The article is dedicated to the scientific and pedagogical activity of the outstanding Russian botanist, popularizer of science, Doctor of Biological Sciences, Professor Oleg A. Korovkin, one of the founders of the Morphological School of the Timiryazev Academy. A brief biography of the scientist is given, his contribution to Russian and world science is reflected. For many years, the scientific interests of O.A. Korovkin have been related to the study of the morphogenesis of vegetative organs of flowering plants, including the ontogenesis of stoloniferous herbaceous polycarpic plants. Based on the studies, Professor Korovkin O.A. concluded that the structural unit of the shoot system of stoloniferous plants is a highly specialized shoot of vegetative reproduction. Based on the biological features of clone-forming individuals, Korovkin O.A. was the first to distinguish three types of clones in stoloniferous herbaceous polycarpic plants, the understanding of the structure of which helps modern researchers to study the ontogenesis of economically valuable stoloniforming geophytes and hemicryptophytes in more detail. Numerous scientific works of Professor Korovkin O.A. allow not only to get closer to the understanding of large and small life cycles of plants, but also to reveal the causes of the degeneration of herbaceous stoloniforming polycarpics.

The possibilities of using the Google Earth Engine web platform as a tool for working with spatial data are described using the development of the Adaptive Landscape Farming Systems (ALFS) project for enterprises in the Mostovskiy district of Krasnodar Krai as an example. The list of service features for optimizing the process of agroecological assessment of agricultural land is presented. The main datasets of the GEE catalog are described, the use of which allows to obtain preliminary information on the spatial heterogeneity of lands and their agroclimatic potential. The method of generating average annual productivity cartograms from Sentinel-2 MSI-2A satellite images using NDVI and MCARI vegetation indices with their aggregation is considered. During the field verification of the average annual productivity cartograms it was found that in most cases the zones of stable low vegetation of plants for the period 2015–2023 corresponded to the contours of over-watered meadow-chernozem soils. In the conditions of the Caucasian foothills and excessive precipitation (average 876 mm per year according to ERA-5 land data) they were the worst lands on the territory of the enterprise, which was expressed in the reduction of crop productivity. The results obtained were obtained by using the GEE service for the analysis of agro-ecological conditions. Within the framework of the ALSW project development, the use of the platform helps to solve a number of analytical tasks and ensures high speed and quality of data acquisition.

The article presents research materials on the unconventional berry culture of the golden currant (Ribes aureum Pursh, subgenus Symphocalyx Berl., family. Grossulariaceae DC.) obtained in the conditions of the Bashkir Urals on the basis of the Kushnarenkovsky Breeding Center for fruit and berry crops and grapes of Ufa Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences in the period 2020–2022. Golden currant varieties Venera, Zarina, Lyaysan, Nakhodka, Fatima, Shafak and various selected forms, characterized by edible fruits with good taste, were cultivated on the experimental plot according to the scheme 3 by 1 m under rainfed conditions. Biochemical analysis and tasting were carried out at the stage of biological ripeness of the fruits during harvesting, using guidelines for fruit and berry crops. According to the results of the three-year research into the content of biologically active substances in golden currant berries, the following varieties are recommended as sources for breeding with high sugar content – varieties Fatima, Venera, form 2–86; with high content of dry soluble substances – varieties Nakhodka, Venera, Fatima, forms 2–80, 2–86, 3–20; with high content of ascorbic acid – varieties Fatima, Zarina, Venera, Nakhodka, form 2–86. The results of the conducted research of all the studied varieties and selected forms provide a detailed understanding of the chemical composition of golden currant, which can be used in breeding to improve the quality of the fruit, including increasing the sugar and vitamin C content.

Many plants that are potential producers of medicinal substances, including antitumor substances, are used in landscaping. Taxus L. is one of the such plants. Their fructifications are not only medicinal, but also edible. The aim of the article is to identify of the most promising species of yews for accumulation of dry matter in arils and seeds, as the medicinal and food plants, in the conditions of Moscow region. Morphology-anatomical structure of fructifications of three yew species was studied: T. baccata, T. × media and T. canadensis, their size-weight characteristics and dry matter content were revealed. The fructifications of the studied species are morphologically similar to each other. The fructifications, arils and seeds of T. × media and T. baccata are larger than those of T. canadensis, have a high mass and air-dry matter content. The total dry matter content in fructifications of T. baccata is 32%, in T. × media – 35%, in T. canadensis – 63%; seeds account for 7%, 8% and 45%, respectively, and arils – 25%, 27% and 18%. Based on the dry matter content of fructifications and/or seeds, T. canadensis seems to be more promising among the species studied. If edible aril is considered as a part of the fructification that is promising for food use, T. baccata and T. × media may be favoured.

The article presents  qualitative  assessment  of  the  selected  blackcurrant  hybrids,  bred by Ufa Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences for potential and stable yield and resistance to pathogens and pests. It was found that the hybrids differed in a number of traits and were identified as sources of economically valuable traits for further use in breeding work. When analyzing the hybrid families, it was found that the hybrids of Karaidel and Valovaya, Valovaya and Bredtorp, Chishma and pollen mixture, Valovaya and Chishma produced more productive offspring were obtained, and the highest average yield was from 15.0 to 15.2 t/ha over 5 years in hybrids No. 15–19 and No. 3–42. In terms of large fruit size, with an average berry weight of more than 2.5 grams, the following varieties stood out: 1–9–99, 7–36, 1–9–92, 1–9–91, 1–9–102, 3–26. The selected varieties have large berries with a maximum weight of up to 3.0–4.5 g, while the control variety Valovaya, has a maximum weight of 2.5 g. The most resistant to anthracnose are hybrid forms: 5–19, A-4, A-9, A-10, A-12, A-22, A-6, 1–9–66, 1–9–88, 1–7–86, 3–42, 3–46, 3–48, 7–36, 10–14; 
the most resistant to aphids: 3–22, 5–11, 4–16, 1–9–99, 3–46, 3–42, 3–48, 10–14, 10–241; 
highest yield: 3–22, 5–11, A-10, A-12, 5–21, 1–9–102, 1–6–82, 1–7–86, 15–19, 15–54, 3–42, 3–56, 3–46, 7–15, 7–36, 7–44, 7–57, 11–24, 11–26, 11–54, 10–250, 10–251.

Tomato crops are susceptible to a significant number of diseases that reduce both yield and product quality, requiring the improvement of genetic diversity and the creation of genetically resistant varieties. Solanum sisymbriifolium Lam. is a source of resistance to bacterial wilt, verticillium wilt, root nematodes, carmine spider mites and late blight. The hybridization of tomato and sticky nightshade is feasible, but involves difficulties in overcoming prezygotic and postzygotic barriers to non-crossing. This study investigates the effect of exogenous phytohormones, specifically zeatin and abscisic acid, on fruit set and the number of developing ovules in crosses between Solanum lycopersicum and Solanum sisymbriifolium. Six tomato lines with functional male sterility and a sample of sticky nightshade (OOO Breeding Station named after Timofeyeva) were used in the hybridization process. The stigmas of tomato lines, which had been emasculated at the lemon-yellow bud stage, were treated with zeatin and abscisic acid (ABA) solutions for ten minutes and for two hours before pollination. The studies showed that the phytohormone treatment induced a genotype-specific response. Application of zeatin for two hours doubled fruit set in two of the tomato genotypes. In addition, short-term treatment with zeatin had a positive effect on fruit set in all genotypes. The application of ABA had a multidirectional effect on fruit set. A significant decrease in fruit set was observed in the Roz.son2–6 genotype. In contrast, in the st8 genotype, two hours of ABA treatment resulted in no fruit set, whereas ten minutes of exposure facilitated successful fruit set from all pollinated flowers. The effect of phytohormones on the mean number of developing ovules was remarkable in large-fruited tomatoes. Zeatin treatment increased the number of developing ovules, while the response to ABA treatment depended on genotype and time of treatment. In cherry tomato, phytohormone application had a statistically significant effect on the number of developing ovules only in the st8 genotype. However, prolonged phytohormone treatment decreased the number of developing ovules. Conversely, a brief 10-minute zeatin treatment showed a threefold increase in the average number of developing ovules in the fruit.

Recently, the safety of agricultural products has become a rather relevant aspect. One of the ways to solve this problem is the use of biological preparations. The aim of the research was to determine the effectiveness of using bioorganic fertilizers on leafless varieties of peas. The article presents the results of research into the effect of bioorganic fertilizers on the productivity elements of pea varieties. Pea seeds were treated with the studied preparations before sowing and during vegetation. The elements of the crop structure were analyzed, the yield of varieties was taken into account, and the quality of seeds was assessed by protein content. In 2022, the varieties formed 2.76 beans per plant, and in 2023, which was favorable in terms of precipitation, they got 7.00 beans per plant. On the average for two years, the Kameleon variety formed the largest number of beans on the control (5.43 pcs.), the Astronavt variety treated with the ProRostim preparation formed 6.76 beans, and the Lump variety treated with the RutMost and SemyaStart preparations formed 7.04 beans. The Lump variety should be emphasized. When treated with the RutMost and SemyaStart preparations it formed on average 4.16 seeds per pod. The ProRostim preparation and the RutMost and SemyaStart preparations contributed to the formation of the highest number of seeds per plant in the Astronavt variety – 21.83 and 20.41 seeds, respectively. The varieties formed the higher mass of 1000 seeds in the conducted experiment (249.78 g) in the favorable 2023. Positive increases in yield were observed only in 2023, when all the varieties had higher yields than the standard Aksayskiy usatiy 5 variety. Among the studied preparations, ProRostim provided the highest yield increases (the excess over the control was +0.36 t/ha in 2022, +0.71 t/ha in 2023). The highest protein content in seeds, averaged over two years, was observed in the Astronavt variety (29.32%) treated with the RutMost and SemyaStart preparations.

The article presents the results of the development of growth models forecasting the yield of spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) Lubava based on the value of empirical sowing parameters obtained in the early stages of plant development, the predicted thermal resources of the growing season of the current year and the efficiency coefficients of the preparation Ecobiosphere B in the experimental field of the Kostroma State Agricultural Academy (Kostroma District, Kostroma Region). It was found that the humic complex Ecobiosphere B influenced the development of T. aestivum L. Lubava, shortening the interphase period in the middle of the growing season by seven days in comparison with the control (untreated) plants. The heat capacity of the phenological development phases was calculated, which made it possible to predict the calendar dates of the phenological development phases, from the sowing date to harvest maturity, based on the forecast of the heat resource for the current year. Simulation-dynamic growth models of seasonal prediction of phytometric parameters, adjusted to the efficiency of consumption rate and frequency of application of the humic complex Ecobiosphere B as a regulator of growth and development, worked with the following accuracy: 0.5 L/t seed + 0.5 L/ha in the tillering phase of Ecobiosphere B: plant height – 98.32%, mass of phytoorgans at 13% humidity: ground active phytomass – 95.1%, leaves – 83.54%, stem – 91.08%, ear elements – 87.23%, fruits – 98.24%; 1.0 L/t seed + 1.0 L/ha in the tillering phase of Ecobiosphere B: plant height – 98.47%, mass of phytoorgans at 13% humidity: ground active phytomass – 87.5%, leaves – 64 .57%, stem – 85.46%, ear elements – 61.09%, fruits – 96.11%. The models will provide the ability to predict plant productivity and yield of T. aestivum L. The models will make it possible to predict plant productivity and yield of T. aestivum L. Lubava under production conditions at least 80–90 days before harvest maturity and, if necessary, to adjust the cultivation technology during the growing season in order to increase the economic efficiency of production.

The article is devoted to the adaptation of imported cattle in the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia). The aim of the research is to assess the adaptation of breeding dairy cattle imported to the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) to the extreme climatic conditions of the region. In the period from 2013 to 2022, 3856 heads of high-yielding breeding cattle were imported: Red Steppe breed,

Black Pied breed, Red and White breed and Holstein. The research was based on the annual farm reports and the results of blood molecular genetic diagnostics by the laboratory of Sahaagroplem. Molecular genetic screening for CD18 (BLAD), FANCI (BS) and SLC35A3 (CVM) abnormalities included testing of 463 cattle by PCR-RFLP method. EXCELL BIOTECH reagent kit (Excel Biotech Corp., Yakutsk) was used for genomic DNA extraction. The research revealed the frequency of recessive mutations and showed that the adaptation of imported cattle is complicated by harsh climatic conditions, prolonged stabling, lack of outdoor exercise and unbalanced feeding. All of these factors lead to the underutilization of their genetic potential, recurrent diseases, low calf yield and reduced milk productivity. Comparative analysis of milk yields showed that the average productivity of cows in Yakutia ranged from 2,717 to 3,754 kg of milk per lactation. These results are significantly lower than the indicators of the central zone of Russia. The highest frequency of mutant genotypes of the CD18 gene (BLAD) was observed in the Black Pied breed (2.0%), while the highest frequency of the FANCI gene (BS) was observed in the Kholmogorsky breed (9.52%). At the same time, SLC35A3 gene carriers (CVM) were not found among the tested animals. The results of the research prove the necessity of pre-laboratory diagnostics of breeding cattle. For full disclosure of genetic potential and successful adaptation of cattle to the harsh conditions of Yakutia, cattle breeding farms are recommended to carefully select breeds, take into account their adaptive potential, and provide adequate housing and feeding conditions. Laboratory diagnostics should be continued to further control genetic defects and prevent diseases.

The transition of dairy farming to an industrial basis contributes to an increase in the productive indicators of cattle, including due to the transition to a uniform year-round feeding. From the physiological point of view, a uniform feeding system contributes to the preservation of the species and quantitative composition of the microflora, maintaining its high enzymatic activity. With year-round uniform feeding, it is particularly important to provide the animal’s

body with biologically adequate nutrition, which depends not only on the quantity but also on the quality of the feed. The use of additives in the feed ration, including those based on probiotic preparations, helps to improve digestive processes, normalize the balance of microflora, metabolism and increase animal productivity. The aim of the research was to analyze the rumen microbiome and milk productivity of cows using the enzyme-probiotic feed additive Profort under conditions of year-round uniform feeding. The studies were conducted in lactating Holstein cows. The cows of the experimental group were fed 30.0 g of the probiotic three times during 15 days, with a 15-day interval. In the experimental group, at the family level, the taxa of cellulolytic bacteria Prevotellaceae, Oscillospiraceae, SR1. showed the most significant reliable differences The maximum total content of beneficial cellulolytic bacteria after the use of the enzymeprobiotic preparation was found in the rumen content of the cows of the experimental group. It was 75.34 ± 2.0%. The minimum content (74.89 ± 1.2%) was found in the control group. The content of lactate-utilizing bacteria, which ferment lactic acid in the rumen to volatile fatty acids, increased to an average of 1.14 ± 0.5% in the cows of the experimental group. The average daily milk yield increased from 4.7 to 6.1%, and the mass fraction of fat and protein in milk increased by 1.05–1.75% and 0.64–1.29%, respectively, depending on the feeding period.

Producing high quality cow milk is a priority for agricultural enterprises. Mastitis has a major impact on milk quality due to the increased somatic cell count in milk and the bacterial contamination of milk with microorganisms. To solve this problem, an experiment was carried out to study the effect of vaccinating cows on the incidence of their mastitis and on the somatic cell

count in the milk. During the study period, it was found that the cows in the experimental group (vaccinated animals) had 6.1 times less mastitis than the control group (unvaccinated animals). In the experimental group, the number of sick animals varied slightly over the months of the study, ranging from 14.1% to 17.5%. In the control group, this indicator was 4.7, 7.0 and 6.8 times higher in the first, second to third and fourth to sixth months of the study, respectively. The number of cows with subclinical mastitis in the control group was 5.0, 5.7 and 5.6 times higher than in the experimental group during the same study periods. The cows in the experimental group also developed clinical mastitis less frequently – 4.1, 10.1 and 9.1 times, respectively. The highest average somatic cell count in the milk of the cows of the experimental group was recorded in the first month after calving – 240 thousand cells/cm3. In the following months this indicator was lower ranging from 200 thousand cells/cm3 to 210 thousand cells/cm3. Individually, the somatic cell count of cows in the experimental group did not exceed the norm (up to 400 thousand cells/cm3). In the control group, this indicator was higher, ranging from 520 thousand cells/cm3 to 600 thousand cells/cm3, and the somatic cell data varied greatly, with a peak in the fourth month of the study. Thus, vaccination helps to reduce the incidence of mastitis in the animals and the somatic cell count in the milk, which has a positive effect on its quality.

The article presents the results of the prolificacy dynamics analysis (the number of newborn piglets per litter) in the mini-pig breeding group of ICiG SB RAS. It is shown that the form of agerelated dynamics of this trait in mini-pigs differs significantly from that described earlier in the Kemerovo breed. In the latter it has the shape of a parabola, in the former it has two consecutive rectilinear segments. The comparison of prolificacy of white (genotype I/…) and non-white (genotype i/i) mini-pigs of ICiG SB RAS showed a statistically significant superiority of the average values of the trait in sows with genotype I/…, as well as the difference in the age-related dynamics in the compared groups. The difference in the mean prolificacy between carriers of the dominant allele I of the epistatic white coat color and homozygotes for the recessive ‘non-white’ allele i is comparable to the difference in this trait between multiand medium-fertile breeds of European domestic pigs. The age-related prolificacy dynamics show that the high value of the trait in white mini-pigs is due to the longer period of of reproductive potential development. In nonwhite mini-pigs it lasts from the 1st to the 3rd farrow, in white pigs from the 1st to the 4th farrow.

A comparison of the reciprocal crosses of white sows with non-white boars and non-white sows with white boars showed that the average prolificacy of the first type of cross was significantly higher than that of the second type. The obtained result suggests that the higher prolificacy of white sows of mini-pigs of ICiG SB RAS is due to the characteristics of their own organism, and is not related to the prenatal viability of the offspring.

Industrial fish farming is the most dynamically developing area of domestic aquaculture. Therefore, the problem of obtaining live feeds for growing juvenile fish under artificial conditions is of utmost importance, since such feeds are characterized by high nutritional value, high content of protein, fat, essential amino acids, vitamins, enzymes and other important components. One of the most commonly used zooplanktonic species for feeding juvenile fish is Daphnia magna, which is characterized by high fertility, rapid growth, adaptability to a wide range and changes in abiotic environmental factors. However, in order to obtain consistently high results from the cultivation of these organisms, it is necessary to create a specific set of conditions in each individual case. The results of growing Daphnia magna for food purposes in small containers with standing water are presented. At the same time, an experiment was carried out to select the best possible feeding option. Glass containers with three liters of water were used; the density of the Daphnia planting was 2000 pcs/l. The water temperature was maintained at +19 to +21°C. Artificial lighting was provided for 14 hours per day. The water was changed once every two days for 70% of the initial volume. The duration of the test was 14 days. In all experimental variants, the ammonia content of nitrites and nitrates did not exceed the MPC. The best growth rates were obtained when the Daphnia were fed with chlorella culture compared to feeding with yeast or a mixture of yeast and chlorella. The use of a chlorella-only diet reduced water turbidity and increased Daphnia survival rate of by 17–25%, and feed yield by 23.6–39.1% compared to other experimental options.

The study analyzed the genetic diversity of polymorphism in the calpain (CAPN1) and leptin (LEP) genes in ewes and rams of the Kalmyk fat-tailed breed and the influence of different genotypes on their live weight and average daily gain. It was found that the proportion of the C allele in the CAPN1 locus was higher in rams, while the T and C alleles were equally frequent in ewes. The T allele was more common in ewes and rams than in the parent stock. In the LEP locus, animals with the AG genotype were most common. No deviations from the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium were found for either locus. Ewes and rams of different genotypes for the CAPN1 gene did not differ in live weight at birth, but by the age of weaning, both rams and ewes with the CC genotype outperformed the young animals of other genotypes. No reliable differences were found between the live weight and average daily gain in ewes and rams of different genotypes for the LEP gene, except that the rams of the AA genotype were characterized by a higher live weight at birth than their peers. It was found that stud rams with the AA genotype were significantly inferior in live weight to rams with other genotypes, while ewes with the AA genotype outperformed ewes of other groups in this trait.

The current conditions of globalization processes have significantly changed consumer behavior in relation to the purchase and consumption of food. This situation encourages market participants to seriously change their approaches to working with consumers, which should be based on the study of consumer preferences. At present, this transformation is of particular interest in the main markets, including the market of meat and meat products. This article attempts to study changes in consumer preferences for meat and meat products in modern conditions of market transformation. Special attention is focused on such a parameter as product quality. In the course of the study, a method of evaluating the consumer’s decision to purchase meat and meat products was proposed, taking into account the main factors of choice. The survey was conducted in a number of cities of the Russian Federation. During the study it was found out that the concept of product quality is an important aspect in the choice of meat and meat products, although in modern conditions the consumer has begun to pay more and more attention to many criteria of product evaluation before the purchase. The relationship between the income level and the number of significant parameters characterizing the quality of the product is noted. The study also examines the main risk parameters of consumption of meat and meat products by end consumers. The practical significance of the research lies in the possibility for the companies operating in this market to create successful marketing strategies and to significantly make the manufactured products of the quality necessary for the consumer.

The article briefly reviews the state program ‘Development of Agriculture and Regulation of Agricultural Products, Raw Materials and Food in the Saratov Region’, on the basis of which current trends for improving the economic sustainability of farms in the short and long term are highlighted. It assesses the micro and macro environment of the agro-industrial sector and analyses the measures taken to implement the tasks of economic development of the agro-industrial sector in the region. Recommendations are made to improve the effectiveness of the municipal policy and to eliminate the identified shortcomings, among which agricultural insurance and the implementation of the EGS principles should be highlighted.