The morphological, meiotic and chromosomal variability were studied in two cultivars of Calendula officinalis L. and their mutant lines obtained though chemical mutagenesis using diethyl sulphate (DES) (0.04%, 0.08%) and dimethyl sulphate (DMS) (0.025%, 0.05%). The studied cultivars displayed different sensitivity to DMS and DES mutagens. More M1 plants with morphological changes were observed in C . officinalis cv. ‘Zolotoe more’ than in cv. ‘Rajskij sad’. DMS and DES at low concentrations had positive effects on main agro-metrical traits in both cultivars including plant height, inflorescence diameter and number of inflorescences per plant. Dose-dependent increase in number of various meiotic abnormalities was revealed in both mutant lines. Comparative karyotype analysis and FISH-based visualization of 45S and 5S rDNA indicated a high level of karyotype stability in M1 and M2 plants. Seed treatments with DMS and DES at certain concentrations resulted in higher yields of inflorescences in M1 plants compared to the control. In M2 generation, dose-dependent reduction in the yields of inflorescences was observed. Our findings demonstrate that DMS and DES at low concentrations have great potential in calendula mutation breeding.

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Chelidonium majus L. is a medicinal plant well-known as a valuable source of isoquinoline alkaloids, which has a variety of pharmacological properties including anti-viral and anti-bacterial effects. However, considerable intraspecific bio-morphological variability in C. majus complicates raw material identification and verification. For the first time, we have brought into cultivation five populations of C. majus subsp. majus originated from different regions, and performed their agro-morphological, microanatomical and molecular cytogenetic characterization. All examined populations produced high seed (18.6–19.9 kg/ha) and raw material (0.84–1.08 t/ha) yields; total alkaloid contents were within 0.30–0.38%. Nevertheless, significant differences in plant morphology and yield-contributing traits were observed. The performed microanatomical analysis of leaves and flowers in double- and normal-flowered plants revealed micro-diagnostic features (including tissue topography, types of stomata, laticifers, structure of leaf mesophyll, hairs, sepals and petals) important for identification of C. majus raw materials. The analysis of chromosome morphology, DAPI-banding patterns, FISH mapping of 45S and 5S rDNA and also chromosome behavior in meiosis allowed us to identify for the first time all chromosomes in karyotypes and confirm relative genotype stability of the studied plants. Our findings indicate that the examined C. majus populations can be used in further breeding programs.

The effect of colchicine treatment of P. caeruleum on morphological and economically valuable traits, pollen size and fertility, and karyotype of also was studied. Colchicine treatment increased in the size of pollen by 13 % compared to the control, pollen fertility decreased by 19 %. Stained chromosomes of the karyotype were identified, their sizes were determined for the first time, and karyotype formulas for diploid K = (5m + 2sm + 2st) and tetraploid forms K = 2 (10m + 4sm + 4st) were compiled. As a result of colchicine treatment, the plant height decreased by 35 %, the stem thickness by 47 %, the number of generative shoots 18 %, the leaf length 23 % and width increased 22 %, compared to the control. The productivity of raw by 32 % and seeds of tetraploid plants exceeds diploid plants by 22 %.

With the introduction of new species of medicinal plants there is a change in their usual ecological condition. Unstable weather conditions and phytopathogens can have a negative influence on crop yields. In this article discussed some aspects exogeny management of adaptation processes for new introduced medicinal plants: Lycopus europaeus L., Arctium lappa L., Serratula coronata L. Application of plant growth regulator Dvau for rooting cuttings and binary mixtures of growth regulator Zircon and organomineral (Absolute,Ecofus) or silicon fertilizers (Siliplant) in fields on gypsywort  promotes resistance to adverse weather conditions and reduced crop losses in low moisture and high temperatures of 16-20%, with high humidity and low temperature – 23-25%. On greater burdock it is shown that insufficient water supply has a negative impact on growth processes: the area of the assimilating surface of plants decreases by 17%, the mass of roots - by 13%. Double treatment of plants with silicon-containing microfertilizer Siliplant eliminates the negative impact of drought and increases the yield of roots (medicinal raw materials) by 17-18%. Abiotic and biotic stresses can have a negative impact on the yield and quality of medicinal raw materials of Serratula coronata. Application of microfertilizer Ferovit in dry weather conditions increases the area of the assimilating surface by 28-30%, the yield of raw materials (grass) by 20-25%. One of the biotic stress on Serratulais is the defeat of plants by powdery mildew (Erysiphe cichoracearum D.C.). Complex application of the growth regulator Zircon and microfertilizer Ferovit provided a more rapid passing of phenological stages, which allowed to begin the harvest before plants defeat by powdery mildew and to exclude from the agrotechnology the use of fungicides.

Polemonium caeruleum L. (Polemoniaceae) is a valuable medicinal herb with a wide spectrum of biological activities. Under natural conditions, the productivity of this species is rather low. In this study, colchicine-induced tetraploid plants (2n = 4x = 36) of P. caeruleum were obtained, and for the first time, their morphological and cytogenetic characterization was performed. In the tetraploid plants, raw material productivity and also the content of triterpene saponins were significantly higher than in the control diploids. The analysis of chromosome behavior at meiosis and FISH chromosome mapping of 45S and 5S rDNA generally demonstrated stability of both genomes in the tetraploid plants. Based on chromosome morphology and distribution patterns of the studied molecular cytogenetic markers, all chromosome pairs in karyotypes were identified, and chromosome karyograms and idiograms of P. caeruleum were constructed. The revealed specific microdiagnostic characteristics of P. caeruleum (strongly sinuous cells and anomocytic stomata of the leaf epidermis, and also glandular hairs along the veins) could be useful for raw material identification. In the obtained tetraploids, the predominance of large stomata on the lower leaf epidermis was determined. The studied tetraploids can be used in various breeding programs to obtain high-quality pharmaceutical raw materials of P. caeruleum.

In the article the results of the effect on Trigonella foenum-graecum L. productivity by organic fertilizers EcoFus and Siliplant and presowing inoculation of seeds with the Rizotorphyn are presented. We investigated effect of organic-mineral fertilizers "EcoFus" and "Siliplant" and presowing inoculation by "Rhizotorphyn". "EcoFus" and "Siliplant" increase herb yield by 24.8 and 18.8 % compare to control. "Rhizotorphyn" increasing yield of seeds production by 32.1 % compared to control. For the first time we present the data of the study devoted to the effect of foliar treatments with micronutrients and presowing seed inoculation on the quantitative content of flavonoids in fenugreek seeds. The highest flavonoid content was found in seeds subjected to foliar treatments with a binary mixture of "EcoFus + Siliplant" (1.59 %).

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