Background. Vavilov considered common vetch to be a crop important for the development of the national economy, having both fodder and food value, especially in regions with arid climates and infertile soils. He identified three main centers of origin for Lathyrus sativus L., located in ancient agricultural centers. The aim of this study was to investigate the biochemical composition of the green mass of Lathyrus sativus L. specimens from the VIR collection of the Mediterranean, Abyssinian, and Southwest Asian centers of origin during reproduction in the Northwestern region of Russia. Materials and Methods. The study material consisted of 25 specimens of common vetch green mass from different centers of origin, reproduced over two years in the Northwestern region of Russia. The contents of protein, chlorophyll, carotenes, carotenoids, and ascorbic acid were determined using methods adopted at VIR. Non-specific metabolomic profiles were analyzed using gas-liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry on an Agilent 6850 chromatograph (USA). Results. The content of protein, pigments, ascorbic acid, and 11 groups of compounds were analyzed: organic and fatty acids, amino acids, phytosterols, alcohols, sugars, phenol-containing substances, terpenes, alkanes, glycosides, acylglycerols, and nucleosides, which comprise the metabolomic profile (MP). In total, more than 180 components were identified in the MP. Differences in the biochemical composition of vetch from different centers of origin under identical reproductive conditions were revealed. Conclusion. Multivariate data analysis and classical statistical methods revealed significant differences in the metabolite profiles of samples from different centers of origin and identified metabolite markers that reliably differentiate them. The SC samples were characterized by high green mass yields and increased levels of sugars and alkanes, while the UC and AC samples were characterized by all other groups of compounds, including biologically active ones. The study results confirm the crop's potential for modern agri-food systems as a nutrient-rich crop, resistant to various environmental stresses, and for the development of modern varieties with specific properties for various applications.
Plant flow cytometry is a widely used method for analyzing and quantifying various cellular and nuclear characteristics, finding application in various fields of botany, plant physiology and biochemistry, evolutionary theory, genetics, and breeding. Flow cytometry is becoming an important tool for the certification and verification of biological collections, providing an objective criterion (genome size/ploidy) to confirm the taxonomic affiliation and genetic stability of collection specimens. Including cytometric data in collection metadata enhances their scientific value and facilitates interlaboratory reproducibility of results. While instrumentation advances have minimized the impact of hardware on results, the challenge of obtaining accurate and reproducible genome size data in plants remains pressing. In addition to the unique organization of plant genomes, which determines intraspecific variability, the sources of inaccuracies remain inherent in the flow cytometry method itself. This article covers key aspects of flow cytometry that influence the final result and affect all stages of sample preparation. Emphasis is placed on the quality of the source material, the issue of standardization, and key considerations when comparing previously obtained results. Illustrations are included to provide clarity and prevent common errors.
BACKGROUND: Barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) is a grain crop with a vast range and a centuries-old history of cultivation. Numerous harmful organisms are commonly observed in H. vulgare fields. One of the most damaging pathogens found in most barley-growing regions is the fungus Puccinia hordei G.H. Otth, which causes leaf rust. A review of the state of modern breeding indicates the need to search for and involving new sources of resistance of H. vulgare to leaf rust. AIM: To study the hereditary diversity of H. vulgare genetic resources from different centers of origin and domestication of cultivated plants for resistance to P. hordei. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From 2018 to 2025, resistance to the pathogen was studied in 3,513 barley accessions of various origins (952 from East Asia, 891 – Ethiopia, 318 – North Africa, 157 – the Mediterranean, 319 – Central Asia, 201 – the Caucasus, 205 – North America; 227 landraces and 243 modern European varieties) in northwestern Russia (St. Petersburg). To maximize the spread of the fungus from the adjacent production area, late sowing was carried out in the first ten days of June. Disease epiphytotics were monitored annually: the damage to the susceptible Belogorsky variety ranged from 1 to 3 points. The degree of plant damage was recorded during the periods of heading and milk ripeness of the grain on a scale from 1 (high susceptibility) to 9. The effective Rph7 gene was identified using polymerase chain reaction. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: A high level of resistance was noted only in the accessions with the known Rph7 gene of the Cebada capa variety (к-18687) from the USA and the lines к-30810, к-30811, к-30812 from Ethiopia. Rare pustules were noted on plants of the 24 studied forms: к-7511, к-7516, к-15205, к-19937 (Algeria); к-7513, к-7517, к-7518, к-7521, к-7576, к-13282, к-15202, к-15210, к-15219, к-15227 (Morocco); к-8813, к-8814, к-8828, к-9089, k-9095, к-9096 (Italy); к-9182,к-9186 (Greece); к-20374 (Mongolia); к-21919 (Ethiopia). The research results indicate a low diversity of barley in terms of resistance to leaf rust, only 0.8% of genotypes were unaffected or were weakly affected by the fungal population. The overwhelming majority (78.6%) of accessions resistant to leaf rust originate from the Mediterranean center of crop diversity. Using a molecular marker, the Rph7 gene, in addition to known carriers, was identified in three moderately resistant genotypes: к-24958 (Orge 618) from Morocco, к-29819 (Tokai Kawa) from Japan, and к-31242 (J B Flavour) from Germany. CONCLUSIONS: A study of 3,513 barley accessions identified 28 varieties resistant to leaf rust, primarily originating from the Mediterranean gene center. Three genotypes were identified with an effective Rph7 gene, which controls resistance to P. hordei.
BACKGROUND: Wheat is Russia's key export crop, ensuring food security and making a significant contribution to the country's economy. The timing of flowering, controlled by the genes of photoperiodic sensitivity (Ppd) and vernalization (Vrn), determine the adaptive potential and productivity of varieties. AIM: The purpose of this work was to study the allele polymorphism of the Ppd-A1, Ppd-B1, Ppd-D1, Vrn-A1, Vrn-B1 and Vrn-D1 genes in the collection of winter soft wheat selected by JSC Shchelkovo Agrochem (61 samples) and to evaluate the effect of the identified alleles on yield in various cultivation technologies (2021-2024, Oryol region). METHODS: Genotyping was performed using KASP markers and classical PCR. RESULTS: It was found that all the studied varieties, with the exception of one (Zodiac), carry recessive (winter) alleles of the Vrn-A1, Vrn-B1 and Vrn-D1 genes. Polymorphism was revealed for Ppd genes: the allele of insensitivity Ppd-A1a was found in 11 varieties, Ppd-D1a in 41 varieties, while all varieties were sensitive for Ppd-B1 (Ppd-B1b). The analysis of variance showed that the presence of insensitive Ppd-D1a and Ppd-A1a alleles in most cases was associated with higher yields, while the contribution of the Ppd-D1 locus was more pronounced. The highest difference in productivity was recorded in genotypes carrying the insensitive allele (Ppd-D1a), compared with genotypes carrying the sensitive allele, in 2024, with a difference of 10.7% under intensive "high yield" technology. CONCLUSION: The results obtained indicate the expediency of using molecular markers for the accumulation of Ppd-A1a and Ppd-D1a alleles in the breeding of new highly productive varieties of winter wheat.
In 2026, the worldwide scientific community celebrates the 100th anniversary of NikolaiVavilov’s theory of the centers of origin of cultivated plants. It is hard to underestimate the impact of that concept on the exsitu and insitu conservation of the world’s crop biodiversity and on plant breeding practice. This review contemplates the historical background of Vavilov’s theoretical postulation of the centers of origin, starting from his earliest research endeavors, numerous plant explorations, and collecting missions, which led him to change the number of those centers, up to his comprehensive publication Studies on the Origin of Cultivated Plants in 1926, where he paid tribute to his renowned predecessors, de Candolle and Darwin. It was closely linked to the law of homologous series in hereditary variation—Vavilov’s first fundamental concept published in 1920—which clarified what plant forms were expected to be found, even though they had not yet been described for any closely related species. His associates and followers broadened and reinforced the basic aspects of the theory of centers of origin through their expeditions and new collecting efforts and confirmed the law of homologous series by finding plant forms with missing properties while exploring various countries of the world. The key notions of Vavilov’s theory remain important for contemporary targeted collecting of plant genetic resources and for worldwide agricultural biodiversity conservation, as well as for the development of modern biological research into the mechanisms of crop evolution and adaptation. Examples are provided here to illustrate recent investigations on the genetic resources of cultivated plants and their wild relatives from the VIR collection using genomic and phenomic approaches with new insights into the potential of plant germplasm collected in primary and secondary centers of crop origin.
