History of Science and Engineering Annotation << Back FORMATION OF MECHANIZATION OF SEED BREEDING OF VEGETABLE CROPS: DEVELOPMENT OF VNIIO – BRANCH OF FSBIH FEDERAL SCIENTIFIC CENTER R.A. Meshcheryakova, A.F. Razin, A.M. Menshikh, V.S. Golubovich The article reflects the main stages of research and development in the field of seed production of vegetable crops for the period from 1930 to the present. In the prewar years, most of the machines, fixtures and devices were borrowed in related industries – grain farming, flax growing, etc. Optimum operating modes of machines for processing seeds of vegetable crops, parameters of their working bodies were developed. On their basis, industrial production of specialized machines for the separation of seeds, sorting, drying, washing, threshing and wiping seeds of vegetable crops was created and launched in the postwar years. Further development of scientific research on the mechanization of seed production was aimed at developing effective, resource-saving technological processes for the cultivation and harvesting of testes of vegetable crops. Thanks to the Institute’s developments, they were formed and included in the machine system for 1976–1980. 11 technological complexes of machines for cultivating and harvesting testes of vegetables and melons. The design bureau of the institute continued the development and manufacture of new-generation experimental machines for seed production, the technologies of mechanized production of radish seeds, table carrots, table beets, tomatoes and melons were developed. Considerable attention is paid to the mechanization of processes in breeding and primary seed production. Since 1993, the country’s industry has almost completely stopped developing and suspended the production of breeding and seed production equipment. The breeding and seed production equipment available at the farms by 2000 had basically worked out depreciation periods and needed updating. Since 2001, the Institute began work on improving the technical equipment of domestic production and the development of new generation machines. Since 2005, these works have been carried out in the framework of the Russia-Belarus Union Program in conjunction with OJSC GSKB Grain Cleaning (Voronezh). The technical means developed so far almost completely solve the problems of processing and sowing seeds, processing row-spacing and planting mother liquors of a number of crops. Currently, work is underway to create improved technologies for preparing seeds for sowing, and developing initial requirements for machinery and equipment for seed production. Keywords: seed production, seeds, technologies, technical means, machine system. DOI: 10.25791/intstg.10.2020.1227 Pp. 099-105.