No 6 (2023)

The antioxidant defense system can be stimulated by growth regulators in plants when they are under stress, such as exposure to pathogens. There are a lot of natural growth regulators on the market, but no research has been carried out yet to determine how effective they are. This field and laboratory study examines the impact of two commonly used Russian growth regulators, Crezacin and Zircon, along with artificial infection with Fusarium culmorum on the antioxidant system of naked oat. The results show that, compared to the control, Crezacin-treated plants had higher contents of low molecular weight fructose and nonenzymatic antioxidants like proline, phenolic compounds, and flavonoids. Zircon-treated plants had a lower content of proline, carbohydrates, and lower total antioxidant activity than the control plants. The obtained data show that Crezacin treatment mainly affected nonenzymatic systems of the antioxidant defense. This treatment was more successful than the Zircon application, which did not show any appreciable effectiveness and was typically associated with an improvement in oat productivity. The treatment with growth regulators and a fungal suspension performed at the flowering phase provided the best effect on the biochemical parameters and productivity of naked oats. Moreover, oat treatment with the pathogen promoted the reproductive capabilities of the plants, while growth regulators helped in avoiding infectious stress.

The results of the study of 300 samples of spring soft wheat from a collection nursery with different ecological and geographical origin by identifying genetic sources with signs - precocity, short stemmed, coarse grained in the conditions of the Middle Volga region are presented. The research was carried out in 2019-2021 in the forest-steppe zone of the Samara region. The growing seasons during the years of research were quite arid: the hydrothermal coefficient in 2019 was 0.48, in 2020 - 0.52, in 2021 - 0.39 with an average annual value of 0.73. The study of the source material was carried out according to the methodology of the state variety testing and the methodological recommendations of the VIR. According to the results of the study, genetic sources of precocity were identified: Ural'skaya Kukushka, Chelyaba Rannyaya (Chelyabinsk region), Rifor 1, Rifor 6 (Leningrad region), Odeta, Libertina (Czech Republic), Chi Mai 1 (China); short stemmed: KWS Jetstream (Germany), Eleganza, Florens (France), Odeta, Libertina, Septima (Czech Republic), KWS Torridon (Great Britain), VZ-602 (Mexico), Iona (USA), Boett (Sweden), Long Fu 13 (China); coarse grains: Lutescens 6074/6-23 (Kinel), Ehkada 214, Ulyanovskaya 101, Burlak (Ulyanovsk), Saratovskaya 70 (Saratov), Chi Mai 1 (China). In turn, the samples Lutescens 6074/6-23, Ehkada 214, Burlak, in addition to high values of the mass of 1000 grains, had high yields during the years of research. The highest grain productivity was distinguished by samples of local breeding created in recent years - Kinelskaya Yubileynaya, Kinelskaya Zarya, Kinelskaya Zvezda, Kinelskaya 2020, Kinelskaya Volna, Lutescens 6074/6-23, Erythrospermum 6517/24-1, varieties of Bezenchyk selection - Tulaykovskaya 108, Tulaykovskaya 116, as well as Saratov selection - Saratovskaya 73, Saratovskaya 74, Albidum 33 and Ulyanovsk selection - Burlak, Ulyanovskaya 100. The selected genetic sources of valuable traits are recommended to be used as parental forms in breeding programs of crossing in the conditions of the Middle Volga region.

Studies of biochemical processes occurring in plant tissues indicate a significant role of interactions involving oxygen-containing compounds. Hydrogen peroxide is one of the oxidizing agents found in the structure of plant tissues, the most stable oxygen-containing substance. According to the results of experimental studies of the action of oxygen-containing compounds, including as activators of hydrogen peroxide, introduced into the composition of the moisturizing liquid used in the germination of seeds of cultivated plants, it was found that their use increases the activity of growth processes. Using the example of cucumber seedlings of the Mazai F1 variety, the best indicators were found in a two-component aqueous solution containing hydrogen peroxide (3.5×10-5 M) and cyclohexanone (1.75×10-5 M). The increase during the 48-part experiment was 175% compared to the comparison experiment conducted in distilled water. An assessment of the environmental safety of the proposed solutions containing oxygen-containing compounds in their composition has shown that they are safe in recommended concentrations as moisturizing liquids for seed germination.

The research was carried out in a long-term stationary experiment with mineral fertilizers, laid in 1962-1964 on meadow chernozem-like soil in Sadovoye village of the Tambov district of the Amur region, in 2020-2022. The object of the study was the crops of the precocious soybean variety Sentyabrinka, which is the fourth crop of the five-field crop rotation. The aim of the research was to study the influence of external factors on the intake and content of nutrients, productivity and biological yield of soybean seeds in the system of long-term use of fertilizers. Of the abiotic factors, the accumulation of heat and precipitation had a positive effect on the growth and development of soybean plants of the September variety, the intake of mineral nutrition elements from the soil. The most favorable conditions for the formation of a high yield were formed in 2021, due to sufficient precipitation in July (104 mm) and August (194 mm), which contributed to the active formation of beans and seeds in early-ripening plants. The anthropogenic factor of fertilization had a positive effect on the number and weight of seeds from one plant. The average annual loads of N24P30K24, N42P48 and N24P30 + manure 4.8 t/ha provide an increase in the number of seeds by 3.6-3.7 compared to the control, and the weight by 2.3-3.4%, depending on the average annual load of fertilizers. At the same time, the mass of 1000 seeds was greater than in the control by 0.9-4.8 g. The positive effect of fertilizers on plant nutrition led to an increase in the biological yield of seeds, which was the highest in the weather conditions of 2020 and 2021. On average, over 3 years of research, there was a stable tendency to increase biological yield against the background of the action and aftereffect of fertilizers by 0.23-0.68 t/ha with coefficients varying by years from 2.1 to 10.4%, depending on the average annual load of fertilizers.

The article presents the results of studying the species composition of perennial grasses and the bioproductivity of long-term phytocenoses in Karelia for the subsequent assessment of carbon pools. On the typical peat agrozeme, during the 30-year succession, there was a restructuring of the vegetation cover of hayfields with the predominance of large-grass communities at present. Based on the results of geobotanical descriptions, dominant species were identified that correspond to the conditions of excessive moisture, high trophic soils and make the main contribution to the formation of productivity of perennial herbaceous vegetation. The economically valuable harvest of dry phytomass of grass-mixed herbage amounted to 10.16 t/ha and significantly exceeded similar indicators of 5.46 - 6.79 t/ha of mixed phytocenoses. The reserves of aboveground phytomass ranged from 12.06 to 17.94 t/ha and exceeded the underground reserves by 2.1 - 3.1 times. The assessment of vegetation cover on transformed agrophytocenoses gives an idea of carbon reserves during the successional change of perennial herbaceous plants.

Spring frosts during flowering and fruit setting often deprive the plum of the harvest, worsen the general condition of trees and the quality of fruits. In this regard, the purpose of the research was to isolate plum varieties resistant to spring frosts for breeding use. The research was carried out in 2022-2023 at the sites of the primary variety study of stone crops and in the laboratory of the Physiology of the stability of fruit plants of the Russian Research Institute of Fruit Crop Breeding. The objects of the study were plum varieties of various genetic origin of the bioresource collection of the Institute. The assessment of resistance to spring frosts in the field was carried out in accordance with the "Program and methodology of variety study of fruit, berry and nut crops". In laboratory conditions, artificial freezing was carried out in the climate chamber Espec PSL-2KPH (Japan). The stability of generative organs of Prúnus doméstica, Prunus salicina and Prunus × rossica Erem. varieties was evaluated. in field and controlled conditions. Varieties of Prunus × rossica Erem. - Vetraz’, Gek, Zlato Skifov and Prunus salicina - Orlovskaya mechta, Skoroplodnaya, Suvenir Vostoka showed high stability of flowers and buds after the action of temperature -3 °C. The varieties Hungarian Zarechnaya, Stanley and Kuban Comet withstood a temperature of -3 °C with a proportion of dead buds of no more than 10 % and flowers of no more than 25 %. The data obtained under controlled conditions had a close correlation with the field assessment of damage to plum blossoms r = 0.75. The most resistant to spring frosts in the field and laboratory conditions are the varieties of plum Kubanskaya cometa, Skoroplodnaya and Orlovskaya mechta.

The article presents the results of assessing the productivity, ecological plasticity, stability, homeostasis and breeding value of large-fruited strawberry varieties in the conditions of the Kamchatka Territory. According to the results of the research, the Alexandrina variety and hybrids 4-0-1, 5-0-2 with high productivity and ecological plasticity were identified for use in breeding programs when creating new agroecologically specialized varieties.

The time at which poultry reaches sexual maturity affects the economic profitability of the farm. The timing may vary under the influence of feeding, lighting and other conditions, the stability of which in individual farms is difficult to maintain at the same level. Tests of poultry for productive qualities and breeding indicators were carried out in 2021-2022 at the K.A. Zhdanov peasant (farming) economy, (Voronezh region, Ramonsky district, Novopodkletnoye village) on guinea fowl of the selection core line VBA-1 (Volga white autosex). Studies have shown that early selection of laying hens and breeding males before the start of flock reproduction increases the proportion of highly productive birds. The maximum number of fertilized eggs (90.42±4.29 - 92.71±3.07%) was obtained from early and mid-ripening laying hens that reached the age of puberty at 231-244 days. Early-ripening guinea fowl had a significant (P<0.05) superiority over late-ripening ones in most qualitative and quantitative indicators of sperm (ejaculate volume 0.097 - 0.1 cm3, concentration - 4.01 - 4.45 billion/cm3). Selection of poultry based on early maturity will improve the composition of the parent flock of guinea fowl, increase the farm profitability by improving the quality of the eggs obtained from them and increasing the number of young animals hatched.

The positive influence of the medications from Acanthopanax roots on the reproductive function of cows is determined. The short-term inclusion of the flour from Acanthopanax roots in the ration of dry cows showed the positive influence on the studied indicators. The cases of the operational separation of the afterbirth shortened from 11.9 to 3.8 %, number of days from calving to the first wish to become pregnant shortened by 11.7 days (66.8 in control to 55.1 in experiment), the duration of service-period decreased on averave by 15 days (88 in control to 73 in experiment). The dynamism of activity of the blood serum ferments as the term of pregnancy are increasing is exposed. The results of use of the extract from Acanthopanax roots from the first day after calving testify to the positive changes of the all studied indicators, characterizing the state of cow reproductive function. The processes of uterus involution accelerated significantly regarding animals of the experienced group. Thanks to this the sexual cycles after calving resumed earlier on averave by 9.9 days in comparison with the cows of the same age of the control group, that reflected positive on the results of ows artificial insemination. The size of service-period decreased by 25.13 days. The difference is significant when P< 0.01 (td=3.2).

This article discusses scientific studies that indicate the negative factors that arise when using insecticides to combat blood-sucking diptera insects. Diptera insects are carriers of viral diseases of humans and animals, such as anthrax, tularemia, diphtheria, anaplasmosis and others. They also contribute to the transmission of invasive diseases, which further increases their harmfulness. To reduce the economic damage caused by insects, various preventive and extermination measures are used, where the main method is the use of insecticides. However, more and more studies point to the negative impact of chemical insecticides on the environment and non-target organisms, including humans. This may indicate that the scale of the use of insecticidal drugs is far ahead of the study of the consequences associated with their use.  Therefore, the current situation requires a reassessment of this approach to pest control. To collect information, a search was made for scientific papers in Russian and foreign sources on the negative consequences of the use of insecticides and alternative approaches to pest control. Research in this area is necessary to develop effective and environmentally friendly pest control strategies and minimize losses in animal husbandry. To overcome the environmental problems associated with the use of insecticides in animal husbandry, an integrated approach is considered, which includes a variety of tactics based on alternative methods of disinsection and combining mechanical, cultural, biological and chemical methods of pest control while minimizing the use of insecticides.

The existing technology for producing soybean seeds does not provide them with high quality indicators and, accordingly, the full realization of the potential possibilities of soybean varieties in terms of yield. The invention proposes a new technology for obtaining high-quality conditioned seeds, with a separate fraction in two-phase threshing combines already in the process of harvesting, which can be used for sowing without subsequent post-harvest part-time processing. Such quite important tasks, implemented simultaneously in one technological scheme of soybean harvesting, have not been implemented today in any Russian or international engineering company. To obtain high-quality soybean seeds in a two-phase threshing combine during harvesting, technological and design solutions have been developed that allow dividing threshed grain into two fractions - seed and commodity. In case of two-phase threshing with the first threshing drum operating at the lower level of power action, the most mature biologically full-fledged soybean seeds are soaked at the softer modes, separately sorted at the first half of the combine sieve mill and separately collected in the first grain screw and then in the two-section hopper of the combine. Separating the rolled board into two parts and preventing mixing of the sieved grain, which is soaked with the first and browned with the second threshing drums in rigid modes, more than 60% of the quality soybean seeds of the first fraction extracted during threshing and separation from the first threshing drum are separately obtained in a separate hopper of the combine. The seed fraction with a high mass of 1000 seeds has purity at the level of the requirements of the first class with high inoculation properties, a lower amount of crushing and micro damage and increased productivity. The commodity fraction prevents grain losses from undergrowth in the sex and from non-waste in the straw.