 and 2017. Under natural conditions, 150 samples of oats of various ecological and geographical origins from the VIR collection were studied. The standard one was ‘Valdin 765’. Thedamage was counted according to the scale proposed by N. I. Vavilov and improved in the Department of immunity (VIR) in points (1-9), where 1- resistance is very low, 3 - low, 5 - medium, 7 - high, 9 - very high. According to the damage intensity, all varieties were differentiated according to the Peterson scale: no signs of damage - resistance is very strong; damage of 0.1-5.0 % - strong; 5.1-25.0 % - medium, 25.1-50.0 % - weak, more than 50 % - very weak. The source material was also evaluated according to yield, resistance to lodging, 1000-grains weight. Samples were sown in three replications. Plot area - 2 m<sup>2</sup>. Preceding crop - peas for grain. The research results show that fourteen samples were resistant to P. coronata (9 points) and 16 - to P. graminis. Samples ‘Mutika 1120’, ‘Srednespeliy 1’, ‘Zakat’, ‘Elegant’, ‘URS Guana’, and ‘URS Tarimba’ possessed group stability. ‘Raniostygliy’ (Ukraine), ‘Elegant’ (Belarus), ‘Flocke’ (Germany) turned out to be resistant to diseases and high yielding ones (4-9 % more than the standard). They can be recommended for inclusion in breeding programs.