Аннотация:These methodological guidelines highlight all stages of the work with the collection of grain legume crop germplasm held by VIR. They describe unified practices in line with international standards in the field of the collection's replenishment and in vivo maintenance, its conservation under controlled conditions, trends and methods of its studying within the network of VIR's branches and the country's research institutions. In the context of the collection management, recommendations are given concerning its documentation, development of passport and evaluation data bases, and preparation of accompanying documents for viability maintenance, placement for storage, and shipment of germplasm samples to users. A detailed description of the techniques used in the field assessment of the variability of economically valuable traits is presented. Basic statistical data processing practices are summarized in brief to facilitate data analysis. These methodological guidelines do not include advanced research methods (biochemical, immunological, physiological, technological, molecular biological, etc.), whose arsenal is unceasingly being expanded and highlighted in special manuals – instead, they summarize the experience of the plant resources department staff in preparing germplasm material for such kind of research. The present guidelines are addressed to the experts working with genetic resources of grain legumes at VIR or the branches of VIR, plant breeding centers, and other agricultural research institutions. However, most of the operational stages and techniques described in these Methodological Guidelines may be extrapolated to other crops.