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Elementary processes of the crack nucleation and growth in textured polycrystalare considered. It is shown that crystallographic texture results in non-uniform distribution ofthe crack nucleus orientations. This is the main cause for anisotropy of brittle fracture stress ofdeformed metal. It is ascertained that effect of “oriented” microstresses gives rise to increasein brittle strength anisotropy of polycrystal. Based on above mentioned, influence of smallplastic strains preceding fracture on the value of anisotropy of fracture stress of metals andalloys is analysed.