The high level of anthropogenic impact on the soils of arable lands and pastures has led to their inability to retain and decompose pollutants, including biogenic substances, transported with water. At the same time, agricultural facilities deserve special attention, which on the one hand are the largest water consumers worldwide, and on the other hand make a significant contribution to the biogenic pollution of surface waters. Due to the stable biogenic saturation of reservoirs, there is a threat of a widespread increase in phytoplankton biomass, which significantly affects the quality of water resources. Despite the existing measures to combat this phenomenon, the issue of water bodies environmental monitoring is open in conditions of eutrophication. The article provides a brief description of the most unfavorable agricultural facilities in terms of biogenic load on reservoirs. The features of the biogenic saturation mechanism of the aquatic environment from agricultural territories are considered. The article highlights the main methods of environmental monitoring of the aquatic environment, provides a brief description of their effectiveness in conditions of eutrophication, and provides an overview of innovative methods and technical solutions in the field under consideration. The author focuses attention on the need to create integrated environmental monitoring systems for water bodies that combine the useful properties of its three main methods (physico-chemical, biological and remote), as well as taking into account the process of eutrophication, including from agricultural facilities. The development of such complexes will expand the functionality, improve the quality and efficiency of environmental monitoring of surface waters located near agricultural facilities.

The panzootic of African swine fever (ASF) in Europe and Asia caused by viruses of genotypes I and II has led to a comprehensive scientific study of the course of this infection. Researchers have noted that a certain proportion of diseased animals survive. Detection of seropositive (antibody-positive) animals in ASF-affected countries of Europe was especially noticeable in wild boar populations. The role of seropositive animals ASF survivors in the persistence and spread of infection in the population has been long and controversially debated, as they may potentially become persistently infected, acting as virus carriers. The aim of this review was to summarize the current scientific and experimental results on the chronic course of ASF in Eurasian wild boar, virus carriage and spread of infection from surviving seropositive animals. In Eurasia different forms of ASF disease are currently observed in susceptible animals: peracute, acute, subacute, less frequently chronic and asymptomatic; the latter are found to be caused by circulating ASF viruses (ASFV) of reduced virulence. Two types of survivors animals are distinguished: 1) animals that develop persistent infection with periodic viremia and signs of subacute to chronic course; 2) animals that recover completely and clear of infection. Long-term persistence and complete elimination of the virus have been observed in survivors: in the last ten years, the time of virus excretion has been experimentally determined to generally range from 35 to 99 days. Survivors of the 1st type may play a role in the spread of the ASFV due to periodic viremia. Seropositive survived animals of the 2nd type due to their small numbers are not considered by some researchers to play a significant epidemiological role in the persistence of ASFV in wild boar populations. Experimental transmission of ASFV from surviving wild boars has been studied to date to a limited extent, such research should be continued. The knowledge gained in these areas will improve the understanding of the current situation of ASF in wildlife.

Triticale is a grain crop developed by man as a result of crossing wheat and rye in order to combine the best traits of the parent species in a single organism. Fast introduction of triticale into practice and its wide spread cultivation is prevented by the fact that many commercial cultivars have high potential of productivity while varying in insufficient resistance to lodging and to a number of dangerous diseases. In 2023-2024 there was studied juvenile resistance to four fungal diseases (leaf rust, dark-brown leaf spot blotch, septoria blotch, powdery mildew) in 118 varieties from the register of the Russian Federation and promising triticale cultivars (winter and summer) included to the State Variety Testing over the past 5 years. The seedlings were infected with combined Puccinia triticina population, mixture of Bipolaris sorokiniana, Stagonospora nodorum and Blumeria graminis f. sp. tritici isolates collected in North-Western region of the Russian Federation. Disease resistance was evaluated according to the VIR methodology. By the results of one experiment, 93 samples of 118 were evaluated as resistant to powdery mildew. But according to the results of three independent experiments among winter and summer hexaploid triticale only 27 and 12 cultivars, respectively, were characterized by high juvenile resistance to powdery mildew. According to the results of the first experiment 10 samples were included into the class of leaf rust resistant. Only Pakhar winter cultivar was resistant to the disease according to the results of three independent experiments. All the samples of the research were highly susceptible to dark brown leaf spot blotch and septoriosis. Thus, among the triticale cultivars 39 were marked as powdery mildew resistant and 1 – as leaf rust resistant. They are of certain interest for breeding. It was also shown that for selection of reliable sources of resistance the plant material should be studied in not less than three independent experiments.

The article presents the results of studies on the influence of the main agricultural practices on the productivity, morphological characteristics, removal and balance of mineral nutrition elements of the Pskovityanka emmer wheat cultivar for the development of cultivation technology and subsequent introduction into agricultural production in the region. The studies were conducted in 2019–2023 in the conditions of the Pskov region. The field experiment studied the levels of mineral nutrition (without fertilizers, N60P60K60, N₉₀P₉₀K₉₀, N₁₂₀P₁₂₀K₁₂₀), seeding rates (4, 5 and 6 million viable seeds/ha) and sowing dates (first and second ten days of May). On average, over the years of research, the emmer wheat grain yield was obtained at the level of 2.2 t/ha. The application of mineral fertilizers at a dose of N₆₀P₆₀K₆₀ ensured the growth of grain productivity in comparison with the control variant at seeding rates of 5 and 6 million seeds/ha by 0.15 and 0.3 t/ha, respectively. Increasing the fertilizer dose to N₉₀P₉₀K₉₀ contributed to obtaining an increase in the control of 0.33-0.34 t/ha of grain at seeding rates of 6 and 5 million pcs/ha, respectively. Decrease in yield at the norm of 6 million pcs/ha was due to the development of a smaller number of productive stems. The application of mineral fertilizers at a dose of N₁₂₀P₁₂₀K₁₂₀ was ineffective, the grain yield was obtained at the level of the variant with N₉₀P₉₀K₉₀. The yield of the emmer wheat straw was from 3.22 to 3.47 t/ha. Analysis of plant samples shows that nitrogen and potassium accumulate in grain to a greater extent, phosphorus to a lesser extent. Emmer wheat straw contains the most potassium, nitrogen has an intermediate value, phosphorus is accumulated the least. On average, over the years of the research it has been established that when cultivating emmer wheat, from 65–72 kg of nitrogen, 27–28 kg of phosphorus, and 82–85 kg of potassium are removed with the yield from 1 ha with the control crop. Only when applying a dose of mineral fertilizers N₉₀P₉₀K₉₀ the need of emmer wheat for nitrogen and potassium is fully covered, the removal of phosphorus with the yield is compensated by smaller doses in the N₆₀P₆₀K₆₀ variant.

The article presents the results of study of collection cultivars and new breeding numbers of potato for 2020–2023 in the agroecological conditions of the Kirov region according to the main agronomic traits. The early-ripening cultivar ‘Udacha’ (All-Russia Research Institute of Potato Farming), the mid-early cultivar ‘Nevsky’ (North-Western Research Institute ofAgriculture), and the mid-ripening cultivar ʻChaika’ (FANC North-East) were used as standards. In the group of early ripening cultivars, the ʻUtenok’ (Russia) had the most stable productivity indicator (CV = 32 %), in dry conditions of 2022 the cultivar exceeded the standard by 35 % (297 g/bush); among the foreign cultivars, the cultivar ʻDundrum’ (Great Britain) with an average productivity of 462±132 g/bush was selected (CV = 29 %). In the group of mid-early cultivars, in terms of productivity and stability of the indicator, the following cultivars were distinguished: ʻSkazka’ (Russia) – 423±120 g/bush (CV = 28 %), ʻLileya’ (Belarus) – 463±149 g/bush (CV = 32 %). In the group of mid-season cultivars, high productivity (467±260 g/bush (CV = 56 %)) was formed by the nematode-resistant ʻSanetta’ (Germany) and the cultivar ʻValkora’ (Bulgaria) – 523±220 g/bush (CV = 42 %). As a result of breeding work, the most promising selection numbers according to the productivity were identified: 69-21 – 702 g/bush, 283-21 – 685 g/bush; with early accumulation of yield – selection numbers 69-21, 285-21, 184-21 with productivity of 490, 390 and 350 g/bush, respectively. Based on the commercial quality of the tubers, the following were selected: 69-21 with large, even pink tubers, 19-21 with purple tubers. In the nursery of the preliminary test, based on the results of the assessment in 2023 the following were distinguished: by productivity 195-21 and 234-21; by early maturity 3-21, 199-21, 234-21; by resistance to common scab 202-21, 208-21, 199-21.

In 2023-2024 the adaptation of wheat at the in vitro stage to ex vitro was studied after transfer to soil and root treatment (50 ml) with the сulture filtrate (CF) of xylotrophic basidiomycetes: Phellinus igniarius PI1, Ganoderma lucidum GL, Ganoderma applanatum GA, Fomes fomentarius FF2 and Lentinula edodes LE. Treatment with CF (without dilution, diluted 10 and 100 times) was carried out when planting the plants in the soil and on the 25th day of their growth. The adaptive capacity of sterile plants to soil was assessed by the survival rate, growth indicators and the content of polyphenols in plant tissue. G. lucidum CL, regardless of 10-and 100-fold dilution, reduced the survival (by 40–60 %) and subsequent growth of wheat (tillering by 1.4–1.6 times, stem biomass by 1.2–7.3 times аnd root growth by 1.8–3.5 times relative to the control without treatment with CF). Against the background of various concentrations of F. fomentarius and L. edodes CF, tillering increased by 1.3–2,0 times, the mass of the aboveground part by 1.3–1.5 times, and roots by 2–6 times. The content of polyphenols in plants depended on the fact of treatment with CF and the type of fungi: in the aboveground part it varied from 16.8 to 25.4 mg/g, in the roots from 19.0 to 29.1 mg/g. In the total structure of polyphenols, the proportion of free forms in the aboveground biomass was 23.7–43.1 % and in the roots – 5.1–9.2 %. An increase in the level of free polyphenols was noted in wheat roots upon application of CF of all tested fungi (except G. lucidum GL). A conclusion was made about the effect of CF on the efficiency of adaptation of sterile plants to soil during the transition period in vitro/ex vitro – positive for F. fomentarius FF2 and L. edodes LE, negative for G. lucidum GL, no significant effect for P. igniarius PI1 and G. applanatum GA.

The article presents the results of studying the biological characteristics (antagonistic and cellulase activity, antibiotic resistance, indolyl-3-acetic acid (IAC) production, the presence of polyketide synthase and cellulase genes) of 13 bacterial strains of the genus Streptomyces. The screening revealed a strain of Streptomyces sp. 2K10 with a high level of antifungal activity against the pathogen Fusarium petroliferatum; three strains (RPLN23, 1N8, 3N2) – antagonist of the causative agent of wheat septoria nodorum blotch (Parastagonospora nodorum). As a biocontrol agent of phytopathogens, the most promising strain among the studied streptomycetes is RPLN23, characterized by antifungal activity (diameter of inhibition zones 24–30 mm), the presence of PKS II genes (229 bp) and the ability to synthesize IAA. For biocontrol of bacterial and fungal pathogens, it is proposed to use the strain Streptomyces sp. 3N3. The work also revealed strains capable of effective destruction of carboxymethylcellulose (RPLN12, 2K9 and 3K9), and strains with genes encoding cellulases of the GH74 family (RSFN5, RPLN12, 3N2) in the genome. A number of streptomyces (RSFN5, RPLN5), which did not show antagonism to the studied cultures of fungi and bacteria, are at the same time interesting for the presence of the PKS II and GH74 genes. Most of the streptomyces studied in the work are sensitive to antibiotics of various groups: aminoglycosides, tetracycline, polypetides, chloramphenicols ansamycins and macrolides, but not β-lactams. The obtained data contribute to the disclosure of the potential of streptomyces for their practical use.

When developing food products for children, along with the balanced composition in terms of macro- and micronutrients, the presence of biologically active minor components, a large role is played by the indicators of digestion, absorption and assimilation of nutrients. Glycemic index (GI), as well as glycemic load (GL), which represents the value of GI actual impact taking into account the portion of the product and the content of carbohydrates in it are such indicators. The aim of the study is to study the chemical composition of the gluten-free cereal bars “Morkovnyj” and “Yagodnyj” developed on the basis of expanded grain as well as to determine the GI and GL values. Standard methods were used to study the chemical composition, and a calculation method was used to assess the GI and GL, taking into account the content of essential nutrients in the product, as well as their ability to influence the GI values. It has been established that the protein content in the studied bars averages 5.4 g/100 g of product, and the dietary fiber content ranges from 10.2 g/100 g to 11.9 g/100 g, mainly represented by soluble dietary fiber, which accounts for up to 86.3 %. Carbohydrates are mainly represented by starch - an average of 65.9 % of the total content. The content of mono- and disaccharides averages 17.5 %, of which 50.5 % is glucose. Average glycemic index values of the developed bars are 63 and 64, average glycemic load values of a 30 g portion are 13.6 and 14.3, respectively, despite the fact that in their composition expanded grain accounts up to 62 %, and starch syrup up to 39.6 %. This is probably due to the presence of protein and dietary fiber sources in the recipe, which reduce the degree of absorption of carbohydrates, which is taken into account in the used method of calculating GI and GL. Thus, the obtained data indicate that the gluten-free cereal bars based on expanded grain for children nutrition, intended as a safe snack, are capable of sating the body quickly and for a relatively long time and restoring energy reserves. Adding mandatory labeling with GI and GN values will allow consumers to take a more informed approach to choosing food products, which is especially important for children with dietary restrictions.

Fruit and berry pomaces are promising sources of biologically active compounds: dietary fibers, phenolic compounds, pectins, carotenoids, and natural antioxidants that have preventive and therapeutic effects in metabolic, cardiovascular, gastrointestinal and neurodegenerative diseases. The active inclusion of pomaces as by-products in the food technologies contributes to the transition to more sustainable industrial processes. The study was conducted to investigate the influence of the moisture content of the mixture during the processing of rice with hydrolysate of lingonberry pomace on the operating parameters of extrusion, technological and physicochemical characteristics of the extrudates. Lingonberry pomace hydrolysate was obtained by an enzymatic method using a complex of biocatalysts, including pectinase, cellulase, protease and lipase. The hydrolysate was dried, added in an amount of 5 % to rice and extruded varying the moisture content in the range of 15–21 %. Control samples were rice extrudates obtained with a moisture content of 15 and 21%. An increase in the moisture of the extruded mixture led to a decrease the extrusion temperature from 160 to 152 °C, the torque from 80 to 52 %, the pressure from 4.0 to 2.4 MPa, and the specific mechanical energy from 0.152 to 0.099 kW h/kg. In terms of structural and mechanical properties, an increase in moisture of mixture with hydrolyzed lingonberry pomace leads to a decrease in the quadratic expansion coefficient from 7.3 to 3.5. The bulk density increases from 89.5 to 243.2 g/dm3 , the hardness of the extrudates – from 7.5 to 39.0 N, the average crushing force – from 3.4 to 16.1 N. The frequency of microfractures during puncture and deformation as a characteristic of porosity decreases from 3.5 to 2.0 mm-1 . The dynamic viscosity of suspensions of extrudates with lingonberry pomace hydrolyzate increases significantly with increasing moisture content during extrusion from 2.0 to 4.0 Pa s. The trends in changes in thermomechanical processing modes determined by the amount of water in the system, technological and structuralmechanical properties for the control and experimental mixtures were identical without significant differences. It was established that the maximum content of phenolic compounds of 679. 6 mg/kg corresponds to extrudates with hydrolyzed lingonberry pomace produced at minimum moisture of 15 %, by moisture of 21 % the content of phenolic compounds is only 223.1 mg/kg

The global community is currently solving several interconnected problems of global climate change and food security. The key to solving these problems is carbon, which is one of the most active greenhouse gases, as well as humic substances, which are the basis of arable land fertility. To implement the adopted "4 ppm" concept, it is necessary to find solutions to increase the absorption of organic carbon by arable soils and select the optimal elements of the farming system for specific soil and climatic conditions. The objective of the study was to study the effect of increasing doses of mineral fertilizers on the balance of organic carbon in spring wheat crops in 2023 in the, Tyumen Region (forest-steppe zone of the Trans-Urals). The scheme of the experiment: control (natural nutrition level) and variants with doses of NP fertilizers calculated for the planned yield: 3.0 t/ha (N₉₅P₄₆); 4.0 t/ha (N₁₅₃P₉₄); 5.0 t/ha (N₂₁₁P₁₄₂) and 6.0 t/ha (N₂₇₀P₁₉₀). Carbon dioxide emissions were measured using a chamber method and an AZ77535 infrared gas analyzer. Before harvesting, sheaves were sampled to determine the straw yield in 4-fold repetitions per 1 m² , after harvesting – soil to determine the amount of root and stubble residues (RCR) using the method of N. Z. Stankov. Subsequently, the organic carbon content in plant residues was determined according to GOST 27980. During the growing season, carbon emissions in spring wheat crops without the use of fertilizers amounted to about 2400 kg/ha. The application of mineral fertilizers increased carbon dioxide production by 28–73 % relative to the control. It was noted that every 10 kg/ha active ingredient of mineral fertilizers increased carbon emission by 40.6 kg/ha in terms of pure carbon. Fertilizers in doses of N_95-153Р_46-94 did not affect the C_org content in spring wheat straw. The use of higher doses of mineral fertilizers led to a decrease in this indicator by 0.8 %. No reliable effect of mineral fertilizers on the C_org content in RCR was noted, the values of which varied from 41.3 to 42.0 % of dry matter. The return of organic carbon to the soil with plant residues in the control reached 2.2 t/ha, in the fertilized variants this indicator increased to 2.8–3.8 t/ha. When refusing to use fertilizers, a negative carbon balance is observed in the soil – C_org losses over the year of study amounted to 196 kg/ha. Fertilizer application at doses from N₉₅P₄₆ to N₁₅₃P₉₄ provided an increase in C_org in the soil of 93–96 kg/ha over the study period. Fertilizer application at doses above N₂₁₁P₁₄₂ led to a negative balance of C_org in the soil – losses reached 188–350 kg/ha.

The hidden depleting degradation of the effective fertility of previously cultivated agrarian sod-podzolic soils is one of the most significant risks for the development of agriculture in the Non-Chernozem region and its food security. In a stationary long-term experiment, established in the Leningrad region in 2006, a comprehensive assessment of the effectiveness of accelerated cultivation of degraded sandy loam agrarian sod-podzolic soil to a good and high level of cultivation was performed. The objects of the research were three types of soil (medium-, well- and highly cultivated) and crops of cereal and row six-field crop rotations, cultivated in a three-variant scheme of a complete mineral fertilizer system. During the study in the second rotation of crop rotations (2012–2016), it has been established that the responsiveness of crops to accelerated soil cultivation and complete mineral fertilizer is determined by a combination of their biological and varietal characteristics with weather, climatic and phytosanitary conditions. The average annual productivity level of studied crop rotations on medium-cultivated soil amounted to 3.9 and 3.8 thousand grain units per ha. On well–cultivated and highly cultivated soil the productivity increased by 34 and 67, 50 and 86 %, respectively, and from the use of a complete mineral fertilizer system – by 28 and 18 %, respectively. The level of profitability of soil cultivation varied from 51–97 % in the crop rotation with cereals, and to 234–301 % in the row crop rotation with an average annual net yield of 12.1–13.1 and 97.1–110.4 thousand rubles/ha. The payback period for accelerated cultivation to a good and high level was 3.3 and 5.1 years in the crop rotation with cereals and 0.6 and 1.2 years in the row crop rotation, respectively.

In 1999–2001 on the fields of the Falenky Breeding Station (Kirov region), the dynamics of the content of soil organic carbon (C_org) and its labile part (C_lab) in sod-podzolic arable soil of varying degrees of cultivation were studied. The arable layer of weakly cultivated variant of the soil was characterized by high acidity (pH_KCl – 3.88) and low organic carbon content  (C_org – 0.91 %). The well cultivated variant had an acidity close to neutral in the arable horizon (pH_KCl – 6.14) and a total carbon content at the average level for sod-podzolic loamy soils of the region (C_org – 1.10 %). Soil samples were taken during the growing season once a month in a sixfold repetition from the arable horizon and in a threefold repetition for horizons A2B and B. It was revealed that during all years of observation in the arable horizon of the soil of the cultivated variant, the C_org content was significantly higher (by 16–76 %). In the underlying horizons of soils of both variants, the carbon content was sharply reduced to 0.2–0.6 %. The content of labile part of organic carbon did not differ by variants and varied from 0.05 to 0.19 % depending on the horizon and observation period. However, in the arable horizon of weakly cultivated soil, the proportion of labile carbon in the composition of total organic carbon was significantly higher, which indicated less stability of the soil organic matter system. The content of both forms of soil organic matter varied significantly over the years and during the growing season. Maximum values of C_org content were noted at the beginning and at the end of the observation season. Minimum values were noted in July. Content of C_lab was decreasing from the beginning to the end of the season.

The purpose of the research is to identify the most effective and preferable variant of the basic autumn tillage for inclusion of dark gray forest soil into the tillage system when sowing spring crops. The research was carried out in 2021–2023 in the conditions of the Chuvash Republic in the link of the field crop rotation "barley–peas–oats". Moldboard and non-moldboard autumn soil tillage methods were compared: plowing (26–28 cm) – control; cultivation (15–17 cm); disking (12–14 cm); without tillage. The tillage system was completed by surface early pre-sowing cultivation to a depth of 6 cm. During the studied years, the average soil density in the 0–30 cm layer was within the optimal values: after moldboard plowing it was 0.93–1.09 g/cm³ , after cultivation – 0.98–1.13 g/cm³ , without basic tillage– 1.05–1.20 g/cm³ . The average values of the soil porosity after plowing were in the range of 50.4–62.5 % and decreased with the abandonment of the basic tillage to 52.0–57.4 %. In arid conditions of 2021 growing season, the total supply of productive moisture in the 0–30 cm soil layer was 12–14 % higher after cultivation than after plowing. The analysis of the structural and aggregate state of the soil (0–20 cm) revealed an increase in the proportion of dusty particles by the end of the experiment after plowing from 3.9 to 6.9 %. When using a stubble cultivator as the basic tillage unit, the proportion of the lumpy fraction increased. The average annual productivity of the crop rotation link during moldboard plowing was the highest – 20.5 c/ha of grain units per 1 ha, after cultivation – 19.5 c of grain units per 1 ha. At the same time, plowing is the most expensive and economically unprofitable way of basic soil preparation. After cultivation with a KOS-3.0 combined stubble cultivator, the profitability of crop cultivation was significantly higher – 9.4–18.1 % after cereals in dry years and 96.9 % after peas under optimal hydrothermal conditions (for plowing – 8.3–4.2 % and 73.7 %, respectively).

The article presents the results of a long-term two-factor stationary experiment in the conditions of the Republic of Mari El, which was conducted in 1996–2021 in two plots. The aim of the research was to study the dynamics of productive moisture in the 0–20 cm layer of sod-podzolic soil depending on the predecessors of spring barley in six-field crop rotations. The predecessors were potatoes with application of 60 t/ha of manure, spring grain crops (oats, spring wheat) and winter cereals (winter wheat and winter rye). In the course of study a correlation and regression data analysis was carried out between the corresponding hydrothermal coefficient of Selyaninov (HTC) and the reserves of available soil water in barley sowings during “shooting” and “wax ripeness” phases after various predecessors. As a result, it was found out that sowing barley after oats led to one unit increase of HTC, that raised the amount of soil water available to plants by 17.45±7.95 mm by the time of barley harvesting. Dead moisture reserves were possible at HTC less than 0.79 in this case. Correlation and regression analysis data for other predecessors were less evident, but retained the noted trend. It was established that the weather conditions of 1996-2021 in the Republic of Mari El to the time of spring barley sowing mainly provided "satisfactory" (20–30 mm) amount of productive soil moisture in the 0–20 cm soil layer. Potatoes were the best predecessors in the experiment. After that during the vegetation of barley the reserves of available water in the soil were least determined by the HTC – R-squared (R² ) was 0.306±0.096, the amount of productive moisture decreased by 34.6 % on average. After cereal crops, mainly oats, HTC affected significantly the variability of the “amount of productive moisture” indicator by the time of harvesting (R² up to 0.802±0.028) reducing the yield twice from the moment of sowing (up to 15.1±5.1 mm).

There has been carried a mycotoxicological research of various feed for cattle to find the most contaminated types of feed and the most common mycotoxins. During the long-term monitoring of feed samples similar in species composition, harvesting and storage conditions to determine the dynamics of the number of mycotoxins over 260 plant samples from a number of the Vologda Region farms were studied, among them 61 samples were examined for the simultaneous content of 4 mycotoxins and 22 samples for the simultaneous content of 5 mycotoxins. The content of the main groups of mycotoxins in harvested feeds using the method of EIA analysis was investigated. A total of 509 analyses were conducted for the period of 2022–2024, including 155 analyses for aflatoxin sum, 132 for ochratoxin-A, 105 for zearalenone, 89 for dioxynivalenol (DON), and 28 for T-2 toxin. The research results revealed that 99 % of the studied samples were contaminated with mycotoxins to some extent: all analyzed samples were infected with aflatoxins and zearalenone, 97 % of the samples were damaged by ochratoxin–A and less than a third of the samples were infected with DON. Moreover, a significant part of the samples was contaminated with two or more mycotoxins. Samples of grain, green mass and haylage contained mycotoxins below the maximum allowable concentration (MAC) level, in hay samples the predominant contaminant was T-2 toxin, the content of which was 9 times higher than the MAC level. The results of analysis of silages of different composition proved that the most contaminated were legume and cereal mono-species silages, so the exceeding of MAC for the sum of aflatoxins on average is 4.1–4.2 times, for ochratoxin-A – 1.1–1.3 times. Monitoring of mycotoxin content showed that samples of cereal-bean silage had an increase in the content of a number of mycotoxins with increasing storage time. For instance, the sum of aflatoxins in three-four weeks after harvesting was 3.27 µg/kg, in 4 months – 5.74 µg/kg, in 10 months – 22.31 µg/kg, a similar trend was observed in the determination of zearalenone. On the contrary, the content of ochratoxin-A slightly decreased. Relatively uniform contamination of the studied samples allows predicting both the composition of contaminants and the degree of their contamination of prepared fodder, which should be taken into account by the relevant specialists of livestock enterprises in the region when developing measures and activities aimed at preventing mycotoxicosis.

Crimea is an iodine-deficient region, so feeding rabbits with iodine-enriched feed is a necessary condition for ensuring their normal functioning and productivity on farms. The use of algae from saline water bodies high in iodine and other valuable components can help solve this problem. The filamentous green alga Cladophora was collected from a Crimean hypersaline lake, and then granules were obtained from it. They were used in experiments on young rabbits. In 2024 there was studied the effect of Cladophora supplements in the diet of young rabbits of the Californian breed, from the age after weaning until reaching a slaughter weight of 2.5–2.8 kg. Three experimental and one control group of rabbits were formed (10 animals each). In the experimental groups, 1 %, 0.5 or 0.25 % of Cladophora were added to the diet of rabbits. The supplements have led to significant changes in the biochemical composition of blood serum: the concentration of urease and alpha-amylase increased by 36.7 and 50.4 % (p = 0.01), respectively. The increase in alpha-amylase was significantly directly proportional to the amount of supplementation (p = 0.001). The content of total protein and albumin increased significantly (p = 0.001–0.01). Within normal limits, the content of erythrocytes and leukocytes increased significantly (p = 0.05). Thrombocrit also increased significantly (p = from 0.05 to 0.001). The data obtained showed that when Cladophora was added to the diet of rabbits, all characteristics of its blood did not go beyond the known normal limits, while positive changes occurred in a number of them. There is an intensification of metabolic processes and kidney enzymes. The results obtained as well as published data have shown that adding Cladophora to the diet of rabbits can be an effective feed additive that improves their physiological condition and enhances immunity.

Increasing the production of high quality ecologically pure animal products, especially beef is one of the main tasks of the agro-industrial complex. In this regard, it is necessary to apply measures for the effective use of genetic resources of both domestic and imported origin, improving feeding systems, using feed additives, biological active substances that stimulate the growth and development of animals. The aim of the study was to determine the effect of the feed additives Plexomin Zn 26 and Plexomin Se 2000, containing in its composition zinc and selenium in organic form, on the slaughter parameters of Black-andWhite bulls, as well as on the quality of the obtained product - beef. For the research, 15-month-old Black-and-White bulls were divided into two groups (control and experimental) of 20 heads each, average live weight was 328.8–329.3 kg. The experiment lasted 91 days. The difference was that the experimental animals were fed with the feed additives Plexomin Se 2000 at a dosage of 1.2 g/head/day and Plexomin Zn 26 at a dosage of 1.2 g/head/day as part of the concentrated part of the diet during the study period. A control slaughter was carried out at the meat processing plant "Orenbeef" for comparative evaluation of meat productivity and beef quality of bulls fattened with and without feed additive. As a result of the research, it was found out that experimental bulls outperformed their control counterparts in live weight at the end of the experiment by 2.5 % (Р≤0.05), pre-slaughter live weight by 2.2 % (Р≤0.05), fresh carcass weight by 4.5 % (Р≤0.01), internal fat weight by 22.1 % (Р≤0.05), slaughter weight by 5.2 % (Р≤0.01), and slaughter yield by 1.62 % (Р≤0.05). Meat from experimental bulls contained 1.35 % more dry matter (Р≤0.05), 0.26 % more fat (Р≤0.05), 32.9 % more glycogen (Р≤0.01), 1.3 % less moisture (Р≤0.05), 7.1 % more oxyproline (Р≤0.05) and 1.92 % more pH (Р≤0.05).

The purpose of the research is to study the effect of the Phytostimplus supplement on the clinical and physiological status, average daily growth and viability of calves during the dairy growing period. The phytobiotic contained an extract from three herbs (safflower rhaponticum, crowned sickle, viscose meadowsweet) and lactic acid microorganisms dried lyophilically. The work was carried out in 2023. The experiment involved calves of the Holstein breed, starting at the age of 2 days. Experimental and control groups of 10 heads each were formed. In the control group, the calves were kept on a regular diet, without the use of any drugs. The additive was soldered to calves of the experimental group at a dose of 30.0 ml / head per day after preliminary dilution in water. The duration of the experiment was 2 months. Thirty days after the start of the experiment, the albumin in the calves of the experimental and control groups exceeded the reference values by 17.8–18.1 %. In both groups of calves, α-globulin decreased in comparison with the physiological norm by 3.3–4.1 %, γ-globulin – by 6.0–6.2 %. A decrease of β-globulin by 5.5 % was observed in animals in the experiment. The rest of the studied blood parameters of calves (urea, zinc sulfate test) in both groups were within the normal range and did not differ significantly. By the end of the experiments, the total protein in the calves in the experiment exceeded the indicator in the control by 30 %, albumin – by 8.1 %, γ-globulin – by 4.9 %, while there was a decrease in α-globulin by 8.6 %, β-globulin – by 4.4 %. The studied parameters did not exceed the limits of the physiological norm. The duration of treatment of enteritis in calves in the experimental groups turned out to be less than in the control with Phytostimplus by 0.7±0.2 days. The safety of animals by the end of the experiments was 100 %. The average daily increase in live weight of calves after the use of phytobiotics for 60 days exceeded that in the control by 4.9 %.

The embryonic thermal stress due to the overheating is a common problem of the incubation of broiler eggs and hence the search for the methods of metabolic corrections of the related shifts in the embryonic development can be practically actual task. The aim of the research was to study the effect of the in ovo injections of heat stressed chicken embryos with the combination of dextrin (as glucose source) and L-carnitine on the efficiency of incubation and early postnatal growth rate. The study was performed in 2020 on incubated eggs, embryos and chicken of Cobb-500 final hybrid cross. Three groups of eggs (n = 62) were formed for each temperature regime of incubation: without injections, physiological saline injection, injections with the solutions of dextrin (10%) and L-carnitine (0.6%). The eggs were injected with physiological saline, the solutions of dextrin and L-carnitine at the 17th day of incubation. Then the incubation was carried out in hatchers at normal temperature (37.2 °С) and increased temperature (38.5–39.0 °С). The increased temperature during hatching period on average among the groups decreased the hatchability of eggs by 6.1 % and relative weight of chicken by 0.96 %. The injection in ovo with the mixture of dextrin and L-carnitine 1.6–3.2 % increased the hatchability of eggs incubated at increased and normal temperature, respectively. The live weight of day-old chicks injected in ovo with the solution of dextrin and L-carnitine at normal temperature was significantly higher by 1.3–2.3 % (p <0.05) as compared with control groups. Neonatal growth rate was higher in chicken injected in embryonic period with dextrin and L-carnitine both at normal and increased temperature – live weight of 7-day chicken of the experimental groups was 5.9 and 5.1 % higher (p <0.05) compared with the control groups of the same temperature regime. In chicken incubated at increased temperature the differences remained to 35 days of age and were 5.7 % (р <0.05). Biochemical variations were noted in blood parameters of embryos of the control and experimental groups that proved the absorption of exogene nutrients and biologically active substances by the embryo. Thus, in blood plasma of 17-day embryos injected in ovo with the solution of dextrin and L-carnitine the concentrations of glucose significantly increased by 1.6-1.7 % (p< 0.001) and triglycerides by 46.2 % (p <0.05). So, by injecting the incubated eggs during hatching period with the solution of dextrin and L-carnitine, the neonatal growth rate of chicken raised at normal and increased temperature and during heat stress as well. No significant effect of the injection on the hatchability of eggs in conditions of thermal stress in the hatching period was found.

The purpose of the research is to study the functional capabilities of medium–wave infrared spectroscopy to determine the quality indicators of concentrated compound feed. The study investigated the nutrient content (the total number of amino acids and carbohydrates) by reflective infrared spectroscopy in 4-component compound feed and compared with the results of chemical analysis performed by arbitration methods. The optical properties were investigated and a comparative analysis of all 4 components of the feed was carried out (ground corn grain, beet pulp, corn bard, rapeseed meal). For the first time, spectral absorption characteristics of compound feed and its components in the mid-infrared area were obtained and a representative range for determining quality indicators was revealed. The infrared spectra were obtained using a MICRAN-3 microscope connected to the SIMEX FT-801 infrared Fourier spectrometer using the Savitsky-Goley algorithm. It has been established that the spectral absorption characteristics of α(k) have a maximum range of 710–1275 cm^-1 for all feed components. The maximum tself is at 1060–1090 cm^-1. The characteristics are qualitatively similar, but the largest reflection in the maximum area is characteristic of ground corn, and the smallest is for rapeseed meal. Integral reflection parameters were obtained in the absorption areas of proteins, fats and carbohydrates with an error of no more than 7.2 %. Beet pulp absorbs more than other components in the range of 800–1170 cm^-1. For corn bard and ground corn, the absorption is approximately the same for each range. In the areas of protein absorption, the value of the absorption coefficient is significantly lower and the difference in absolute values is less noticeable. It is assumed that the reflection of the α(k) characteristic in the maximum area is most dependent on the carbohydrate content in the studied components.

Water is used in the whole cycle of milk production, from watering and fodder preparation to washing of milking equipment and milk cooling tanks. At the same time, farms do not control and record the amount of water consumed, which can result in a significant excess of actual water consumption over the normative data. One of the ways to solve this problem can be the introduction of a water consumption monitoring system, which will track the actual water consumption on the farm and compare it with the calculated volume obtained on the basis of normative data, technical characteristics of equipment and animal husbandry technology adopted in the farm. The purpose of the research is to develop an algorithm for calculating water consumption when performing technological operations on cattle dairy farms. As a result of the research, an algorithm for calculating water consumption for technological operations was developed, taking into account different variants of the technical and technological solutions. On the basis of the algorithm a program was developed, with the help of which the sequence of water consumption calculation was tested. The calculation was carried out for a farm for 800 heads of dairy herd of loose housing with productivity of 28 kg/head and 200 heads of loose housing with productivity of 32 kg/head excluding young stock. Water consumption for such a farm is 113.09 m³ /day, of which 99.92 m³ /day is used for watering, fodder preparation, and is non-returnable, and 13.17 m³ /day is used for technological operations. The further direction of research will be the development of a monitoring system based on the developed program of water consumption calculation. In addition to the monitoring system, the program will be useful in technological design of cattle farms for milk production.

Despite the extensive list of works devoted to the analysis of the shadow economy, the issue of determining its scale at the regional level and a separate type of activity (according to the All-Russian Classifier OKVED 2. has not been resolved. This work aims at filling this gap by showing existing methods of accounting for the shadow economy in agriculture. The aim is to identify the scale of the shadow economy in agriculture at the regional level in Russia. The novelty lies in the development and application of a methodology for assessing the shadow economy in agriculture in the Russian regions. The paper uses economic and statistical, calculation, cartographic methods. The paper forms empirical basis on the official statistical data. As a result of using the authors’ methodology, the study finds that in the absolute majority of regions there is a moderate level of shadow transactions of legal entities in section A according to the All-Russian Classifier. Moreover, the level of differentiation is low. Only in Chukotka Autonomous Okrug, Chelyabinsk, Bryansk, Lipetsk regions, Mari El Republic there is a higher level of shadow transactions. In general, in 2017–2022 there is a trend towards a reduction in the share of shadow transactions of legal entities in the gross value added (GVA) of section A “Agriculture, forestry, hunting, fishing and fish farming” in the regions of Russia. It is largely achieved thanks to the introduction of federal government information systems that make shadow turnover difficult. At the same time, when interpreting the results, it is important to make an adjustment for that our methodology may underestimate the scale of the shadow economy, since it does not consider agricultural organizations that are small business entities, as well as peasant farms and individual entrepreneurs.