The article reviews the data of Russian and foreign literature sources concerning the spread of vector-born animal infectious diseases such as lumpy skin disease (LSD), Rift Valley fever (RVF), bluetongue. Epidemiology, spread of diseases as well as geographical distribution of their vectors are described, the most probable reasons for expanding the areas of vector-borne infections are considered. Insects and ticks serve not only as vectors, but also as reservoirs and amplifying agents of many pathogens of natural focal infections of human and animals. Of great epidemiological importance is the ability of some vectors to transmit vertically the pathogens from infected females to their offspring. An important role in the epidemiology of vector-borne infections belongs to the following bloodsucking insects - mosquitoes (family Culicidae), sandflies (family Phlebotomidae), midges (family Simuliidae), biting midges (family Heleidae), flies (family Muscidae). Spread of lumpy skin disease to the new territories in recent years is associated with blood-sucking ticks and flying biting insects of the order Diptera (Muscidae -Stomoxys calcitrans; Culicoides - C. Punctatus; Anopheles - An. stephensi; Culex, - Cx. quinquefasciatus). Rift Valley fever virus is transmitted through the bites of infected mosquitoes of the genera Aedes, Anopheles, Coquillettidia, Culex, Eretmopodites Eunelanomyia, Mansonia, Neomelaniconion, Ochlerotatus, Stegomyia. A wide range of mosquitoes’ feeders and the ability of some species to feed consistently on birds and mammals allowed these insects to become the most important vectors of many zoonoses. The major vectors of the bluetongue virus are representatives of blood-sucking biting midges of the genus Culicoides (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae), numbering about 1350 species distributed throughout the world (about 117 species in Europe). This article summarizes data on species composition Culicoides in the world and in the Russian Federation and their competence in the transmission of the bluetongue virus. The major vectors of the bluetongue virus in Africa include representatives of the species C. imicola, in North America - C. sonorensis,.in Australia - C. brevitarsis. In Europe the bluetongue virus is transmitted by biting midges from the complex obsoletus and pulicaris.

Ninety-eight varieties of naked oat were studied in Federal Agricultural Research Center of the North-East (Kirov. Kirov region) in 2012 - 2017. Growth conditions differed in years. the sum of active temperatures from May till August varied from 1135° in 2017 to 1632° in 2016. Studies were conducted according to Methodical directions on study of barley and oat world collection (2012). Estimation of grain quality (content of protein and fat) was done with the use of INFRAMATIC 8620 system. The released naked variety Vyatsky was the standard. Productivity of naked oat samples in 2017 varied from 111 to 511 g/m² and had an average value of 300 g/m². The variety 282h09 (Russia) had maximal productivity (149%), an average level for the whole period of studies being 283 g/m² (80.6 % to standard). High stability of production (average 311 g/m² or 95% to standard) and grain quality (protein content 15.57%) raised the possibility of using the variety PZS-LYM-03 (China) for creation of productive oat genotypes with high grain quality. There were selected 38 sources of naked oat including those having minimal amount of husked grains in yield (0.1.. .0.9 %) - 358h10 (Russia), BAYS -159 (Belarus), BAI 6057, BAI 6105, 15149 local (China), 15091 MF 9224-336, 15158 MF 9224-359 (USA); having high grain protein (15.91.16.12 %) - 15089 MF 9224-106, MF 9224-247, MF 9521-281 (USA) and fat (4.35 %) - 15094 MF 9521-247 (USA). Varieties with higher protein content had lower fat content and vice versa. Larger amount of husked grains in yield was noted in years with higher temperatures during the period from ear emergence to wax maturity and at abundant precipitations during the period from sowing till shooting.

Insufficient yield capacity potential of varieties is one of the reasons for decrease in areas and production of winter rye grain. Creation of productive varieties adaptable to region conditions is possible with the use of modern sources of breeding-valuable traits that meet demands of growing conditions. The purpose of the research was to assess the yield capacity of 578 varieties of the world gene pool and 86 varieties of domestic selection in the conditions of the Kirov region and to select the sources of breeding-valuable traits. Studies were done in 1996-2015. During the study in collection nursery 9 varieties with yield capacity at the level of standard Falenskaya 4 (400 g/m²) were selected: Zhatva, Nadezhda, Narymskaya 89 (Russian Federation); Feya (Belarus); Lira, Pallada (Ukraine); SСW 1662 (Germany); (k-11060) local (Finland); Suceava 317/76 (Romania). Nine sources of valuable traits on the density of productive plant stand (> 371 pcs./m²) were selected; 15 - on ear productivity (> 19 g), 23 - on the grain size (weight of 1000 grains >36 g). The following varieties of domestic breeding have high potential of yield capacity: Purga, Tatyana, NVP-3, Pamyat' Kondratenko, Grafinya, Rushnik, Tatarskaya 1, Estafeta Tatarstana, Era, Volkhova, Roksana, Populyaciya BC, Chulpan 7, Pamyati Kunakbaeva. Heavy-productive varieties (variety Era had the maximum yield capacity - 8.28 t/ha) in some years suffer significantly or even completely die at overwintering during the period of snow mold (Microdochium nivale) epiphytoty. Varieties bred in Russia Pamyat Kondratenko, Chulpan 7, Populyaciya AC, Marusen'ka, Irina, Antares, Volna, Radon', Tatarskaya 1, Saratovskaya 6, Saratovskaya 7, Kirovskaya 89, Snezhana, and Krona can be recommended as a source of high ear productivity. Eight sources of large grains and 12 sources of grain number in an ear have been selected. Work collection of gene sources for use in modern winter rye breeding programs of the North-East breeding center has been formed.

The article presents a method for calculating the statistical criterion for evaluation the adaptive ability of selection achievements. The aim is to provide mathematical background for the criterion of significance of the differences between the experimental variants on the general adaptive ability, which is determined in the process of two-way analysis of variance. Investigations were carried out in the Smolensk State Agricultural Experimental Station named after A.N. Engelhardt. The criterion is the least significant difference at a defined significance level between the average yield of the variety in all studied ecological environments (or for all years of observations) and the average yield of all varieties and the standard in all ecological environments (for all years of observation). It is the multiplication of the Student's t-test at a defined significance level and error of the general adaptive ability. The error of the general adaptive ability was mathematically justified. This parameter is a function of the mean squared error, the number of ecological environments (or years of observations), the repetition of the experiment and the total number of cases. The breeder can determine the necessary parameters for its calculation during the process of two-way analysis of variance according Dospekhov B.A. The criterion helps to determine the experimental variants with statistically significant low, medium and high general adaptive ability. The conditions for successful application of the proposed method are recommended. The calculation procedure is given. This criterion is recommended to use at the final stages of the selection process if it is necessary to isolate a material with a high general adaptive ability. It is also recommended for use in combination with other parameters of adaptive ability for explication the plasticity, stability and breeding value of the studied crop genotypes, if necessary for the breeder.

The aims of the study: 1) to give an example of calculating the criterion for evaluation the collection of air-dry matter of the new red clover variety (Trifolium pratense L.) Pochinkovets in a competitive variety test; 2) to compare the general adaptive ability (GAA) of the selection achievement with other evaluation criteria. The initial data for the statistical processing were obtained from 2013 to 2015 in the breeding crop rotation of the Smolensk State Agricultural Experimental Station named after A.N. Engelhardt. The soil of test plots is sod-medium podzol light loamy with a medium acidic reaction, low content of humus, high content of mobile phosphorus and medium mobile potassium level. The wintering conditions varied from favorable to causing snow cover fracture, with low negative temperatures effect coming next. The vegetative periods were characterized by an elevated temperature. The moisture regime varied from optimal to semi-arid. Four selective numbers were tested: Pochinkovets variety (S-434), S-439, R-4 (from Smolensk State Agricultural Experimental Station named after A.N. Engelhardt) and No. 359 (France). The variety Smolensky 29 was the standard. The least significant difference in GAA at alpha level of 0.05 was 0.49 t/ha of air-dry matter. Two selective numbers were chosen. They are S-434 (Pochinkovets) and No. 359 (with GAA 0.92 and 0.83 t/ha of air-dry matter respectively). The GAA of the standard was 1.01 t/ha (significantly low). The S-434 (Pochinkovets) variety was more stable than No. 359. Its specific adaptive ability equal to 3.30 was lower than that of No. 359 (5.05). For this reason, the selection value of the genotype S-434 (Pochinkovets) equal to 4.88 was higher than that of No. 359 (3.00). Based on the positive results of the competitive test, the new Pochinkovets variety was passed to the State varietal test. Since 2018 it has been included into the State Register of Selection Achievements. The new statistical criterion was successfully tested during the red clover selection process.

The article provides the results of studies on estimation of 50 covered and 37 naked barley collection samples on resistance to osmotic stress. The estimation was done in laboratory conditions. Sucrose with concentration corresponded to pressure of 14 atmospheres was used as osmotic solution. Artificial drought significantly reduced seed germination of most samples. Compared to the control, under osmotic stress only 1.0% of samples had single germinated seeds on the 3-d day of the experiment. Laboratory estimation has shown that differences on germination ability under osmotic stress do not depend on the place of sample origin. For example, among samples from Great Britain there were both forms with resistance higher than average (Canasta) and sensitive to osmotic stress (Crusades). Weak significant correlation was pointed out between drought resistance in laboratory experiment and field productivity (r = 0.28). More close relation was established between resistance to osmotic stress and number of grain in the ear (r = 0.52) as well as ear productivity (r = 0.53). Resistant to osmotic stress samples more than 30% exceeded a standard variety by productivity under drought conditions. For further breeding activity drought resistant samples were selected: of husked barley - Tandem, Chelyabinsky 96, Chelyabinsky 99, Sonet (Russia), Firlbeks Union (Switzerland), Lamba (Denmark), Canasta (Great Britain), Buck (Canada), Bonita (Argentina); of naked barley - Omsky golozerny 1 (Russia), CBSS06YCA 0044S, CBSS06YCA 0019S, CBSS06YCA 0018S (Canada), Azure (USA), k-18079 Local (India).

The development of productive, flexible varieties of spring barley will increase the efficiency of grain production in conditions of low fertility of sod-podzolic soils of the Leningrad region. The purpose of the work: 1) to determine the effect of meteorological factors on productivity, vegetation period, plant height of the perspective strain of barley L1505 in comparison with standard Suzdalets and Leningradsky varieties; 2) to reveal the weather factor determining the yield. The results of 2008-2017 studies are presented. The resistance to weather factors such as air temperature, the sum of effective temperatures, total precipitation, was studied. The Leningradsky variety requires more heat. The productivity, the duration of the vegetation period of all varieties have an inverse correlation with the air temperature. L1505 had higher productivity than the standards for all years of research. The greatest yield of 5.2 tons / ha was received in 2015 in conditions close to the average for many years. The smallest yield of 3.0 t / ha was obtained in 2011 with the average temperature of air 2.10 0C above the norm and with moisture deficit. The Leningradsky variety yield-to-air ratio has a correlation coefficient r = -0.48, the Suzdalets variety r = -0.37, L1505 r = -0.26. The factor dispersion analysis showed that the main indicator is the heat supply. L1505 is more resistant to high and low air temperature, excess moisture and its deficiency.

The article provides the results of complex estimation of 11 perspective composite hybrid and poly-cross populations of red clover (Trifolium pratense L.) conducted in competitive variety trial of 2014-2016. The winter hardiness of the new varieties created by the authors, duration of growing season, plant height, number of leaves per plant, fodder production by cutting and years of use, leaves yield, and quality of dry matter (total and digestive protein yield) have been determined. Immunological estimation of the varieties by degree of development of leaf diseases and root rot was done. By complex of economic-valuable traits early populations GPF-83-2/4, GPR-41-4, GPF-122-2, GPF-49-3 and middle-ripening SGP-188 have been selected. The varieties combine high winter hardiness (93.9.100%) at the level of standards (st.) Trio and Dymkovsky, fodder production (sum yield of dry matter of early varieties - 18.27.19.88 t/ha (+1.79.3.40 t/ha to the st. Trio), middle-ripened SGP-188 - 21.3 t/ha (+2.72 t/ha to the st. Dymkovsky), of raw protein - 2.88.3.01 t/ha (+0.31.0.44 t/ha) and 3.52 t/ha (+0.62 t/ha)), fodder quality (yield of digestive protein - 2.00 .2.08 t/ha (+0.22 .0.30 t/ha) and 2.47 t/ha (+0.46 t/ha), respectively) with stable seed yield capacity (4.10.4.99 dt/ha in average for 2 years) and age plant resistance to root rots.

The article shows the results of the 2015-2017 research of early - ripening selective lines of soy bean of the northern ecotype in the conditions of Chuvashia. Such characteristics of soy bean plants as the height and attachment of the low bean belong to the signs of adaptability and effect the crop. No matter that those signs belong to definite sorts and they are genetically defined, great influence of hydrothermal capacity on soy formation according to the height of plants and attaching of low bean was determined. The first year of testing was more favorable for growth and developing of plants -the height of plants in variants was 79cm in an average with low bean attaching at the height of 15cm. The number of beans below 15cm was 1.8 pcs/plant. The lost of beans after combine harvesting was approximately 3.9 %. During dry year of 2016 an average height of plants was at the level of 68cm, low bean attaching - 13cm. The number of beans below 15cm was 3.6 pcs/plant, and as a result the lost was 6.5%. The negative effect of weather conditions on soy bean was noticed in 2017 when cold rainy weather moved the time of sowing for two weeks, seeding time for three weeks and harvesting time was moved as well. The number of beans below 15 cm was 2.2 pcs/plant, which led to 5.7% lost. Depending on weather conditions during the years of the research the results on the main signs of the adaptability of the testing soy bean lines were received. Three lines of the following characteristics were shown: architectonics of the bush - upright, of the middle height, resistant to lodging, attaching of low beans higher than 10 cm and minimum of beans lower than 15 cm, loss of beans while harvesting did not exceed 5%.

The effect of supplementary red LED and laser lightning on the rhizogenesis in vitro of plants of the genus Rubus at different levels of the basic polychromatic illumination was studied. The relevance of this work is due to the need to improve the biotechnological methods of accelerated plant propagation at all stages of cloning, including root formation stage. One of the ways to solve this problem is to use coherent radiation to stimulate physiological and morphogenetic processes in plants and to create energy-saving cultivation technologies on the basis of the methods developed. Microcuttings of berry crops cultivated with 1000 and 2000 Lux illumination were subjected to daily supplementary lightning for 20 minutes with LEDs (λ = 638 nm, power density 5 W/m²) or helium-neon laser (λ = 632.8 nm, power density 3 W/m²). In conditions of low illumination (1000 Lux), the intensity of rhizogenesis in red raspberry and black raspberry decreased in comparison with the illumination of 2000 Lux. LED-based and laser additional irradiation increased the intensity of the rhizogenesis of berry crops in vitro. With a low basic illumination (1000 Lux) the maximum stimulating effect of an additional red quasi-monochromatic illumination was observed. In red and black raspberry, laser and LED backlighting with insufficient basic illumination made it possible to obtain the number of roots and their total length per one explant not differing statistically from those at full illumination, but without backlighting.

The article presents new products of Federal Agricultural Research Center of the North-East: rye-wheat crisp bread "Dorozhnye", "Pikantnye", "With sesame" and cake "Osenny" on dense ferment and yeast. Nutritional and biological value of new products is determined by the content of rye peeled flour, sunflower oil, sesame, garlic, fermented rye malt and raisin. They enrich the products with dietary fibers, minerals, vitamins and poly-unsaturated fatty acids. Crispbreads are characterized with high content of poly-unsaturated linolic acid (6.1-8.0 g/100 g of the product), which is included in cell membranes, other structures of tissues and performs a number of important functions in organism. Mineral content (potassium, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus and iron) in rye-wheat crisp bread "Dorozhnye", "Pikantnye", "With sesame" is 50.8; 54.8; 90.2 % higher than in the control (crisp bread "Domashnie"). Use of 100 g/ day of rye-wheat crisp bread allows to cover 31.3...33.7% of average daily physiological demand of human in dietary fibers (industrial analogue has only 22.7%). Cake "Osenny" 1.9 times exceeds the control sample (cake "Sportivny") in content of dietary fibers (4.1 g/100 g). Cake "Osenny" has 3.16 g of polyunsaturated fatty acids per 100 g; the main part of which is linolic acid. Cake "Osenny" is 20.8% lower in energy value than control sample. Use of 100 g/day of cake "Osenny" twice increases human physiological need in polyunsaturated fatty acids and dietary fiber as compared to the industrial analogue, cake "Sportivny". Introducing of the new products into manufacturing allows to enlarge the assortment of bread and flour confectioneries with increased nutritional and biological value for adequate nutrition of human in modern world.

In this article potentially dangerous factors that may arise during making canned products are determined on basis of the analysis of the technological process in the production of a new type of functional product “Dessert from topinambur” and the probability and reasons for the occurrence of these factors are proved. Based on the dangerous factors determined, a block diagram of these cans’ technological process control was worked out. In this block diagram, the main critical and control-critical points are set up at the corresponding manufacturing stages throughout the entire technological process of product development. In addition, the severity of the consequences from the appearance of these dangerous factors and the ways of their elimination are estimated. The severity of the consequences for different factors is different. It can be insignificant, because the dangerous factors that cause it can be corrected after identifying and eliminating their reason. They can be attributed to “not very significant.” Therefore, a checkpoint is set in this operation. The severity of the consequences from other dangerous factors can be very significant and lead to diseases and even poisonings, so a critical control point is set here. The developed block diagram of the monitoring the technological process of the production of a new type of functional product “Dessert from topinambur” and “The map of critical control points to be monitored” established by the diagram allow to carry out the monitoring of the total production process of manufacturing safe food product according to the principles of HACCP.

In precision agriculture, the estimation of agrocoenosis for weediness is carried out using satellite images or aerial surveys, mobile ground equipment and land survey using the traditional framework survey in the adopted global positioning system. According to the results of the survey or inspection, a map of crops weediness is built, on the basis of which the exact application of herbicides is carried out. At the same time the development of new plant protection technologies is associated with the need for special studies aimed at identifying their practical widespread use. The study of the effectiveness of differentiated herbicide use for agricultural crops in crop rotation was carried out in 2003-2010 at the experimental site of the Mordovia Research Agricultural Institute with an area of 1 ha divided into 45 sectors. The research was carried out in crop rotation: winter wheat (test sowing) - spring wheat, annual grasses - spring barley - bare fallow - winter wheat - spring wheat. It has been established that weeds placement in the site areas was extremely uneven, that allowed carrying out herbicide application selectively in places with a high weediness level. Locally differentiated herbicides use in field crop rotation provided 29.4-37.0 % decrease in its consumption and at the same time did not lead to the increase of cultivated plants weediness. To identify the effectiveness of herbicides in field crop rotation an economic assessment was carried out, which revealed the advantage of differentiated application of herbicides over traditional use. In comparison with the traditional technology, the difference in the average cost of herbicide application was 134.56 rubles/ha, or 33.6 % decrease. Therefore, the differentiated herbicides use is a promising direction in the development of effective resource-saving technologies in agricultural production.

Studies were conducted in 2016-2017 in Nizhny Novgorod region on gray forest soil in a link of "soybeans -spring wheat" crop rotation. The scheme of field experiment included 5 soil tillage systems: 1. Traditional moldboard tilling based on autumn plowing with PN-3-35 at 20-22 cm (control); 2. Non-moldboard "deep" cultivation -autumn plowing with PN-3-35 (without moldboard) at 20-22 cm; 3. Non-moldboard "shallow" cultivation with the Pottinger stubble cultivator to a depth of 14-16 cm; 4. Minimal tillage with the disc harrow XM 44660 NOTHAD to a depth of 10-12 cm; 5. Zero tilling (No-till) with the Sunflower 9421-20 drill. For each soil tillage system, the effectiveness of the action of mineral fertilizers (N60P60K60) and straw in combination with StiMiX®Niva biological preparation (2 l/ha) and mineral nitrogen (10 kg of active matter per 1 ton of straw) was studied. Optimal density of the arable layer of gray forest soil for the growth and development of spring wheat was formed after autumn plowing for all years of the study (2014-2017). By the time of sowing, the bulk weight of the soil in all the studied cultivation technologies under spring wheat in crop rotation increased to 1.41-1.50 g/cm3 in the arable (0-20 cm) soil layer. Soil cultivation regulated the conditions for seeds germination in 0-10 cm soil layer to optimal values (1.29-1.34 g / cm3). No-till technology led to the compaction of gray forest soil both in the initial period of spring wheat vegetation (1.43 g/cm³) and at the end of vegetation (1.48 g/cm³). It negatively affected the growth and development of spring wheat and, as a result, its yield. A higher moisture content in the arable layer of the soil (0-20 cm) at the beginning of spring wheat sowing accumulated in the zero-tilling variant (19.9%). Variants with shallow plowing and minimum tillage with a disc harrow occupied an intermediate position between deep plowing and "direct" sowing as to the content of moisture in the soil. The highest yield of spring wheat of the Ester variety (3.99 t /ha) was obtained against the background of non-moldboard "shallow" tillage by the combined use of mineral fertilizers (N60P60K60) and ammonium nitrate (N10) applied for the decomposition of post-harvest plant residues.

The purpose of the research is to trace the dynamics of weed infestation and determine the species composition of weeds in field crop rotations, to show the impact of crop rotation, agricultural background and time on weed infestation of crops. Studies were carried out in 1998 - 2017 in the conditions of the Republic of Mari El on sod-podzolic medium-loamy soil with a high content of mobile forms of phosphorus and exchangeable potassium. The biomorphological spectrum of weed species showed that the share of juvenile weeds accounted for 26 species, perennial-9 species. During the research in the studied agrocenosis there was an increase in weed abundance: in the first rotation - 60.78 pcs/m2, in the second - 67.48 pcs/m2, in the third rotation - 75.95 pcs/m2. During the research there was an increase in the number of such annual weeds as Polygonum aviculare, Erodium cicutarium (L.), Veronica polita, Capsella bursa-pastoris, Viola arvensis, Fumaria officinalis and Stellaria media. The number of Chenopodium album and Echinochloa crus-galli increased significantly, especially in the last six years of research. Every year the infestation with Galeopsis tetrahit, Centaurea cyanus, Apera spica-venti and Amaranthus retroflexus was decreasing . The greatest annual weed infestation (71.86 pcs/m2) was in grain rotation, and the least - in grain-fodder fallow rotation (54.83 pcs/m2). The maximum number of perennial weeds was found in the I crop rotation - 14.08 pcs/m2. The variant without fertilizers showed the least infestation with annual weeds- 59.95 pcs/m2. Against the background of N60P60K60 their number increased by 8.98 pcs/m2 (LSD05 - 5.50).

Analysis of the sequence of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA), which has a maternal nature of inheritance, is an effective way of assessing the individual characteristics of commercial lines. The analysis of the sequence variability of the mtDNA tRNA^Ser and tRNA^Leu genes in different pig breeds was carried out. The mtDNA tRNA^Leu1, tRNA^Leu2, tRNA^Ser1, tRNA^Ser2 genes were chosen as the study objects. For the study of the sequences, data on pigs of different breeds were selected from the National Center for Biotechnological Information (NCBI). The sample group included 20 animals. Alignment of nucleotide sequences was performed using the BioEdit program. Sequence analysis showed the presence of polymorphisms in all studied genes. A total of six polymorphic sites are established, which are represented by transitions. Analysis of the gene tRNA^eu showed the presence of A3892G substitution. The polymorphism A3892G in the Wuzhishan and Luchuan pigs was determined in the tRNA^Leu1 gene, and polymorphism C3907T was determined in the Swedish wild boar. Many of the pigs studied had a simultaneous presence of two A12879G and C12883T transitions in the tRNA^Leu2 gene. One transition of A8103G in the tRNA^Ser1 gene was established in Large White pigs of Korean breeding. The polymorphism of the tRNA^Ser2 gene is represented by the translation of T12838C into the Italian wild boar. The highest number of polymorphisms was determined in Large White of Korean and Chinese breeding, as well as in the Italian wild boar. The study of mtDNA polymorphism will allow to establish associative links and develop mtDNA markers that can be used in programs for improving and creating breeding resources in pig breeding.

Milk is one of the most necessary products for the human organism, as it is the main source of native proteins, essential amino acids and vitamins. Due to this, special attention is paid to the evaluation of milk quality indices. The research was conducted in JSC “Berezovskoe” of the Kuraginsky district, Krasnoyarsk Region in November 2017. During the experiment cows-daughters of four stud bulls of the Red-Motley breed were divided into four groups according to the data of the primary pedigree records. The daughters of Day 18486 bull were in group I, daughters of Dinar 28524 - in group II, daughters of Disk 4313 - in group III, daughters of Doping 28618 - in group IV. Each group had 12 heads. Indicators of milk productivity and development of cows-daughters were established according to the data of primary breeding records of the farm using the Selex program. As the result of the milk productivity analysis for the first lactation, a slight superiority of Disk cows-daughters (group III) over daughters from other groups in milk yield and protein mass fraction was established, and significant superiority in comparison with animals of group IV - in the fat mass fraction (+0.16 %; P>0.95). Most of physicochemical indicators of cows were within the norm, except for the number of somatic cells, which in the milk of Dinar cows-daughters (group I) was within the norm (138.67 thousand/cm³), but in the milk of other groups cows (417.67-552.33 thousand/cm³) - higher by 17.67-152.33 thousand/cm³ (4.4-38.1%).

The article presents an analysis of the bee forage in Chernyaev forest, Perm. The investigated phytocenosis is represented by 59 species of honey plants belonging to 24 families and 49 genera. According to the results of geobotanical assessment, the largest group of honey plants in Chernyaev forest includes nectar- pollen plants - 86.4%, the vast majority of bee plant species belongs to the Rosaceae family, they account for 21.6% of the total. According to the resource role, the identified taxons are represented by two groups. The largest group consists of nectar-pollen bearing plants (77%), the group of pollen plants includes 4 taxons (23%).

The study of the extraction machine was aimed at drawing analytical formulas which allow mathematically determine the quality indicators of the technological process. The object of this study is the process of grass seeds extraction. To achieve the aim, the before made scheme of operation of the similar devices and previously derived analytical dependencies were used, a number of assumptions were made and the process of extraction of grass seeds by their tangential motion in the workspace between the deck and the drum was studied. As a result of the research analytical dependences describing motion of particles of processed material in the extraction device of tangential type which allow to define degree of seeds extraction and to calculate the basic design parameters of the device at a design stage are offered. The conducted theoretical research and the analytical dependences obtained allowed to define with sufficient accuracy radius r_b of a drum and frequency of rotation of n_b of the extraction device of tangential type in dependence to the requirements for the degree of extraction of seeds provided by the device. For example, if the radius r_b = 0.15 m, n_b= 1250 min^-1 the degree of extraction є is 95 %, in the experiment it is 95% with the same frequency of drum rotation. Mathematical models of the extraction device functioning and optimal design and technological parameters defined with their help can be used in the development of similar devices.

The article reviews the system changes in land use in the conditions of the Kabardino-Balkar Republic, the features of the impact of specific conditions on the development of the agricultural sector in comparison with other regions of the North Caucasian Federal District and the national average. On the basis of the conducted research according to the agricultural censuses of 2006 and 2016 it has been established that under the influence of modification of the elements of the system of land relations in general, and the type of reproduction process, in the agricultural sector of the Kabardino-Balkar Republic significant structural changes took place: the number of commodity producers in groups of agricultural organizations decreased by 18%, individual entrepreneurs by 51% with the strengthening of the position of peasant (farm) enterprises. The decline in the share of households, not involved in agriculture on 1 July 2016 in comparison with the similar period of 2006 was recorded, the volume of gross output not obtained from the farms which didn’t start agricultural activity by the end of the planting season, was calculated. It has been established that the transformation process in land relations contributed to the increase in the average area of agricultural land in all categories of farms, and in the group of agricultural organizations - in large and medium-sized ones. Structural changes and trends in the transformation of the land fund of private farms and other results of land reform are provided. It is possible to use the materials of agricultural censuses in forecasting the development of a network of production and non-profit agricultural cooperatives, in material and technical support of farming sector, in staff training programs in educational institutions of the Republic, during the conducting agro-economic research and for other purposes.

The article discusses the features of practical application of the methodology developed by the author for the economic evaluation of enterprises efficiency in the dairy sub-complex of the agro-industrial complex of the region, included into the integrated formation which makes it possible to assess the economic results of the current, financial and investment activities of the given entity as a whole, individual sectors and individual entities that are part of the AIC integrated formation. Unlike the existing groups of performance indicators that characterize the effectiveness of certain aspects of the activities of integrated groups, the author proposes a methodology based on the calculation and comparison of private and general performance indicators of current (operating), financial and investment activities presented as coefficients for individual enterprises and organizations, sectors and integrated formation in general. Based on this methodology a set of recommendations on the effective operation of dairy sub-complex enterprises should be developed. A step-by-step evaluation of the effectiveness of the integrated formation in the dairy sub-complex of the agro-industrial complex in Kirov region was carried out. As a result of the application of the method proposed by the author, the following was revealed: the integration process significantly influenced the development of financial and investment activities of the integrated formation, which in turn is due to the need to in vest in the process of modernization and expansion of production capacities of enterprises in the sectors of production and processing of agricultural raw materials.