Breeding of cabbage crops: origins, development and modernity

Relevance. The history of cabbage breeding in the Federal Scientific Center of Vegetable Breeding is a long journey spanning 105 years. Cabbage still remains one of the important and significant vegetable crops in the Russian Federation. Heterotic hybrids are replacing varieties, which are characterized by stable yield, uniformity, excellent product quality, uniform ripening, and high marketability of products. The scientific activities of the laboratory of selection and seed production of cabbage crops are aimed at increasing the level of provision of the population with high-quality products and contribute to solving the country's food security. The aim of the research is to conduct an analysis of the state and development of selection and seed production of cabbage crops in the Federal Scientific Center of Cabbage Breeding using literary sources, meetings with veteran cabbage breeders. Results. The development of selection of cabbage crops in the Federal Scientific Center of Breeding was carried out in several stages: organization of production of purebred seeds and creation of new varieties of intensive cabbage for row crop rotation; development of a coherent system of description of varieties and methods of determining varietal characteristics; study of stages of organogenesis in cabbage; creation of interline heterotic hybrids and development of the method of heterotic selection of cabbage based on self-incompatible lines; development of energy-saving varietal technologies for the production of commercial products and seed production; development of adaptive seed production methods for various regions of Russia and selection of cabbage crops for product quality; creation of varieties and heterotic hybrids of white cabbage and other varieties that meet the demands of the consumer market. Throughout the entire period of development of cabbage crop selection, traditions and scientific school have been preserved, a series of varieties and heterotic hybrids of different varieties of cabbage have been created for the purpose of import substitution.