No 2 (2024)

In 2020–2022 at the Dagestan experimental station of the VIR branch 30 samples of durum wheat of different ecological and geographical origins (Russia, Austria, Mexico, Syria, Egypt) were studied under irrigation conditions under winter sowing. The k-66674 Odari, k-67482 Yarina (Krasnodar Territory) and k-32453 Derbentskaya Chernokolosaya (Republic of Dagestan) varieties were sown as standard samples. Over three years of study, a field and laboratory assessment were given for the following characteristics: length of the growing season, resistance to fungal diseases (powdery mildew, brown and yellow rust) and lodging, grain weight per unit area (1 m²), weight of 1000 grains, number of grains in one ear and the mass of grain from one ear. The varieties are recommended as sources of breeding valuable traits (earliness, productivity, large grain size) for further use in breeding and genetic programs for the creation of new adaptive varieties.

The studies were carried out in 2010–2022 in the Lipetsk and Tambov regions. Soil (humus horizon) was sampled from apple orchards of different ages, soil types and subtypes. For the growing season, apple seedlings of the Renet Kichunov variety from open pollination were used. With an increase in the content of physical clay in the soil from 10 to 45%, the length of seedling shoots increased from 3.5 to 15.5 cm, the total dry biomass – from 0.7 to 2.2, including leaves – from 0.3 to 1 ,0, shoots – from 0.2 to 0.6, roots – from 0.2 to 0.6 g/vessel. If the content of physical clay reaches 85%, this leads to a stop in shoot growth and a decrease in the total dry biomass. With an increase in the leached chernozem bonitet from 75 to 90 points, the height of seedlings increases from 4 to 15 cm, the total dry biomass – from 0.3 to 1.9, including leaves – from 0.1 to 0.5, shoots – from 0 .1 to 0.4, roots – from 0.1 to 1.0 g/vessel. When the age of an apple orchard changes from 1 year to 20 years, the height of apple seedlings planted on this soil decreases from 40 to 4 cm, the total dry biomass – from 6.2 to 0.6, including the mass of leaves – from 3 to 0, 3, shoots – from 1.8 to 0.2, roots – from 1.4 to 0.1 g/vessel. This allowed us to develop a biometric scale by which we can estimate the age of the soil (degree of soil fatigue) using seedlings. The obtained data make it possible to propose biometric scales for assessing changes in the granulometric composition, quality of the soil and the time it remains in the apple orchard based on the biomass of apple tree seedlings of the Renet Kichunov variety.

The article studies the effectiveness of using mineral fertilizers, growth stimulants and bacterial preparations in the cultivating millet technology. The research was carried out in 2021–2023 on the experimental field of the Kabardino-Balkarian Scientific Research Institute of Agriculture, which located in the steppe zone of the Kabardino-Balkarian Republic. The object of study is the mid-late millet variety Kavkazskie Zori, bred by Kabardino-Balkarian Research Institute of Agriculture. Inoculation of seeds with Rizoagrin (Agrobacterium radiobacter) and Azophyte (Azotobacter vinelandii) was carried out on the day of sowing, exogenous spraying of plants with growth stimulants Mival Agro (10 g/ha), MS-extra (0.5 kg/ha) – in the three-leaf phase. Treatment of seeds with biological preparations Rizoagrin and Azofit increases field germination by 8.9 and 5.3%, respectively, relative to the control. They also have a positive effect on the preservation of plants for harvesting. The usage of biological products provides an increase in the yield of millet by 0.38–0.54 t/ha compared to the control, fertilizers – 0.64 t/ha, growth stimulants – 0.27–0.46 t/ha. Maximum productivity was achieved with the biological product Rizoagrin and the growth stimulator MS-extra against the background of N10P26K26 – 2.48 t/ha.

The results of a study of the operation of photosystem II in the leaves of nine soybean varieties bred by the All-Russian Research Institute of Soybean are presented in order to identify genotypes with increased photosynthetic activity for inclusion in the breeding process when creating highly productive varieties of a new generation. A comparative assessment of varieties is given in terms of effective quantum yield of photosynthesis (Y) and chlorophyll fluorescence (F₀), relative electron transport rate (ETR) and photochemical energy conversion depending on light saturation. The soybean varieties Gracia, Sonata and Kitrossa had the highest indicators for the studied parameters, significantly exceeding the standard variety Lydia. The effective quantum yield of photosynthesis, which shows the degree of absorption of solar energy, in the Gracia and Sonata varieties during the entire growing season was at the level of 0.80–0.83 rel. units, with this indicator exceeding for the Lydia variety by 0.09–0.13 rel. units depending on the phase of plant growth and development. The quantum yield of fluorescence (F₀) in the leaves of the Lydia variety during the flowering phase exceeded the Gracia, Sonata and Kitrossa varieties by 60, 56 and 63%, respectively, which indicates a reduced activity of photosystem II in this variety. The efficiency of photochemical conversion of photosynthetic energy during the flowering phase was most stable in the leaves of the Sonata variety at light levels from 600 to 1500 µmol quanta/(m²∙s). Using the soybean variety Gratsia as the maternal form (♀) when crossed with the hybrid Am.2146, which was obtained with the inclusion of the Sonata variety in the hybridization, which also has a high degree of absorption of light quanta, the Radiant variety was create. Variety passed testing in 2021–2022, and in 2023 included in the State Register of Breeding Achievements for cultivation in the Far Eastern (12) region.

The object of research was the light chestnut soil of the Chokh Agrofirm of the Gunibsky district in the Kizilyurt transhumance zone of the Republic of Dagestan. The humus content in the arable layer is 2.77%, P₂O₅ – 2.21, K₂O – 32.8 mg/100 g, the density of the arable soil layer is 1.24 g/cm³, the lowest moisture capacity (MC) is 29.2% (layer 0–0.6 m). The effectiveness of two row-crop predecessors was studied: sunflower for seeds and corn for grain, and the use of skimmers in the main tillage for corn. Soil moisture, watering and irrigation standards, incoming and outgoing items of the water balance and the coefficient of water consumption for corn were determined. In the second ten days of May, the plant remains of predecessors were crushed using double disking with heavy disc harrows BDT-3, plowing was carried out to a depth of 0.28–0.30 m with a PLN-4-35 plow with and without skimmers, the field was leveled with a small leveler MV – 6 and watered at the rate of moistening the soil layer of 0–0.6 m in strips with lateral release of water manually, vegetation irrigation was carried out in furrows. Sunflower sowing was carried out with seeds of the VNIIMK-8883 variety, corn – hybrid ROSS-299, the seeding rate for both crops was 72 thousand seeds/ha. Fertilizers for sunflower were applied at the rate of N₉₀Р₄₀К₉₀, including N₄₀Р₂₄К₇₄ for plowing, N₁₆Р₁₆К₁₆ – when sowing with seeds, N₃₄ for fertilizing in the phase of 5–6 leaves when cutting furrows, for corn – N₉₀Р₄₀, of which N₄₀Р₂₄ for plowing, N₁₆Р₁₆К₁₆ when sowing with seeds, N₃₀ in fertilizing in the phase of 3–5 leaves. It has been established that in the areas of irrigated agriculture of the Western Caspian region, when selecting row-crop predecessors for corn for grain, preference should be given to early-ripening varieties of sunflower for seeds, which are harvested in the third decade of July, and after harvesting it remains in the soil more than 15 t/ha of plant mass. At the same time, the maximum corn yield is achieved – 9.16 t/ha of grain, exceeding the control by 33.1%, due to which, with the same total water consumption as the control option, the water consumption coefficient is reduced by 23.7%.

The research was conducted in a forest-steppe zone of the municipality of “Korochan district” (Belgorod region). Typical and leached chernozem constituted the two types of soils, that were studied. The goal was to evaluate the main results of introduction of the No-till farming system, following the example of LLC “Meat Farms – Iskra”. It was found out that on average, throughout the years of 2018-2022, winter wheat was the most regular (24.5%), alongside sunflower (23.2%). Legumes prevalence was at 32.5% with soy (20.0%). Organic fertilizer wasn’t used in the process; however, the average dose of mineral fertilizers was 66 kg of the substance/ha, which is 42.4% lower than the average for Belgorod region. The usage of the system No-till yield the sunflower, soy and corn-beans, as well as winter wheat plantings corresponded to 2.21, 1.65, 6.35 and 4.43 t/ha, which is lower by 23.5, 20.7, 11.2, 10.9% when compared with the average throughout Belgorod region. The quantity of organic substances in the arable layer of the soil underwent an increase of 0, 14%, the quantity of mobile forms of phosphorus and potassium went down by 12 and 28 mg/kg accordingly, the dose of acidic soils decreased by 8,7%. The amount of mobile forms of sulfur and microelements didn’t particularly change. The profitability of crop production using the No-till system was 82.3%, which is 1.29 times higher than the average of the Belgorod region.

The influence of molecular hydrogen on the fertility parameters and energy metabolism of spermatozoids of black-and-white Holstein bulls was studied. Sperm was diluted with sterile BioXcell medium (France), diluted in hydrogen water. We studied native sperm diluted with BioXcell and BioXcell with molecular hydrogen, as well as after deep freezing with and without pre-treatment with molecular hydrogen. The addition of molecular hydrogen to the medium for diluting sperm and subsequent freezing changed the functional status of cells after thawing, leading to an increase in their motility, an increase in the number of motile and fast sperm, and a decrease in the number of slow cells relative to the analyzed indicators of regenerative cells after cryopreservation that were not exposed to molecular hydrogen. Sperm motility after thawing was 12% higher (p ≤ 0.05), the average movement speed was 9% (p≤0.05), and the ATP content was two times higher than in sperm samples not treated with molecular hydrogen. The results of the experiment showed that the addition of molecular hydrogen to the semen extender improves the biological indicators of the quality of bull sperm, its fertility, and increases the energy metabolism of spermatozoids.

Modern technologies make it possible to identify homozygous chromosome regions that have arisen as a result of animal selection. The article presents the results obtained in the genotyping of chickens using the Illumina Chicken 60KSNP iSelect Bead Chip. For the first time, a genome-wide analysis of the extended homozygous SNP sequences (ROH) was performed in the genome of Czech Golden hens. The average number of ROH segments in the chicken genome was 143 ± 8. ROH segments are usually randomly distributed in chicken chromosomes. It has been proposed to prohibit the use of heterozygous SNPs in ROH segments to prevent overestimation of ROH data. The average inbreeding coefficient in chickens calculated from ROH data was 0.34 ± 0.03. ROH islands were found on chromosomes 2, 3, 9 and 22. They contain genes associated with immunity, degradation of neurons, Fabricius bursa weight, obesity, feather pigmentation, and regulation of hit-shock genes. In the Czech Golden chicken breed, selection and the associated inbreeding have therefore influenced the genes involved in several biological processes.

The purpose of the study is to review the spread of bovine eimeriosis in the territory of the Russian Federation. Objectives of the study: to analyze the epizootic situation of bovine eimeriosis in the territory of the Russian Federation. Bovine coccidiosis is widespread in many regions of Russia and in other countries of the world. The pathogens are more than 10 species of eimeria, which have a specific localization in the body of animals, as well as morphological differences from each other. Three species (E. zuernii, E. bovis and E. alabamensis) are characterized by the highest pathogenicity and are most often associated with the clinical manifestation of the disease. Mostly young animals aged from 2 weeks to 1 year are ill, and adult animals have an asymptomatic form of invasion. In many animals, eimeria causes dangerous diseases, accompanied by a decrease in productivity, the birth of weak offspring, often the death of young animals, and additional feed costs per unit of production. In livestock complexes, the incidence of calves with eimeriosis is 10–100%, and mortality is 25–60%. The maximum infection of calves and adult animals is observed in the spring and autumn periods, and in some regions in the autumn-winter period. It was found that with an increase in the density of calves in the machine, their infection with eimeria increases significantly. The invasion of calves was minimal when kept in individual machines. Given that parasites have a complex developmental biology, one of the most important measures in the complex of measures ensuring the prevention and elimination of animal diseases with coccidiosis is currently still pharmacotherapy and prevention, contributing not only to the liberation of animals from parasites, but also to prevent the dispersion of the invasive origin in the environment and to prevent the threat of new infection.

The article discusses the issues of determining the level of occurrence biological risks, as well as the spread of infectious and parasitic diseases of potato according to the parameters of the transmission mechanisms and routes. Most pathogens are characterized by a high (26.1%) and very high (43.5%) level of risk. It has been established that in the latter group, 75% of infectious and parasitic diseases of potato have a mycotic etiology, 15 – helminthic, 10% – bacterial. There are no pathogens of infectious and parasitic potato diseases of viral etiology in this group. The average score for the very high-risk group is 10.8. In the low-risk group the most of potato diseases pathogens have a bacterial etiology (80%), medium – bacterial (44.5%) and mycotic (33.3%), high – viral (66.6%).