EN
The development of new research methods on the molecular level observed in recent years has opened unique possibilities of characterization and investigation of genome structure. It is necessary to know merits and limitations of these methods before their introducing into basic genetic research as weil as in applied breeding. The most important methods of protein and DNA molecules variability testing were discussed and their properties were compared in this article. Their application in different genetic investigations confirmed the usefulness of these methods for characterization of collection and plant breeding materials, for analysis of genome structure, as well as for taxonomy and phylogeny of plant species.