Purpose. To increase the performance of sugar beet hybrids using integrated approaches to the creation, identification and selection of combination-valuable parents; to evaluate the performance potential of experimental hybrids derived from parents with improved beetroot shape. Materials and methods. The study was conducted in the Laboratory of Sugar Beet Breeding of the Tobacco Experimental Station of the National Research Center “Institute of Agriculture of NAAS” in 2018–2020. Sixty-six experimental diploid sugar beet hybrids originating from parents of different genetic origin were tested in the field. New starting material of sugar beets was created using classical breeding methods and traditional techniques. The experimental CMS-based sugar beet hybrids were evaluated for several economically valuable traits in accordance with the variety trial method developed by scientists of the Institute of Bioenergy Crops and Sugar Beets NAAS. Results and discussion. Analysis of the performance of the sugar beet hybrids originating from the parents with improved beetroot shape (oval-conical) indicates that the beetroot yields, sugar collection and output were significantly higher than those in the group check accession. The sugar content in their beetroots was lower than or similar to that in the group check accession. In general, the yielding type (E) of performance is intrinsic to the hybrids. As to beetroot yield, they exceeded the group check accession by 16.5–23.4%; the sugar collection was higher by 15.1–21.1%; and the sugar output – by 15.0–22.0%. Analysis of the beetroot in these hybrids shows that they had oval-conical beetroots. Their shape index varied 1.11 to 1.24. The beetroots of these hybrids were embedded into the soil by 3/4 of their length, had a smooth surface and shallow grooves (orthostichy). In the experimental sugar beet hybrids derived from the parents with improved beetroot shape (oval-conical), beetroots were longer (L) by 9.5%, larger in the diameter (D) by 2.2%, and the distance from the maximum diameter plane to the beetroot top (B) increased by 61.5% compared to the group check accession. In parallel with changes of the beetroot shape, the beetroot weight (m) increased by 25.0%. The transition from conical beetroots to oval-conical ones was proven to increase the performance of the sugar beet hybrids by 15–21%. Conclusions. We have created 14 high-yielding sugar beet CMS-based hybrids with improved beetroot shape, suitable for energy and environmentally friendly cultivation technologies. Their beetroot yields, sugar collection and sugar output exceed those in the group check accession by 16.5–23.4%, 15.1–21.1% and 15.0–22.0%, respectively

Purpose. To create pollinator lines - sterility fixers and their cytoplasmic male sterility (CMS)-analogues and to study their breeding and genetic features for the development of parental components of CMS-based one-sprout fodder beet hybrids. Materials and Methods. The study was carried out at the Tobacco Research Station of the National Scientific Center "IA NAAS" (Cherkaska Oblast, Uman) in 2013–2021. Four diploid one-sprout fodder beet populations of hybrid origin were taken as the starting material. Fodder beet lines were created by inbreeding. Analyzing crossings were carried out under paired coarse calico bags. Breeding accessions were tested in accordance with a method developed by scientists of the Institute of Bioenergy Crops and Sugar Beet of NAAS. Results and Discussion. The results indicate a fairly high frequency of pollinators - sterility fixers among the one-sprout fodder beet hybrids bred in Uman. The mean across all the initial accessions was 7.5%. One-sprout hybrids KT-7105 2хmm and KZ-1507 2хmm demonstrated the highest incidence Owen type pollinators - sterility fixers. A high level of pollen sterility was intrinsic to the CMS analogues of the O-type lines derived from the initial accessions IM-3319 2хmm and KZ-1507 2хmm (99.1% and 97.0%, respectively). The highest percentage of one-sprout seeds was recorded for the CMS analogues of the O-type lines derived from hybrid accessions KZ-1507 2хmm and KT-7105 2хmm. Fifteen best O-type lines have been selected for further breeding to obtain parental components of CMS-based experimental hybrids. Analysis showed that the beetroot yields of the majority of the CMS fodder beet lines were lower than that of the check variety. CMS IM-3319/16, CMS IM-3319/34 and CMS IM-3319/49 were the only lines that yielded at the level of the check variety (80.9–83.6 t/ha), which is attributed primarily to their genetic origin. As to the dry matter content in beetroots, only lines CMS ST-4514/27 and CMS ST-4514/39 significantly exceeded the check variety; the values of the others were similar to that of the check variety. In terms of the dry matter output, except for CMS KT-7105/7, CMS IM-3319/34 and CMS IM-3319/49, most lines were inferior to the check variety. Conclusions. We found that the portion of pollinators - CMS fixers in one-sprout populations of fodder beets of different genetic origins was 3.7–11.3%. Fifteen combinable O-type lines with pollen sterility fixing of 96.2–100% and percentage of one-sprout seeds of 96.4–99.3% have been created. Their CMS analogues have been obtained. The created breeding accessions are a valuable starting material for the selection of parental components and generation of highly productive CMS-based one-sprout fodder beet hybrids