In the conditions of the Kirov region, the major factor reducing the productivity of winter crops is infestation with snow mold (Microdochium nivale (Fr.) Samuels et. Hallet. - synonym Fusarium nivale (Fr.) Ces.), which annually grows by 80-100%. Therefore, the main direction of breeding is receiving winter rye varieties having maximum resistance to this disease. During the period of 2003-2017 there was carried out the assessment of zoned and perspective cultivars of domestic breeding of various ecological-and-geographical origin for snow mold infestation in natural provocative conditions. Weather conditions differed greatly in all periods of rye development. It has been established that plant resistance to M. nivale pathogen is influenced greatly by the condition of plants before wintering regulated by the sowing time. Well-developed plants of Falenskaya 4 variety formed the optimum density of an agro-phytocenosis, accumulated bigger amount of sugars (more than 7%), regenerated during spring re-growth by more than 90%, and produced stable high yield (more than 4.9 t/ha). In order to realize the biological potential of the variety, there was a need to shift the previously established sowing time to 5-10 days later period. The productivity was influenced greatly by April conditions, namely, by the period of total clearing of sowings from snow, which took only several days (3-6). Warm and dry weather favored an active re-growth of rye and prevented disease development. Cold and damp weather provoked fungus development, which affected quickly the plants weakened after rewintering. It was revealed that winter rye varieties of different ecological-and-geographical groups responded to this disease differently. The variability in productivity of each cultivar by years was high (CV = 25.8…65.4%). The greatest stability was characteristic for varieties bred in FARC North-East. The main methods of breeding for the resistance to snow mold are crossing and selection in the conditions of a provocative background. The efficiency of a selection method is confirmed with creation from Falenskaya 4 a highly winter-hardy variety Flora with active regeneration after snow mold infestation (100%) and stable productivity by years – 4.62 t/ha (addition yield to an initial cultivar was 0.27 t/ha). The distinctive feature of Flora variety is active formation of powerful green mass in spring that is important for the early use for green forage for cattle and poultry. Since 2012 the variety is included in the State Register of breeding achievements in Volga-Vyatka and North-West regions of the Russian Federation.

The article provides experimental data of 2017-2018 study on the effect of growth regulators and LED phytoirradiator on the proliferation and rooting of promising garden strawberry (Fragaria ananassa) varieties in vitro. Micro-shoots of Korona and Brighton strawberry varieties were taken as the object of the research. Strawberry micro-shoots were cultivated under fluorescent lamps in the control variant. A programmable combined blinking LED phytoirradiator was under study. The combined effect of cytokinin and gibberellic acid by adding them to the Murashige and Skoog nutrient medium, as well as the impact of Siliplant and EcoFus growth regulators on strawberry micropropagation has been studied. It was established that in the cultivation of Korona variety the combined use of Siliplant and EcoFus under illumination with LED phytoirradiator provided an increase in the reproduction factor. The coefficient was 5.0 pcs./explant that was 1.7 times higher than the control (3.0 pcs/explant), the LSD05 1.4 pcs/explant. The maximum reproduction factor of remontant strawberry Brighton variety was obtained in the variant with the use of Siliplant and LED phytoirradiator and amounted to 4.9 pcs./explant (4.2 pcs./explant in the control), the LSD05 was 1.5 pcs./ explant. Regardless of the lighting, the use of RibavExtra in all variants under study increased the rooting rate of the strawberry Korona micro-shoots from 92.8 to 99.1%, the LSD05 6.1%. The use of LED phytoirradiator in comparison with the luminescent one (94.3%) provided a significant increase in the rooting rate of the strawberry Korona micro-shoots to 98.1% regardless of the growth regulators used, the LSD05 3.5%. The combined use of LED phytoirradiator and Ribav-Extra growth regulator in concentrations of 1.0 and 1.5 mg/l resulted in rooting of strawberry Korona micro-shoots up to 100%. Regardless of the growth regulator used, the use of LED phytoirradiator in comparison with the luminescent one (88.9%) provided a significant increase in the rooting rate of the strawberry Brighton micro-shoots to 97.2%, the LSD05 4.6%. The rooting rate of the remontant strawberry Brighton microshoots was 100% in the variant with the use of Ribav-Extra in the concentration of 1.0 mg /l combined with LED phytoirradiator 20 days after transplanting for rooting.

In order to expand the range of flour confectionary for healthy nutrition, documentation on new gingerbread products with increased food value was developed in 2017-2018. They are Prune gingerbread (kovrizhka) and gingerbread (pryanik) "Zabava", "Fantaziya", "Vdokhnovenie". The nutrition value of new gingerbread products is defined by the content of medium rye flour, sunflower oil, prunes, dried apricots, cocoa powder which enrich the products with many micronutrients necessary for a human body such as food fibers, mineral substances, vitamins, polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA). Prune gingerbread exceeds the production analog (Tula gingerbread) in the content of food fibers (3.6%), vitamin E (2.9 mg%) and vitamin B1 (0.11 mg%) by 2.25; 4.1 and 1.37 times, respectively. It also has more mineral substances (K, P, Ca, Mg, Fe) in comparison with the control - 2.0; 1.3; 1.4; 2.4; 1.4 times, respectively. Energy value of Prune gingerbread is 8.8% lower than that of the production analog (Tula gingerbread). In 100 grams of Prune gingerbread and gingerbreads "Zabava", "Fantaziya", "Vdokhnovenie" there are from 2.9 to 4.0 g of polyunsaturated linoleic acid that satisfy the minimum body need a day. Gingerbreads "Zabava", "Fantaziya", "Vdokhnovenie" exceed the production analog (gingerbreads “Festivalnye”) in the content of mineral substances (K, Ca, Mg, P, Fe) in total – by 46.4; 98.4; 45.0%, respectively; in food fibers – by 1.7-2.2 times; in vitamin E – by 1.9-2.0 times. New gingerbread products are functional as they contain 26.4-36.4% of average daily body need in PUFA and 29.0-37.0% of vitamin E. Gingerbreads 'Zabava' and 'Fantaziya' contain respectively 17.0 and 20.0% of average daily body need in food fibers and 15.7% – in iron.

Among scientists there has been no agreement on which vegetation phase is the most suitable for harvesting of green mass of Sudan grass to provide the largest yield of highly qualitative forage. It has largely depended on the characteristics of the region, varietal composition and, therefore, these studies have been of great value and relevance. The purpose of the study is to identify the optimal time for harvesting green mass of Sudan grass to ensure maximum fodder value. The studies were conducted in 2015-2018 in the conditions of the Rostov region. The Sudan grass variety ‘Aleksandrina’ was used as an object of the study. The analysis of plant height changes through the vegetative phases has shown that there was the largest increase in plant height per day during the period ‘the 30-th day – booting stage’ (7.18 cm) and ‘booting stage – heading stage’ (5.83 cm). Plant growth after flowering stopped and the increase of the yield of green mass was only due to lateral stems. The structural analysis has shown that the largest part of the green mass of Sudan grass was represented by the stem (58-61%). The proportion of leaves, considered to be the most nutritious parts of plants, decreased from 35% (‘the booting stage’) to 20% (‘milky ripening of grain’) as the plants were growing. The productivity of green mass of Sudan grass was largely determined by the first hay cutting (59-63% of the total). The green mass of the second hay cutting corresponded to the amount of digestible protein per one fodder unit (113.7-128.9 g) and produced maximum yield when harvesting in the ‘heading stage’. Though the green mass productivity increased in the period from ‘booting stage’ to ‘flowering’, the content of raw protein reduced from 10.45 to 7.96%. This resulted in a decrease of digestible protein percentage per one fodder unit. Thus, the data on yield and quality of green mass of Sudan grass ‘Aleksandrina’ have shown that the harvesting could be already started in the ‘booting stage’, however, the highest nutritional value has been identified in the early ‘heading stage’.

The article describes the ways of using statistical methods in agricultural geography. The use of analysis of variance in determining the influence of geocomplexes of various ranks on the yield of plants and other parameters of farms is shown. It was found that yield variability, soil acidity, the proportion of pastures and fallow lands are less than 30% determined by the characteristics of the natural environment of geosystems and the variability of plant nutrients, stony and marshy soil, and the share of haymaking by 30-50%. Other elements of the structural organization of enterprises are more than half determined by the peculiarities of the territories of different levels. The process of determining a set of crops should be based on knowledge of the variability of their yields within the types of agricultural landscapes, and, if possible, at lower taxonomic levels. The degree of development of agricultural landscapes and the average size of the contour of the land is determined even when analyzing the conditions of the macroenvironment. The use of track analysis allows to identify the factors of direct impact on the crops which are divided into "active" and "potential". It has been established that all types of agricultural landscapes of the Upper Volga region can be divided into two groups according to the number of active and potential factors: geocomplexes with a homogeneous lithogenic basis and landscapes on two-membered sediments. The latter are distinguished by a large number of active factors and a wide range of affected crops. The design of crop rotations should take into account an individual set of factors affecting the production process. The methodology for assessing the productivity of agricultural landscapes can be based on the use of its integral indicators. The systems of measures that increase the degree of realization of the potential productivity of agricultural landscapes for cereal grass stands have been determined. They are combined into three groups: 1. Adaptive placement of grass stands depending on the granulometric composition and the geological structure of the soil. 2. Adaptive placement of grass stands and drainage irrigation amelioration. 3. Adaptive placement of grass stands, water melioration and land management activities. Identified areas of distribution of these groups of activities in the Upper Volga region.

The influence of after-effect of mineral fertilizers and lime on productivity of meadow clover 'Dymkovsky' with regard to the content of mobile phosphorus in the soil have been studied in a long stationary trial (established in 1971) on sod-podzolic soil developed on clay loam mantle in the Kirov region. The study was conducted in 2008-2018 on soil backgrounds with various acidity and mobile phosphorus sufficiency: without lime application (рН 3.68, Al 11-17 mg/100g of soil, P2O5 142-291 mg/kg of soil) and with lime application (рН 5.5, Al was not revealed, P2O5 120-232 mg/kg). In variants without application of phosphoric fertilizers the mobile phosphorus sufficiency was 77-84 mg/kg against acid background, and 66-89 mg/kg against limed background. The average yield of clover green mass in 2012 was 17.24 t/ha against acid background and 30.77 t/ha against limed background; the increase due to lime application was 78.4%, in 2018 – 13.0 t/ha, 28.3 t/ha, 118%, respectively. Reliable correlation links have been revealed between the degree of soil acidity (рН and Hh) and productivity of clover green mass, r = 0.76 and r = -0.79, respectively. The effect of the content of mobile phosphorus in the soil on clover productivity was insignificant. Weather conditions during the research influenced the content of crude protein in clover dry mass: in 2012 this indicator varied from 11.92 to 12.74% on the average, in 2018 ‒ from 17.47 to 19.88% against acid and limed background, respectively.

The article summarizes the results of research conducted in the long-term field trial on black leached soil in 2016-2018. The study dealt with the effect of macro - and microfertilizers applied separately and jointly on the background of soil liming (0.5 and 1.0 h.a.) on the yield of smooth brome and alfalfa changeable in the Republic of Mordovia. Microfertilizers were presented by liquid fertilizer Forsazh (micro). Analysis of perennial grasses productivity showed that in variants without the use of chemicals legume crops (5.52 t/ha) had an advantage over the smooth brome (2.99 t/ha or 54.2%) in dry matter yield. The use of chemicals in alfalfa sowings raised the yield per area unit by 0.86-2.24 t/ha, in cereal grasses – by 0.56-4.83 t/ha. There was observed a positive role of Forsazh (micro) use, which was demonstrated by 0.10 t/ha increase in alfalfa (LSD05 0.05 t/ha), and 0.07 t/ha increase in smooth brome (LSD05 0.07 t/ha) as compared with the background without use of microelements (6.89 and 5.60 t/ha, respectively). The economic analysis showed the highest profitability when cultivating alfalfa in variants with application of complete fertilizer with a dose of nitrogen 50 kg active ingredient/hectare (a.i./ha), smooth brome in variants with application of complete fertilizer with a dose of nitrogen 80 kg a.i./ha (113% and 107%; 88% and 85% without the use of Forsazh and using it, respectively). Recommended doses of mineral fertilizers for perennial grasses should be applied using treatment of crops with liquid mineral fertilizer.

The effect of Phytoplus on weaned piglets was studied for the period of 50 days in 2018 and the influence of Algasol preparation on pregnant sows was investigated during 60 days in 2017. Phytoplus contains extracts from Rhaponticum carthamoides, Serratula coronate, and Filipendula ulmaria plants. It was administered daily, against the background of the control, into the diet of piglets aged from 40 to 90 days (n = 50 in the group): group No. 1 ‒ 0.3 g; group No. 2 ‒ 0.5 g; group No. 3 ‒ 1 gram per head per day. When Phytoplus was used, livability of piglets in all groups was 100%, the incidence in the experimental groups (2.3±0.3 heads) was 1.6-2.5 times lower than in the control group (5 heads). The live weight in the experimental groups (48,3±5,9 ‒ 51,4±7,5 кг) exceeded the result in the control group (41.8 kg) by 15-22%, and the intensity of the average daily weight gain by 24-33% (764,0±3,0 g ‒ 818,0±4,3 g against 616±2,2 g). Significant difference (P <0.05) was observed in piglets of the 3rd group, where AST increased, as compared with the beginning of the experiment, by 21.3% (from 15.9±0.6 to 19.3±0.5 units / l), and ALT by 12% (from 23.3±1.1 to 26.1 ± 2.1 units / l) and in the 2nd group where ALT increased by 46% (from 17.7±1.3 to 23.9±1.3 units /l). Algasol is a preparation from the extracts of brown algae and licorice roots. The experiment was carried out on nursing sows of large white breed pigs (2 groups of 48 animals each) when farrowing and before weaning piglets at 28 days of age. Sows of the experimental group were given Algasol daily at a dose of 50 ml per head. Algasol optimized their overall condition. The sows of the experimental group yielded 2% (572 pigs) more than in the control (561 pigs), the stillbirth decreased by 8% (23 vs. 25 animals). The death rate in the experiment was 2.1 times lower than in the control (17 vs. 8 goals), and livability was 98.5%. It has been established that Phytoplus and Algasol exert influence on the adaptive-compensatory reactions in the body of piglets and sows, that is proved by an increase in weight gain, livability of the young, and rise in the milk yield of the sows.

Immunogenic analysis allows to identify the genetic effect of individuals on the total gene pool of the herd and the formation of the allele pool in certain groups of animals. Of great importance is the use of data on blood types when breeding livestock along the lines, when significant genetic similarity is created within the entire population. Studies of Simmental cattle were conducted in 1995-2011. According to the results of the analyzes in the breeding herds of the “Combine” farm and the “Abodimovskiy” farm of the Saratov region, 15 of the most frequently encountered B-system alleles were identified. Comparative analysis of alleles showed that B-alleles B₂G₂KE'₁O' (12.4%), O₁I'Q' (15.2%), O₃QA'₂E₁J₂ (25.3%) are the most characteristic for the main lines and the herd as a whole. However, in the herd there are alleles that are not found in other zones - B₂O₁Y₂D' - (2.3%), B₂O₃Y₂A'₂E₂P'₂Q' - (2.1%), I₁E'₂G"- (2.1%), Y₂A'₁D'E' - (1.0%). This indicates that the studied group represents a kind of population that can be attributed to the Volga zonal type. Genetic affinity between the lines, groups of bulls, families was determined on the basis of the genetic similarity index (r). An index of up to 0.5 is considered to indicate a significant genetic dissociation of the compared groups of animals, up to 0.80 - of the existing genetic differences, with above 0.80 - for the presence of genetic similarities between the compared groups of livestock. The calculations showed that there is a genetic similarity between the cows of the Florian and Fasadnik lines, as well as the Facadnik and Mergel, in the herd of the “Combine” state farm (the index value was 0.89 and 0.91) The differences were established between the animals of the Florian and the Mergel lines (r = 0.76). The high genetic similarity between the lines is due to the use of crosses between them. The homozygosity coefficient in the lines varies from 9 to 22%.

In a grain pile there is material other than grain including poisonous ergot sclerotia. Grain and sclerotia of ergot by linear dimensions and speed of soaring have similar characteristics. Complete separation of grain from ergot by these properties in a single process is impossible. Cleaning seeds from ergot sclerotia with the specific mass less than the specific mass of grain is possible in a salt solution. To mechanize the separation of ergot sclerotia from rye seeds by the wet method, there is an urgent need in the development of an appropriate device. Under study was an immersion in water (ρ_zh = 1.0∙10³ kg/m³ ) and aqueous solutions of sodium chloride (NaCl) with a specific mass ρ_zh = 1.09∙10³ and 1.15∙10³ kg/m³ of individual rye grains with their specific mass ρ_z = 1.2...1.5∙10³ kg/m³ , length l_z = 5.0...10.0 10^-3 m, width в = 1.4...3.6∙10^-3 m and thickness δ = 1.2...3.5∙10^-3 m. Theoretical studies were carried out on the basis of mathematical modeling methods using the laws of hydrodynamics, which were confirmed by experimental studies with winter rye grains of the Falenskaya 4 variety with a specific mass ρz = 1.1...1.3 10³ kg/m³ , length l_z = 5.0...8.0∙10^-3 m, width в = 1.4...3.6∙10^-3 m and thickness δ = 1.2...3.5∙10^-3 m. It has been established that the calculated values of the immersion velocity of cylindrical kernels and spheroidal kernels in comparison with the experimental values in water (ρ_zh = 1.0∙10³ kg/m³ ) is not more than 2%, and in aqueous solutions of sodium chloride (NaCl) the specific mass ρ_zh = 1.09∙10³ and 1.15∙10³ kg/m³ – 7 and 10%, respectively. This approach to determining the speed of immersion of grain in liquid can be used in the development of the machine for cleaning grain according to specific mass using wet method to substantiate its structural and technological parameters.