Using high quality seed is one of the most important links in the system of sugar beet production since it does not only carry a hybrid genetic potential but is an  important element of sugar beets growing technology.  That is, the seed is not only a part of the organism that completes its life cycle, but is also a new independent body, which carries the basis of a new plant. That is why it is characterized with both and viability and vitality.

There are both external and purely genetic factors causing either complete destruction of seed or its considerably lower viability. This is particularly evident at the very beginning of fertilization process, i.e.  in pollen tubes germination. Pollen tubes sprouting inhibition is observed in the pestle tissue under self-pollination in sugar beet. Even if the fertilization occurs, the embryo often dies because of its tissue and endosperm incompatibility. The embryo may die as well when it is fully formed due to the embryo different parts partial deformation or its generative sphere (perisperm) underdevelopment That is, homozygosity, formed by inbreeding, weakens the viability of the whole organism and reduces seed germination significantly.

A comprehensive assessment of breeding materials of different genetic origin on the grounds of the generative systems, vigor and germination, i.e. developing methods of sugar beet source material identification on these grounds in breeding and seed-growing process is a way to increase sugar beet seeds viability.

The analysis showed that a full range of plants variability on the basis of seeds viability is detected within the breeding numbers of different genetic origin.

The study has shown that seed viability feature variability depends on both pericarps reproductive system, that is, on their cultivation condition, and the breeding numbers of different origin.

Reproductive system of different origin pericarps was different. The most compact plants in terms of architectonics were in ordinary hybrids, which included 80-100 1st order shoots, 130-140  second order shoots and 6-10  third-order shoots with insemination density of 28-36 pcs. / 10 cm segment of escape, seed binding degree was 85-90 %, seed production – 63.5-150.2 g. the highest variability was noted in the features like 2nd order shoots (S-50.0-55.7 %) and seed productivity (C- 63.2-70,7 %) which indicates the possibility of high-performance plants selecting.

The seed viability also depends on pericarps of different breeding origin. The highest average germination energy, germination and fruit weight of 1000 were in usual ordinary plants (71 %, 78 % and 13.0 g) and in ordinary hybrids they were (72 %, 76 % and 13.5 h) in male sterile component these figures were somewhat lower.

Thus, a full range of variability on the basis of seeds viability within different breeding numbers was detected: in a male sterile component the variation coefficient was 15.4-19.5 % in a usual ordinary plants it was – 15.0-20.6 %, in an ordinary hybrid – 16,0-19,9 %. The presence of a particular spectrum intrapopulation variability for seed productivity and viability opens up the possibility of these characteristics breeding improvement by means of  selection.

Key words: seeds viability, germination energy, germination, source material identification, genetic origin.