Field trials in Europe with Miscanthus over the past 25 years have demonstrated that interspecies hybrids such as M. 9 giganteus (M 9 g) combine both high yield potentials and low inputs in a wide range of soils and climates. Miscanthus hybrids are expected to play a major role in the provision of perennial lignocellulosic biomass across much of Europe as part of a lower carbon economy. However, even with favourable policies in some European countries, uptake has been slow. M 9 g, as a sterile clone, can only be propagated vegetatively, which leads to high establishment costs and low multiplication rates. Consequently, a decade ago, a strategic decision to develop rapidly multiplied seeded hybrids was taken. To make progress on this goal, we have (1) harnessed Correspondence: John Clifton-

Genetic improvement through breeding is one of the key approaches to increasing biomass supply. This paper documents the breeding progress to date for four perennial biomass crops (PBCs) that have high output–input energy ratios: namely Panicum virgatum (switchgrass), species of the genera Miscanthus (miscanthus), Salix (willow) and Populus (poplar). For each crop, we report on the size of germplasm collections, the efforts to date to phenotype and genotype, the diversity available for breeding and on the scale of breeding work as indicated by number of attempted crosses. We also report on the development of faster and more precise breeding using molecular breeding techniques. Poplar is the model tree for genetic studies and is furthest ahead in terms of biological knowledge and genetic resources. Linkage maps, transgenesis and genome editing methods are now being used in commercially focused poplar breeding. These are in development in switchgrass, miscanthus and willow generating large genetic and phenotypic data sets requiring concomitant efforts in informatics to create summaries that can be accessed and used by practical breeders. Cultivars of switchgrass and miscanthus can be seed‐based synthetic populations, semihybrids or clones. Willow and poplar cultivars are commercially deployed as clones. At local and regional level, the most advanced cultivars in each crop are at technology readiness levels which could be scaled to planting rates of thousands of hectares per year in about 5 years with existing commercial developers. Investment in further development of better cultivars is subject to current market failure and the long breeding cycles. We conclude that sustained public investment in breeding plays a key role in delivering future mass‐scale deployment of PBCs.

Abstract:The effect of some selenium-containing compounds on the antioxidant properties of Allium sativum L. plants is shown in the present work. Pre-treatment of bulbs before planting and foliar treatment during plant growth with gibberellin solution (125 mg · L -1 ); potassium selenate (36 μg Se·L -1 ) and a new cobalt(III) coordinative compound (33 μg Se·L -1 ) resulted in the increase of the concentration of proline and assimilating pigments, reduced peroxide oxidation of lipids, enhanced antioxidant cell protection. The greatest effect was observed in plants pre-treated with the new coordinative compound, "Fludisec", manifested by an increase of antioxidant properties of leaves and bulbs, optimization of growth process and productivity. X-ray analysis of monocrystal demonstrated that Fludisec is a coordination compound of ionic type

Research conducted at the Institute of Genetics, Physiology and Plant Protection found that when using the peripheral and internal cloves of garlic for planting in comparison with the use of them of different locations without calibrating them by mass, during the growth between the variants differences in the area of the leaf surface of plants were observed. Indicator of the foliage also depends on of the location of the garlic cloves in the bulb. The location of garlic cloves, peripheral and internal, as a planting material, also affects the growth of vegetative mass formation and bulb weight. In the bulb structure the peripheral cloves of garlic have some increase in their quality over internals (the ratio is in the range of 60:40%). Analysis of the obtained productivity data makes it possible to note that in the formation of high yields of non-clotting garlic, the location of the clove of garlic in the bulb is of the leading importance. Differences in gross and commodity yields, between variants (B3) and (B2) are not so great, but the advantage of the first one is everywhere traced. Studies have also found that the use of all garlic cloves for planting at different locations without calibrating them by weight, leads to differently bulbs maturing time, which makes the harvesting process more difficult and leads to additional labor costs, in which case when harvesting - 24% of it consist of small noncommodity bulbs. The use of the same mass garlic cloves of different locations for planting ensures the simultaneous of ripening, a greater proportion of standard bulbs and a high quality of planting material.

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