The success of any agricultural crop breeding, including winter durum wheat primarily depends on the initial material at the breeder’s disposal, its value, and the degree of study. The purpose of the current study was to evaluate collection samples of winter durum wheat according to quality indicators and to select the best ones for use in breeding programs. In the Rostov region there were studied 159 winter durum wheat samples of different ecological and geographical origin according to grain quality (protein percentage, gluten content, amount of carotenoid pigments, kernel hardness, nature weight). The winter durum wheat samples had a high protein percentage and belonged to the 1-st quality class. According to gluten content in grain there were identified 17 (10.7%) samples. The following samples had the maximum values of trait ‘SDS-sedimentation’: ‘588/15’ (Russia) with 50 ml; ‘SAHINBEY’ (Turkey), ‘SARI BUGDAY 2’ (Turkey), ‘543/15’ (Russia) with 49 ml; ‘ANKARA 98’ (Turkey) with 48 ml. The following 43 winter durum wheat samples (more than 85%) had large kernel hardness in the trial: ‘663/17’, ‘1121/12’, ‘Novinka 4’, ‘Alena’ (Russia), ‘C1252’ (Turkey), ‘SN TURK MI 82-83 90 / GUTROS-2’, ‘DF 28.82.84 / DAB-18’, ‘P 1290493 // HUI // AV79’ (Mexico), ‘K-61869’ (Moldova). Over the years of study, a large amount of carotenoid pigments was identified in the following samples: ‘Novinka 4’ with 705 μg /%, ‘535/17’ with 689 μg /%, ‘543/15’ with 664 μg /% (Russia), ‘OSU-3880001 / 4AOS / SNIP / 3 / MEDIUM / KIF // SAPI’ with 704 μg /% (Mexico), ‘Winter Gold’ with 697 μg /% (Germany). According to the complex of qualitative indicators, there were identified 5 winter durum wheat samples, which are recommended to be included in the breeding programs of the Rostov region.

The purpose of the study was to estimate the effect of sunflower and pea on the amount of productivity, protein and gluten percentage in grain. The objects of the study were 13 winter bread wheat varieties (Triticum aestivum L.) developed by the Agricultural Research Center “Donskoy”. The study was carried out in 2018-2020 on the fields of the department of winter wheat breeding and seed production. The forecrops were peas and sunflower. The study results showed that the varieties ‘Volny Don’ (6.1 t / ha), ‘Krasa Dona’ (6.1 t / ha) and ‘Lidiya’ (6.0 t / ha), when sown after peas, gave the largest yields. The varieties ‘Volny Don’ (4.9 t / ha) and ‘Polina’ (4.8 t / ha) which were sown after sunflower, showed the best productivity. The analysis of qualitative indicators established that the maximum percentage of protein and gluten in grain was identified in the varieties ‘Podarok Krymu’ (16.3%; 28.3%) and ‘Volnitsa’ (16.1%; 28.5%), which were sown after peas; and the same varieties showed good results (‘Podarok Krymu’ (16.2%; 27.4%) and ‘Volnitsa’ (15.7%; 27.8%)), when sown after sunflower.

The article presents the study results of winter soft wheat lines in competitive variety testing according to productivity and grain quality indicators. The study was conducted at the experimental plot of the laboratory of the breeding and seed-growing of winter soft wheat of intensive type in the FSBSI “Agricultural Research Center “Donskoy” in 2016–2018. 47 winter soft wheat samples of competitive variety testing were used as the studied material. The winter soft wheat variety “Ermak” was used as a standard. Over the years of study 23 lines exceeded productivity of the standard variety “Ermak”, the increase ranged from 0.49 to 1.66 t / ha on average. The maximum protein percentage in grain was formed by the samples “1992/16” (13.5%), “1221/16” (13.5%), “1914/16” (13.6%), “1788/16” (13.9%), “2030/16” (14.0%). The lines “1854/16” and “1990/16” combining high yields (11.17–11.30 t/ha) with protein percentage of 12.9–13.2% are of great interest for breeding. The highest content of gluten in the grain (29.3–30.0%) was identified in the samples “1992/16”, “1914/16”, “2030/16”, “1221/16” and “1093/16”. There were identified the lines “1385/16”, “1533/16” and “1862/16”, combining high yields (11.20–11.59 t/ha) and 27.9–29.1% of gluten in grain. The highest value of SDS-sedimentation (66–70 ml) was found in the samples “1093/16”, “1990/16”, “2079/16”, “1533/16” and “1987/16”. The lines “1547/16”, “1385/16”, “1854/16” combined high yields (11.10–11.31 t/ha) with high value of SDS-sedimentation (62–65 ml). The breeding material identified during the research was used for further study and has been involved in hybridization to increase productivity and grain quality.

One of the important tasks facing agriculture is to increase the production of high quality grain. It is known knowledge that the variety is a dynamic biological factor capable of realizing its genetic potential with a different combination of environmental factors and can act as a biological foundation for the production of high quality grain. The forecrop in modern agriculture acts as an independent factor in increasing grain yield and quality. The purpose of the current study was to estimate protein and gluten content in grain of winter bread wheat varieties of intensive type when sown after maize for grain and sunflower in the conditions of the Rostov region. The objects of the study were 9 winter bread wheat varieties of the intensive type developed in the FSBSI “ARC “Donskoy”. The study was carried out in the fields of the department of winter wheat breeding and seed production in 2018–2020. There were identified the varieties that formed the largest percentage of protein in grain on average over the years of study. They were the varieties ‘Etyud’, ‘Yubiley Dona’ and ‘Shef’ (12.44–13.06%) sown after maize for grain, and the varieties ‘Rubin Dona’, ‘Shef’ and ‘Zodiak’ (14.09–14.33%) sown after sunflower. There have been identified the varieties ‘Zodiak’ and ‘Yubiley Dona’ with the largest amount of gluten in grain on average over the years of study. They produced 24.63%, 25.53%, respectively after maize for grain; after sunflower they produced 28.20%, 27.66%, respectively. The results of two-way analysis of variance proved a greater effect of the factor ‘forecrop’ on protein and gluten content in grain of winter bread wheat than the effect of the factor ‘variety’ and their correlation.

To successfully increase grain production and improve its quality, the development and introduction of new winter wheat varieties is of great importance. The winter soft wheat varieties developed by the FSBSI “Agricultural Research Center “Donskoy” and included into the State List of Breeding Achievements of the Russian Federation are able to form grain with 30.0% gluten and more, and are suitable for the first, second and third class of baking. A comparative characteristic of the grain quality of winter wheat varieties of the intensive type included in the State List and their ability to form food grain suitable for baking is currently of practical interest. There have been studied 6 varieties in the conditions of drought in 2013 and 2014 (the amount of precipitation during the growing season was 190.0–191.5 mm, the average daily air temperature was 20.3–20.9 °C), and in the conditions of excess moisture in 2016, 2017 (the amount of precipitation was 274.2–292.8 mm, the average daily air temperature was 19.5–20.4 °C). The studied varieties formed the highest productivity from 8.70 to 9.01 t/ha under conditions of excessive moisture. Under drought conditions, productivity of the varieties decreased significantly and ranged from 6.50 to 7.69 t/ha. Better grain quality of the studied varieties was formed in the conditions of the drought of 2013, 2014 with 14.9 to 15.9% of protein and 27.9 to 31.0% of gluten. Food grain close to the first class (from 30.0 to 31.0% of gluten) were formed by the varieties “Aksiniya”, “Tanais” and “Nakhodka”; the second class (more than 28.0% of gluten) was obtained from the varieties “Shef” and “Etuyd”. The ranking method according to grain quality indicators allowed establishing an average rank and identifying the varieties “Aksiniya”, “Tanais”, “Nakhodka” and “Shef” with the best baking traits.