AGRICULTURE AND CHEMICALIZATION
Currently, the development of effective methods for increasing the resistance of winter cereals to diseases and environmental stress factors based on the activation of plants own protective mechanisms is an urgent task. The article presents the results of field studies (2021–2024) aimed at assessing the impact of pre-sowing seed inoculation with microbial preparations on the adaptation to low temperatures and winter hardiness of winter triticale. The experiment was conducted on the experimental fields of the Leningrad Research Institute of Agriculture "Belogorka". The object of the study was the Bilinda variety of winter triticale. The field experiment included 7 variants: control and six variants involving seed treatment with the preparations based on the associative rhizobacteria: Agrophil (Agrobacterium radiobacter, strain 10), Mizorin (Arthrobacter mysorens, strain 7), Flavobacterin (Flavobacterium sp., strain 30), Rizobact brand RZhF (Corynebacterium sp., strain PBT 7), Rizobact brand MZhF (Enterobacter sp., strain PBT 3), Rizobact brand FZhF (Pseudomonas sp., strain PBT 4). The content of soluble carbohydrates (monosugars and sucrose) in tillering nodes was studied during the pre-winter period (November – December), and their relationship with snow mold damage and plant survival after overwintering. It has been established that seed treatment with the preparations Rizobact FZhF, Flavobacterin and Mizorin significantly increases the accumulation of monosaccharides and sucrose by 1.45–1.55 times relative to the control. A stable positive correlation has been found between the level of sucrose accumulation (r = 0.96) and monosaccharides (r = 0.93) and the plant density after overwintering. In the variants treated with these preparations, minimal damage by snow mold and maximum increase in plant density (31.5–47.0% compared to the control) are observed.
The article presents the results of a study assessing the effect of direct seeding technology and different seeding rates on the overall symbiotic potential of soybeans and nodule mass. The field experiment was conducted in 2022–2024 in the Amur Region. The sown crop was the soybean variety Debut. In a two-factor experiment, the influence of two seeding technologies was studied: without preliminary soil cultivation (direct seeding) and with cultivation (factor A), as well as four seeding rates: 400, 500, 600 and 700 thousand units/ha (factor B). The results obtained showed that in the period from germination to the beginning of flowering of plants, sowing without tillage contributed to more active development of the root system and nodules. During the period from the beginning of flowering to the formation of beans, the dry mass of roots remained significantly higher with direct seeding (by 115 kg/ha, or 11.1%). Nodule development differed little between the sowing technologies. By the seed-filling stage, direct seeding significantly exceeded tillage seeding in terms of dry mass of the aboveground portion (by 502 kg/ha, or 5.2%), roots (by 178 kg/ha, or 16.0%), and nodules (by 27 kg/ha, or 8.8%). Over the entire period of the study, direct sowing of soybeans has proven to be more effective than traditional technology in terms of accumulation of nodule mass and overall productivity of the symbiotic apparatus. The optimal seeding rate turned out to be 500 thousand pieces/ha, which achieved the maximum balance between the mass of nodules and the overall symbiotic potential. The correlation analysis showed that in the early flowering phase there is a negative correlation (r = –0.36, average dependence), in the bean formation phase there is a positive correlation (r = 0.38, average dependence), and in the seed filling phase there is a positive correlation (r = 0.125) with a weak dependence.
PLANT GROWING AND BREEDING
Reforestation by planting Siberian larch in the Urals is complicated due the difficulty of obtaining seeds and their low sowing qualities. One of the ways to increase the efficiency of growing high-quality planting material is to use biopreparations with growth-stimulating action. In this regard, a study was conducted to determine the effect of preparations from the extract of spruce wood greenery and its components (neutral and acidic) on the growth of 1-year-old seedlings of Siberian larch in two nurseries located in the Sverdlovsk region. It was found that in the Obroshinsky nursery, the survival rate of 1-year-old seedlings in the experimental variants was 16–28% lower than in the control, while in the Berezovsky nursery it exceeded the control values by 11–30%. The developmental features of the root system (length of the main and lateral roots, density of lateral roots, etc.) were also studied. It was shown that the seedlings from the Obroshinsky nursery had a shorter main root and more pronounced lateral root growth in the lateral direction than the plants from the Berezovsky nursery. The morphological parameters of the above-ground part of the seedlings were studied, and differences were identified both between the variants within the same nursery and between different nurseries. The influence of soil conditions on seedling growth was assessed. It was found that the degree of the stimulating effect depended on the type of preparation, its dosage, and plant growth conditions. A conclusion was made about the positive effect of biopreparations on the safety and biometric characteristics of Siberian larch seedlings in the first year of growth in open ground conditions.
In breeding of new high-yielding cultivars, an important role is given to the source material. In this regard, the purpose of the work was to study the pea collection material of different ecological and geographical origin according to the most important morphobiological and economically valuable traits in the conditions of the Cis-Ural forest-steppe zone of the Republic of Bashkortostan. Field experiments were conducted in 2022–2024. The object of the study came to be 150 pea cultivars. Contrasting weather conditions during the years of the study (HTC from 0.51 to 1.3) made it possible to comprehensively evaluate the collection material according to the degree of ecological adaptation to the conditions of the region. As a result of the study, the sources of early maturation were identified: Pamyati Khangildina, Chishminsky 80, 95, 75, Uladovsky 303, Shikhan, L 26665, L-31969, L-31970, K-8720 (France), K-6363 (Germany), K-8717 (England) with a growing season duration from 58.0 ± 4.2 to 64.3 ± 6.2 days. The following varieties were distinguished by a complex of economically valuable traits: Chishminsky 75, 95, 229, Pamyati Popova, L-31969, Kormovoy 23, Thomas, Aksaysky Usaty 55 with a large number of beans per plant (from 4.50 ± 0.14 to 5.17 ± 0.15 pcs.), seeds per plant (from 18.4 ± 0.6 to 22.2 ± 0.7 pcs.), high grain content per bean (from 4.19 ± 0.08 to 4.51 ± 0.09 pcs.) and seed productivity (seed weight per plant – from 4.13 ± 0.24 to 4.91 ± 0.30 g). The following varieties were identified as sources of high protein content in grain (from 23.5 ± 0.4 to 26.1 ± 0.5%): Pamyati Khangildina, Chishminsky 229, Shtambovy Maltseva, Avans, Effektny, K-9457 (Tyumen region, Russia), K-9425 (France), Orel-326, -332, Severyanin, Aksaysky Usaty 55, K-6109 (Netherlands). The selected variety samples are recommended for use in pea breeding to create new highly productive technological varieties adaptable to the conditions of the Cis-Urals.
PLANT PROTECTION
The data of the research of corn hybrids for resistance to fungal pathogens in the conditions of the southern Far East are presented. Helminthosporium turcicum Pass (Northern corn leaf blight) and Fusarium moniliforme Scheldon (Fusarium ear rot) are the widespread corn pathogens causing significant damage to the crop. Often, under favorable conditions, the degree of development of fungal diseases can reach over 50%. Presence of information on the extent of corn infestation by pathogens will help identify the sources of resistance for breeding. The purpose of this study is to identify the corn hybrids resistant to major fungal diseases. The material for the field experiments consisted of 182 hybrids from the control nursery, which belong to four maturity groups: early-maturing – 10 samples, middle-early – 79, medium-maturing – 70 and middle-late – 23. The evaluation of the genotypes for the degree of damage by the pathogens of the Northern corn leaf blight and Fusarium ear rot was carried out against a natural background in the monsoon climate of the Primorsky Territory. It was found that, on average, over 2 years, the incidence rates of the Northern corn leaf blight, depending on the genotype, ranged from 7 to 35%, and Fusarium ear rot – from 2 to 23%. 9.9% of the genotypes (18 samples) have high field resistance (damage level – up to 10%) to H. turcicum, and 69.8% (127) to F. moniliforme. The following samples are characterized by a complex of resistance to these diseases: Primorsky 547, 580, 583, 587, 588, 589, 597, 612, 660, 665, 666, 677, 679, 683, 685, 686. Symptoms of corn smut virus were detected in six genotypes. The incidence rate of this disease was 1.8 (Primorsky 587) – 4.5% (Primorsky 524).
ZOOTECHNICS AND VETERINARY MEDICINE
In the context of the modern development of aquaculture, special attention is paid to improving the efficiency of feeding and improving the health of fish. The use of specialized feed additives enriched with proteins and trace elements is one of the promising directions. This paper examines the effect of the protein-mineral feed additive DREAMFEED® OOO "GIPROBIOSINTEZ" on the growth and physiological condition of the Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus), as well as the features of accumulation and resorption of important trace elements in the tissues and organs of fish. During the study, Nile tilapia fingerlings were divided into two groups. The experimental group received feed containing 94% DREAMFEED® feed additive, 5% fish oil and 1% premix. In the control group, compound feed produced by the OOO "BIFF" was used (fish meal – 35%, wheat flour – 22, meat meal – 20, corn gluten – 10, fish oil – 7, blood meal – 5, premix – 1%). The experimental feed was characterized by a higher protein content (64.3%) and a reduced fat level (8.9%) compared to the control feed. Fish-farming and biological analysis demonstrated higher predicted growth in the experimental group, which was confirmed by the approximation coefficient (0.981 versus 0.963 in the control). The hemoglobin concentration in the experimental group at all stages exceeded the control group by 10.1–14.2 g/l. In the experimental group, a decrease in the erythrocyte sedimentation rate to optimal levels (no more than 2.5 mm/h) was observed. Throughout the study period, the concentration of total protein in the blood serum of the experimental group remained above 29.2 g/l, while in the control individuals this figure remained below 26.2 g/l. Analysis of copper accumulation dynamics in the tissues and organs of fish from both groups revealed similar trends, but some differences were identified due to the feed composition. This study confirms the effectiveness of the DREAMFEED® feed additive in improving the performance and physiological parameters of the Nile tilapia.
The article focuses on a topical issue – the study of the influence of genetic factors on the productive qualities of dairy cattle. During the research work at the "Mezheninovsky" Agricultural Production Cooperative, Tomsk Region, an evaluation of Holstein cows of the Vis Back Ideal and Reflection Sovereign lines was conducted to determine the influence of the animals' origin on their milk productivity. The main selection and genetic parameters were also calculated: the coefficients of variation, correlation, and regression of the studied traits. It has been found that cows of the Reflection Sovereign line are characterized by a higher level of milk productivity and, on average, surpass their peers in the herd: in milk yield for the entire lactation – by 1519.1 kg, milk fat content – by 151.9 kg, milk protein content – by 127.6 kg. When analyzing the heritability coefficient, the greatest influence on the live weight of the offspring was noted being at the level of 32%. The influence on the amount of milk protein is 28%, on milk yield – 14%, on milk fat content – 8%. It has been established that the genotype of the fathers and the conditions of keeping have a greater influence on the productive qualities of first-calf heifers. The calculated selection effect showed that with further use of cows of the Vis Back Ideal and Reflection Sovereign lines, it is possible to achieve an increase in the following indicators (in relation to the group of cows of the general herd): milk yield in 305 days for the first generation – by 223.9 kg, in one year – by 49.7 kg, milk fat content – by 4.5 and 1.1 kg, milk protein – by 17.4 and 3.7 kg, respectively. Therefore, to produce high-quality milk and increase its production under farm conditions, it is economically feasible to use cows of the Vis Back Ideal and Reflection Sovereign lines. The profitability of commercial milk production from these animals exceeds the herd average by 39.5%.
The dynamics and factors influencing the epizootic situation of bovine brucellosis in the Republic Tuva for the period of 1975-2024 are presented. The epizootic situation in the region is permanently unfavorable. Over the past 50 years, bovine brucellosis has been registered in 17 districts and the surrounding area of Kyzyl in 54,101 heads of cattle in 532 affected areas. These areas are mainly located in flat areas with a milder climate and relatively good herbage, favorable for the development of meat and dairy cattle breeding. Brucellosis of cattle has not been registered only in the territory of the TereKholsky district. Until 1995, there was an increase in the number of animals identified as sick with brucellosis. After the liquidation of state farms in the region, the transfer of livestock to numerous personal subsidiary farms with traditional distant-pasture keeping of farm animals put to grass with frequent changes of cattle camps and separated animal husbandry, the incidence of cattle diseases has decreased significantly. In general, during the study period in the Republic Tuva, the index of unfavorability amounted to 7,2 %, the focality index showed 102 heads of sick animals per one contamination zone, the epizooticity index was at the level of 1064%. The most intense epizootic situation for brucellosis was observed in the first two decades of the analyzed period (1975-1994) under public livestock management, with compact and crowded keeping of a large number of livestock in the same herds and premises. In the next three decades (1995-2024), with the beginning of the liquidation of state farms, dairy and commodity complexes and the restructuring of ownership with the creation of numerous private farms with distant-pasture keeping of farm animals (nomadic) livestock farming put to grass with frequent changes of cattle camps and pastures, which led to a certain break in contacts between herds, the mass infection of animals decreased and significantly improved the epizootic situation, which, however, remained consistently dysfunctional.
The reason for the low productivity of farm animals is the lack of protein in the diet. This problem can be solved by increasing the consumption of high-protein animal feed. The purpose of the study was to develop an enriching feed additive based on soybean raw materials. The technology for producing an enriching additive and the results of its chemical composition are presented. The additive is obtained on the basis of the Sentyabrinka soybean variety. Its chemical composition and microbiological characteristics are determined by standard conventional methods of investigation. The additive is found to contain a significant amount (per 100 g) of proteins (41.67 g), fats (19.87 g), carbohydrates (19.60 g), dietary fibers (7.8 g), minerals (5.66 mg), as well as vitamin C – 2.11 mg, vitamin E – 20.85 mg and β-carotene – 3.58 mg. Analysis of the possibility of using additives to enrich the diet of laying hens and improve the chemical composition of the combined feed was carried out. The chemical composition of the feed mixture, prepared according to our formulation, has improved in almost all the most important standardized indicators remaining within the recommended limits. The content of crude fat increased by 58.6%, raw protein – by 5.8% and crude fiber – by 5.1%. It became possible to eliminate the additional application of amino acids (lysine, methionine), which the soy additive is rich in. Vitamin E content was increased to the maximum permissible limit of 2.45 instead of 1.01 mg/100 g through enrichment. The samples tested for microbiological indicators were within normal limits during one storage year. The evolution of the peroxide number during storage indicates an enzymatic oxidation process of its lipid fraction, exceeding the acceptable standard for 12-month storage (10.8 mmol active oxygen/kg fat). The shelf life of the feed supplement is 11 months. The developed additive can be used to enrich the daily ration of feed for farm animals and poultry.
MECHANISATION, AUTOMATION, MODELLING AND DATAWARE
A method for monitoring plant extinction (dead trees with signs of crown and trunk drying) in intensive orchards is presented based on aerial photography of trees from a DJI Mavic 3 Multispectral unmanned aerial vehicle in row spacing (shooting height 1.5–2.0 m) and computer vision and deep learning algorithms. An original dataset of 5,366 images of apple orchards was compiled, labeled into three classes: dead trees (class "Dead"), candidates for plant extinction (class "Candidate"), and young plantings (class "Newly"). Data augmentation (synthetic generation of new images based on the existing ones) included modeling of the changes in illumination (±15%), color tone (–20° in hue), Gaussian noise (0.5%), and blur (σ = 0.5 pixels), which increased the model’s robustness to work in garden planting conditions. Five versions of the YOLOv12 architecture were compared; the YOLOv12l model was recognized as optimal (mAP@50(B) = 0.810; Precision = 0.820; Recall = 0.831), providing a balance between accuracy and performance (9.58 ms/frame). Specialized software with a graphical interface was developed that implements video stream post-processing, object tracking, and visualization of results. The use of the ByteTrack algorithm (with camera motion compensation) allowed reducing the number of ID switches of the recognized tree classes to 2.3 per 1000 frames and increasing the recognition accuracy to 92.4%, which is 41.0% higher than the recognition results without tracking. The program supports customization of the frame analysis zone depending on garden parameters (row spacing, shooting angle) and is compatible with geoinformation platforms, allowing the creation of digital maps of crop losses referenced to GNSS-RTK coordinates. The practical significance of the obtained results lies in the reduction of labor costs for inventory, and the increase in the accuracy and speed of monitoring the condition of the plantings.
PROBLEMS. OPINIONS
The task of providing Russia with food is currently especially relevant, since the level of our country's dependence on food imports has exceeded the thresholds of national security. And the main factor in the existing potential of the country is the biologization and ecologization of intensification processes with high technogenic equipment. All developments in agriculture should be aimed at maximum reclamation of the natural and climatic potential of the country. The level of per capita grain consumption as one of the main criteria of world and national food security is 1.0 – 1.2 tons / person. 3 kg of grain are required to produce 1 kg of meat. The remaining relatively high share of imported meat and especially dairy products narrows the resources of the feed grain market for the development of domestic animal husbandry and, first of all, cattle breeding. A deficiency of plant and animal proteins has been noted. However, the general conditions of farming, crop production and livestock farming are naturally accompanied by an increase in specific costs and energy costs to obtain an additional unit of output. Siberian agriculture does not meet its potential. Extensive agricultural technologies prevail. There is an opportunity to increase grain production in the country by 2 or 3 times. For specific conditions, it will be necessary to justify the yield value as an integral indicator of agriculture for the selection of agricultural technologies for cultivating grain crops. Therefore, fundamental achievements in the agro-industrial complex are possible only on the basis of the creation and implementation of innovative technologies that arise in complex processes ensuring the stability of their output indicators which requiring multidisciplinary research. And this causes the need for the creation of a new methodological base for innovative processes. Systematized theoretical knowledge from various technologies is needed, capable of generating extraordinary solutions to technological and technical problems. There is a need to change the research paradigm.
OUR HEROES OF THE DAY
ISSN 2658-462X (Online)






