Results are given from long-term (1976–2016) studies on water-physical properties of seasonally frozen peat soils in Northern Trans-Ural region. The studies were conducted on the experimental site of 278 hectares having open drain canals and tile drainage, and located on the alluvial terrace above the floodplain of the Tura River in Tyumen District, Tyumen Region. It has been shown that changes in water-physical properties of soils are of a functional nature and mainly due to the economic soil use and soil surface condition, and differ in a decomposition degree of peat-forming plants (20–45 percent, and more). For 40 years, the peat soil thickness decreased from 1.5 to 0.9–1.0 m, by 1.5 cm annually during the first five years after draining. An 86 percent reduction in the peat soil thickness was due to soil compaction rather than organic matter mineralization. The peat soil bulk density was observed to increase due to the natural process of shrinkage and tilling the underlying mineral soil. The density of the solid soil phase increased slightly for the years of study that has indicated the stability of this index: it increased by 5.4 percent in the 0.3 m layer of medium-textured peat soil for 35 years, and by 1.2 percent in shallow soil for 20 years. It has been shown that the agricultural use of soils impacted the mineralization of peats that resulted in the reduction in the minimum water capacity: by 11.5 percent in the root layer (0.3 m) of medium-textured soil for 35 years; by 6.4 percent in shallow soil, and by 10.2 percent in the peat layer (0.2 m) of peaty-gley soil for 20 years.

Results are given from long-term (1994–2016) studies on the effect of involving virgin soils in agricultural use on soil formation processes. The studies were carried out on three subtypes of gray forest soils (light-gray, gray and dark-gray) in the subtaiga zone of Tyumen Region. It is shown how physical parameters and chemical and water properties of arable lands change as influenced by annual tillage that consequently affect the nutrient status of cultivated plants and humification processes. The studies on changes in solid soil phase density, soil formation and aggregation of gray forest soils were carried out in comparison with virgin soil samples. It has been established that the soil bulk density of humus horizon of light-gray and gray forest soils is within the upper bounds of the optimums of 1.24 and 1.31 g/cm3; dark-gray forest soils are characterized by the optimum density of 1.10 g/cm3. The prolonged use of these soils in tillage resulted in increasing the solid soil phase density up to 2.62–2.80 g/cm3. The soil bulk density of arable horizon of gray forest soils has a wider range of variation during the growing season. Annual tillage keeps it within 1.14–1.20 g/cm3. A tendency towards gradual compaction of the arable layer has been identified. Anthropogenic changes in solid soil phase and soil bulk densities can be traced to 40 cm deep. Annual tillage and reduced plant residues have resulted in forming soil aggregates with density of 1.36–1.40 g/cm3, while on virgin soils this parameter is 1.19–1.28 g/cm3. It has been shown that anthropogenic over-compaction could negatively affect the water regime of arable gray forest soils and reduce their productivity.

Results are given from long-term (2007–2010) studies on water and thermal regimes of disturbed soils and methods for their optimization under conditions of the Far North. It has been found that the moisture content of disturbed soils considerably depends on total precipitation during the vegetation period. Permafrost in the Far North affects the moisture regime, and largely regulates it. At low precipitation (84 mm) during the vegetation period, permafrost is a barrier for moisture to travel to the layers below, and atmospheric water is kept for a long time in the root layer providing plants with minimum moisture. At heavy precipitation (123 mm), the moisture of the root layer increases to the upper limit of the optimal reserves (0.87–0.99 MWC) despite the light granulometric composition of soils. The use of peat-mats contributes to more favorable moisture conditions for perennial grasses to emerge and grow by increasing moisture content in the 0.2 m soil layer by 10–17%. Plant cover, due to its low thermal conductivity, retards and reduces heat exchange between the soil and the atmosphere. As a result, the depths of soil thawing under plant cover decrease (44 cm) as compared to bare sites (54 cm). The establishment of sustainable phytocenoses of perennial grasses in the Far North with the purpose of reducing soil thawing is effective when using higher doses of mineral fertilizers (N90-160P90-160K90-160) just as they are or in combination with peatmats. Under conditions of the Far North, the optimal densities of plant cover are achieved at seeding rate of 120 kg/ha.

A research was carried out into the peculiarities of dormancy and germination of Sorbus sibirica seeds with short-term interruption of cold stratification (1–3oC) by temperature and water stress (rapid drying at 25oC). To induce germination, a laboratory method for stratifying freshly isolated intact (unsaturated) seeds at 1–3oC was used. The homogeneity of the seed sample was monitored by SDS-PAGE and ISSRPCR. The seeds were stratified at 1–3oC for 45, 59, 73 and 87 days, and the stratification was interrupted by rapid drying at 25oC for 1, 3, 7 and 14 days. After drying the experiment was continued in two versions: the seeds were soaked in cold (1–3oC) water or phytohormones (48 hours in gibberellic acid (GK3) solution of 100 mg/l, then 48 hours in kinetin (K) solution of 500 mg/l). Then the seeds in all variants were re-stratified at 1–3oC for 60 days, and germinated at 25oC for 72 hours, the percentage of germination and the lengths of the roots being estimated. It was established that interruption of cold stratification by rapid drying, irrespective of the method of subsequent processing (phytohormones or water), had a strong stimulating effect on germination in Sorbus sibirica seeds. In most variants more than 90% of the seeds germinated. Earlier experiments with continuous cold stratification of intact Sorbus sibirica seeds showed that 17–19% of seeds germinated within 105 days. Changed duration of stratification before drying did not affect the percentage of germination: it remained highest in all variants. The longer stratification lasted, the greater the length of the roots was. Significant deviations in forming seedlings were observed in seeds treated with phytohormones: the roots did not practically develop; their length after 72 hours of germination was 10–20 times lesser than that in seeds treated with water. Cotyledons, on the contrary, increased significantly, and were pale green. Two-stage cold stratification with intermediate temperature and water stress makes it possible to achieve more than 90% germination of seeds without phytohormones.

Results are given from studies on the effects of cultivation techniques on productivity of early-ripening maize hybrid Obskiy 140 SV when cultivated for silage and fodder-grain purposes under conditions of the West Siberian forest steppe. The cultivation techniques have been optimized, when the early-ripening maize hybrid Obskiy 140 SV (FAO 140–150) was grown for silage and fodder-grain purposes using mineral fertilizers in a dose of N60P60K40, and without fertilizers. The optimum complex of techniques under conditions of the West Siberian forest steppe was found to be two harrowings and two inter-row tillage using fertilizers in a dose of N60P60K40. These techniques provide increasing green and dry mass yields 3.6–3.8 times, as compared with the control (without crop cultivation, without fertilizers), with the maximum outputs of metabolizable energy (110.3 GJ) and feed units (94.1 centner) per ha. Maize cropping without fertilizers against a background of the entire complex of cultivation techniques provides the increases in green mass yield by 201% and dry mass yield by 188% as compared with the control. Carrying out the complex of crop cultivation techniques contributes to a reduction in weed infestation by 70%. Fertilizers applied to maize without cultivation techniques are largely used by weeds. When early-ripening maize hybrid Obskiy 140 SV is cultivated for fodder-grain purposes, carrying out the full complex of crop cultivation techniques with and without using fertilizers is necessary to obtain grain yields up to 45.3 centner per ha.

There has been developed a mathematical model of the motion of grain particles, when they are sifted into the holes of the cylindrical sieve, making planetary rotation. The differential equations for the motion of a grain particle into the hole of the sieve have been obtained that take into consideration the design and mode parameters of the sieve, the velocity of a particle moving on the separating surface. The conditions for a grain particle to pass into the sieve hole were determined taking into account its maximum position above the sieve surface. There were identified major dependencies of the passage of long particles into the round holes on design, kinematic and technological parameters of the separation process on the cylindrical planetary sieves. The maximum flow of grains when sifted through one hole is achieved at 450 rpm of the sieve. The pattern of change in the velocity of a particle moving above the hole was determined. As the total pressure of the grains on the sieve surface (including rotation) increases up to 8 kg/(m · c2), grain feed increases from 0.15 to 8.5 kg/h.

The paper describes experience with applying the R software environment for analysis of variance in breeding studies on mutant forms and hybrids of spring triticale. The study was conducted in Novosibirsk Region, Russia in 2014. Seven spring triticale varieties were planted at two sowing rates (400 and 800 seeds per m2) and at two sowing dates (15 May and 27 May) in a randomized complete block design with four replications. Nine morphological characters were taken for evaluation of the samples. The R graphical tools were used for data exploration. The three-factor linear model was fitted for analysis of variance. Normality of model residuals was assessed by Shapiro-Wilk test, and homogeneity of variance was assessed by
Levene’s test. The analysis of variance showed that all main factors for almost all traits under study were significant. Tukey’s honestly significant difference (Tukey’s HSD) test was used to identify differences between treatment means. The comparative study of spring triticale varieties under different conditions of vegetation was performed. The mutant forms used in the experiment showed a lower level of adaptability in comparison with the cultivar Ukro.

There is given a brief description, modes of operation and findings of experimental studies on a cylindrical sieve with screw dispenser for  grain pre-cleaning. In a cylindrical sieve without dispenser, a grain heap being moved by the rotating cylindrical surface is  concentrated in a quarter of the circumference of the sieve. When  the dispenser rotating in the opposite direction with respect to the  sieve is installed, the grain heap captured by the screw blades is  distributed over 1/3 to 1/2 of the circumference of the sieve. The  heap is moved by the screw blades in the axial direction, and  distributed over the length of the sieve. Thus, contact area between  the heap and the surface of the cylindrical sieve increases, the grain  heap layer thickness decreases, the probabilities of grains to pass  through the layer thickness and the holes of the sieve increase, and  performance per unit of the working surface area increases. An  inclination of the sieve towards feed makes it possible to control the  speed of the heap movement by means of the dispenser. The screw  dispenser installed in the sieve allows increasing feed of the grain  heap 1.2–1.6 times with the acceptable level of grain losses and  removal of straw impurities up to 70 percent. The dispenser  rotational speed of 30 rpm is preferable to that of 40 rpm because of much lower grain losses at the same grain feed, and of more  complete removal of big impurities at the acceptable grain losses.  The cylindrical sieve, made in such a way that its 75 percent have  the holes of 10 mm in diameter and 25 percent the holes of 6 mm in diameter, contributes to completeness of removing straw impurities by 10.5 percent.

A research was carried out into polymorphisms in the CSN3, PRL, BLG and TNF-alpha genes and immunogenetic characteristic of Simmentals from two herds in Novosibirsk Region and Altai Territory. The genotypes of the genes studied were identified by the PCR method, the genotype frequencies in different herds were determined, and population-genetic parameters were calculated. The research has shown that the herd from the highlands was characterized by higher frequency of the k-casein AA genotype by 0.179 and by lower frequency of the AB genotype by 0.142 as compared to animals from the steppe zone. The PRL gene was more than 0.7 represented by the homozygous genotype AA. No significant distinctions in the frequencies of the BLG and TNF-alpha genotypes were found in Simmentals from the herds compared. A comparative analysis of gene homozygosis in the herds has shown that its highest values of 72.1–76.3% were observed for the PRL gene in both herds. As to the other genes, a ratio of homo- and heterozygous genotypes was at the same level, except for the CSN3 gene, where the difference was 25.4%. The gene balance in the herds was not disturbed. The analysis of the allele frequencies of the genes studied has shown that the frequency of the CSN3 gene A allele was higher, and the frequency of the B allele was lower by 0.109, in Simmentals from the highlands as compared to those from the steppe zone. The selective-genetic parameters (Ca, SH, Naj, V) calculated on the basis of the data obtained were at the same level in both herds. The antigenic similarity and difference between the herds of purebred Simmentals and their hybrids with Holsteins were determined by immunogenetic analysis. The genetic similarity index (r) between the herds has been calculated using the blood group frequencies, and turned out to be 0.755–0.866 that corresponds to its value of 0.918 determined by the genotype frequencies of the CSN3, PRL, BLG and TNF-alpha genes.

There was studied the species composition of the wheat grain microbiota, representatives of which could be potential producers of organic compounds for modern biotechnology. Twenty wheat (Triticum vulgaris) samples were tested, from microbiocenoses of  which the strains of heterotrophic microorganisms resistant to toxic  concentrations of copper, zinc, manganese and iodine salts were  isolated and described. The contents of zinc, manganese and copper  salts in a suspension of washed bacterial cells were determined using a highly sensitive multielement analysis method  of inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Using media  containing manganese, we isolated and identified Stenotrophomonas maltophilia, Bacillus cereus, Lactococcus lactis, Bacillus subtilis, Brevibacillus sp., Bacillus amyloliquefaciens. Using a medium containing 1% KJ, we isolated Vagococcus sp., Paenibacillus dendritiformis and three unidentified isolates. On a nutrient medium containing copper sulfate, one isolate of an unknown species was grown. In the presence of 1% zinc sulfate, Klebsiella pneumonia, Enterococcus faecalis, Enterococcus faecium, Ralstonia insidiosa, Stenotrophomonas maltophilia have grown that allows using them for the development of selective media. Bacteria of the genus Bacillus have been detected, which are characterized by the ability to accumulate copper compounds to a concentration of 22.3 mg/g dry biomass. The 16S rRNA gene fragment from this culture has the greatest, but incomplete (98%), homology with Bacillus sp. LY (Genbank AY787805). No data on species identity of this Bacillus strain are available in the literature studied that allows us to refer it and isolated strain Cu2 to a new species, which has not previously been described.

Results are given from studies on increasing production performance and productive life of cows of Sibiryachka breed. The studies were carried out based on zootechnic recordings for 254 cows born in 2000–2005 at a breed originator farm in Novosibirsk Region. There were studied paratypic factors influencing their life-time productivity and longevity: age, live weights of heifers at the first fertile insemination, first lactation milk yield. The best parameters of productive life were observed in cows, firstly calving at the age of 30–32 months: life span of 3193.7 days, life-time milk yield of 30283.9 kg, milk fat and protein yields of 1189.26 and 928.07 kg, respectively. As the age of first-calf cows increased, their life span decreased by 437.9 days and life-time milk yield by 5951.9 kg. With increasing the live weight of first-calf cows from 450 to 540 kg, their life span increased by 816 days (32.6%) and life-time milk yield by 11389.6 kg. The further increase in live weight of first-calf cows result in reducing their life span by 422.2 days and lifetime milk yield by 5839 kg. It was observed that life span of cows increased with increasing first lactation milk yield. The maximum productive life of a cow in a herd (3.44 lactations) was recorded in cows milking 6000 kg for the first lactation. With increasing first lactation milk yield from 4000 to 6000 kg and more, the life-time milk yield increased by 12096.3 kg. The milk fat content reduced with increased milk yield by 0.13% at the same milk protein content. These findings on the effects of first-calving age, live weight and first lactation milk yield on productive life and production performance of cows are very important to planning breeding work.

Effectiveness of using enzymes of microbial origin in deep processing of maral raw stuff was studied. There was conducted comparative evaluation of using enzymes Protamex, Protease 1, Protease 2, Protomix, and Bacterial Protease when enzyme hydrolyzing by-products of maral farming – tails, reproductive organs of males, uteri with embryos, tendons. The enzymatic hydrolysis was carried out during 8–10 hours in the thermostat and the ultrasonic field at a temperature of +45 to +50oC. It has been found that the use of the enzymes studied and their combinations allows us to increase a transition rate from dry substances to hydrolyzates. When adding each enzyme separately during the hydrolysis of maral by-products, best results as to output of soluble components were obtained with Protomix and Bacterial Protease. At all stages of the study, the maximum outputs of concentrate were obtained due to the use of enzyme combinations. The addition of Protease 2 and Protomix during the fermentation of maral tails increased a proportion of soluble components up to 98%. When hydrolyzing the reproductive organs of males in the presence of Protease 1, Protease 2 and Protomix, the output of concentrate (dried to a moisture content of 10–12% hydrolyzate) increased to 65.2%. The use of Protomix and Papain combination in the hydrolysis process of the uteri with embryos and tendons resulted in the values of 75.3 and 71.0%, respectively. As shown by research, the use of ultrasonic vibrations allowed increasing the concentrate output by 10.8–21.2% as compared with the hydrolysis of raw material in the thermostat. Therefore the use of ultrasound in combination with the enzymes of microbial origin studied is effective for hydrolysis of maral raw stuff.

There was carried out an evaluation of minced meat semi-finished products out of beef, pork and horseflesh with adding fruit-and-berry homogenates and vegetable concentrates. Homogenates (apple, sea  buckthorn) were obtained by means of mechano-acoustic  homogenizer; concentrates (carrot, beet, pumpkin) were IR-dried  and minced by electric grinder. The starting raw material was  evaluated for compliance with microbiological parameters. No  pathogenic bacteria of the genus Salmonella and bacteria Listeria  monocytogenes were found in minced meat, the TAAMC parameter  was within the range of (1.6–2.6) × 106 CFU/g; coliform bacteria  were not detected. Fruit-and-berry homogenates met the  requirements of hygienic standards. In vegetable concentrates,  exceeding the standards as to TAAMC and coliform bacteria count  was observed. The final product, a minced meat semi-finished product with adding fruit-and-berry homogenate, has been established to complain with hygienic standards. With adding vegetable concentrates, only 33% of the samples met the requirements of the normative documents. Failure of the other 67% of samples to meet the standards was revealed as to parameters TAAMC and coliform bacteria count. We suppose that microbiological parameters of the samples with additives having higher bacterial contamination depended on both concentration of microbiologically contaminated vegetable concentrate and evenness of its distribution in the semi-finished product.