Sources of economically valuable traits for Brassica rapa L. vegetables crops breeding [Articol]

Abstract

Vegetable crops of Brassica rapa L. compose an integral part of the world economy, providing fresh vitamin products for humanity. They are actively cultivated in East Asian countries for various purposes: food, medical, cosmetic and decorative. In Russia, most of them belong to the local non-traditional crops, but the interest of the population to these crops is increasing due to their valuable biochemical composition, high yield and simplicity of cultivation. The aim of the study: to identify the source material in terms of economically valuable traits in the VIR Brassica rapa L. crops world-wide collection for use in the breeding process. The material of the study included 23 accessions of the species belonging to different botanical and ecological-geographical groups: Chinese cabbage - 7 accessions, pak-choi - 2, tacai - 1, mizuna - 1, leaf turnip - 1 and root turnip - 11. The field study was carried out on the basis of NPB «Pushkin and Pavlovsk laboratories of VIR» (St. Petersburg, North-West region of the Russian Federation) in 2024 with the use of VIR Methodic guidelines for the study and maintenance of the world cabbage collection (1988), Methodic of the State cultivar testing of agricultural crops, assessment of the degree of Alternaria ssp. - according to the Methodic of Ph.B. Gannibal (2011), biochemical analysis - according to the Methodics of the VIR Department of Biochemistry (Ermakov et al., 1987). As a result of the study, valuable accessions with a complex of economic, phytopathologic and biochemical traits were identified, representing promising source material for breeding programs aimed at expanding the range of vegetable crops.