The article presents a brief history and describes the main directions of scientific research of one of the oldest scientific institutions in Russia - the Nikitsky Botanical Gardens, which was founded in 1812. Today, in the Gardens botanical and crop-growing problems are solving on the modern basis, fundamental studies are conducted in several areas: botany, ecology, nature protection, introduction, breeding, genetics, physiology, biochemistry, biotechnology, reproductive biology of plants. The researches in the field of plant protection, agroecology, as well as the studies of the impact of phyto factors on humans have an applied significance. The Nikitsky Botanical Gardens has a leading position in the breeding of fruit, technical and floral crops, in biotechnology and reproductive biology of plants, in the study of biologically active substances, changes in vegetation on ecological gradients, classification of plant communities, plant physiology. Research works are carried out in accordance with the Program of fundamental research of the Russian Academy of Sciences for 2013-2020, Grants of the Russian Science Foundation and the Russian Foundation for Basic Research, agreements on creative cooperation with research and educational institutions of Russia and foreign countries. The article presents an analytical review of the publication activity of scientific workers, it also provides data on the quantitative distribution of researchers in the main research areas in the FSFIS "the NBG-NSC" for 2013-2018. The contribution of various scientific subdivisions in accordance with the most important bibliometric indicators (publication activity, citation rate, h-index) is given. The bibliometric analysis reflects the positive dynamics of publication activity over the past 5 years, which is visible in the work of almost all scientific departments and in all areas of research. The results of the studies are presented in monographs, articles, conference proceedings. The total number of publications prepared by the staff of the Gardens in 2014-2018 is about 2578 units, including the RSCI - 2468, Scopus - 95, WoS Core Collection- 85, the average number of publications per author is 12.30. Whereas during the period of 2009-2013 1060 publications were registered in the RSCI, 57 - in Scopus, 44 - in WoS. The h-index of the organization in the RSCI in 2014-2018 is 30-33, in the core of the RSCI is 13, for most of the senior and leading researchers with doctoral and candidate degrees, this figure corresponds to the values from 9 to 17.

For the first time the level of relics of the high-mountain flora of the northwestern edge of the highlands of the Caucasus has been established. The Fisht-Oshten Massif and the Black Sea Chain have a uniquely high level of relics - 51.0% (617 species), with a predominance of Tertiary-relic species - Rt - 41.2% (498 species). The second largest representation is a group of Holocene relics - Rx - 7.3% (88 species), the minimum represented Pleistocene relics - Rg - 2.5% (31 species). The relic level of alpine species is one of the highest in the Caucasus and is 52.8% (338 species). Alpine species also have predominance of Pliocene relics - 46.7% (299 species), the number of glacial relics is 2.5% (16 species), the share of xerothermic relics - 3.6% (23 species). In the preservation of relic species revealed general trends, depending on the remoteness of local flora from the main diaspora on the Fisht-Oshten Massif and the modern area of the meadow belt. These trends persist in Tertiary relics, while other patterns are observed for glacial and Holocene relics. The number of glacial relics fades to the west, most clearly it can be seen in alpine species. The number of Holocene relics as much as possible on the edge areas (Fisht-Oshten Massif and Mt. Semashkho) and minimally on the central peaks of the Black Sea Chain, where the Holocene expansion of xerophyte plants was insignificant.

A revision of the marine macrophytes flora of the Crimean Nature Reserve branch “Lebyazh’i ostrova” (“Swan Islands”) was carried out. The flora includes 97 species (hereinafter - including infraspecific taxa): Chlorophyta - 30, Ochrophyta - 11, Rhodophyta - 47, Tracheophyta - 7, Charophyta - 2; taxonomic structure: 8 classes, 22 orders, 31 families, 51 genera. The macrophyte flora has an oligosaprobic nature; short vegetation species dominate in terms of vegetation period duration, but perennial species have a fairly high proportion too. Among halobility groups, marine and brackish-water species prevail. Among phytogeographic groups (combined into two complexes) a warm-water complex dominates, with a high contribution of cosmopolitan species. In general, the ecological and floristic indicators of macrophytobenthos are close to those established for the Egorlytsko-Tendrovsko-Dzharylgachsko-Perekopsky hydro-botanical region of the Black Sea. The rare fraction of flora (taking into account regional, national and international nature conservation documents) includes 27 species. Within protected marine and lagoon water areas, biotopes under the special protection of the EU Habitats Directive are located (Council Directive 92/43/EEC); the nature reserve is a structural element of the Emerald Network and is designated as Wetlands of International Importance.

The article presents some aspects of Poacynum armenum (Pobed.) Mavrodiev, Laktionov et Yu.E .Alexeev embryology. The processes of the male and female generative structures, endosperm formation have been described. Plant material was collected in the area of Cape Sarych on the Southern Coast of the Crimea during flowering and fruiting Poacynum armenum . It has been established that the type of microsporangium wall formation is centrifugal, the formation of microspores tetrads is simultaneous, the mature pollen is 3-cell with a three-furrow shell, the ovule is anatropic, unitegmal, tenuinucellate. Endosperm is cellular with chalazal haustorium. It is shown that one of the reasons for low seed productivity can be significant deviations in the development of male gametophytes and gametes, as well as the absence of pollinating insects during the flowering period. The activity of the sea and anthropogenic impact also have a negative effect, as well as the absence of pollinating insects during the flowering period. However, the formation of full seeds, the presence in this coenopopulation along with generative individuals of seedlings and juvenile individuals indicate seed reproduction of the species and the possibility of its natural renewa

The results of an introduction study of five species of the genus Echinacea Moench ( Echinacea angustifolia DC., E. pallida (Nutt.) Nutt., E. paradoxa (Nort.) Britt., E. tennesseensis (Breadle) Small and E. purpurea (L.). Moench) are presented in the collection of aromatic and medicinal plants of the Nikitsky Botanical Gardens. The features of the passage of phenophases, heat supply, economically important features (productivity, raw material structure) were studied. It has been established that under the conditions of introduction, the studied species go through all phases of development and form complete seeds. The sums of active temperatures (≥10˚С) necessary for the species to pass through the phenophases are revealed and it is shown that the minimum limit values are characteristic for different species at different stages of growth and development. The minimum heat threshold for entering the flowering phase is set for E. tennesseensis , and in the phase of fruiting and seed maturation for E. pallida . The required sum of active temperatures for the mass budding phase of E. purpurea is 1021 ˚С, and mass flowering is 1749 ˚С. The longest flowering period under the conditions of the Southern Coast is characterized by E. tennesseensis - 65 days, the shortest E. pallida - 38 days. According to the flowering rhythm, the studied species are subdivided into late spring-early summer ( E. pallida , E. tennesseensis , E. angustifolia ) and mid-late summer ( E. paradoxa and E. purpurea ). The most full-bodied seeds are formed by E. paradoxa (1000 seeds weight 5.48 ± 0.05 g). The most promising species for productivity of aerial mass is E. purpurea (2.06 kg / m²). E. tennesseensis , occupying the second place in productivity, has the most valuable structural composition of medicinal raw materials, in which stems account for only 65% of the permissible norm (55.0%).

During the storage of essential oils, physical and chemical changes occur, leading to changes in the component composition, as a result of which the organoleptic and pharmacological properties of the oils change. The composition of the essential oils of Tagetes minuta L. and Cymbopogon flexuosus (Nees ex Steud.) W. Watson was studied by chromatography-mass spectrometry fresh and after storage. It was found that in T. minuta essential oil after storage for 6 months, the mass fraction of the main component, tagetenone, decreases due to the appearance of products of its oligomerization. Such changes lead to an improvement in the organoleptic properties of the oil. After storing the oil for 24 months, polymer forms of tagetones are formed in it and its viscosity is significantly increased, which makes its further use impossible. When storing C. flexyosus essential oil for 6 months, no changes were found in its chemical composition. After 24 months of storage, the mass fractions of cis and trans citral are reduced and undesirable components appear: isomeric forms of citrals, photocitral and caryophyllene oxide. Unpleasant notes appear in the aroma of the oil, and its quality decreases. Studies show that the chemical transformations of volatile components in essential oils do not always lead to a deterioration in their properties and depend on the species of the plant material and the duration of storage.

The aim of the work was to obtain comparative data on the main economic characteristics of the four lavandins to identify a hybrid with high quality essential oil. Determination of the chemical composition of essential oil of lavandin interspecific hybrids bred in NBG-NSC, allows to judge the prospects for their use in the perfume industry. Cultivars of lavandin Temp (control), Snezhny Bars and lavandin genetype Brovka, № 53 were selected as the objects of study. Crop accounting was carried out according to the method of field experiments by Dospekhov. The mass fraction of essential oil in plants was determined by hydrodistillation. The composition of the volatiles substances was determined by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Based on the results, the following hybrids were identified: Brovka with a high yield of flower raw materials of 118,8 c / ha, Snezhny Bars with a high linalool content up to 62,5%. Hybrid No.53 was characterized by a high yield of essential oil on a wet weight up to 4,2%, a linalyl acetate content up to 31.1% and a low content of camphor, 1,8-cineole and borneol. It is shown that the essential oil of hybrid No. 53 is promising for use in perfumes.

Objective. To study the effects of winter savory essential oil on the functioning of cardiovascular system of the elderly. Materials and methods. The study includes 97 women of older age with increased systolic blood pressure, which were divided into control (session of relaxation therapy only), and experimental (session of relaxation therapy combined with aromatherapy of winter savory essential oil) groups. Before and after the sessions, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, heart rate of the testees were measured and the following indices were determined: pulse blood pressure, minute blood volume, mean dynamic blood pressure, total peripheral vascular resistance, heart index, systolic index, Robinson index, Kerdo index, circulatory efficiency coefficient. Results. The study found that the use of winter savory essential oil led to a significant decrease in systolic blood pressure (exposure for 10 and 30 minutes) and heart rate (all time periods). The values of pulse and average dynamic blood pressure significantly decreased during aromatherapy for 10 or 30 minutes, there was also a significant decrease in the values of minute blood volume after 10 and 30-minute session of aromarelaxation. After 30-minute aromarelaxation there was an increase in the total peripheral vascular resistance. The change of Kerdo index value in the direction of parasympathetic after 30 minutes of aromatherapy was revealed. The value of the coefficient of efficiency of blood circulation significantly decreased after 10 and 30 minutes of aromarelaxation, Robinson index decreased during all time periods of exposure. Conclusion. On the basis of the obtained data, it can be concluded that the essential oil of winter savory has a pronounced normalizing effect on the circulatory function of the elderly women with systolic hypertension.

To investigate in succession the dynamics of monoterpenic hydrocarbons biosynthesis in plants of genus Artemisia the algorithm, which connects the intermediates analysis of results after each stage processes and the comparison of theoretical conclusions with new experimental data is developed in this article. It is proved that the uniform kinetic model of chemical essential compounds transformations in a stream from the glucose, mevalonate and isoprene to monoterpenes developed by authors is universal kinetics model in order to explain the connatural biosynthesis of monoterpenes in any ethereous carrier plants. There are founded some kinetic (by specific velocities of biochemical stages of metamorphosis) and a balance sheet (by rations between ring closure degrees) relations during the monoterpenes connatural biosynthesis corresponding to the vegetative phases. The state space model (SSM) for open nonlinear biochemical system is compounded. In this model macroscopic metamorphosis of essential substances is introduced as the sequence of vector's micro-alterations (or a velocity of the modification of a system's biochemical composition) in a orthogonal system of co-ordinates. At the application of the model to substantiate with the theory of a kinetic chemo-systematics, which becomes clear correlations between plants-producers is offered. The biochemical substantiation of individual distinctive indications between plants of genus Artemisia for seven types is introduced, such as: A.abrotanum, A.annua, A.dracunculus, A.glauca, A.scoparia (two c hemostrains) and A.taurica. The mathematical model of molecular-and-phylogenetic exposition of the relationship in a flora based on the example of genus Artemisia is compounded. The influence of environmental factors on kinetic parameters of monoterpenes biosynthesis in plants of the genus A.scoparia from different regions of their growth by means of comparative graph-analytic and matrix analyses of their accumulation dynamics in plants by own results of the experiment and the literary data with the made by authors modeling calculations is proved. The possibility to combine the systematization of plants based on morph-anatomic principles and chemo-regular principles based on the kinetic particularities of monoterpenes biosynthesis during the chemo-phases in vegetative taxons is shown.

The results of field and laboratory studies of drought tolerance in some Ficus carica cultivars of various origins are presented. It has been found out that under the conditions of the Southern Coast of the Crimea, the cultivar Sabrutsiya Rozovaya is characterized by high drought tolerance. Low resistance to dehydration was noted in the cultivars Vladimirska Krupna, Pomoriyskiy 6, Franziana Biella. It was revealed that in August, a decrease in water holding capacity occurs in all the studied cultivars. Using Chlorophyll Fluorescence Induction (CFI) method, an integrated assessment of the photosynthetic apparatus in the leaves of Ficus carica cultivars under conditions of simulated wilting is given. It has been demonstrated that drought is the cause of decrease in the photosynthesis light phase efficiency, the part of chlorophyll involved in the transfer of energy from light harvesting antenna complexes to reaction centers and the enhancement of non-photochemical photo quenching. A resumption of photosynthetic activity was observed with the normalization of leaf water supply in the resistant cultivar Sabrutsiya Rozovaya and the medium-resistant cultivar Iyulskiy. In the cultivars characterized with low drought tolerance, Vladimirska Krupna, Pomoriyskiy 6 and Ranniy iz Sozopol, the resumption of the water content in leaves was followed by a decrease in the variable fluorescence and photochemical activity of PS 2, which indicates further stress development in these cultivars and high sensitivity of their photosynthetic apparatus to dehydration. During the fruit ripening, on the background of water holding capacity decrease, water deficit in leaf tissues within 20-25% results in irreversible disturbances in the photosynthetic apparatus activity in Ficus carica cultivars that is proved by a decrease in the viability index below the vitality norm and may adversely affect the preparation of plants for transition to a state of rest.

The species composition of xylotrophic basidiomycetes on woody plants listed in Red Book of the Crimea was studied. Xylotrophic basidiomycetes were detected on 10 species of protected woody plants of the Crimea: Arbutus andrachne - 3 species, Crataegus pojarkovae - 13, Juniperus deltoides - 2, Juniperus excelsa - 7, Malus sylvestris - 9, Pinus brutia - 3, Pistacia mutica - 15, Taxus baccata - 5, Tilia dasystyla - 2, Vitex agnus-castus - 1 species. A total of 46 species were identified. All discovered species of fungi belong to 8 orders, 20 families and 39 genera of Basidiomycota division. The order Polyporales dominates by the number of species of fungi - 18 species. There are 9 species in the orders Agaricales and Hymenochaetales. Xylotrophic basidiomycetes of the orders Hymenochaetales and Polyporales (27 species) are the most dangerous to protected species of woody plants. The greatest danger to growing trees are 12 species of fungi from the orders Hymenochaetales and Polyporales. Among the xylotrophic macromycete polyphagans, the most dangerous are Phellinus torulosus and Ganoderma applanatum , with a range of 100 and 82 host plants, respectively. Among the specialized xylotrophic basidiomycetes, Pyrophomes demidofii on Juniperus excelsa is the most common in park and forest plantations of the Southern Coast of the Crimea.

С above normal. Such conditions have led to earlier pupation and emergence of moths of the overwintered generation in comparison with previous years. In the future, the development of the pest took place in the medium term. The flight of butterflies of the third generation was intense and prolonged. The obtained information allows to improve the monitoring of plum agrocenosis, makes adjustments to the tactics of protective measures, both at the beginning of the season and in the areas of late ripening cultivars.

Simulation modeling of phytophagans’ influence on the yield of seed fruit crops, in particular apple trees, was carried out. By means of simulation models the importance of phytophagans’ influence at different stages of the vegetation period and the period of fruit ripening was revealed. The software package Matlab was used to build simulation models. As a result, simulation models with nonlinear characteristics were obtained, which maximally reflected the studied processes. The developed models imitate the process of phytophagans’ development. Generation change of pests and all stages of their development are simulated. Their respective numbers are recorded at each stage for all generations. The development process at each stage is modeled by separate subsystems of the simulation model. To simulate the development of one generation of pests, these subsystems are connected by external links. In addition, part of the relationships provides a simulation of generational change. There are a number of input parameters that allow to configure the simulation of the process of changing generations, taking into account the peculiarities of the development of various phytophagans.

This article shows progress in the selection of Hedera cultivars. Seventeen new ivy cultivars are described in detail, comparing them to existing similar cultivars. They are 'Andreas', 'Bizar', 'Darth Vader', 'Ederalai', 'Eny', 'Frisé', 'Hulk', 'Irina', 'Konstantin Efetov', 'Laurence', 'Nabar-Nabar', 'Nilita', 'Papa Yena', 'Petrovich', 'Sasha', 'Troll Panaché' and 'Yarik'. Among them, fifteen are cultivars of H. helix and two are cultivars of H. maroccana . Thirteen were selected by first author and four by the second author. It should be emphasized that there have only been three cultivars of H. maroccana known until now. The cultivars described are the result of the authors’ investigation and collaboration during last decade. These unusual and promising sports were found in the wild, in parks, collections and trade and were further examined of their distinctness, uniformity and stability. With this, Russia and Spain have joined the group of countries known for the selection of ivy cultivars.