Clonal micropropagation of grape varieties of interspecific origin Moscow white (Vitis amurensis Rupr. x Vitis vinifera L.) showed that on the 40^th day of the animation stage, a mono-podial type of branching is typical for micro-plants, and there is no diaphragm in all nodes of micro-shoots. On the 120^th day of growing in containers, the researchers revealed that the nodes of the plant shoots, from the 1^st to the 6th, have a monopodial branching type. Parenchymal cells which form an incomplete diaphragm are present in the seventh node. A fully formed diaphragm appears from the eighth node, and the branching type switches to a sympodial-monopodial one.

The article summarizes the results of studying the anatomical structure of the leaves of a medicinal lemon plant (Citrus limon (L.) Burm. f.) from the Rutaceae family, which is used in the pharmaceutical industry to produce valuable lemon essential oil with antibacterial and antioxidant properties. There is no complete information about the anatomical structure of lemon leaves in the literature, which makes it challenging to conduct microdiagnosis of medicinal raw materials. Therefore, the study of the anatomical features of lemon leaves is relevant. The researchers took the medicinal plant material of the fresh leaves of Citrus limon from the greenhouse of the Botanical Garden named after S.I. Rostovtsev. They carried out anatomical analysis of raw materials and histochemical reactions according to the regulatory documentation of the State Pharmacopoeia of the Russian Federation. The microscopic structure showed that the leaves of Citrus limon are dorsoventral, the leaf blade is hypostomatic. The stomatal apparatus of the leaves is anomocytic. In the leaf, endogenous secretory structures were observed, represented by round-shaped lysigenic essential oil receptacles formed in the columnar and spongy mesophyll of the leaf and the main petiole parenchyma. The essential oil was synthesized in the secretory cells of the receptacle, which eventually underwent autolysis and released contents into the resulting cavity. A collateral conductive bundle with a ring-shaped cross-section represents the central vein of the leaf blade and leaf petiole. The characteristic marker features of the leaf also include the presence of single rhomboid crystals and drusen calcium oxalate in the leaf petiole mesophyll and parenchyma. As a result of the studies, significant anatomical and diagnostic signs of Citrus limon leaves were found, which can be used in writing pharmacopeia articles.

Purposeful breeding allows scientists to create a variety with good quality and high productivity. Such variety is the cheapest, fastest, and most affordable means of increasing production efficiency in potato farming. The article contains materials of breeding work to create a new potato variety. The research aims to create a high-yielding potato variety adapted to the conditions of the Middle Pre-Ural region, possessing a complex of biological and economically valuable traits. The tuber is elongated, oval, smooth; the tuber color is red; the flesh is creamy; eyes are small, superficial, uncolored. The mass of tubers per bush is 419-598 g; the number of tubers is 13-18 pcs. The average yield in 2014-2016 was 31.3 t/ha. The variety is resistant to golden potato nematode and potato wart disease. Resistance to late blight is 7-8 points.

The article presents data on the estimation of the number of aphids on the territory of the field station of Russian State Agrarian University - Moscow Timiryazev Agricultural Academy for 2016-2017 on varietal samples of the spring triticale collection of the Department of Genetics, Breeding and Seed Production. The assessment was carried out on two physiological phases ofplants - tillering and milk ripeness. At the tillering stage, bird cherry-oat aphid prevailed, and at the stage of milk ripeness, large grass aphid prevailed. Common grass aphids and barley aphids were also found. Based on the data obtained, the authors found the difference in the population of cultivars, which may indicate resistance to a particular type of aphid. In 2016, the following varieties were identified at the tillering stage: C236, C224, V10286, P2-16-5, 09305, P2-16-19, C248, C254, and 09020, 08880, 09306, Khlebodar Ukrainsky, Grego, Dublet, 131/7, V17-5-49, which were less populated. At the stage of milk ripeness, the following varieties are S1728, C236, C248, 131/7, Dublet. In 2017, the following samples with the most significant number of aphids can be used for further selections: C254, Ril130R-22-2, and a large margin C250 (the tillering stage). In 2016, these genotypes were in the group of medium - and low populated. The highest population of aphids was observed in four genotypes: Merezhko Memory, C247, C257, V10-286 (grain filling stage). The identified sparsely populated varieties are of interest for further research in terms of variety resistance, and the most populated ones are used as sensitivity standards.

The phytopathogenic bacterium Acidovorax citrulli is included in the quarantine lists of many countries, including the unified list of quarantine objects of the Eurasian Economic Union. The control of the introduction and spread of the quarantine organism into the territory of Russia is carried out through laboratory diagnostics. Diagnostic methods should ensure quality and the high speed of product health testing. The study aimed to use new methods for the detection and identification of A. citrulli and to optimize the laboratory diagnostic scheme. In the course of the work, cucumber seeds with an infectious load were prepared and tested. Testing was carried out according to an optimized diagnostic scheme using methods not previously used to diagnose A. citrulli. At each stage of work with samples, the time spent was recorded. The researchers tested the prepared infected seeds at the first stage using the standard qPCR method and then the qPCR method PAS F/R, PAS P which had not previously been used to diagnose A. citrulli. The new qPCR test PAS F/R, PAS P showed stable results at testing each sample in a row of each replication. The sample enrichment method was successfully applied, not previously used in diagnosing A. citrulli. The use of the method made it possible to separate samples containing live target bacteria from those containing only A. citrulli DNA within 2.5 days. After enrichment, the isolation and identification of the A. citrulli culture from the samples were successfully carried out. Based on the data obtained as a result of this study, the scheme for detecting and identifying the causative agent of bacterial fruit blotch of cucurbits was optimized. The proposed scheme will reduce diagnosing a dangerous quarantine organism from four weeks to one week.

Increasing the profitability in the maral breeding industry primarily depends on the rational and focused rearing of young animals. The development of marals at an early age largely determines the additional economic value of these animals. The study’s objective is to assess the productive qualities of maral fawns of the Novotalitskaya line of the Altay-Sayan breed. The work was carried out at the maral farms (Pokrovka, Sentelek, and Aba) of the Experiment Station “Novotalitskoe” at “Federal Altai Scientific Center for Agrobiotechnologies during the period of velvet antler cutting in July 2020. The researchers assessed two hundred sixty-six fawns having their first antlers. They found that the average velvet antler productivity among the fawns of the Novotalitskaya line was 1.5±0.03 kg. The velvet antlers had the following parameters: trunk length - 35.8±0.41 cm, trunk girth - 12.4±0.08 cm, supraorbital process length -16.1±0.30 cm, icy process length - 15.0±0.36 cm, middle process length - 11.1±0.32 cm, bifurcation depth - 1.9±0.07 cm. 84.7% of the fawns had round antlers, 9.0% had boot-shaped antlers, and 6.3% had fork-shaped antlers. Fawn quality classification is the following: first class - 9.4%, second class - 65.4%, third class - 25.2%.

Despite significant achievements in the agricultural sector, the problem of mastitis in sheep continues to be one of the most relevant for veterinary science and practice. Therefore, in current conditions, the solution of diagnosis, therapy, and prevention of this disease is urgently needed. The article presents morphological and biochemical parameters of sheep blood in acute serous mastitis. The research was at “Belozernoe” of the Salsk district of the Rostov region, with a total number of sheep of 956 heads. The complex of clinical and laboratory studies was performed on 12 sheep of the Sokolskaya breed (at the age of 2-3 years), with signs of acute serous mastitis. The control group consisted of clinically healthy sheep aged 2-3 years. In a clinical study of sheep, the researchers focused on the general condition, body temperature, heart rate, respiration, and scar movement in two minutes. The study has shown that in serous mastitis, there is an increase in body temperature to 40.5-40.9°C, pulse rate to 95 beats per minute, and respiration - up to 40 respiratory movements per minute. The frequency of scar contractions was 3-6 times in two minutes. During the clinical examination, the affected half of the sheep’s udder was enlarged 3-4 times in volume, compacted, the skin is tense, and the breast nipple is slightly enlarged and flaccid. The supravyminal lymph node enlarged in volume by 1.5-2 times, and the sick sheep reacted painfully to palpation. At the beginning of the inflammation, milk from the affected lobe had a white color. When the disease passed into a more severe form, it became watery with an admixture of blood. As a rule, severe mastitis was acute. There was a partial loss of appetite. The researchers established that acute serous mastitis in sheep is clinically manifested by depression, subfebrile or febrile increase in body temperature, moderate tachypnea, and tachycardia. In the blood of sheep with acute serous mastitis, there is a significant decrease in the number of red blood cells and hemoglobin. A pronounced neutrophilic leukocytosis develops with a simple shift of the regenerative nucleus to the left against the background of moderate eosinophilia. In the blood serum of sheep with acute mastitis, dysproteinemia is detected, characterized by a moderate decrease in albumin concentration and a significant increase in the content of alpha-globulins. In the blood serum of sick sheep, the concentration of iron also significantly decreases, and the content of copper increases.

Two studies used incubation eggs of 26-40-week-old meat and egg autosex chickens of “Dominant CZ” crosses - “D-104”, “D-107”, “D-149”, “D-192”, kept in cages. Eggs were incubated in the incubators “Stimul IP-16M” and “Stimul IV-16M” by the standard regime, turning the eggs at 43-45 degrees every 45 min. Study 1 used 699894 eggs with a storage period of 2-8 days (control trays contained 22923 eggs). Study 2 used 2016 eggs after storage for four and eight days. During the 15-week productive period, the egg production intensity of the “D-192” cross was greater than the “D-104” cross by only 0.6%, and the “D-107” and “D-149” - by 2.6% and 3.0%, respectively. In the peak and post-peak phases of the productive period, the suitability of eggs for incubation from chickens cross “D-104” compared to other crosses was greater by 0.1-2.2%. According to the output of chickens parent flock of crosses “Dominant CZ” in technological and feeding conditions of LLC “Agrokormservis Plus” corresponds to the minimum requirement for breeding egg chickens with brown shells - it was 78.0%. In the middle of the pre-breeding period (6-18 days), embryo mortality was slightly higher in eggs of “D-107” and “D-192” hens (by 1.58 and 1.98%, respectively), but, on the contrary, lower in eggs of “D-104” and “D-149” hens (by 0.20%) or on average more by 0.79%. The difference between the hatch in the control trays and, in general, for all batches of eggs for crosses “D-104”, “D-149”, and “D-192” was in the range of -0.1 to +0.3%, but for the cross “D-107” - more +1.8%. On average, for the entire array of eggs, the difference was +1.0%. When storing eggs “Dominant CZ” for more than four days, the hatch of young animals decreases by an average of 1.0% per day due to increased mortality of embryos at all ages. Given the different sizes of the batch of eggs from some chicken crosses, from 35 to 180 pcs. of waste incubation (2-3% of the party) from the control trays can be opened for reliable analysis.

The article is concerned with the research carried out in three landscapes of the Samur-Divichi and Gonakkend natural-geographical regions. They determined the species composition and geographical origin of rodents in each landscape. A total of 23 species were recorded in three landscapes. Nineteen species are present in one landscape, 17 species in each of the other two landscapes (I, II). In two of the explored landscapes, the species of the Western Asia group predominate. In each of the three landscapes, there are 12 identical rodent species. Specific species also occur in the two landscapes. Rattus norvegicus, an invasive species, was recorded only in the meadow and forest-meadow landscapes of moderately dissected intermontane plains and ravines. The most significant number of specific species were recorded in broad-leaved forest and forest-steppe meadow-shrub landscapes of sharply dissected middle mountains (Chionomys gud; Microtus daghestanicus; Sciurus anomalus). In the noted landscape, the Caucasian endemics (5 species) and species included in the Red Data Book of Azerbaijan (3 species - Hystrix indica; Chionomysgud; Micromysminutus) are most common.

The study of morphometric features of the body and the establishment of relationships between them is the basis for the selection of American minks (Neovison vison). In this regard, the study of body parameters and identifying correlations with significant selection indicators are of practical importance. At the same time, such a morphological indicator as chest girth has not practically been studied. After examining the carcasses (after skinning) of female Hedlund minks (h/h), Pastel (b/b), Scanblack (N/N, N/n) (20 animals of each genotype) slaughtered at the age of 7.5 months, the researchers found that their average weight does not have significant differences and ranges from 834.0±21.85 to 891.3±13.33 g. At the same time, the body length of Pastel minks is 40.4±0.38 cm, which is reliably 1.2 cm larger than Headlund and Scanblack. The girth of the chest behind the shoulder blades (OGZL) has significant differences and is 13.5±0.17 cm for Headlunds, 14.7±0.13 cm for Pastels, and 14.2±0.21 cm for Scanblack, as well as chest girth along the last rib (OGPR) which is 17.5±0.16 cm, 19.7±0.20 cm and 18.6±0.29 cm, respectively. According to the formula: Krgk = (OGZL + (OGPR-OGZL) / DG x 10) / OGZL, where DG is the length of the thoracic spine, we found that this indicator does not have significant breed differences and is within 1.21±0.01-1.23±0.01. At the same time, Krgk negatively correlates with body weight and length. In females of all studied genotypes, Krgk was in the range from 1.15 to 1.31, while the more significant the coefficient value, the more pronounced the “triangle " of body expansion. Thus, the researchers deduced the following correspondences - females whose Krgk value is close to 1.15-1.19 belong to the coarse type of constitution, females with intermediate values 1.21-1.24 - to the strong type, accordingly, and 1.27-1.31 - to tender.

The article discusses issues related to the impact ofvariable incubation temperature (37.8°C-from the 1^st to the 14^th day; 39.5°C, two hours daily, in the 15^th-17^th days; 37.5°C - 18^th day; 37.0°C - 19^th-21^st day; relative humidity is 57.0%) on the growth and metabolic rates of the Hysex Brown and Lohmann Brown crosses chicken embryos as well as on the development of their visceral organs and the incubation effectiveness itself. Currently, most of the research is devoted to studying the influence of variable egg incubation temperatures while using one cross of chickens and comparison with the standard incubation mode. A necessary condition for the balanced development of productive bird embryos is the acquisition of knowledge about their morphophysiological parameters and metabolic needs, based on which it is possible to adjust regimes of artificial egg incubation. The research results have shown that the developed and tested incubation regime with variable temperatures is most effective for hen eggs of the Lohmann Brown cross compared to the Hysex Brown cross. This positive effect was expressed in a more intensive growth of chicken embryos and the development of some visceral organs (gizzard stomach, spleen), as well as in the most pronounced rate of gas exchange (CO₂), the highest energy value of embryos and the lowest total energy consumption for growth and metabolism in the period from 4 days of incubation to the hatching time. Differentiation of the temperature regime during embryogenesis has a positive effect on incubation results. The percentage of withdrawal of the Lohmann Brown cross young chickens is 4% higher than that of the Hysex Brown cross due to decreased embryonic mortality and decreased number of frozen embryos and suffocated chickens. This kind of research, in our opinion, is an auspicious one, and it is necessary to adjust the existing incubation regimes of hen eggs in various production areas.

Among other countries of the world, Russia is one of the crucial subjects of the world market for fruit and berry produce. The objects of this market are numerous types of fruits, berries, and nuts. Most of them have been known to man since ancient times and have been in international trade since the first civilizations. The kiwi, for example, was cultivated relatively recently and did not appear on the world market until the second half of the 20^th century. The development of technologies for the production, storage, processing, and transportation of fruit and berry produce and foreign economic liberalization increased both global gross harvests of fruits, berries and nuts, and the corresponding parameters of their export and import. These trends have significantly intensified in the last thirty years. By the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations’ statistics (FAO) of1992-2019, the authors analyzed the changed volumes of production, export, and import of fruit and berry produce in the world as a whole, as well as in individual leading countries. A change in the positions of some countries, including Russia, was revealed in the global rankings on gross harvest, exports, and imports. Although in 2019, our country ranked only the 31^st in the world in terms of fruit and berry production, Russia is one of the world’s largest importers offruits, berries, and nuts. For example, in 2003-2014 it followed the USA and Germany by this indicator. In 2014-2018 it was the fourth country. In 2019, Russia moved to fifth place in this rating of the leading importers of fruit and berry produce. In 2020, FAO declared 2021 the International Year of Fruits and Vegetables. In this regard, the stated problem of identifying our country’s place in the world market for fruit and berry produce is very relevant both from the point of view of its participation in global production volumes and the parameters of international trade in these types of goods.

The article summarizes the experience gained in empirical research and theoretical analysis of information costs conducted by the author. The main conclusion is that information costs are systematically underestimated. That is why the high national economic efficiency of digitalization projects often turns out to be illusory. In support of the conclusion, it substantiates the regularity of the increase in per-unit direct information costs as the volume of data collected by an economic entity grows and explains why microprocessor technologies cannot reverse this trend. Without denying the possible benefits of digitalization, the article draws attention to selected examples of situations where underestimating or neglecting information costs cause serious problems. Among them are negative information externalities, i.e., forcing information providers to bear uncompensated information costs; limited ability to apply the cost accounting principle to assess direct and especially alternative information costs; the limited competitive niche of the agricultural extension service as an intermediary in the implementation of digitalization projects; obstacles to the improvement of operational management based on the use of economic mathematical models (using field cultivation as a case) due to the prohibitively high costs of collecting and presenting data. Case studies are accompanied by suggestions that can potentially mitigate the problem.

The article describes brief bibliography of professor A.P. Stepanov, who was the first head of the Veterinary Department of the Petrovskaya Academy of Agronomy and Forestry (now Russian State Agrarian University - Moscow Timiryazev Agricultural Academy).