The fractions of granulometric elements isolated by the method of roiling from the humusaccumulative horizon A of the deep typical virgin chernozem of the Kursk Region were studied using infrared spectroscopy. According to the data obtained, the fractions of granulometric elements differ significantly in their material composition. The coarse dust fractions mainly consist of quartz, feldspar, polysaccharides and a small amount of specific humus substances. The fine dust fractions, and in particular the silt fraction, differ significantly in material composition from the coarse dust fractions. They are mainly composed not only of polysaccharides, but also of clay minerals, including alternating layer formations of the mica-montmorillonite type, a much higher amount of specific humus substances, and less quartz and feldspar. The medium dust fractions occupy an intermediate position in terms of material composition and are closer to the fine fractions than to the coarse dust fractions. The method of infrared spectroscopy makes it possible to reveal fundamental differences in the material composition between individual granulometric fractions. However, a number of specific features inherent to individual components of the soil solid phase are not apparent in the infrared spectra of granulometric fractions. This is due to the active interaction between the organic and mineral components of the soil. As a result of such interactions many active centers and functional groups are blocked and do not appear in the infrared spectra.

Sweet-berry honeysuckle (Lonicera caerulea L) is a promising berry crop that can be marketed throughout the summer due to the diversity of cultivars with different ripening periods. The area occupied by honeysuckle in Russia is 700 hectares. To increase industrial plantations, it is necessary to provide farms with high-quality planting material. One of the ways of obtaining seedlings is through wood cuttings. The aim of our work is to select a root formation stimulator for woody honeysuckle cuttings. The experiment was carried out in the Moscow region. The honeysuckle cultivars “Volkhova”, “Nimfa” and “Pavlovskaya” and the preparations “Kornevin” and “EcoFus” were used as research objects. The experience is presented in four variants, with 100 cuttings in each variant. Two-factor analysis of variance showed no influence of cultivar characteristics on the rooting of cuttings, root volume, the number and length of shoots in seedlings. The rooting percentage of the cultivars varied from 73 to 81%, root volume (4.12–4.64 ml), number (2.63–2.81 pcs) and shoot length (4.32–6.16 cm) also differed insignificantly. A significant effect of the growth regulators on the traits studied was observed. The best development of the above-ground and underground parts of seedlings was observed with the combined application of the preparations “Kornevin” and “EcoFus”, and the rooting ability was also at a high level (81%), which indicates the feasibility of using the studied preparations. According to the results of other studies on such crops as balsam, gloxinia and cyclamen, the effectiveness of using the “EcoFus’ preparation has been proven. The number of leaves increased by 35–40% depending on the plant species. Studies on the combined use of the preparations “Zircon”, “Siliplant” and “EcoFus” showed a positive effect on the vegetative reproduction and productivity of wild garlic. The preparations “Siliplant”, “EcoFus”, and “Cytovit” showed high efficiency on the yield of the grape cultivars “Ranniy Magaracha” and “Karaburnu”. The rooting of forsythia cuttings with “EcoFus” showed negative results. In this experiment, the multiplication factor could be affected by the concentration of the preparation and the duration of exposure, as the green cuttings have unripened tissues, that could have a negative effect. It is also necessary to take into account the characteristics of the culture itself. Further research is needed in this area.

The article presents the results of research on clonal micropropagation of sour cherry (Prunus cerasus L.) which is difficult to reproduce at the proliferation stage by traditional methods. A number of modern winter-hardy domestic cultivars of P. cerasus are promising for plantation cultivation of this crop in the Nonchernozem zone of the European part of Russia. The method of clonal micropropagation is advisable to obtain a large amount of healthy and genetically homogeneous rootstocks of fruit crops. Regenerated plants of P. cerasus of low-growing, mid-season and winter-hardy cultivars Assol’ and Shokoladnitsa were used as research objects. The growth and developmental features of P. cerasus regenerated plants were studied during in vitro cultivation on a QL nutrient medium supplemented with growth regulators of the cytokinin group (6-BAP, thidiazuron, zeatin) in different concentrations. The highest indicators for the length of microshoots (average 13.4 mm) and the number of leaves (average 6.0 pcs.) of P. cerasus plants in in vitro culture are recorded for the Shokoladnitsa cultivar. The maximum length of microshoots of P. cerasus Assol’ cultivar is observed on the 60th day of cultivation on a QL nutrient medium with the addition of zeatin at a concentration of 0.3 mg/l (10.5 mm) and thidiazuron at a concentration of 0.3 mg/l (9.8 mm), while the maximum number of leaves (7.8 pieces) is observed with addition of 0.3 mg/l zeatin. The maximum length of microshoots of P. cerasus of the Shokoladnitsa cultivar is observed when grown for 60 days on a QL nutrient medium with the addition of 6-BAP at concentrations of 0.5 mg/l (17.7 mm) and 1.0 mg/l (14.2 mm), while the maximum number of leaves (7.2 pieces) is observed with addition of 0.3 mg/l zeatin

The paper presents the results of the analysis of diseases of infectious fallout of winter wheat at the Field Experimental Station of the Russian State Agrarian university – Moscow Timiryazev Agricultural Academy from 2013–2015 to 2020–2021, depending on the tillage technology and weather conditions. It was shown that the main disease was pink snow mold (caused by Microdochium nivale). The analysis of the dynamics of the disease over 5 years showed that the prevalence was higher under zero tillage than under moldboard tillage (6.6 and 3.9%, respectively). The statistical analysis carried out showed an average positive correlation between soil density and disease prevalence (r=0.57 – for moldboard tillage and r=0.69 – for zero tillage). The data obtained indicate the need to adapt the protective measures against fallout diseases, taking into account the tillage technology, the cultivation zone and the climatic conditions.

The annual rapeseed (Brassica napus L.), a member of the Brassicaceae family, has long been used as a source of technical oil. The development of low-erucic varieties (canola, less than 5% erucic acid) by Canadian breeders in the 1970s made rapeseed a valuable and promising oilseed crop. In the Russian Federation, rapeseed oil, extracted from the seeds of the mature pods of the plant, currently ranks third after sunflower and soybean oil in terms of production volume, surpassing them in a number of biochemical parameters: optimal ratio of ω-6: ω-3 fatty acids (1:3–2:1), high content of oleic acid (up to 79.57%), tocopherols (45–75 mg%), carotenoids (0.30–0.57 mg%) and sterols (0.5–1.0%). The high nutritional potential of rapeseed is explained by the availabilityof winter and spring forms, domestic and foreign varieties and hybrids, successful breeding for increased oil content and resistance to diseases, good yields in many natural zones of Russia, profitability of 100–150%, sometimes up to 400% and more, despite the need for strict adherence to cultivation technology, etc. In the fatty oil industry, oil yield refers to the content of crude fat and accompanying fat-like substances that pass from the seeds into the ether extract along with the fat. The cells of oil rapeseeds contain structures, that accumulate free lipids stored by the plant for use by the growing seedling: oleosomes and possibly fat inclusions in the cytoplasm, and plastoglobules in the plastids. The formation of neutral fats is a universal mechanism for “switching off” excess primary synthesis products from plant metabolism. The qualitative fatty acid composition of seed oils of different plant species (in contrast to oils extracted from the nonseed parts of the fleshy oil fruits) is quite similar; the amount of fatty acids and the fat-soluble components extracted with them (antioxidants, vitamins, etc.) is variable. Knowledge of the botanical nature and biochemical characteristics of the oil content of rapeseed will make it possible to obtain maximum nutritional benefits through breeding, agronomic and technological methods.

This review discusses the physiological aspects of the ripening of juicy fruits in relation to the problem of extending the shelf life of horticultural products. The achievements of molecular biology in the field of genetic regulation of plant quality formation processes are used. Particular attention is paid to the hormonal regulation of the accumulation of nutrients and biologically active substances in fruits. The role of ARF/IAA and DELLA receptor proteins in the interaction of auxin and GA signalling pathways during the growth of tomato, strawberry, and grape fruits is demonstrated. The involvement of DELLA proteins in integrating the function of other phytohormones – cytokinin, ethylene, abscisic acid, brassinosteroids and jasmonic acid – is noted. Evidence is presented for the interaction of cytokinin with auxin and GA in the regulation of early development and fruit size. The combination of transcription factors and epigenetic modifications during fruit development and senescence is considered. The involvement of mechanisms of senescence and loss of fruit shelf life in the absence of external signs is shown. The ripening characteristics of climacteric and nonclimacteric fruits are considered. One of the key regulators of the ripening process in both climacteric and non-climacteric fruits is the MADS domain transcription factor RIPENING INHIBITOR (RIN). The regulation of non-climacteric fruit ripening is reviewed using grape and strawberry as examples. Special attention is paid to growth processes, water exchange, photosynthesis, primary and secondary metabolism of developing and ripening fruits. The formation of integuments and cell walls as a structural basis for the physical properties of products is considered. Promising methods of using regulators of vital processes in the post-harvest period to slow down the fruit senescence are given. Increased knowledge of genetic, hormonal and metabolic networks opens up broad prospects for improving and maintaining the quality of fleshy horticultural products.

A study was carried out to assess the quality of frozen-thawed semen using the sex separation method and the traditional method in a comparative aspect, and the authors believe that the work will be of some interest to specialists in zootechnical and biological fields, as well as to veterinary specialists. The work was carried out at the Federal Research Center for Animal Husbandry named after Academy Member L.K. Ernst and on the basis of LLC “Agrofirma Zarya”, Bogorodsky district, Nizhny Novgorod region in the period from 2017 to 2022. usng the semen of eight sires. To assess the quality of the semen, the index of nuclear DNA fragmentation (nDNA) in chromatin was determined, and the activity of spermatozoa was assessed visually and using the Biola AFS-500 sperm analyser (ZAO Biola, Moscow). On the basis of the studies conducted, it was found that the morphology of the spermatozoa depends on the individual characteristics of the sires; the content of abnormal spermatozoa varies from 2 to 8% when collected by the traditional method and from 4.10 to 15% when collected by the sexing method. A significant difference between the sires is observed in the iDNA fragmentation index – this indicator varies from 2.66 to 8.62% and from 8.50 to 28.57%, respectively. The division of spermatozoa by sex has a direct effect on the quality indicators, leading to a decrease in their activity. This indicator is 11.2% higher in semen obtained by the traditional method than by the alternative technique. The number of abnormal cells in the semen divided by sex is 2.2% higher than in the semen collected by the traditional method, and the proportion of spermatozoa with fragmented iDNA is 7% higher. The velocity of spermatozoa in the studied doses of semen collected using the technique of sex separation was 96–113 µm/s immediately after thawing, and five hours after incubation at +38°C in a thermostat this indicator decreased to the level of 20–34 µm/s. The age of puberty of their calves obtained from the sexed semen from birth to fruitful insemination is 490 days, which is 16 days more than in group I, where heifers were obtained from the semen frozen in the traditional way (TS). The term of fruiting in heifers born from the use of the sexed semen (SS) was 273 days, while that of heifers born from the use of traditionally frozen semen (TS) was 275 days (2 days more). The age of heifers from birth to first calving in the SS group was 762 days and was 14.4 days more than in the TS group, which was 748 days.

In aquaculture, physiological assessment is required to monitor the health status of fish. Blood is the most responsive system in the organism of hydrobionts to changes in external factors. The study of hematological parameters of fish allows for early diagnosis of diseases, working out the technological mode of breeding and rearing, and selection. The typing of cells in circulating fluids is important for compiling hemocytic and leukocyte formulas characterizing the cellular component of the organism’s immune response.

In the present study, convolutional neural network models are developed to classify blood cells of carp and sturgeon fish. The quality of the models is estimated based on the metrics Accuracy and Precision, Recall, F₁ with macro-averaging.

Based on the processing of blood images, 1104 images of blood cells of carp and sturgeon fish were prepared, including 15 cell populations: hemohistoblasts, myeloblasts, promyelocytes, myelocytes, metamyelocytes, rod-shaped neutrophils, segmented neutrophils, eosinophils, basophils, monocytes, lymphocytes, erythroblasts, normoblasts, mature erythrocytes, and platelets.

Models of a convolutional neural network have been developed to recognize populations of blood cell elements (erythrocytes, leukocytes, platelets) of carp and sturgeon fish. The models were trained on 80% of the prepared images, avoiding the problem of overtraining, as evidenced by the constructed graphs of the loss function (sparse categorical cross entropy) and accuracy during the learning process.

The constructed models make it possible to recognize blood cells of carp fish with an accuracy of 75.0% (metric F₁ with macro-averaging is 0.570) and blood cells of sturgeon fish with an accuracy of 76.6% (F₁ with macro-averaging is 0.664).

The negative consequences of the irrational use of feed antibiotics in animal husbandry, consisting in the spread of resistance of pathogens to their action, determine the relevance of the search for and introduction of alternative stabilisers of the intestinal microbiota of animals in the feed industry. These include phytobiotics – plant preparations that help improve animal productivity and health. The paper presents a review of national and foreign scientific literature on the use of phytogenic feed additives in the feeding of monogastric animals. Specific cases of the use of phytogenic feed additives in the feeding of poultry (broilers, laying hens, turkeys, ducks, quails, geese), pigs, rabbits and horses of different age and sex groups are considered. The results of the effect of phytobiotics on zootechnical indicators of farm animal growth, blood morphology, intestinal microbiota, biochemical characteristics of meat, eggs and other products are presented. Growth stimulating, antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory and other beneficial properties of phytobiotics prepared from various plant components are described. On the basis of the review, conclusions are drawn on the wide range of plant raw materials used as phytobiotics, the main biologically active compounds that determine the functional properties of the studied preparations, the scope of use of phytobiotics in the feeding of various monogastric animals, and the nature of the effect of additives on economic and biological characteristics of animals.

The improvement of marketing activities in the market of organic products in the current conditions is undoubtedly a significant aspect of its development, contributing to the formation of new market approaches to doing business. At present, organic products and agricultural products are interchangeable concepts for most consumers, which in turn indicates the lack of formed constants of consumer perception of the term “organic products” and is a significant obstacle to the development of demand in this segment. On the other hand, it is strategically important to study the needs of consumers as an important stage in the formation of the range of products offered on the market with high added value and, as a consequence, the basis for the development of a competitive segment of organic products. All this implies the search for new marketing approaches and strategic solutions to achieve the the desired objectives.

The purpose of this study is to search for relevant trends in the formation and development of the organic market in order to improve marketing activities based on the synergy of conceptual approaches in marketing that allow for responsible consumption and sustained interest in organic products. The main objectives of the study are to determine the basic principles of the development of the organic market, to create a system of marketing indicators for research and evaluation of the development potential of the studied market, and to identify the main trends in the development of marketing activities. The results of the work made it possible to formulate approaches to the research and evaluation of the marketing potential of the market, as well as to formulate recommendations for the creation of an information system as a basis for the strategic development of the entire organic market as a whole.

The article highlights the problems of the importance and necessity of the permanent consumption of fresh and processed fruit and berry products, which are essential for human health as the main strategic resource of the economy of any state. The aim of the article is to demonstrate the possibilities of providing the population with fresh fruits, berries and processed products in the volume corresponding to the rational consumption norms, to determine the ways of improving the sustainable development of the domestic fruit subcomplex in the conditions of international sanctions. The methodology of the work is based on the use of official statistics, information from the Internet, as well as research of domestic scientists and economists in the field of food security. The results of the study showed that at the present stage the issues of consumption of fruit and berry products in the required quantity are relevant in all countries. The dynamics of the development of horticulture in the world and in Russia for the period 1960–2021 is analysed. It is shown that Russia has reduced its position in the area of perennial crops and gross harvest of fresh fruits and berries. At the same time, there is a positive trend in the growth of productivity, gross yield and per capita consumption in the period 2010–2021. Compared to developed countries, Russia is characterised by a low level of fruit consumption and a higher level of fruit juice consumption. The article states that it is impossible for the country to achieve self-sufficiency in the analysed products due to the following objective factors: natural and climatic conditions, rather high dependence on imports of finished products and resource components. In this regard, an integrated approach is needed, including both ways to increase domestic production and imports in amounts that do not threaten the country’s food security. The results of the article can be used to expand further scientific research in the field of providing the population with fresh and processed fruit and berry products.

The article studies the dynamics of food consumption in the Russian Federation for 1998–2022. The methodological basis of the presented work is a comprehensive approach, which takes into account the long-term dynamics of food consumption in the Russian Federation, the main macroeconomic indicators and their interrelations in connection with the issues of the development of the food market in our country. For the period 1998–2022, the per capita consumption of food products has increased: fruit and berries by 89.6%, meat and meat products by 62.6%, vegetable oil by 42.2%, vegetables and melons by 35.2%, eggs and egg products by 24.0%, sugar by 12.7%, milk and milk products by 8.2%; the consumption of potatoes has decreased by 20.7%, bread products by 2.2%. The consumption of staple foodstuffs was assessed in relation to the dietary intake levels: above the norm: sugar, vegetable oil, meat and meat products, bread products, eggs and egg products; below the norm: potatoes, milk and dairy products, vegetables and melons, fruit and berries. The hypothesis was confirmed that as the income of the population increases, the consumption of expensive foods in the diet increases, the quality of food improves and the consumption of low quality and/or Giffen goods in the diet of the population may decrease. The influence of seven main indicators of macroeconomic transformation on the consumption of nine staple foodstuffs is shown. The concept of changing the policy of state regulation of the agrarian sector from supply support to demand/consumption support, developing institutions and institutional mechanisms of domestic food aid in Russia is proposed.