The elemental composition of the soil was studied in the mesorelief of the former water area of the Yudinsky stretch of Lake Chany. The study was carried out in two soil sections that are in geochemical conjugation: meadow-chernozem weakly-solodic loamy sand soil in the eluvial landscape position and meadow-marsh saline heavy-loamy soil in the accumulative landscape. Soils differ significantly in both redox and acid-base conditions: the distribution of humus in the soil profile, pH values, the content of physical clay, cation exchange capacity. Distribution of the predominant number of macroand microelements (with the exception of silicon) in the saline agrolandscape of the Prichanovskaya depression is characterized by their accumulation in the meadowmarsh saline heavy loam soil as a result of water migration and subsequent fixation in the form of slow-moving compounds. The content of elements in the accumulative position is on average 2-3 times higher than in the eluvial one. Macroelements iron and aluminum migrate down the relief in the form of sesquioxides in the composition of the clay fraction. The accumulation of calcium and magnesium is associated with the carbonatization of the soil profile. Trace elements zinc, copper, cadmium, lead are deposited on the alkaline barrier in the profile of meadow chernozem soil at a depth of 95 cm and below, in a meadow-marsh saline soil from the surface, molybdenum is concentrated in the upper horizons of the soil profile on the evaporation barrier, manganese on humus and gley meadow-bog soil, nickel and cobalt on humus and clay, chrome in salt accumulations. An imbalance of copper and molybdenum, iron and manganese, calcium and strontium is observed in the soils of both the eluvial and accumulative positions, which indicates a deficiency of molybdenum and manganese and an excess of strontium in the landscape soils in general. There is an excess of permissible sanitary and hygienic standards for the content of strontium and barium in the accumulative positions in the entire thickness of the soil profile of meadow-marsh saline heavy-loamy soil. The content of arsenic and, especially, boron exceeds the MPC values in the landscape as a whole.

The biological and economic efficiency of the new herbicide Flex in post-emergence application to soybean crops of the variety Sphera was studied. The tests were carried out incompliance with the standard methods in the form of the plot experiment in 2017, 2018 on brown meadow podzolized soils in the south of the Far East. The preparation was tested in the consumption rates of 1.25 and 1.5 l/ha when the crop reached the development phase of two triple leaves as opposed to the standard herbicide Galaxy Top in the rate of 1.7 l/ha. It was found that Flex has a high herbicidal activity against all dicotyledonous annual and perennial species of weeds. Common ragweed (Ambrosia artemisiifolia L.) and Asian copperleaf (Acalypha australis L.) were highly sensitive to the preparation even in the minimum consumption rate. Especially strong toxic effect of Flex was produced on such weeds in the rosette phase as Asiatic dayflower (Commelina communis L.), lamb’s quarters (Chenopodium album L.), field milk thistle (Sonchus arvensis L.), creeping thistle (Cirsium setosum (Willd.) Bieb.) and common mugwort (Artemisia vulgaris L.). Consistent application of graminicide Fuzilade Forte in the rate of 1.5 l/ha after treatment of soybean crops with herbicide Flex contributed to an almost complete elimination of annual grass weeds. The high biological efficiency of the experimental preparation contributed to a significant increase in crop yield. In 2018, when it was applied in the minimum rate of 1.25 l/ha, the yield achieved was 0.94 t/ha, exceeding the control value by 3.3 times. The highest yield increase of soybean seeds (1.12 t/ha on average for 2 years) was obtained with the use of herbicide Flex in the maximum consumption rate of 1.5 l/ha. Application of herbicide Flex to soybean crops in the rates of 1.25 and 1.5 l/ha alongside with the preparation Trend 90 in the rate of 0.2 l/ha proved to be highly effective in eliminating annual and perennial dicotyledonous weeds (in early stages of development) from soybean crops.

The object of the research was to study the influence of sowing dates on sugar accumulation in different varieties of soft winter wheat. Less winterhardy variety of soft winter wheat Novosibirskaya 2 was compared with more winter-hardy ones Novosibirskaya 3, Novosibirskaya 40 and Krasnoobskaya ozimaya. The research was carried out in 2016-2018 inthe established experimental plot in the foreststeppe of Priobye, theObregion. The predecessor was bare fallow. The planting dates were August 20, September 1, September 10. Weather conditions of the autumn growing season, during which the accumulation of sugars occurs, differed significantly depending on the year of study and the sowing dates. The warmest conditions were in 2018, whereas the coolest – in 2017. The amount of accumulated sugars varied depending on the growing conditions and genotypic characteristics of varieties. The highest amount of sugars was accumulated by all varieties during the third term of planting, the lowest amount – during the second term. Lower air temperatures contributed to the increase in the amount of sugars, even when the duration of their accumulation period was shortened, which can be explained by a change in carbohydrate balance in crops when the accumulation of sugars is greater than their consumption for crop respiration. The genotype plays an important role in the carbohydrate metabolism of plants. In more winter-hardy varieties (Novosibirskaya 40, Novosibirskaya 3), the change in the amount of accumulated sugars in contrasting conditions ranged insignificantly (the coefficient of variation was 9.1 and 8.7%, respectively). At the same time, plants of the less winter-hardy variety of Novosibirskaya 2 showed a significantly greater variation in the sugar content under similar conditions (the coefficient of variation 24.7%). Cooler conditions of a later term of sowing contributed to the greatest amount of accumulated sugars. Varietal differences also determined changes in carbohydrate balance.

The results of breeding work on the creation of an early-ripening potato variety Triumf for human consumption are presented. This variety is characterized by high stable early productivity, a complex of economically valuable traits and resistance to the most common diseases. Variety Triumf (hybrid number 91-08) was obtained on the basis of the targeted selection of genotypes using the intervarietal hybridization method as a result of crossing Nevskiy and Granat varieties in a breeding nursery in 2003 inthe conditions of the forest-steppe zone of Western Siberia. Its parentage includes species S. demissum and S. vallis-mexici. Variety testing (2004–2019) was carried out in various soil and climatic zones of Russia. In competitive variety testing in Omsk region in 2013–2016, productivity amounted to 32.6 t/ha on average, the maximum yield 35.8 t/ha was obtained in 2013 (4.0 t/ha higher than the standard variety Alyona). In the conditions of Moscow region in 2014-2016, the average yield amounted to 46.6 t/ha (4.9 t/ha higher than the standard variety Udacha), the maximum yield – 48 t/ha. In Tomsk region, the yield exceeded the standard variety Antonina by 3.0 t/ha in 2018. Variety Triumf is resistant to potato wart disease (Synchytrium endobioticum), its foliage and tubers are characterized by medium field resistance to late blight disease, increased resistance to common scab and black scab (Rhizoctonia solani), the main most common viral diseases in the forest-steppe and subtaiga zones of Western Siberia and chernozem zone of the European part of Russia. In 2019, the earlyripening variety Triumf for human consumption was included in the State Register of Breeding Achievements of theRussian Federation in the Central and Central-chernozem regions.

The paper presents substantiation of the rational use of combine harvesters’nominal throughput when threshing grain crops with the yield ranging from 0.8 to 5.0 t/ha and over. The main factors that determine nominal throughput of combine harvesters and their operational indicators are identified. The structure andcontents of thetechnological passport of combine harvesters are substantiated, and the algorithm of effective determination of their key operational indicators, based on the passport, are developed. These indicators depend on harvesting technology, grain crop yield, the share of non-grain part in the threshed grain bulk, the coverage of swath headers and direct-cut headers, and the operating speed of combine harvesters. The definition of the term “technological passport of the combine harvester” is given. Maximum and minimum allowable grain crop yield is established for the rational load of combine harvesters threshing at the standard operating speed of7.5 km/hrecommended by the Ministry of Agriculture of theRussian Federation. The existing methods make it possible to determine the operational efficiency of high-performance machinery by operational costs. However, they do not take into account the shortage of human resources when determining production cost of the threshed grain. As a result of the research conducted, the algorithm and techniques of determination of actual grain cost when harvesting grain crops by direct combining and swath harvesting methods are developed taking into account the need in combines of an i-class and combine operators. Production cost of grain threshed on the area of1000 hectarescalculated by the techniques developed, allows to define the minimum estimated and actual grain cost for an i-class combine harvester by direct combining and swath harvesting methods.

The relevance of early undamaging diagnosis of fungal diseases of garden strawberry has been proved. Comparative analysis of the main methods of early diagnostics of cultivated plants has been carried out. Fresh leaves of common garden strawberry of Symphony and Eliani cultivars grown in natural conditions in pots on bio-testing ground were used for research. Soil composition was leached chernozem with the addition of peat and fertilizer complex (superphosphate and potassium salt). Informative parameters of chlorophyll fluorescence of plant tissues of strawberry leaves obtained as a result of the impact of a bio-stressor (fungus of Ramularia tulasnei Sacc.) have been studied. Parameters of chlorophyll fluorescence in garden strawberry leaves were measured by the Dual-PAM-100 fluorimeter device in accordance with the technique developed. Fluorimeter mode control was exercised by means of the computer with the Windows operating system according to the special program. As a result of pilot studies, it was revealed that for two cultivars of garden strawberry Symphony and Eliani, fungus of Ramularia tulasnei Sacc caused the most significant and stable changes of chlorophyll fluorescence parameters of plant tissues of leaves: quantum yield of photochemical transformation of light energy, the minimum chlorophyll fluorescence a in the objects adapted to light and quantum yield of non-regulated energy dissipation. When strawberry cultivars Symphony and Eliani were affected by this bio-stressor, the parameter of quantum yield of non-regulated energy dissipation showed the most identical properties on the nature of its dependence and current values. Credible early undamaging diagnosis of fungal diseases of garden strawberry was proved possible by the level of quantum yield of non-regulated energy dissipation.

The paper presents results of research into the means of inhibiting persistent infection caused by noncytopathic biotype of bovine viral diarrhea virus. It was shown that bovine viral diarrhea virus, widespread in the cattle population in the whole world, can be a primary cause of pathology development of the respiratory and reproductive organs, and can cause a persistent form of infection in animals. The virus can contaminate fetal serum, cell cultures, trypsin, and other biological products, which leads to a decrease in the quality of biotech products from these materials and the spread of bovine viral diarrhea virus in a population of susceptible animals. The study was done on the model of a continuous calf coronary cell culture persistently infected with the noncytopathic biotype of the bovine viral diarrhea virus. The antiviral effect of two commercial preparations Ribavirin-Lipint and Reaferon-EC-Lipint was studied. The effectiveness of antiviral treatment of the infected cell culture was determined by the reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction, carried out in two versions: with electrophoresis and in real-time mode. It was found that these drugs in doses of 0.05 mg / ml and 30000 IU / ml, respectively, when added to growth medium for 24 consecutive passages, led to a decrease in the infectious activity of the bovine viral diarrhea virus in the cell culture, but did not cure it completely from the persistent infection caused by the noncytopathic biotype of the virus. Application of antiviral drugs is one of the ways to decrease economic losses caused by biological product contamination, the use of persistently infected animals for pedigree purposes and restrictions in international cattle trade.

In the course of the study permeability of intestinal mucosa of chickens suffering from eimeriosis while treating them with various veterinary drugs, including probiotics, was evaluated. The simulation of a typical clinical picture of eimeriosis was carried out by oral administration of suspension with coccidial oocysts (1.6 × 105/head) using a probe. To create different forms and different intensity of inflammatory processes, chickens that received various anticoccidial preparations and probiotic strain Bacillus subtilis were infected with eimeria. According to the data from an autopsy, it was found that the use of a spore probiotic based on Bacillus subtilis and anticoccidial drugs containing robenidine hydrochloride and salinomycin had a positive protective effect when treating chickens from eimeriosis. A similar picture was observed when assessing permeability of intestinal mucosa as affected by bacteriophage, whereby permeability decreased with the use of probiotics and the above-mentioned active agents. In general, the decrease in productivity was significant in all groups. However, the effect of spore-based probiotics was quite pronounced against the background of eimeria polyresistance. In the situation where anticoccidial drugs are less effective, the use of a spore-based probiotic can have a noticeable protective effect. The effect of all anticoccidial drugs under study on the concentration of oocysts and the state of the mucosa was insignificant, which indicated polyresistance of different types of eimeria isolated from biological material to these drugs. The analysis of the intestinal mucosa integrity, based on the study of mucosa permeability to bacteriophages and a Johnson and Reid scoring procedure showed that a spore probiotic based on B. subtilis and anticoccidial drugs containing robenidine and salinomycin had the best protective effect against eimeriosis caused by field isolates of eimeria. When treating chickens suffering from eimeriosis caused by polyresistant forms of E. acervulina and E. tenella, it is advisable to use probiotics alongside with drugs based on robenidine and salinomycin.

The paper presents a new solid growth medium for the cultivation of Mycobacterium paratuberculosis consisting of organic and inorganic ingredients. The study of diagnostic informative value and effectiveness of solid growth media used for cultivation of Mycobacterium Paratuberculosis was carried out in the laboratory conditions. Extract from birch-wood ash of 3% concentration and a growth stimulant of biological origin, peat oxide, were introduced as a mineral salt bases into the developed medium. When constructing the test medium, Lоwenstein–Jensen egg growth medium with the addition of mycobactin, which is an extract from Mycobacterium. phlei and contains substances necessary for the nutrition and reproduction of Mycobacterium paratuberculosis on artificial nutrient media, was used as an analogue. A test on compatibility and solubility of the components was done in distilled water in accordance with the generally accepted guidelines. The duration of observation ranged from 60 to 90 days. A comparison was made between the time of appearance of the primary and intensive growth of mycobacteria of paratuberculosis on the experimental medium and the Lоwenstein–Jensen control medium with mycobactin. Colonies of primary and intensive growth of standardized M. paratuberculosis strain and M. paratuberculosis isolate obtained from the cattle biomaterial on experimental egg growth medium appeared 3-7 days faster than on Lоwenstein–Jensen control medium with mycobactin. When inoculating biomaterial from cattle (lymph nodes and intestine), the primary growth of M. paratuberculosis on the experimental medium was noted 7 days earlier than on the control one, and the intensive growth was 3 days earlier. The experimental growth medium is cheaper and simpler to prepare than Lоwenstein–Jensen control medium with mycobactin, whose preparation is a rather laborious technological process.

The use of trial specimens of probiotics based on strains of Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus licheniformis and their consortium was experimentally proved to be effective for quail feeding during their growth. The dynamics of live weight gain of quails was monitored. The experiment lasted for 60 days and was carried out in compliance with the standard methods. Quails that were studied were of the Japanese breed formed in four groups of 80 heads in each: one control group and three experimental ones at the age of one day. Quails were kept in a battery cage with all the required environment conditions met. All the groups were fed on the main (control) diet, developed taking into account the age and physiological characteristics of quails. However, birds of experimental groups 1-3 were additionally fed on probiotics based on strains Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus licheniformis and their consortium in the amount of 150 g/t of feed, respectively. The effect of new strains of probiotics and their consortium was tested during the study by the following parameters: the survival rate of birds, intensity of chicken growth, meat productivity and hematological indicators. The optimum variant of probiotics introduction into the diet of quails during their growth period was determined. The recommendations for the preparation of compound feeds with the use of probiotic supplements were developed. The chemical composition of quail feed and meat was studied in the biological laboratory by conventional methods of zootechnical analysis. The introduction of the consortium of strains Bacillus subtilis and Bacillus licheniformis in the amount of 150 g/t led to an increase in the survival rate of quails by 4.0%. The average daily live weight gain increased by 2.57%, feed consumption per one unit of produce decreased by 6.48%. When feeding quails on the consortium of probiotic strains Bacillus subtilis and Bacillus licheniformis in this rate, the mass of the eviscerated bird carcass increased by 3.61%, the protein content in the meat and its biological value increased by 1.06 and 11.11%, respectively. The hematological characteristics of the chickens remained within the physiological norm.

The paper presents the results of feeding crossbred laying hens of Hisex White breed, one year of age, suffering from chronic fistulae of the main pancreatic duct, on the wheat-soya diet supplemented with exogenous protease. The scope of the study covered the effect of enzymatic preparation Axtra Pro® on exocrine pancreatic function of hens, diet nutrients digestibility, digestive enzyme activity and blood biochemical values. Enzymatic activity of1 gof preparation Axtra Pro® amounted to 897 ± 47.5 mg of casein split during 1 minute (mg/(ml per min), which is 77.6% higher compared to preparation Pancreatine. Supplementing feed with the preparation Axtra Pro® (100g/t of feed) did not affect the amount of pancreatic juice, there were no changes in secretory enzymatic activity. The analysis of postprandial enzyme secretion dynamics made it possible to conclude that when laying hens were fed on the wheat-soya diet supplemented with exogenous protease, there was a decrease in proteolytic activity of the pancreatic juice during the first 60 min after the feed intake. After 150 min, i.e. during the neurohumoral phase of the regulation of pancreatic enzyme secretion, there was a rise in proteolytic activity. At the same time protease activity did not undergo insignificant changes during the experiment; digestibility of protein increased by 1.2% compared to the control group. Supplementing diet with the preparation Axtra Pro® (100 g/t of feed) led to the decrease in the activity of alkaline phosphatase in hens’ blood plasma by 47.8%, and glucose concentration by 9.2% compared to the control group, which proves a positive effect of the preparation on the function of digestive glands.

Productivity and nutritional value of poaceous crops sown as a single crop and intercropped with spring rape have been studied. Field and laboratory studies were conducted in 2012–2014 on meadow chernozem mealy-carbonate soil in the forest-steppezone of Trans-BaikalTerritory. Agricultural technology used for fodder crop cultivation was common for this area. The objects of the research were the following recognized varieties: oats Metis, spring rye Onokhoiskaya, spring triticale Ukro, spring rape Shpat. The experimental work was carried out in accordance with the generally accepted guidelines for fi eld experiments. Poaceous crops and spring rape were assessed in terms of their adaptability to growing conditions and their economically valuable characteristics were shown. The possibility of increasing the productivity and nutritional value of fodder agrocenoses by intercropping spring rape with poaceous crops was established. In multi-crop agrocenoses, the yield increased and the quality of feed raw material improved. The best results of agrocenoses in multi-crop sowings were achieved by spring triticale intercropped with spring rape and oats intercropped with spring rape: the yield of green mass was 22.1-23.5 t/ha, the amount of dry matter 5.09-5.19, feed units 3.65-3.83 t/ha, digestible protein 598.6-654.9 kg/ha, gross energy 54.055.5 GJ/ha, availability of digestible protein164171 gper feed unit. In terms of productivity, spring triticale and oats intercropped with spring rape surpassed single-crop poaceous agrocenoses by the following parameters: feed units by 1.1-1.9 times, digestible protein by 1.8-3.6 times, gross energy by 1.3-2.6 times, with 10.6-10.7 MJ of dry matter in one kilogram of exchangeable energy.