Abstract:

Seabuckthorn has long been known as a truly Siberian culture. It is widely used for human nutrition and as a medical and ornamental plant. M.I.Lisavenko Research Institute of Horticulture (Barnaul), Buryat and Novosibirsk fruit-berry growing experimental stations and the Institute of Cytology and Genetics of the Siberian Branch of the RAS have succeeded in breeding of the seabuckthorn. The breeding programs were aimed to obtain early, large fruited thornless plants with compact and short stems, with dense fruit epicarps and dry tear-off,resistant to pests and convenient for mechanic harvesting, with improved technologic, dietary, medicinal and cosmetic traits. At present, about 30 cultivars developed in Siberia are zoned. The chemical composition of the fruit of this unique and multipurpose culture has been identified. Seabuckthorn appeared to be highly polymorphic in the content of biologically active substances. The wide range of variability was found in the content of carotenoids. The chemical