The article focuses on the problem of poultry manure processing. Biotechnological methods for obtaining a liquid biopreparation for plants based on chicken manure are considered. All studies were conducted at the All-Russian Research Institute of Reclaimed Lands (Tver Region). Based on the results of the experiments, optimal parameters for the process of obtaining a biopreparation using a soft extraction technique were selected. Since many compounds are present in chicken manure in water-soluble form, most of them go into solution during extraction. When using liquid fertilizers, plants receive nutrition in the form of a concentrated solution and such stimulation can be carried out, if necessary, throughout the entire growing season. Chicken manure from a year ago was extracted at a temperature of 70 °C with an aqueous solution of sodium chloride in different concentrations (3, 5 and 7%) and for different durations of exposure (2, 4 и 6 hours). Having studied the obtained extracts, the optimal extraction mode was determined: the ratio of the initial raw material and extractant is 1:10, the concentration of the sodium chloride solution is 5%, the exposure time is 6 hours. When the specified parameters were met, high enzymatic activity was observed in the resulting biopreparation: catalase (2.45 U/ml), cellulase (0.28 μg glucose/0.2 g/day) and invertase (168 mg glucose/g/day). The highest carbohydrate content was also recorded: reducing sugars (0.20%), glucose (0.10%) and fructose (0.23%).  A favorable microflora consortium was identified: the number of mixed microorganisms was 4.0×10⁷ CFU/ml, lactic acid microorganisms – 2.6×10⁵ CFU/ml. The biopreparation effectiveness was determined in a laboratory experiment on seed germination and development of flax plants of the Nadezhda variety. When the flax seeds were treated with the biopreparation, the length of the sprouts reliably increased (by 19.3% at a dose of 5 ml/l, by 16.9% at a dose of 10 ml/l), and by 21.5% at a dose of 15 ml/l), the mass of dry sprouts increased more than 2–3 times (in all dilutions), which proves the effectiveness of the new biopreparation.

The varietal specificity of spring hard wheat Omsky Topaz, Omsky Malachite was studied in response to the use of mineral fertilizers (0; P₄₅; P₄₅ + foliar feeding in the heading phase N₃₀; N₃₀P₄₅; P₂₀ at sowing) in the conditions of the Omsk Irtysh region. The soil is meadow-chernozem, medium-deep, heavy loamy, with a humus content of 6.3–6.5% (according to Tyurin), mobile phosphorus and exchangeable potassium of 101–120 and 350–420 mg/kg of soil (according to Chirikov), respectively, and a pH of 6.5–6.7. It was found that the new varieties Omsky Topaz and Omsky Malachite, declared as the varieties with an increased gluten index (more than 50%), were inferior in yield to the Pearl of Siberia standard variety on an unfavorable background by 19 and 11%, respectively. The maximum increase (0.35–0.37 t/ha of grain) in yield in the tested varieties was obtained in the application of mineral fertilizers at a dose of N₃₀P₄₅, with an agronomic payback of no more than 5 kg of grain. In the standard variety, the payback was 10.4 kg of grain. It was revealed that the content of gross forms of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium in wheat grain and straw is similar to the standard variety. The consumption of nitrogen and potassium in the Omsk Topaz and Omsk malachite varieties exceeded the consumption of these elements of the standard variety by 4.5–8.3 kg; 5.0–13.4 kg, respectively. The coefficients of use of NPK from soil and fertilizers (CUN and CUF) of the new varieties did not differ from the standard, with the exception of the Omsky Malachite variety: CUF – 62%, 11% ab. units lower than that of the standard grade. The highest protein content in the grain was in the Omsky Malachite variety –16.4 (unfertilized background), the gluten index in the Omsky Topaz variety was obtained at 76.1% and in the Omsky Malachite variety – 58.4%.

In the forest-steppe conditions of the Kuznetsk Basin, the influence of biopreparations on the productivity and quality indicators of potatoes was studied in 2023 and 2024. The materials for the research were improved micro plants of the released potato varieties of different maturity groups: Lyubava (early-maturing), Kemerovochanin and Nevsky (middle-early), Tuleyevsky (medium-maturing), as well as the biopreparations Phitosporin-M, PS (paste) and Phytoverm, EC (emulsion concentrate). As a source material, 768 micro plants (192 plants of each variety) were taken from a bank of healthy potato varieties and planted in the third ten-day period of April on Agrobalt-S peat substrate in 64-cell seedling cassettes. The dosage of biological preparations for foliar treatments was determined according to the recommendations for their use. Treatments were carried out during the cultivation of potato seedlings (in vivo culture) in April – May and in the mini-tuber nursery in June – August. It was established that biopreparations contributed to an increase in the height of seedling plants. As the frequency of foliar treatments increases, the share of the yield of the standard fraction of mini-tubers in the studied varieties (except for the Lyubava variety) increases by an average of 2–6% with two treatments and by 1–4% with three treatments. At the same time, the amount of non-standard fraction is reduced by 1–10%. Treatment of plants with biopreparations during in vivo seedling cultivation and subsequent treatments in the propagation nursery reduces the development of Alternaria and Rhizactonia blight by 3–8% and limits the spread of late blight. The results demonstrate that the impact of biopreparations on potato productivity and quality is effective and promising.

Salidroside is a glycoside of tyrosol, which is mainly found in the underground parts of plants of the genus Rhodiola L., including Rhodiola rosea L. This biologically active component is known for its various beneficial properties: anticancer, antioxidant, anti-aging, antidiabetic, antidepressant, antihyperlipidemic, anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory effects. In this work, the content of salidroside in the rhizomes and roots of Rhodiola rosea of Altai Mountains origin, grown in introduction in the forest-steppe zone of Western Siberia, is analyzed. Planting material for the experiment was obtained by the in vitro method. Clonal plants aged 2 to 6 years, as well as one plant grown in introduction for 20 years, were used for biochemical analysis. The maximum salidroside content in the rhizome and roots (2.33 and 1.04 mg/g, respectively), as well as the highest annual increase in the biomass of underground organs (more than 3 times) were observed in clonal samples in the 6th year of cultivation The maximum salidroside content in the rhizome and roots (2.33 and 1.04 mg/g, respectively), as well as the highest annual increase in the biomass of underground organs (more than 3 times) were observed in clonal samples in the 6th year of cultivation. In the period from the 2nd to the 5th year, the salidroside content varied from 1.04 to 1.83 mg/g and did not depend on the age of the plants. The plant grown in an introduction for 20 years showed the highest salidroside content in the rhizome ‒ 12.25 mg/g, which corresponds to or exceeds the indicators of natural samples from the Altai Mountains. It is important to note that only the 20-year-old plant meets the requirements of the Russian Pharmacopoeia for the level of salidroside accumulation. It was concluded that a 6-year cultivation cycle during introduction in the forest-steppe zone of Western Siberia is insufficient to obtain standard Rhodiola rosea raw materials. In the future, it is planned to develop agricultural methods that will increase the content of salidroside and simultaneously reduce the time of plant cultivation.

The paper presents research data on the influence of hydrothermal factors on the yield level of barley of different maturity groups under contrasting environmental conditions. The dependence of barley yield on the amount of precipitation, average daily air temperature and hydrothermal coefficient in the conditions of the Ob forest-steppe were analyzed. The research was conducted from 2014 to 2023 at the Siberian Research Institute of Plant Production and Breeding (SibNIIRS) – Branch of the Scientific Research Institute of Cytology and Genetics of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences. The study material included 51 varieties of barley included in the State Register of the Varieties and Hybrids of Agricultural Plants Approved for Use in the West Siberian and East Siberian Regions. It was determined that the stability of the yield formation by groups was as follows: "ear
ly" – 0.82%, "middle-early" – 0.79% and "medium-maturing" – 0.80%, which indicates a synchronous 
response of the varieties of different maturity groups to contrasting environmental conditions. It has 
been established that in the conditions of the Ob forest-steppe, the level of barley yield depends on 
the amount of precipitation for the period May – July (r = 0.37–0.44 for unfavorable conditions and  
r = 0.63–0.68 for favorable conditions) and the hydrothermal coefficient (r = 0.45–0.58 for unfavorable conditions and r = 0.62–0.64 for favorable conditions). A reliable high correlation has also been 
established between the yield and air temperature in June for all maturity groups over a 10-year period 
(r = 0.70; 0.72; 0.69). 

The article presents the results of assessing the effectiveness of using various means of intensification when propagating the source material of three potato varieties of Siberian selection (Yuna, Lina, Zlatka) in the forest-steppe conditions of the Novosibirsk Ob region. The purpose of the study was to determine the optimal combinations of the doses of disinfectant, humic preparations and mineral fertilizer to reduce the development of rhizoctoniose on potato stems. In the experiments, the disinfectant Celest Top (consumption rate 0.2 and 0.4 l/t), humic preparations Beres-8 (consumption rate for tubers 0.2 l/t, during the growing season – 0.2 l/ha) and Relict (consumption rate for tubers 0.01 l/t, during the growing season – 0.2 l/ha) at two levels of mineral nutrition (N₄₀P₄₀K₈₀ and natural fertility) were used. Study of the effect of the combined use of mineral fertilizers, fungicides, and environmentally friendly humic-based preparations on the phytosanitary situation in potato crops showed that the ap plication of mineral fertilizer at a dose of N₄₀P₄₀K₈₀ during planting helps reduce plant damage by rhizoctoniose by 5.0–7.6%. Ranking of the complex of obtained indicators revealed that the least da mage to potato plants with rhizoctoniose in all varieties ensured the cultivation of crops using mineral fertilizers in combination with treatment of the planting material with Celest Top with a consumption rate of 0.4 l/t for the Yuna variety; treatment of the seed tubers with a mixture of Celest Top, 0.4 l/t + Relict, 0.01 l/t and spraying the plants during the growing season with Relict with a consumption rate of 0.2 l/ha for the Lina and Zlatka varieties.

The article presents the results of research on the effect of agrochemical agents used in the crop hemp agrocenosis to protect against weeds on the contamination and economically useful signs of cultivated plants. The experiments were conducted in the Penza region on technical hemp of the Central Russian ecotype of the Nadezhda variety in 2021–2024. The biological effectiveness of protective measures when sprayed with Lontrel Grand and Miura herbicides was 59–77 and 54–86%. With the combined effect of all the factors studied, this indicator was within the range of 64–89 and 77–98%, respectively. Treating seeds with the substances that have growth-stimulating properties allowed for an increase in field germination by 5–7%. Agrochemicals used in various weed control methods have increased the survival rate of hemp plants by 10–16% by harvest time. The weakening of competition between cultivated and weed plant shad a significant positive effect on morphometric parameters. Seed treatment contributed to an increase in the length of the inflorescence by 6–10%, leaf top dressing – by 3.7%. Moreover, spraying the leaves with Izagri Vita caused an increase in stem diameter by 2.4%. The formation of a high increase in the yield of stems (1.47 and 1.50 t/ha) occurred due to herbicide weeding with the studied preparations against the background of treatments of seed material (Artafit, AgroVerm Ekran) and vegetative plants (Izagri Vita). The presented protection scheme, which includes seed treatment and fertilization with a liquid complex fertilizer per leaf, depending on the type of herbicide (against dicotyledonous or monocotyledonous weeds), provided an increase in seed yield of 0.33–0.40 and 0.29–0.41 t/ha.

The article presents the results of a comprehensive assessment of the impact of experimental compound feed produced by OOO "BIFF" on the productive qualities and physiological and biochemical status of a promising aquaculture facility – Russian sturgeon hybrid (Acipenser gueldenstaedtii) and Lena sturgeon (Acipenser baerii), known as "RuKal". The study was conducted under controlled conditions of a recirculating aquaculture system for 56 days. The purpose of the work was to analyze the effectiveness of the experimental feed on growth rates, survival, and key blood parameters reflecting the general physiological state of the fish. The results of the experiment demonstrated high productivity and excellent adaptation of the hybrid to the proposed diet. The absolute weight gain during the experiment period was 106.17 g, and the average daily gain reached 1.90 g/day. A 100% survival rate was recorded, and the Fulton fatness ratio increased significantly. Hematological analysis revealed positive dynamics: hemoglobin level increased by 9.7%, which indicates an increase in the oxygen transport function of the blood, and the concentration of total protein in the serum increased to 28.15 g/l, which indicates the activation of plastic metabolism. At the same time, the parameters of carbohydrate and lipid metabolism (glucose and cholesterol) remained stable and corresponded to the physiological norm for sturgeon fish. Thus, the OOO "BIFF" compound feed has shown high efficiency, providing intensive growth, high survival rate and the formation of optimal physiological and biochemical status in the "RuKal" hybrid in the conditions of ultrasound. The data obtained substantiate the prospects of using this feed in the practice of commercial sturgeon breeding to increase its economic efficiency.

Understanding the physiological strategies underlying high milk productivity requires a detailed analysis not only of group averages but also of the variability within genetically homogeneous animals. It is especially important to study the relationship between the amount of synthesized milk components and the level of productivity depending on the genotype of key milk protein genes. The purpose of this work was to identify the genotype-specific features of the relationship between milk fat yield and the synthesis of other milk components in Holstein first-calf heifers with different kappa-casein (CSN3) genotypes using the percentile stratification method. The scientific and production trial was conducted from 2023 to 2025 at the agricultural enterprise in the Voronezh region. The study subjects were Holstein first-calf heifers (n=166) genotyped for the CSN3 locus. Within each genotype (AA, AB, BB), three strata (low, medium, high) were formed using the percentile stratification method based on the indicator "milk fat yield per 305-day lactation". Integral indicators for the complete lactation were analyzed: milk yield, yield and mass fraction of fat and protein, and lactation length. The obtained data are important for a differentiated approach to selection and feeding management depending on the genetic potential of animals. Genotype-specific features of the implementation of high milk productivity have been established. It has been shown that an increase in milk fat yield is mainly ensured by an increase in milk yield and is accompanied by a decrease in the mass fraction of protein, which indicates the presence of a metabolic compromise between the quantitative and qualitative characteristics of milk. The obtained results have practical significance for the development of differentiated selection and technological approaches to managing the productivity of cows with different genetic potential.

The genetic improvement of dairy cattle populations is based primarily on the use of the best stud bulls that sustainably transmit their qualities to their offspring. The purpose of the conducted study was to determine the effectiveness of the selection of the best stud bulls in the population of Holstein Black-and-White cattle of the Vologda region based on the breeding value calculated by different methods. The research database included data on 8812 cows of the 1st calving and 171 bulls, which are the fathers of these cows. The breeding value of bulls was determined by milk yield indicators, as the main selection trait in dairy cattle breeding, based on the calculation of genetic potential and its realization, and using the "daughter-peer" method. According to the calculation results, the stud bulls were chosen in groups of 40 heads with the best breeding value indicators determined by different methods. The effectiveness of selection for each of the methods was determined based on the calculation of the selection differential, as the difference in productivity "daughter-mother". The positive indicator of the selection differential confirms the effectiveness of using the stud bull in the population. In the studied groups, the majority of the stud bulls (36 out of 40 or 90.0%) have a positive selection differential in milk productivity (from +218 to +2684 kg). Also, 4 stud bulls with a negative selection differential from –25 to –297 kg were identified in each group of the bulls. The superiority of the offspring of these bulls over their peers is ensured not only by the influence of paternal genetics, but also by the use of highly productive breeding stock. As a result of the conducted research, it was found that the effectiveness of the selection of stud bulls increases if the assessment with any method is supplemented by the calculation of the selection differential, and the integrated use of the proposed methods will help to increase the reliability of the assessment of the breeding value of bulls and the effectiveness of the selection of the best stud bulls in the population.

Sugar beet is one of the key industrial crops, the productivity of which is often limited by zinc deficiency in the soil. Traditional soil fertilization is characterized by low availability of this micronutrient to plants. The article substantiates the prospects of using a robotic complex for the precision foliar fertilization of sugar beet with zinc oxide nanoparticles (nZnO). The advantages of the nanoform of zinc oxide compared to traditional forms have been determined, consisting in an increased ability to penetrate the stomatal apparatus of the leaf and subsequent translocation along the phloem to the root crop.  It is shown that the aerosol application method with electrostatic charging of particles minimizes their aggregation, ensuring the delivery of nZnO sized 30–50 nm and increasing zinc absorption efficiency by 2.0–2.5 times compared to droplet spraying. Experimental data are presented, according to which foliar treatment with nZnO at a concentration of 200–300 ppm increases root yield by 10–17%, gross sugar yield by 15–20%, and sucrose content by 1.0–1.5%. The architecture of a robotic complex is presented, integrating an autonomous platform, a hyperspectral vision system for identifying zinc deficiency based on spectral indices, and an aerosol generator for targeted application of nano-microfertilizers. The technical and economic assessment demonstrates that, despite higher initial costs, the proposed technology provides a yield increase of up to 8–12 t/ha and a net additional income of 50–80 thousand rubles/ha due to a 30–50% saving in the preparation and a significant increase in sugar yield (1.2–1.8 t/ha). Based on the results of the analysis, a conclusion can be drawn about the environmental safety, prospects and potential profitability of the technology being studied.

The article presents research on the evaluation and selection of the sprayers for surface application of liquid mineral fertilizers to the soil based on the criterion of minimizing the power to disperse a unit of their volume and the quality of their distribution over the underlying surface. The expediency of using a combined hydro-pneumatic-mechanical sprayer has been established, which combines simplicity and reliability of the technological process execution inherent in the pneumatic method of dispersion, low power costs for this process (no more than 4 kW/t), as well as the possibility of using compressed air for pneumatic-mechanical spraying. The prospects of using rotating petal and plate-type sprayers for surface application of liquid mineral fertilizers, ensuring uneven distribution not exceeding 8%, expressed by the variation coefficient, have been substantiated. It has been determined that, regardless of the type of the atomizer, at a given speed (1700 min^–1), the zone of stable distribution of the sprayed liquid (spray pattern width) is determined by the value of 2.2 m. The obtained characteristics of the quality of the distribution of the working fluid in the spray pattern allow concluding that as the pressure in the system increases, the flow rate of the working fluid increases, but the pattern of its deposition on the collecting surface follows the law of normal distribution. It has been established that the diameter of the sprayer and the pressure in the system exert the maximum influence on the quality indicator of the distribution of the working fluid, while the values   of these factors are at a minimum level. Since the values of the coefficients for X₁ (the normalized value of the liquid pressure in the system) and X₂ (the normalized value of the nozzle hole diameter) are negative, their increase leads to a decrease in the uneven distribution of the working liquid on the underlying surface. In this case, the minimum value of unevenness – 3.6% – is achieved when the values   of all factors are at the maximum level.