An advanced approach to the assessment of varieties for the determination of their differences both within the DUS test and breeding is a combination of morphological traits and DNA markers. An implementation of this approach includes a correlation assessment between genetic distances matrices. To this end, the Mantel test is applied. The purpose of the study was to identify the main advantages and disadvantages of different software products for the Mantel test based on correlation investigation between DNA markers and morphological traits of lettuce varieties and maize lines. As a result of correlation calculation between 8 SSR markers and 36 morphological traits of 100 maize lines by XLSTAT (software for Microsoft Excel) p-value (probability of obtaining test results) was 0.0005. The value of this indicator obtained by PASSaGE software was 0.034. There was a pvalue of 0.045, which was calculated by GenAlEx 6.5 in Microsoft Excel (MS Excel). A similar result (0.036) was obtained by software environment R. The pvalues, which were calculated between 7 EST-SSR markers and 32 morphological traits for four lettuce varieties by XLSTAT, PASSaGE, GenAlEx, and R, were 0.033, 0.039, 0.038, and 0.035, respectively. In the study, the upper-tailed test served an alternative hypothesis type, the level of significance α was 0.05, the type of correlation was Pearson correlation, and the Monte Carlo method was used for p-value computation. Thus, the obtained p-values allow to reject the null hypothesis (H0) and adopt the alternative hypothesis Ha of correlation (p α). The correlation coefficient for maize lines was 0.05 and for lettuce varieties 0.65. Therefore, XLSTAT and software environment R are the most suitable instruments for correlation assessment between genetic distances.

In the article, the results on the development of cell selection scheme for sugar beet genotypes resistant to high temperature are presented. In terms of increase in the callus diameter and the ability to regenerate plants, lines of high-temperature resistant genotypes Yaltushkivskyi MS 72, Ukrainian MS 70, Ukrainian MS 72 and Katiusha found to be promising for breeding. Experiments confirmed that 5-7 times increased proline content is typical of the temperature resistant lines. We investigated the molecular and genetic polymorphism in sugar beet genotypes using RAPD and SSR analyses. Fourteen alleles were identified and analyzed by four RAPD markers and five alleles by GZM 086 marker. Cluster analysis using DNA markers shows that Ukrainian MS 72 and Ivanivskyi MS 33 are the most similar genotypes, and they are found in the same cluster. It was determined that the temperature resistant sugar beet genotypes Yaltushkivskyi MS 72, Ukrainian MS 70, Ukrainian MS 72 and Katiusha are genetically distant and therefore can be used to create heterotic hybrids.

An important element in plants adaptation to adverse environmental stress factors is the synthesis of secondary metabolites which involved in formation for the constitutional stability of plant organism. Saponins play an important role in the regulation of metabolic processes and the development of adaptive and defense plant reactions. Triterpene saponins have pronounced surface-active properties, increase activity of certain enzymes and perform antioxidant function, which in general determines their important role in formation of a common nonspecific plant resistance system. Sugar beet contains saponins of the triterpenoid type. Our experiments were shown that some vegetative parts of in vitro plants of sugar beet accumulate secondary metabolites including phenolic carboxylic acids, flavonoids and saponins, which play an important role in the formation for the constitutional resistance. The general condition of the plant organism and the survival strategy depends on activity of phenolic substances and saponins synthesis. Phenolic carboxylic acids in leaves of in vitro sugar beet plants were determined by thin layer chromatography method. Generally, in leaves of sugar beet varieties, hybrids were found saponins with Rf values of 0.21, 0.32, 0.35, and 0.51. Qualitative composition and quantitative indices of triterpene saponins and phenolic compounds content in sugar beet leaves during in vitro cultivation have sortspecific character, due to the peculiarities of their metabolism. Taking into account the absolutely identical composition of nutrient medium, same photo-and thermo-regimes for cultivation of in vitro sugar beet, triterpenoid saponins with Rf = 0,56 and 0,62 are biochemical markers which determine adaptive potential of plants-regenerants. This makes it possible to consider it expedient carrying out the researches of content of triterpene saponins as a marker for primary diagnostics and selection of plants-regenerants with a high adaptive potential and drought resistance at the initial stages of selection.

National Nature Park “Pyryatynsky” is a valuable reserve of flora and vegetation of the Left-Bank Dnipro. The extensive hydrological network of the Udai River and the wide representation within this nature reserve of floodplain reservoirs are the reason for the high diversity of plant communities of higher aquatic vegetation. In this article we classified the communities of order Callitricho-Batrachietalia in National nature park "Pyryatynskyi" and identify the features of their syntaxonomic and ecological differentiation. Fragmentary and non-comlete information about this type of vegetation are existed in literature, however, without geobotanical releves and detailed characteristics of the structure of phytoceonoses, synecology and synchorology. All obtained results based on original field data. In total, 22 geobotanical releves were performed during the period 2010–2017. The description of communities was carried out within their natural boundaries. Treatment of fitosociological data was performed with the JUICE software package. The nomenclature of syntaxons was consistent with the International Code of Phytosociological Nomenclature (ICFN).The order of Callitricho-Batrachietalia on the territory of NPP "Pyriatynsky" is represented by alliance Batrachion aquatilis Gehu 1961 and 4 associations (Batrachietum aquatilis Gehu 1961, Potameto perfoliati–Batrachietum circinati Sauer 1937, Hottonietum palustris Sauer 1947, Veronico beccabungae–Callitrichetum stagnalis (Oberdorfer 1957) Th. Müller 1962). This is first prodrome of order Callitricho-Batrachietalia for territory of National Nature Park “Pyryatynskyi”. The communities of this syntaxon occupy small areas and have a limited distribution in the region. Most of them are rare and vulnerable to changes in environmental conditions. Monitoring of their structure, chorology and dynamics is an important task to maintain and preserve the species and coenotic diversity of NPP "Pyryatynsky".

To conduct successful selective work aimed at high-yielding sugar beet hybrid creation, it is important to study the source material, its diversity and economically valuable features and patterns of their inheritance. The physiological approach and the development of ways to improve and estimate the population, based on physiological and biochemical indicators contribute to a deeper understanding of the production process. Therefore, the main goal of our work was to conduct a comparative physiological and biochemical evaluation of the production process of different sugar beet genotypes. Research objects were the MS hybrids with different combining ability and inbred lines of the I1 – I4 sugar beet generation. Research methods: physiological, biochemical and statistical. Genotypic features of multi-seeded diploid pollinators by physiological and biochemical parameters of individual metabolic links in the early stages of plant ontogenesis were established and the influence of inbreeding on photosynthetic productivity of plants was revealed. In simple MS hybrids obtained with the participation of combinational (by sugar content) O-type line comparing to one MS tester, a high positive heterosis in PHA and sugar content and a positive correlation between those traits were found. In hybrid combinations created by crossing combinational diploid pollinators compared to one MS tester showed positive heterosis in leaf surface area, chlorophyll content (a + b) and sucrose in the roots.