There are suggested the computer-aided methods for classification of placor lands using Geographical Information Systems (GIS) and a neural expert system. Quantitative relief characteristics are adopted as a basis for recording. In the GIS ArcGIS 10 system, an electronic map of placor lands located in Maslyanino District of Novosibirsk Region was created, a database consisting of topographical and soil maps was formed. By the method of ANUDEM interpolation was developed a topologically correct digital relief model containing maps as follows: hypsometric; angle and exposure of slopes; plan, profile and total curvature of the Earth’s surface; cumulative runoff. The boundaries of elementary surfaces, being homogeneous morphological formations, were established. Parameters reflecting the intensity of erosion processes (SPI index) were taken into consideration. The main point of the classification is to attribute the elementary surfaces to a certain group of lands as to a complex of traits, for which particular scales containing characteristics of relief, soil cover, drainage of a territory, a degree of the erosion development have been created. A knowledge base was formed to train multi-layer neural network using GIS databases and particular scales; a neural network was trained. By means of the neural expert system, classification and topology of lands were conducted. Placor lands are located on flat and weakly expressive sites, and characterized by the following traits: plan curvature of the Earth’s surface of 0 to 0.03, profile of 0 to 0.15, and total of 0 to 0.22; angles of relief incline less than 1.5^o; horizontal dismemberment of relief less than 0.5 km/km²; vertical dismemberment of relief less 5 m; SPI index changes from - 13.80 to - 6.47.

There was studied the use efficiency of eight fertilizer mixtures, applied as mineral fertilizers, with different ratios of nutrients. Studies were conducted in Tyumen Region on dark gray forest soils, when wheat was cultivated in the forth rotation cycle of the bare fallow/winter rye/wheat/wheat/barley rotation. The fertilizer mixture rate was 250 kg/ in physical weight. The study has revealed that for this type of soil with the deficit of available nitrogen and phosphorus in the arable layer, it is efficient to use the following fertilizer mixtures, prepared at the factory: 200 kg/ha of N₂₉P₁₀; N₂₃P₂₀; N₁₆P₁₆K₁₆ + 50 kg/ha of N₃₄, supplemented with N₁₇P₂₀S₁₂. The application of these fertilizer mixtures was found to contribute to increased accumulation of dry matter by the wheat plants at the initial growth stage by 23-50%, at the full maturity stage by 39-123%, as compared with the control (without fertilizers) and other variants; as well as it intensified the development of the wheat leaf apparatus. The average daily leaf area for the growing season surpassed the control by 72-132%. The application of these fertilizer mixtures provided obtaining the highest yields of wheat grain of 2.76-3.38 t/ha that was 0.91-1.53 t/ha, or 49-83%, higher than those against the background without fertilizers. The net income made up 12.04-18.91 ths rubles per ha that was 31-106% higher than in the control, with the payback of 1kg a.i./ha by the increase in wheat grain yields of 7.5-15.8 kg.

The effect of long-term (over 30 years) reduced tillage to spring wheat on granulometric and microaggregate composition of leached chernozem was studied in a crop/fallow rotation in the absence of chemicalization means in the forest-steppe areas near the Ob in Novosibirsk. The experimental data were obtained from a multiple-factor stationary field trial in the territory of Novosibirsk Region (central forest-steppe subzone). At reduced tillage in a four-course crop/fallow rotation, the granulometric composition of the arable layer was at the boundary between light and medium loam, with dust of 0.05-0.02 mm particles being a major part of it. On average for 2009-2012, the amount of dust in the crop/fallow rotation was 53.0 percent. The content of sand (fraction of 1.0-0.05 mm) in the arable layer was 15.7 percent when tilled, and somewhat increased in the variants with different levels of reduced tillage (up to 19.1 percent). The particles of 0.05-0.01 mm (coarse dust) and 0.25-0.05 mm (fine sand) in size prevailed in the microaggregate composition of this soil type as well. The amount of coarse dust in the 30 cm soil profile made up 50.8-53.7 percent. Reduced tillage techniques contributed to conservation of the microaggregate structure of soil. With that, the number of true water-stable microaggregates in the arable layer amounted to 16.7 percent on average, the dispersion factor to 7.9 that indicated favorable agrophysical properties for the development of plants.

Data are given from 5-year observations of a pattern of natural regeneration of the plant cover in opencut spoil banks formed in the eighties of the last century as a result of open-pit coal mining in the arid regions of Khakasia. Dumps formed in the eighties are related to external ones. Primary successions on opencut spoil banks are characterized by grass colonization type. A dominating role in plant communities belongs to synanthropic motley grasses species: mugwort ( Artemisia vulgaris ), sieversian wormwood ( A. sieversiana ), tansy-leaved wormwood ( A. tanacetifolia ), wormseed wallflower ( Erysimum cheiranthoides) , bristly thistle ( Cirsium setosum ), and etc. Among grasses, the following species prevail: Krylov feather grass ( Stipa krylovii ), branched wheatgrass ( Agropyron ramosum ) (plateau), steppe bluegrass ( Poa stepposa ) (northern slope), green foxtail ( Setaria viridis ) (western slope); among legumes, this is yellow melilot ( Melilotus officinalis ) (northern slope) badly eaten by animals. Phytocoenoses with a specific set of dominant species distinguished by the vertical structure and biomass reserves are formed at each element of mesorelief (slopes of northern and western exposure, plateau). Phytomass of pioneer communities on dumps formed in the eighties is higher than that of sod grass steppes, which existed here previously. At all sites studied, the aboveground phytomass dominates the underground mass. The highest values of biomass reserves in the plant communities covering overburden dumps in the Khakass dry steppe have been observed on the plateau and slopes of northern exposure, where the best micro-climatic conditions are.

There are given characteristics of a new spring barley cultivar Tanay bred at the Siberian Research Institute of Plant Production and Breeding, Branch of the Institute of Cytology and Genetics SB RAS (Novosibirsk Region) and included on the State Register of Breeding Achievements in 2014. The cultivar was derived from complex-hybrid population by means of individual selection. It is two-row barley of nutans type, mid-ripening, for fodder-grain purposes. Tanay has been developed by complex crossings using Jet and Bagan varieties resistant to loose smut, and it possesses the highest immunity to smut diseases. For the period of studies from 2010 to 2012, the maximum affection with the Ustilago nuda causative agent made up 1.1 percent in 2010. The new cultivar is characterized by resistance to loose and covered smuts against an artificial infectious background and high resistance to lodging, but somewhat yields to the standard Acha under conditions of sufficient moistening. It shapes a plant of medium (70-90 cm) height. For three years of study, its growing period was 72-80 days. Tanai formed its productivity of 3.7 to 5.3 tons per ha on average, surpassing Acha by 0.7-0.8 t/ha. As to biochemical characteristics, its grain quality is not inferior to the standard. The maximum yield of 7.49 t/ha was obtained in Kemerovo Region in 2013. The sowings of the new cultivar were registered in Krasnoyarsk Territory in 2015.

Results are given from studies, conducted in 2010-2014, on 118 spring oat accessions in the nurseries of the second, third and forth years of study. Resulting from the evaluation of the material for adaptation power and ecological adaptability under conditions of the forest-steppe areas near the Ob, there were identified the genotypes with high ratios of their yields to the average yield among varieties according to maturity groups. Of medium-early genotypes, the following varieties were distinguished by high adaptation to unfavorable environmental factors: Atego (Czech Republic), Tigrovy (Khabarovsk Territory), Dagny (Sweden), Local Romanian K-14951, Ivory (Germany), Novosibirskiy 5 (Novosibirsk Region), Togurchanin (Tomsk Region). They were characterized by high ratios of their yields to the varietal average. Of mid-ripening accessions, the following varieties were distinguished by higher yields compared to the group average during the years of study: AC Morgan (Canada), Gunter (Kirov Region), Konkur (Ulyanovsk Region), and R8 N/9 3037-3072 (Krasnoyarsk Territory). Among naked oats, Vyatsky Golozerny (Kirov Region), MF 9424-62 (USA), Aldan (Kemerovo Region), Krepysh (Belarus) were distinguished. The standard varieties had the minimum range of variation in contrasting years. As to productivity stability, there were distinguished Togurchanin (Tomsk Region), Atego (Czech Republic), and Tigrovy (Khabarovsk Territory) in the group of medium-early varieties, and Konkur (Ulyanovsk Region) among mid-ripening varieties.

Results are given from breeding work on the development and field trial of high-yielding table potato cultivar Sarovskii adapted to West Siberian conditions. The breeding process was carried out based on targeted selection of genotypes with a complex of economic traits among one-tubered hybrids obtained from the A.G. Lorkh All-Russian Research Institute of Potato Farming. The trials were conducted in the taiga zone of Western Siberia (Tomsk Region), in a field ten-course rotation, on sod medium-podzolic sandy loam soil with low natural fertility. Breeding nurseries were placed after winter rye and, in some years, after oats. Mineral fertilizers were applied after spring plowing according to calculation N90-130P120-170 K120-210 kg/ha. The technology used provides forming the yield of 30-50 t/ha annually. To develop Sarovskii cultivar (hybrid number C-993-98), there was used the method of interspecific hybridization with the subsequent individual selection from the breeding combination 591m-46 × 733-65. Resulting from breeding work in 1997-2009 and competitive trial in 2005-2010, the hybrid C-993-98 significantly exceeded the standard cultivar Antonina in productivity by 4.2 t/ha, tuber marketability by 0.3 percent, starch content by 1.2 percent, and palatability by 1.2 points. As the results of the state trials in 2011-2013 showed, the new potato cultivar Sarovskii significantly exceeded the standard varieties in productivity in the five soil-climatic zones. The cultivar Sarovskii demonstrated the best results, when it was grown in the forest-steppe zone of Omsk Region, and formed marketable productivity of 39.6 t/ha that was 6.4 t/ha higher than the standard cultivar Alena did. In 2014 the hybrid C-993-98 was included on the State Register of Breeding Achievements Permitted for Utilization in West Siberian Region. It is early-ripening, resistant to potato wart and cyst nematode, and is recommended for consumption in summer-autumn and winter-spring periods.

Results are given from a two-year study on the phytosanitary situation in the sowings of new spring common wheat varieties (Novosibirskaya 18, Obskaya 2, Sibirskaya 17) cultivated according to the extensive, normal, or intensive technologies. A multiple-factor field experiment was carried out in 2015-2016 in the field located in the central forest-steppe agrolandscape zone near the Ob in Novosibirsk Region. There is shown a role of varietal features, nitrogen application and fall tillage in the development of leaf-stem and root rot diseases in the sowings of wheat being a second rotating crop after fallow, after grain forecrop. It was found that the plants of Novosibirskaya 18 mid-ripening cultivar of spring wheat in the phases of tillering and milky-wax ripeness were lesser affected with root rots than other crops, where the disease development index was 1.8 and 8.2 percent, respectively, compared to 2.6 and 10.7 percent in Obskaya 2 mid-ripening cultivar, and 3.0 and 12.9 percent in Sibirskaya 17 medium-late cultivar. Depending on basic tillage techniques, the disease development index in the first stage of observations decreased slightly from plowing (2.8%) to deep surface loosening (2.4%) and next to subsoil tillage (2.3%). In the second stage of observations, a reduction in the disease development was observed from plowing and subsoil tillage to deep surface loosening. Nitrogen fertilizer application had no significant effect on this index. The Sibirskaya 17 cultivar was found to be most susceptible to root rot pathogens, especially under the intensive cultivation technology. Of leaf-stem diseases, Septoria leaf spot and powdery mildew achieved the average development in the wheat crops toward the earing-flowering phase in the period of study. The maximum lesions of Septoria disease were observed in Sibirskaya 17 (the disease development index was 10.1 percent), and minimal in Novosibirskaya 17 and Obskaya 2 (8.7 and 5.2 percent, respectively). The maximal disease severity was observed at deep subsurface loosening, and it was 1.3 and 1.6 times higher as compared to plowing and subsoil tillage, respectively. Fertilizers did not have a significant effect on the affection of wheat plants with Septoria leaf spot, although there was a tendency towards a decrease in the disease development index, especially against a background of subsoil tillage. The Obskaya 2 wheat plants grown according to the intensive technology were least affected with Septoria leaf spot. Powdery mildew was most observed in the Novosibirskaya 18 plants. The Obskaya 2 plants almost were not affected with powdery mildew. On average as per the experiment, the lowest degree of disease development was recorded in plants grown while deep loosening.

Studies were conducted from 1998 to 2014 at twelve potato growing farms in Novosibirsk and Kemerovo Regions, and Altai Territory. For the first time for the West Siberian forest steppe are given the long-term dynamics of common potato diseases spread in the agro-ecosystems such as black scurf; late blight; Fusarium dry, Phoma, ring, brown bacterial rots of tubers; black leg, and viral diseases. There is shown the prevalence of potato rot nematode ( Ditylenchus destructor ), young and perennial weeds, Colorado potato beetle. It is shown that the nature of epidemics is the annual development of crater rot of potato in the plantings. Dry rots (Fusarium, Phoma, mixed) are harmful during storage. Activators of the epiphytotic processes caused by dry rots are mechanical damages: correlation coefficient between these parameters amounted to r=0.69 ± 0.21. Over the last decade, the species composition of potato pests in Western Siberia has been appended by new species: the Jaccard similarity coefficient was 0.6. With regard to potato pests, the theory of K- and r-strategists was used. The K strategy contributes to survival of populations under conditions of enhanced resistance of environments, the r strategy to rapid reproduction of organisms under conditions of the absence of resistance. The study on the influence of meteorological factors on the prevalence of potato diseases was conducted. For the K(Kr)-strategists, values of the correlation coefficient were insignificant, r=0.26-0.38, while those for r(rK)- strategists were 0.65-0.72. It has been found that the causative agents of Phoma, ring, brown bacterial rots, black leg, viral diseases, stem nematode and golden potato cyst nematode have the K(Kr) life cycle strategies. Communities of harmful organisms of potato agro-ecosystems in the West Siberian forest steppe are represented by populations with K(Kr) life cycle strategies (78.6%) and r(rK) life cycle strategies (21.4%), which should be taken into consideration in substantiating a system of phytosanitary control.

There was evaluated the quality of hydraulic fluid distribution using boom sprayers in protecting agricultural plants from weeds, pests and diseases. It has been found that losses of sprayed preparations are due to the atomized fraction of a preparation used. As the stationary precipitation rate of droplets with diameter of less than 100 microns does not exceed a few centimeters per second, the time for droplets to pass from the sprayer to the underlying surface is sufficient for their evaporation. Results are given from studies on the quality of distribution of sprayed hydraulic fluid when it is forcedly precipitated. Basic dependences of the field distribution of air flow velocities as to the depth of spray and speed modes of the air flows at different distances from the nozzle have been established. It has been found that the rotation frequency of the fan rotor of 2450 rpm, while the rotation frequency of the crankshaft of the engine is 1700 rpm, provides the high speed of the air flow of 24 m/c. At the minimum rotation frequency of the fan rotor (1700 rpm), there is observed a reduction in the speed down to 20 m/c that makes it possible to change the rotation frequency of the crankshaft of the engine within the limits studied while maintaining the speed of the air flow. High distribution quality of sprayed hydraulic fluid is achieved, when the step of nozzles and sprays arrangement is 0.75 m. The required distribution uniformity of hydraulic fluid as to the spraying width is provided at the spray overlap ratio of 0.5 to 1.0. It is recommended to keep the mounting height of the boom above the underlying surface within the range of 0.65-0.75 m.

Results are given from studies on productive qualities of young first-generation hybrid sheep (1/2 Zabaikalskaya Fine-Fleece, Khangilskiy type, + 1/2 Kulundinskaya Fine-Fleece) under the age of 7 months. Studies were conducted at the breeding enterprise Tsokto-Khangil, Transbaikal Territory, using conventional methods accepted in zootechnics. Fertility, lamb-producing capabilities and safety of young stock were taken into consideration in studying reproductive abilities in ewes. The control group consisted of rams and ewes of the Khangilskiy type of Zabaikalskaya Fine-Fleece, the experimental group was made up of rams of Kulundinskaya Fine-Fleece and ewes of the Khangilskiy type of Zabaikalskaya Fine-Fleece. The ewes from the control group produced 132 lambs, or 125.7 percent, those from the experimental group 109 lambs, or 121.1 percent. The safety of lambs was 97.3 percent in the control group and 96.9 percent in the experimental group. At 4 months of age, the hybrid ram lambs were heavier than their analogs by 1.3 kg, or 6.3 percent (p<0.001), the hybrid female lambs by 0.7 kg, or 3.2 percent; at 7 months of age, by 4.6 kg, or 13.6 percent (p<0.001), and by 1.5 kg, or 4.9 percent (p<0.001), respectively. Carcasses of the hybrid rams were heavier by 3.7 kg, or 27.0 percent, with slaughter yield of 46.8 percent compared to 44.6 percent in the control group that was higher by 2.2 absolute percent. It has been found that the hybrid young stock somewhat exceeds the pure-bred analogs of the Khangilskiy type of Zabaikalskaya Fine-Fleece in growth energy and meat productivity.

Results are given from bacteriological studies on biomaterial samples taken from animals of different ages and gender, which were slaughtered or died of acute intestinal infections, or due to sudden death. Studies were carried out from 2010 to 2016 in Novosibirsk Region. There were examined biomaterial samples from 305 heads of cattle of different age groups and genders. The etiological structure of pathogens was studied, and age susceptibility of cattle to clostridiosis at Siberian dairy farms was determined. Clostridioses are caused by Gram-positive, anaerobic, spore-forming bacteria from the family Clostridiacea, genus Clostridium . The following bacteria belonging to this genus play a major role in the etiology of clostridiosis of cattle: Cl . perfringens , Cl. septicum , Cl. novyi , Cl. histolyticum and Cl. sordellii . Resulting from bacteriological tests of 3620 biomaterial samples taken from cattle of different age groups (stillborn calves, aborted fetuses, calves under 6 months, heifers, cows, and so on), 317 Clostridia anaerobic cultures were isolated. Bacteria were isolated on average from 8.8% of biomaterial samples studied (pieces of liver, spleen, mesentery lymphatic nodes, small intestine, muscular tissue, forth stomach, vaginal discharge, articulate fluid, milk). Most of positive tests (60%) were obtained from the fourth stomach, least (5%) from the lymphatic nodes. Bacteria of the genus Clostridium were more often isolated from cows of the first and second calving (47.6%) and less from calves aged between 3 and 6 months (8.2%), stillborn calves and aborted fetuses (16.1%), and calves at 60 days of age and under (16.1%). Actuality of clostridiosis problem in the Russian Federation in recent years is due to considerable intensification of livestock production aimed at increasing productivity of dairy cows, often carried out against the backdrop of unbalanced feed rations. It has been found that the most susceptible to the disease are high-producing cows after the first and second calving and calves up to 6 months.

The technological project of a pilot training pig farm as a new-type test base for comprehensive research in genetics, breeding and innovations in biotechnology has been developed. The project has been created on the basis of modern technologies and building structures with complete equipment solutions, which enable us to keep records of and analyze the most important economic traits of animals based on various breeding options. The project includes the general layout of a pig farm developed on the principle of zoning, which allows conducting multi-disciplinary research on such a convenient model object as a pig, and is an experimental platform to carry out long-term breeding experiments, organize the cost-efficient production, and produce high-quality meat products. The pilot training pig farm makes it possible to carry out tests at all stages of development of new breeds, study ways of keeping and feeding of pigs, conduct experiments on identifying animals with improved productivity and higher meat quality as well as with resistance to diseases. The optimal technological parameters of production at specialized pig farms having the complete herd turnover are taken into account that allow studying different keeping conditions, calculating criteria of work to extend productive life of animals and reduce labor costs per unit of production. The project is designed for cost-effective production of 300-360 tons of pork and 200-800 heads of breeding pigs a year. There is presented the plan for farm buildings arrangement taking into consideration features of flow-line production, line balancing and reproductive cycle of pigs to conduct comprehensive selection and hybridization studies with an adequate number of animal analogs in each experimental group. A laboratory and educational building for processing of biomaterials and training of specialists has been provided. Approximate costs for farm construction and equipment have been calculated.

Biological activity of soils in the subtropical zone of Azerbaijan was studied. Experiments were carried out in 1992-2015. Activities of soil enzymes, numbers of microorganisms, intensities of nitrification, ammonification, carbon dioxide emissions and cellulose degradation were studied in crop rotations under vegetable crops and at continuous crop growing. Experiments were conducted on irrigated gray-brown and meadow-gray (dry subtropics), meadow-forest alluvial (semi-arid subtropics), yellow-gleyed (humid subtropics), and virgin soils. The biodiagnostics and a complex of biological parameters of the soils studied are presented. The integral indicator of the biological state of each soil type is given. This indicator of the irrigated gray-brown soils in a vegetable/fodder crop rotation was 18% higher than that in virgin variants, and 34% higher than that at continuous crop growing; in a vegetable/legume crop rotation, it was 12 and 30% higher, respectively. On irrigated meadow-gray soils, this indicator made up 100 percent in a crop rotation; it was 15% lower in virgin variants and 35% lower under continuous crop growing. On meadow-forest alluvial soils, the integral indicator made up 100 percent in virgin variants, was 2% lower in a crop rotation and 40% lower at continuous crop growing; on yellow-gleyed soils it was 100, 8 and 30%, respectively. The integral indicator of the biological state of the soils studied varied from 82 to 100 percent that corresponded to soils with the very high biological activity. At continuous crop growing, this indicator was within the range of 60-70% that corresponded to soils with the high and medium biological activity. The use of scientifically grounded crop rotations under conditions of irrigation allows conserving fertility of meadow-forest alluvial and yellow-gleyed soils and improving that of gray-brown and meadow-gray soils.

Research studies were conducted to introduce sand cherry ( Prunus pumila L.) into the Trans-Ural forest-steppe region. In 2011-2015, variability and adaptation potential of 500 fruit-bearing sand cherry plants were studied. These were seedlings from open pollination taken from the foundation stock garden of JSC Gardens of Russia laid out in 2007 as well as collection seedlings of selected open-pollinated forms by Baikalov I.L. (Abakan) and Isakova M.G. (Yekaterinburg) and plants, which were derived from plum and apricot grafts dropped out at the Chelyabinsk State Fruit-and-Berry Strain-Trial Station. Yields and consumer properties of fruit were assessed. The fruit yield per bush varied across years. In favorable 2011 and 2013, it amounted to 4.24 and 4.46 kg, and the maximum yield was 9 and 12 kg, respectively. In unfavorable 2014, 32.5 percent of bushes were without fruitage, 14.2 percent yielded less than 1 kg of fruit per bush, 42.4 percent from 1 to 3 kg, and 10.9 percent more than 3 kg of fruit per bush. Two forms of sand cherry were selected as to fruit weight; these were a selected form 19-10 by Isakova M.G. with an average weight of 4.28 g, and a form VIII-24-9 with that of 4.85 g. Fruit weight varied from 0.77 to 4.85 g in 2014. Plants with fruit weight of 1.0-2.5 g were most often found. Fruit weighing less than 1 g and more than 4 occurred very seldom. Deviation of fruit weight from its average value in selected forms varied from 7 to 30 percent in certain years. Fruiting of sand cherry in 2011-2015 was relatively stable that was significative of high plasticity in this species and its adaptation to local climatic conditions.

Behavior and structure of transaction costs of agricultural enterprises engaged in grain production were studied by way of example of North Kazakhstan Region. The thirteen areas of the region were grouped as to a set of their common features including similar soil-climatic conditions, location, proximity to transport communications and markets for agriproducts. The results obtained have shown that these groups differ from one another in the structure of transaction costs. The evaluation was carried out based on the cardinalist approach using the methods developed by the researchers at the P.A. Stolypin Omsk State University. According to their principles for farm production costs classification, internal and external transaction costs in the form of undrawn profits were singled out and calculated. It is shown that the features of each group influence the composition and structure of transaction costs. Correlation between the amount of transaction costs and scale in production of organizations operating in the agro-food market has been found. Based on the problem-oriented analysis was calculated a share of transaction costs in the total sum of costs of agricultural organizations in North Kazakhstan Region, and were determined the factors influencing the size and structure of transaction costs. It is shown that the development and improvement of the existing organizations and the formation of the new ones are accompanied by, on the one hand, the growth in costs for providing effective functioning of the market, and on the other hand, the reduction at the same time in their average size due to reducing losses related to imperfect mechanism. The evaluation of transaction costs in the grain production subcomplex based on grouping agricultural organizations as to their common features allows determining the sum of explicit transaction costs.