Results are given from long-term lysimetric studies into the influence of groundwater occurrence levels on water-physical properties of peat soil. The object of research was peat soils typical for forest steppe of Northern Trans-Ural region. It has been found that water-physical properties of peat soils are to a considerable degree determined by their water regime. At the groundwater occurrence level of 0.5 m, the soil bulk density in the root layer (0.3 m) increased during the seven years by 12.8%, ash by 6.9%, and particle density by 3.4%; field moisture capacity remained at the initial level. The deep groundwater occurrence (1.5 m) changed water-physical properties throughout the soil profile, but most significantly in the 0.3 m layer, where the soil bulk density increased by 24.4%, ash by 24.1%, and particle density by 4.2%; field moisture capacity decreased by 36.8%. The decrease in the groundwater level from 0.5 to 1.0 m, and that in the autumn-winter period from 1 to 2 m had almost no effect on water-physical properties of peat soils. The lysimetric data on the effect of groundwater occurrence levels on water-physical properties only reflect the changes that take place. The reasons for the changes, trends of these processes with increasing duration of drainage require the further study.

Results are given from investigations carried out at the established experimental plot of the Siberian Research Institute of Fodder Crops on fine- and medium-textured solonetz soils in the eight phyto-reclamation crop rotations during the four rotations. As annual phyto-ameliorants were used millet, oats, Sudan grass, peas; perennial ameliorants were melilot, alfalfa, awnless brome. It has been found that the long-term phyto-reclamation of solonetz soils, as compared with raw land, significantly improves soil fertility characteristics: decreases soil acidity from 8.2-8.0 to 7.6-7.0; reduces the content of water-soluble salts in the 1 m soil layer by 11-41% on medium solonetz soils, and by 51-52% on fine ones; increases the content of mineral nitrogen. The phyto-reclamation increases aeration of soil, and contributes to increasing the number of soil microorganisms involved in the mineralization processes and humus synthesis, these are bacteria assimilating organic and mineral nitrogen, nitrifying agents, and nitrogen fixers. It has been found that by the end of the forth rotation of fodder phyto-reclamation crop rotations the upper soil layers of fine- and medium-textured solonetz soils approach zonal chernozem soils as to the index of total biological activity. As to chemical characteristics, the solonetz soils studied go over to the category of residual solonetz-like soils.

Results are given from a research into relationship between the value of chaff of oats grain and relative water absorption in different samples of oats grown in the three geographical areas of Siberia. The temporal dynamics of water absorption by chaffy and naked oat forms was investigated. A strong positive relationship between these physical parameters of grain for its soaking time of 5 minutes was experimentally proved. It has been found that a point of oat growing does not influence the indices of chaff of oats grain and relative water absorption. There is shown a weak correlation between values of the dimensionless coefficient (chaff-water absorption ratio) across samples or the points of investigation. The oat samples were divided into two contrasting groups as to the chaff index, which differed significantly from each other in not only chaff but also relative water absorption by grain for soaking time of 5 minutes. It is suggested to use the criterion of relative water absorption by grain for determining technological properties of oats.

New lines in the process of original potato seed production based on the improving selection are presented. It is shown that the negative selection method is low effective: when the positive selection method used in the nursery of super-super-elite changes to the negative one, potato productivity decreases, and the number of off-standard, sick, degenerated tubers sharply increases. Investigations carried out at the Siberian Research Institute of Plant Production and Breeding during the six years demonstrate that the improving selection is a promising method met the modern requirements for original seed production. This method does not have shortcomings of the negative one, and is an alternative to sanitation. It has been found that potato seed material after the forth improving selection is superior to seeds underwent sanitation in productivity by 5-13 centners/ha, the number of sick, degenerated tubers decreases as well.

Results are given from investigations into the comprehensive realization of achievements obtained by various research establishments in the uniform system of technological, engineering, ecological, and economic decisions. It is suggested to solve this problem by the methods of engineering design of complex systems. The main task in designing a technology for cultivating agricultural crops is to form a set of possible options of objects designed, to evaluate them and to choose the most effective ones among them. To choose the effective options is suggested a four-stage procedure of multicriterion assessment. For making decisions is offered to use integrated criteria formed by the methods of qualimetry. There were used the following methods: morphological analysis of systems, expertise, qualimetry, technical and economic analysis of processes of functioning engineering objects in soil management. There are given the examples of assessing and choosing engineering tools for soil tillage, when cultivating grain crops in the forest steppe areas near the Ob River. At the first two stages of assessing options of the objects designed were mainly used the expert methods, and at the follow-on stages - the methods of technical and economic analysis.

There was developed a method for determining the velocity restoring factor in seeds stricken against the splitter of a seeding machine by simulating a real process of seed distribution under the blade of the opener. To ensure the desired velocity of seeds when impacted, the seeds were thrown off the shelves installed at the heights of 50, 100, 150, and 200 mm to a metal plate installed at the angle of 45° and the height of 50 mm from the surface. The velocity restoring factors of seeds after hitting the plate were calculated based on average distances of rebounds. Experiments were carried out on seeds of wheat, oats, rye, barley, buckwheat, and peas. The average values of distances, at which seeds were rebounded from the splitter, and the confidence intervals were determined. The area of seed distribution relative to the average rebound was constructed. There were determined the average values of seed velocity restoring factors after the impact: wheat seeds 0.54, oats 0.46, rye 0.51, barley 0.56, buckwheat 0.51, and peas 0.65. It has been found that the seed velocity restoring factor depends on a shape of seeds, their surface, and a velocity of their attack on the plate.

Results are given from investigations into infectious and invasive diseases in antlered deer at maral and deer farms of Altai Territory and the Republic of Altai. Investigations were carried out at the All-Russian Research Institute for Antlered Deer Farming. There were studied the features of epizootology, causative agents, clinical signs and pathoanatomical changes at tuberculosis, pasteurellosis, brucellosis, and in cases of invasive diseases, at setariosis, elaphostrongyliosis, intestinal strongylatoses, dicroceliosis, dictyocaulosis, booponuosis, hypodermatosis, and pharyngomiosis. There are presented measures on diagnosis, prevention and therapy of these diseases, taking into consideration both biological features of animals and existing specific means and methods of diagnosis and disease control measures. Having been developed under experimental conditions and introduced into practice, complex schemes of prevention and therapy of infectious diseases in antlered deer have the effectiveness, depending on an epizootic situation, from 10.5 to 32.8 rubles per ruble of investment. Novelty of the research has been confirmed by 7 patents for invention of the Russian Federation, and by 20 methodical recommendations for practice.

The aim of the work was to study processes of mixing food masses in the intestines as a factor in maintaining the homeostasis of the microbiota of the intestines. Laboratory mice were administered the two fluorescent labels to the gastrointestinal tract, then the process of mixing fluorescent dyes with the intestinal contents was analyzed. It has been found that the liquid component of the intestinal mass has much more intense movements including those in the oral direction of the intestinal tube. Theoretically, if there is a local inflammation, the accumulation of fluid may results in dissemination of the inflammation source throughout the gastrointestinal tract. The mixing processes and the rate of excretion of fluorescent labels in the lumen of the intestines (as a component of feces) and in the edge zone of the intestinal tube differ significantly, and the dyes remain in the mucosa of the small intestine after 4-5 hours after administration.

Results are given from a comparative analysis of the two methods for diagnosis - agar gel immunodiffusion (AGID) and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) - used in carrying out sanitation measures against bovine leukosis. Diagnostic tests for BLV infections were conducted using the facilities of the Leukosis Laboratory at the Institute of Experimental Veterinary Science of Siberia and the Far East, Novosibirsk. The comparative analysis was carried out on large cattle population from livestock farms with various rates of the spread of bovine leukosis. It has been found that the ELISA test practically always reveals animals not detected by AGID. Advantages of ELISA over AGID are shown. The higher sensitivity rates in ELISA allow detecting up to 15.3% of virus carriers in addition to the AGID results. In ELISA, both individual and combined samples of milk and blood serum can be used as the research material. A procedure of carrying out the analysis and recording results can be automated. Results of ELISA tests can be obtained within a few hours unlike AGID tests, where it takes several days. It has been concluded that the ELISA technique is more expensive as compared with AGID but, thanks to its advantages, reduces rate of tests and terms of sanitation of cattle herds against leukosis.

Results are given from investigations into the seasonal dynamics of protein nutrition, caloric content, and mineral composition of the steppe herbage grown in the south-eastern part of Transbaikalia during summer, autumn, winter and spring periods. It has been found that dry matter of summer herbage contains 0.59 fodder units, 8.68 MJ OE, and 61.4 g of digestible protein per 1 kg of feed. In winter, these indices decrease to 0.39 fodder units, 7.15 MJ OE, and 22.2 g, respectively. It has been revealed that pasture forage is poorly provided with mineral phosphorus and sulfur not only in autumn-winter period but also in summer. For lack of phosphorus in pasture forage, the calcium-phosphorus ratio in autumn-winter period and in spring was unfavorable (7.7-5.6 : 1). Therefore, it is necessary to introduce phosphorus- and sulfur-containing supplements into diets for grazers.

Advantages of mid-ripening varieties of spring naked barley grown for fodder have been discussed. The process of developing a new two-row spring naked barley cultivar called Maiskiy at the Siberian Research Institute of Agriculture, Omsk, is presented. The cultivar is mid-ripening, with high and stable productivity and high grain quality, resistant to lodging and a set of diseases, fit for commercial cultivation. There are described economic and biological properties of the cultivar, such as productivity, grain-unit, thousand-kernel weight, length of the growing period, height of the plant, and so on. A comparison between the cultivar and the standard Omskiy Golozerny 1 has been made. Recommendations on testing and using the cultivar in West Siberian region are given.

In the northern forest steppe of Tyumen Region in 2012-2013 were evaluated 238 varieties of naked oats differing in eco-geographical origin as to the length of growing period. Significant differences between varieties in terms of ripening were revealed. The research resulted in the classification of naked oat varieties as to the length of growing period for the forest-steppe zone of Northern Trans-Ural region. It was found that the largest group was mid-ripening varieties with 32.4 %, late ripening varieties made up a considerable part of 31.1 %, medium-late and early 18.9 and 14.7 %, respectively. A set of very early varieties is limited by 2.9 %. As sources of early maturity are recommended K-15014, Levsha (Kemerovo Region); K-15014, Mestny (Krasnoyarsk Territory); K-15011, L-1004-6 (479) (Krasnoyarsk Territory); K-11180, Torch (Canada); K-14627, Anderes-1 (Peru), and others.

Results are given from the preliminary four-year research conducted under conditions of Perm Territory into five varieties of a perennial leguminous crop, Hungarian sainfoin, being a new crop for the region; these are Peschany 1251, Petushok, SibNIIK 30, Mikhailovskiy 5, and Mikhailovskiy 10. The Sarga cultivar of changeable alfalfa was used as the control. It has been shown that all the varieties of Hungarian sainfoin sustained their first winter well, but in what follows, as the herbage grew old, the number of plants overwintered decreased. Under local conditions, the cultivars Petushok, SibNIIK 30, Mikhailovskiy 5, and Mikhailovskiy 10 formed two cuts of green mass during all the years of the use. The dates of herbage formation as to cuts were found. Productivity of green and dry mass in various cultivars of Hungarian sainfoin was determined. There are given certain yield structure elements: height of plants as to cuts, weight of one shoot, and mass fraction of leaves in green mass yield. The fodder quality characteristics such as metabolizable energy concentration in absolutely dry mass of all the cultivars, crude protein content, and so on were determined. All the cultivars studied showed the maturity of seeds by the middle of June in the first year of the use. Seed productivity was from 5.0 in Peschany 1251 to 6.3 centner per ha in Petushok.

Results are given from a scientific-production experiment carried out under conditions of Transbaikal Territory on determining the effect of various forms of Zabaikalskaya sheep selection on expressivity of length, fineness and crimp of wool, on live weight and wool production performance in the offspring. Correlations between the main economic characters of animals were determined. When selecting parental couples as to wool fineness was established that the correlation coefficient between wool fineness and a fleece of washed wool made up 0.27-0.42, fineness and live weight 0.17-0.27, fineness and length 0.30-0.56. The maximum characteristics were in the offspring from producers with the 58th wool quality. When selecting couples as to expressivity of staple height was observed the highest correlation coefficient between length and a fleece of washed wool of 0.42-0.61, length of wool fiber and live weight 0.06-0.32. Correlation between wool length and crimp was very weak (0.02-0.18), and even negative (- 0.04). When selecting as to expressivity of crimp, negative correlation was established between crimp and wool fleece (- 0.32…-0.23), and between length and live weight (- 0.04…-0.58).

There was evaluated the behavior of the young pure-bred Simmental stock and F1 hybrids obtained from interbreeding Simmental cows and zebu. Time required for feed and water intakes, movement, rest in the standing and lying positions was taken into consideration. In summer was studied the behavioral reaction of the experimental animals and their susceptibility to insect stings during the summer period. It has been found that the young F1 hybrid stock is more resistant to low (1- 3°C) and high (27°C and above) ambient temperatures. The hybrids are less exacting about the botanical and morphological compositions of herbage, are more active on-the-move as compared with their pure-bred Simmental contemporaries. With that, the hybrids spend more time eating forage and moving in search of it and less time resting in the lying position. It has been revealed that the young F1 hybrid stock have strongly developed instinct of “spatial proximity to friends”. It was observed that the hybrids poorly reacted to attacks of blood-sucking insects due to their strongly developed hypodermatic muscles. The results obtained indicate good adaptation opportunities of the F1 hybrids to sharply continental climate of Transbaikalia.

Methods were developed to calculate and substantiate working tools and their operation conditions for improving quality of the vegetable pulp extraction process. Based on the mechanical model of pulp, an equation of compression was set up, and the product deformation process was analyzed. It has been found that with increasing exposure time of material being under pressure, the stress in it decreases tending to a constant value. The stress relaxation occurs. There are given dependencies of pressure required for compression of vegetable pulp on its initial and maximum densities, of final density of pulp on its initial and maximum densities as well as on exposure time of material under pressure.

Most of spring-spawning fish species of the Ob river basin spawn on the floodplain. Reducing the water content of spring tide after the construction of the Novosibirsk hydroelectric power station is one of the main reasons for the decline in fish stocks in the Ob river basin. The reclamation of the Ob floodplain is a possibility to minimize the effects of reduced water content. There are given data on studying the Monatkinskaya floodplain (Krivosheinskiy District, Tomsk Region) being a part of the Ob river floodplain, which received the reclamation in the eighties of the XX century. It has been shown that the reclamation work done without regard for recommendations by fish breeders had a negative impact on the hydrological processes in the lake system, and resulted in worsening of conditions for fish reproduction. There is discussed the need for comprehensive reclamation of the Ob floodplain to minimize the effects of reduced water availability, and maintain the resource potential of fishery.

Information is given on the history of establishing and developing the Siberian Research Institute of Fodder Crops being the only scientific institution in Siberia for research in forage production. Dates of forming its structural subdivisions - departments and laboratories - as well as establishing research lines are presented. There is given information on the research workers of the Institute, who stood at the background of forming the Institute and made a major contribution to the formation of forage production in Siberia as a science, and who kept developing these most important agricultural research efforts. There are described the outcomes of research activities of the Institute for 45 years according to the following directions: breeding and seed production, biotechnology, plant protection, field forage production, crop rotations, grass farming, provision and assessment of feeds, economics.