Evaluation of promising varieties of leeks as sources of early maturity, yield, commercial product in the North Caucasus of Russia

Relevance. Leek (Allium porrum L.) has been known as a cultivated plant since ancient times. It plays an important role in human nutrition. To increase the interest of the population, increase demand and consumption, as well as widespread and popularize this culture, it is urgent to create new promising varieties of leeks that meet modern requirements and have valuable economically useful traits. The creation of new highly productive varieties is associated with the search for sources of valuable biological and economic traits: productivity, early maturity, yield. The aim of the research was to study collection varieties of leeks, to identify the sources of the necessary valuable traits for their further use in breeding work. Materials and methods. The initial material was 73 samples of leeks of the European subspecies of various ecological and geographical origin from the collection of VIR. The studies were carried out at the collection site of the Krymsk EBS, VIR Branch (Krasnodar Territory, the city of Krymsk). Results. As a result of the study of phenological, biological, morphometric and economic characteristics, the foliage of the plant, the size of its and the false stem of the "leg", productivity and yield were determined. Formed groups of samples by ripeness and use. Comparative assessment of collection samples made it possible to identify the sources of productivity: the weight of the plant and the stem, its diameter and height, the yield of plants and the yield of marketable products. The isolated sources of valuable traits are recommended as a starting material for the selection of leeks.