THE RESULTS OF SELECTION STUDIES OF FLOWER AND ORNAMENTAL CROPS IN FRC SSC OF RAS

Bioresource collections of flower plants from open and protected ground with great genetic potential are maintained and regularly replenished in the FRC SSC of RAS, which are used in various research directions, including breeding. Interspecific, intervarietal and multiploid crosses involve a variety of parental forms that have the necessary dominant characteristics. When breeding new cultivars, the growth and development of seedlings from different cross combinations are being studied, possible early selection of promising forms according to the given characteristics is being revealed. The patterns of inheritance of the main ornamental and economically valuable traits are being investigated; the sources of valuable traits are being identified. Elite seedlings are being selected; according to particular characteristics, hybrid forms are being studied and evaluated, which are submitted to the State Commission for Selection Achievements Test and Protection. This paper has analyzed the selection studies for flower and ornamental crops in the FRC SSC of RAS for the period from 2011 to 2021. The objects of research were various genotypes of pelargonium, freesia, anemone, chrysanthemum, gerbera, tulip, primrose. For the period from 2011 to 2021, as a result of the breeding research conducted by the FRC SSC of RAS, 85 flower cultivars were included in the State Register of the protected selection achievements approved for use. The cultivars were grouped by flower type, plant height, period, productivity and duration of flowering in the season, resistance and aroma. The corresponding categories were allocated for each feature. So, according to the type of flower, most cultivars have a simple perianth shape (67 %). In height, the plants are medium–sized (56 %), in terms of flowering – early-flowering (45 %), in terms of flowering duration – medium-flowering (59 %). They have an average productivity of 55 % and a resistance of 76 %.