No 4 (2023)

The agricultural sector is constantly looking for new technologies (methods) to increase the efficiency of inputs (agrochemicals) and minimize possible anthropogenic impact on the environment. Accordingly, producers are proposing the use of controlled or slow-release fertilizers (technologies) to optimize the delivery of nutrients (using a polymer) to plants or chemicals to more effectively control weeds, pests and diseases (herbicides, insecticides and fungicides). This article considers the possibility of introducing innovative farming systems, where, in addition, agrarian producers, in addition to the goal of increasing yields, must maintain and increase soil fertility, including replenishment of nutrient reserves in the soil.

The results of the study of nitrogen-fixing activity during foliar treatment of vegetative soybean plants with liquid mineral fertilizers containing macro-microelements in various forms in the foothill zone of Kabardino-Balkaria are presented. The object of research is the early ripe soybean variety SK Veda. The soil of the experimental plot is a leached, medium-thick, low-humus, heavy loamy chernozem on carbonate clays, with a humus content in the arable layer of 3.1 %, pHkcl 5.0, mobile phosphorus 7.5 and exchangeable potassium 8.0 mg/100 g of soil. Encrustation of soybean seeds was carried out using a specific film-forming agent based on soybean phosphatides with the inoculant Nitrofix. The results of studies for 2020-2022 are given. with an assessment of the dynamics of the formation of the symbiotic apparatus by the number of nodules (pcs/m2) and by the mass of nodules (g/m2) in ontogeny of the macrosymbiont. The peak of nodule formation in soybean plants of the SK Veda variety fell on the flowering phase. The highest nodulation rates were noted in the control variant: in 2020 - 306 pcs/m2; in 2021 - 408 pcs/m2; in 2022 - 96 pcs/m2. It has been shown that foliar treatment of soybean plants with nutrient deficiency correctors has an impact on nodulation rates, with differences being noted depending on the treatment time. In the variant of Polydon NPK treatment in the primordial leaf phase, the nodulation parameters were minimal in the experiment over the years of the study (86; 216; 56 pcs/m2). Treatment of SK Veda soybean plants in the primordial leaf phase with molybdenum-containing fertilizers ensures the formation of larger nodules. The values of the nodule weight in the flowering phase in the variant of the treatment of Polydon plants with molybdenum in the primordial leaf phase increased by 1.56; 2.09; 1.11 times, respectively, for 2020, 2021, 2022. Nitrogenase activity averaged 26.4-281.6 µg N2/plant.h over the years of the study hour. In the control (inoculation with nitrogen-fixing microorganisms), the activity of nitrogenase was 208.3 µg N2/plant.h. Inoculation of soybean seeds with nitrogen-fixing microorganisms and foliar treatment of plants with Polydon molybdenum increased nitrogenase activity by 35.2-19.1 % and increased protein content by 5.0-3.9 % relative to control, depending on the treatment phase.

The results of weed infestation of cultivated oats and maize by the phases of their development and the manifestation of the signs of oat septoria affection in the experiment with an applied agrobiotechnology, including the use of biological preparations Trichoplant, SK (based on Trichoderma) and Biogor-Zh (based on Lactobacillus), nitrogen fertilizers (at the rate of 10 kg of NPPN per 1 ton of straw) and lime at the rate of 1.5 t/ha when using crushed by-products as fertilizer are presented. The work was carried out in the scientific and production experiment, founded in 2018 and located in Kursk Region, in Medvensky District, settlement of Panino, in two fields. In 2022 in the first field (cereal crop rotation) cultivated oat (Avena sativa L.) of the variety “Borets” was grown with buckwheat as a previous crop, in the second field (cereal and row crop rotation) maize for grain (Zea mays L.) of the variety “Delitop” was cultivated with winter wheat as a previous crop. The results were obtained in the following variants: 1. Control (no fertilizers and afterharvesting residues); 2. Crushed by-products of the crop as a background; 3. Background + nitrogen fertilizers; 4. Background + lime; 5. Background + biopreparations; 6. Background + biopreparations + nitrogen fertilizers; 7. Background + biopreparations + lime. The number of weeds less by 36.7 and 76.4 % related to the control, respectively, was found when biopreparations with nitrogen fertilizers were applied in maize and cultivated oats in the phase of ear emergence. The number of oat plants affected with ceptoria in the variants with biopreparations applied in the tillering phase and with combined application of biopreparations and lime in the phase of ear emergence was by 14.9 and 22.9 % less as compared to the control, respectively.

Modern low-mountain-foothill landscapes, as a result of human economic activity, have undergone significant changes in spatial differentiation under the influence of the anthropogenic factor, which is expressed in the depletion of biological resources and the decrease in biodiversity. An analysis of the monitoring of the state of the vegetation cover of the natural environment of landscapes in the foothills of Dagestan was carried out. An up-to-date description of the selected plant communities is given, the main types of vegetation are characterized. The features of the distribution of these communities in the natural and climatic zones of the foothills of Dagestan are described, where the northern region is cooler and more humid, and the southern region is warmer and less humid. The areas of various plant groups have been established. The purpose of the study was to determine the current state of foothill Dagestan, the productivity of steppe landscapes. The predominance of desert vegetation with a certain proportion of meadow vegetation is shown in the lowland part. It is noted that desert, forest and steppe vegetation is developed in the foothills. The dynamics of the productivity of the steppe communities of the foothill zone of Dagestan during the growing season has been determined. The study of the dynamics of productivity was carried out on 5 model plots, which differed in the type of vegetation and in the degree of influence of the anthropogenic factor (grazing). The studied sites were located in Buynaksky, Magaramkentsky (Gaptsakh village), Tabasaransky district (Kar-Kar) and Kumtorkalinsky districts. The studied phytocenoses of the steppe landscapes are formed mainly by dry-steppe grass species with the participation of feather grass, forbs and ephemera, as well as by a semi-desert semi-shrub - Tauride wormwood. Thus, it was noted that wormwood-cereal and wormwood-feather grass communities in Tabasaransky (village Maraga) and Buynaksky (village Gelli) give the highest productivity. The lowest productivity was noted in the valley of the region (Kar-Kar) on meadow solonchak soil covered with wormwood-saltwort vegetation.

The creation and improvement of adaptive apple assortment for industrial gardening in the Central zone of Russia is the main goal of the continuous work of breeders and specialists of related specialties of VNIISPK. A group of apple cultivars of various maturation periods has been created for both industrial gardening and amateur household farms. These apple cultivars are characterized by high adaptability to abiotic and biotic environmental factors, suitability for modern industrial production; they have attractive fruits with excellent taste and high content of biologically active substances. Fifteen VNIISPK cultivars are immune to scab along with a complex of economically valuable traits. The presence of the gene of immunity to scab in cultivars leads to a decrease in the fungicidal load in the orchard and, as a consequence, to the ecologization of fruit products. Nineteen VNIISPK apple cultivars are triploid. This biological feature is of great economic importance. Triploid cultivars are characterized by high-quality fruits, more regular fruiting and high yield. Seven triploid cultivars are also immune to scab, which increases their value. The share of apple cultivars of our breeding recommended for the Central Chernozem region is 44%, and for the Central region - 23% of the total apple assortment. Our apple cultivars not only satisfy the traditional tastes of the population, but are also characterized by a complex of biological and economically valuable features that allow them to be successfully introduced into intensive orchards, thereby playing an important role in solving the problem of import substitution of fruit products and year-round provision of fresh apples to the population. In many areas of the Central and Central Chernozem regions of Russia, the orchards are planted with VNIISPK cultivars. In Altukhovo LLC, Tula region, these orchards occupy 540 hectares. The average level of profitability of cultivation of 6 cultivars of VNIISPK breeding in this farm has amounted to 72.8% over the past five years. In the joint-stock company "Dubovoye" (Tambov region), the total area with our apple cultivars is 167.2 hectares with a profitability of 73.7%. In the “Komsomolets” stud farm (Tambov region), the average level of profitability for three VNIISPK cultivars occupying 48 hectares has amounted to 125.7% over the past five years.&

One of the ways to increase crop yields is the use of foliar treatments with humic preparations. The purpose of the research is to study the effect of silica-humic preparations on the yield of potatoes and changes in soil characteristics. In the experiment, the effect of the humic preparation BoGum and the silicic-humic preparations BoGum-S and nanoBoGum-S obtained on its basis on the yield of potatoes of the Skarb variety and the agrochemical parameters of the soil was studied. The experiment was carried out on soddy-podzolic soil in 2020-2022. at the Gubino VNIIMZ agricultural polygon in the Tver region. The preparations were used for the treatment of tubers and double foliar feeding of vegetative potato plants. Background - mineral fertilizers (N65P65K65). It was shown that all preparations contributed to the increase in the yield of potato tubers, mainly due to an increase in the mass of marketable tubers. The increase in potato yield from the use of BoGum and BoGum-S was almost the same and averaged 4.5% over three years, the use of nanosized nanoBoGum-S gave an increase of 10.6%. The years of research were distinguished by unfavorable weather conditions (2020 - excessively humid, 2021 - dry, 2022 - slightly dry). The increase in potato yield showed that the preparations reduced the impact of unfavorable abiotic factors. In the flowering phase of potatoes, a decrease in the content of monosilicic acids and an increase in polysilicic acids in the soil were noted in the variants with the use of silicic preparations compared with the control. In addition, when using all preparations, the accumulation of mobile phosphorus in the soil was observed on average by 9-19 mg/kg of soil.

The biomass of organic matter entering the soil after a particular crop affects the formation of humus, the phytosanitary state of the soil, and agricultural crops can use nutrients from plant residues much more efficiently than from mineral fertilizers. The article presents the results of many years of experiments on the study of the effect of stubble and root residues on the biological activity of soddy-podzolic soil using the application method in a field six-field crop rotation in the conditions of the Republic of Mari El. The experimental part of the work was carried out in the field on the experimental field of the Mari Research Institute of Agriculture - a branch of the Federal State Budgetary Scientific Institution FARC of the North-East according to the experience laid down in 1998. The repetition of options is three times, the location of the plots is systematic. It has been established that the activity of soil microflora mainly depends on the presence of organic matter in the soil. The highest activity of cellulose-destroying microorganisms on a natural background of fertility is observed in the second crop rotation when manure is applied for potatoes - 22.9% in the first period of exposure and 54.7% in the second period of exposure. The lowest biological activity of the soil for the first 45 days was noted in the grain-grass crop rotation (83% of cereals) - 17.7% and 43.4% - in the second period of exposure. This is due to the deficiency of organic substances due to their insufficient intake. The application of mineral fertilizers at a dose of N60P60K60 for pre-sowing cultivation significantly increases the biological activity of the soil in relation to the unfertilized background, and a rather high intensity of decomposition of flax cloth was observed in the second crop rotation - for the first 45 days - 24.9%, for 90 days - 56.8%. Correlation analysis (1998-2019) between the average value of canvas decomposition under crops for the entire growing season and the value of the hydrothermal coefficient (HTC) showed a close direct relationship, which in the first exposure period (45 days) was 0.87-0.90, in the second period of exposure - 0.86...0.89.

The results on the preservation of the genetic characteristics of the breed of Sychevka of cattle under conditions admixture of Holstein blood using marker genes of blood groups are presented. The studies were conducted from 1977 to 2021 in pedigree farms of the Smolensk region. The possibility of preserving by the method of immunogenetic monitoring of valuable hereditary traits of cows outstanding in milk productivity, from the families of the breed of Sychevka cattle, which allows preserving their genes in generations, thereby maintaining hereditary variability and increasing the dairy productivity of animals, has been established. Under immunogenetic control, the desirable genes of the Dobrynya 5141 cow, born in 1963 of the breed of Sychevka, marked with the A/B/ EAB-allele, have been preserved for 6 generations and are distributed in the genotypes of female offspring of the herd pedigree farm Rybkovskoe. The genetic predisposition of cows to high milk productivity is also preserved. It is proposed to use a method tested on animals of the breed of Sychevka in breeding to preserve the gene pool of other small or endangered breeds cattle.

The purpose of the research was to study the polymorphism of allelic variants of genes associated with high meat productivity for further selection of parental pairs using genetic methods. Genotyping of the Dagestan mountain sheep breeds (broodstock and rams) was carried out using a polymerase chain reaction. Genotyping was carried out for the following genes: CAST, GH, GDF9 on a Tertsik thermal cycler. Analysis of the results of PCR carried out with samples of sires of the Dagestan rock breed indicates that the GH gene polymorphism is represented by the A allele, with a high (0.87) and allele B, with a low (0.13) frequency of occurrence. The GDF9 gene polymorphism is represented by the GDF9G allele with a high (0.82) and the GDF9A allele with a low (0.18) frequency of occurrence. The distribution of homozygous genotype GHAA and heterozygous GHAB reached 84% and 16%, respectively. At the same time, the homozygous GHBB* genotype was absent in the studied sample. As a result of the research, new knowledge was obtained on biodiversity and forms of associations of polymorphism of the genes calpastatin, somatotropin, differential growth factor; breed-specific, population-specific features of the allelic spectrum of the CAST, GH, GDF9 genes in sheep of the Dagestan mountain sheep breed were established.

Monitoring of the genetic structure of cattle breeds allows conducting studies that provide information about the cross-section in the timeline by the frequencies of genotypes of blood groups. In particular, the study was carried out on 10 time intervals of observations in herds for the Kholmogorsky breed of breeding plants of the Arkhangelsk region (n = 10983). The dynamics is shown by the decrease and increase in the frequencies of individual alleles. The genetic structure of the herd becomes more homozygous, as the loss of alleles goes on. A similar situation has developed in the samples of cows of the first and ninth generations, their genetic structures are sharply different. According to the results of the research, it was found that the quantitative and qualitative composition of the allelofund of the Kholmogorsky cattle of the Arkhangelsk region has changed under the influence of breeding processes. It was found that the degree of homozygosity (theoretical) tends to decrease from 10.5% (3rd generation) to 6.5% (9th, 10th generation) in the context of the analyzed generations of females, and the number of effective alleles, respectively, increases from 9.4% to 15.4%. At the same time, it was revealed that the breeding stock of the herds of breeding plants of the Arkhangelsk region was heterogeneous according to the genetic panel of the EAV locus. The greatest genetic distance is shown by purebred cows of the Kholmogorsky breed of cattle of the 1-2 observation intervals with Holstein in the 9-10 intervals. Breeding work and assessment of genetic variability is a tool for successful breeding in cattle herds of breeding plants by generations. The event to create new and improve existing factory lines using genetic markers of breed affiliation is promising. This will reduce the negative consequences of related mating of parent pairs, as well as avoid an increase in the level of homozygosity in the controlled herds of the Arkhangelsk population of the Kholmogorsky cattle breed.