Object: Resistance of winter wheat (Triticum aestivum) varieties to Fusarium root-rot agents, overwintering and drought, peculiarities of its manifestation, relation between resistance and valuable economic characteristics, use of breeding-valuable varieties in the culture breeding. Objective: To determine the adaptive potential of soft winter wheat varieties for resistance to Fusarium root-rot agents with subsequent determination of fungus species composition of the genus Fusarium spp., their pathogenicity as well as to abiotic factors and creation on this basis of source material for the culture breeding, combining valuable economic traits with resistance to root rots. Methods: Field, laboratory, genetic and statistical. Novelty: An important scientific task was solved to establish the breeding value of current varieties of soft winter wheat for resistance to Fusarium root-rot agents in combination with heat-, drought-, frost- and winter-hardiness; this task was different from the previously known results by a systematic approach to the identification of varieties that combine resistance to bio-and abiotic factors with economic characteristics. A direct relationship between the level of resistance of a variety to Fusarium root-rot agents and the amount of soluble carbohydrates in plants tillering nodes was established. Genetic peculiarities of inheritance of resistance to Fusarium root-rot were revealed, and donor properties of parental forms were identified. Results: 28 varieties of soft winter wheat were characterized for resistance to Fusarium root-rot agents, leaf diseases in combination with valuable economic traits. Four soft winter wheat varieties that are valuable for breeding practice - Podolyanka, Vluchna, Fermerka, Bilosnizhka were registered in NCPGRU (sample registration certificates Nos. 1097-1100). Seven lines of soft winter wheat with group resistance to Fusarium root-rot agents, leaf diseases, with high frost-hardiness and other valuable economic characteristics were created and submitted to registration in NCPGRU, two of them received certificates (LCH 117-2012, 821-2010 LCH). Degree of Implementation: A new method of determining resistance of soft winter wheat to Fusarium root-rot agents (utility model patent No 77446 dated 11.02.2013), which contributed to the identification of varieties and hybrids combining resistance to disease, adaptability to growing conditions with a complex of valuable economic characteristics, was developed. Through the use of the method of immunological evaluation developed in partnership with the applicant the soft winter wheat variety Garmoniya, which is characterized by complex resistance to bio- and abiotic factors and has high rates of economic traits, was created and submitted to the state variety trials. All the lines enriched the Wheat Gene Bank of Ukraine and are components of the national asset. Scope of Implementation: Breeding agencies.
