This work presents results of a research of samples of mealy bugs, collected following a visual study of tropical crops of the Nikitsky Botanical Gardens in 2020. The species were identified as Ovaticoccus agavium (Douglas, 1888) (Hemiptera: Sternorryncha: Coccoidea: Eriococcidae: Ovaticoccus). As a result of the research, an original illustrative photo material was collected, analyzing the morphological features of the female of the invasive species O. agavium ; a comparative definitive table of morphological features was prepared, allowing to distinguish O. agavium from similar species.

In order to develop an effective biological method for controlling the number of invasive polytrophic phytophage - cottony-cushion scale (icerya, Icerya purchasi (Maskell, 1879) (Hemiptera: Sternorrhyncha: Coccoidea: Monophlebidae), damaging fruit, ornamental and forest crops on the territory of the Southern Coast of the Crimea, the risk of mass reproduction and distribution for the territory of the Russian Federation of entomophage - a natural predator of vedalia ( Rodolia cardinalis (Mulsant, 1850) (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae). Entomological material of R. cardinalis was identified and collected on the territory of the Republic of Abkhazia. In the Nikitsky Botanical Gardens and in the Southern Branch of the FSFI "VNIIKR", work was carried out on breeding and reproduction of vedalias in laboratory conditions. In order to acclimatize a new animal world object for the fauna of the Crimea, in early November 2022, a trial release of R. cardinalis was carried out on the territory of the Nikitsky Botanical Gardens’ Arboretum in the centers of I. purchasi distribution. To date, a five-fold increase in the population of R. cardinalis and a significant reduction in the degree of damage to woody plants.

To study the ecophysiological response of Pinus nigra subsp. pallasiana on the impact of environmental factors during the growing season, we applied a mathematical model of stepwise regression analysis. As dependent variables, we used the relative speed of sap flow in the shoot (Sf., from. units.) - sap flow sensor SF-5P and the diameter of the sap (d, mm.) - sensor SD-10z. The independent variables were the main environmental factors. The proportion of variance in the dependent variable explained by the applied models is 97%. The practical output of the developed model with the corresponding quantitative characteristics is that in the future it will be possible to predict the ecological state of a certain region.

The Nikitsky Botanical Garden is the main breeding center in Russia for the creation of domestic large-flowered varieties of garden chrysanthemum. The gene pool collection of large-flowered chrysanthemum NBS-NSC, numbering 205 varieties and hybrid forms, has a large phenotypic and genotypic variability, which is the basis for further breeding work. The main methods used in breeding studies are classical: intervarietal hybridization and free pollination of varieties and forms within collection plantations, followed by selection of elite seedlings. A general characteristics of the morphological and biological characteristics of nine new promising varieties of large-flowered chrysanthemum bred by NBS-NSC, prepared and submitted for state variety testing in 2020-2022, are given: 'Vasily Lanovoy', 'Hermitage', 'White Seagull', 'Сheerful Lady', 'Miss Universeм, 'Five Stars', 'Yalta Anniversary', 'Jubilee of Yalta', 'Running on the Waves', 'Painted Veil'.

Aim and task: to analyze scientific and technical literature, identify trends in global cherry plum production, assess the prospects for the development of culture and its selection in the Crimea in connection with import substitution. Methods: official data of FAO - Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (Statistica Division) were used (http://www.fao.org/faostat ) and websites of the Federal State Statistics Service (https://rosstat.gov.ru /). The research was carried out in the collection and selection plantings of cherry plum of the Central and Steppe departments of the Nikitsky Botanical Garden in 2000-2022. Phenological observations of plants, evaluation of varieties and breeding forms were carried out, guided by generally accepted methods. Statistical processing of experimental data was applied in accordance with generally accepted recommendations (Lakin, 1990) and using the programs "Microsoft Excel 2007" and "Statistica 10". Results. It is established that the main regions producing fruits of various types of plums are Asia, Europe, America, and the leading countries for their production are China, Romania, USA, Serbia, Montenegro, Chile, Turkey, France, Spain and Italy. In Russia, over the past twenty years, there has been an increase in the production of plum and cherry plum fruits with a decrease in the area under plantings. The modern market, especially in the context of import substitution, places high demands on fruit products. For breeding purposes, as a result of long-term research, the following donors of valuable biological traits were identified (winter hardiness - 2; frost resistance and late flowering - 2; late ripening of fruits - 3; high taste qualities of fruits - 1; large-fruited - 2) and complex sources of valuable signs: late flowering and ripening, large-fruited, good taste and beautiful appearance of fruits, increased winter hardiness - 3; late flowering, late ripening of fruits, large-fruited and increased winter hardiness - 2; late flowering, increased winter hardiness, low growth, weak susceptibility to klasterosporiosis, early ripening, good quality with dark color of the skin of fruits - 1; late flowering, increased winter hardiness, good quality of fruits - 1; late flowering, low growth, good taste and beautiful appearance of fruits - 1; early ripening, large fruit, good taste and beautiful appearance of fruits, high yield - 1; late ripening, dark coloring, good taste and versatility of fruit use - 2; high winter hardiness, large fruit, good quality of fruits - 2; late ripening dark color of the skin and pulp of fruits, large fruit, anthocyanin color of leaves - 1. For further improvement of the assortment of Crimea, 23 promising forms of cherry plum have been selected.

The article presents data on the qualitative and quantitative composition of essential oils from raw materials obtained during the cultivation of Salvia officinalis L. on the Southern coast of Crimea and in the Donbass. By the method of hydrodistillation according to Ginsberg, essential oil was extracted from air-dry crushed vegetable raw materials. It was found that in the raw materials from the Nikitsky Botanical Gardens and the Donetsk Botanical Gardens, its yield was 1.0 ml per 100 g of vegetable raw materials. 27 chemical compounds were identified by chromatography-mass spectrometry using data from the NIST05-WILEY2007 combined library. It was revealed that the main components of the studied oil are α-pinene, 1,8-cineole, α-thujone, β-thujone and camphor. At the same time, due to the peculiarities of the climatic conditions of growing the species, the difference in the mass fraction of components in the composition of Salvia officinalis L. essential oils was: α-pinene - 1.62 %, camphene - 1.21 %, 1.8-cineole - 5.82 %, α-thujone - 3.97 %, β-thujone - 2.49 %, camphor - 5.15 %, α-humulene - 4.34 %. It was found that the raw materials from the Donetsk Botanical Garden contained 1.1 times more α-thujone, 1.4 times β-thujone and 1.3 times camphor. In the essential oil of the sample from the raw materials obtained in the Nikitsky Botanical Garden, 1,3 times more α-pinene and 1,6 times 1,8-cineole accumulated. The data obtained indicate that the component composition of essential oil samples of medicinal sage raw materials collected on the Southern coast of the Crimea and in the Donbass is variable due to different meteorological conditions of the cultivation regions.

The article presents modern data on the study of polyacetylene compounds of plant origin. Polyacetylenes form a distinct specialized group of natural compounds that are found in 24 families of higher plants, with the highest abundance and diversity in the families Asteraceae, Apiaceae, Araliaceae, Campanulaceae, Olacaceae, Pittosporaceae, and Santalaceae. The article contains information about the structure, physicochemical properties, features of accumulation and localization in organs and parts of plants, biosynthesis, dynamics of accumulation, detection, isolation and identification, as well as the main pharmacological properties of plant polyacetylenes. The presented information can also be used to develop methods for establishing the authenticity and assessing the quality of medicinal plant raw materials containing polyacetylenes as the main group of active substances. The prospects for further study of these compounds as a significant reserve for the search and development of new drugs are discussed. The necessity of targeted selection and genetic research is noted to obtain new varieties of medicinal plants - sources of new types of medicinal plant materials containing polyacetylene compounds.