The study aims to improve winter wheat cultivation technology in the arid zone of the Stavropol Krai based on the optimization and renewal of the variety base of winter wheat grown by NoTill technology. The authors carried out the work in 2019-2020 in the arid zone of the Stavropol Krai. In the experiment to evaluate winter wheat varieties grown on pea and sunflower forerunners, there were 15 varieties of different breeding. The variety Yuka was used as a control. The total size of the experimental plot - 1.9 ha. Pea forerunner yield was 23.92-39.44 c/ha, depending on the variety. The highest yielding variety was Tanya (39.44 c/ha), 12.6% higher than the farm variant Yuka (35.04 c/ha). The varieties Aksinya and Volny Don increased 4.8-7.1% compared to the Yuka variety. All studied varieties showed a relatively high degree of resistance to the development of pathogens. The highest coefficient of prevalence and intensity of pyrenophorosis in winter wheat plants sown after peas were observed in the variety Alekseich with 67% prevalence and 0.63% intensity, and the lowest in the variety Aist with 22% and 0.33%, respectively. The highest prevalence and intensity factor for pyrenophorosis in winter wheat plants sown after sunflower was in the variety Krasa Dona, with 47% prevalence and 0.63% intensity, and the lowest in the variety Niva Stavropolia, with 21% and 0.33%, respectively.