Black Earth Region Research Articles

Эффективность биопрепаратов при выращивании сахарной кукурузы

In our country, vegetable sweet corn is grown mainly in the Krasnodar and Stavropol territories and the Rostov region; it is also cultivated in the Black Earth Region and in more northern regions, but in smaller volumes. Sweet corn is a relatively young subspecies that arose as a mutant between dentifrice and flint corn. Due to its biochemical characteristics, it is a very susceptible crop and is more damaged by pests and diseases compared to the usual one. A further increase in corn grain production is unthinkable without the widespread and comprehensive use of the latest scientific achievements, where the leading role undoubtedly belongs to new varieties and cultivation technologies. In the climatic conditions of the Rostov region, the biological characteristics of 4 hybrids of vegetable corn were studied: Early Golden F1, Sweet Nugget F1, Caramello F1 and Noa F1 and resource-saving technologies with the basics of biologization and greening of agriculture. Research has established that, on average, over the years of research, a high yield of cobs was obtained by the hybrids Caramello F1 - 14.42 t/ha and Noa F1 - 15.53 t/ha. Treatment of vegetative vegetable corn plants with biological preparations Albit and Rauactiv provided a significant increase in the yield of all studied hybrids. Keywords: HYBRID, ADAPTATION, YIELD, LEAF AREA, SEED GERMINATION, COB KERNEL CONTENT

Features of the formation of morpho-biological signs of soybeans depending on the growing conditions

The results of evaluation of the collection of more than 400 soybean samples according to morphological and economically valuable features in the conditions of Belarus and the Central Black Earth Region of the Russian Federation are presented. Experimental research methods were used: field and laboratory. By the duration of the growing season (from 91 to 140 days), the samples are distributed among 4 ripeness groups. More than 50 % of samples are of practical interest for the selection of soybeans for precocity, it is advisable to use them in crosses to obtain new varieties. According to morphological characteristics, samples stable in height of Adess and Memory of Fadeev were identified, in terms of the percentage of attachment of beans below 15 cm, a Kitross sample should be used in selection for manufacturability. In terms of yield stability, the best are Vasilisa, Avanta, Adessa, Kasatka, Lyuba, and Kitross, it is advisable to involve them in hybridization to increase yield. In terms of protein content in the grain, the best were Viscount, Killer Whale, Kitross, Avanta, Adessa and Luba. The Vasilisa variety admitted to use by the State Commission for Testing and Protection of Breeding Achievements for Use in the 5th Region (CDC) is advisable to grow in production to increase the variety of soybean varieties.

The effect of crop rotations and mineral fertilizers on economic and energy efficiency indicators when cultivating winter wheat in the Central Blackearth region

Economic efficiency is an integral method of analyzing agricultural technologies, especially against the rising prices for plant protection products, seeds, fertilizers, and fuels and lubricants. Identification and implementation of the most effective methods of field crops, growing using crop rotation and fertilizers remains an urgent task. The purpose of the current research was to study the effect of crop rotations and doses of mineral fertilizers on productivity of winter wheat grain, to analyze the economic and energy efficiency of its cultivation in the conditions of the Central Blackearth region. The study was carried out in the conditions of the experimental field of the Federal Agricultural Kursk Research Center in 2016, 2020. The soil of the experimental plot was typical medium-loamy, medium-humus blackearth (chernozem). The experimental scheme included such factors as grain-fallow-row crop, grain-grass-row crop, and grain-grass rotations; with doses of fertilizers or without fertilizers, N20P40K40 and N40P80K80. The weather conditions for the rotations of the studied crop rotations differed slightly. As a result of the study, there was found that winter wheat grain productivity in grain-grass and grain-grass-row crop rotations was 17.2 and 13.8 % lower than in grain-fallow-row crop rotation. When applying mineral fertilizers at a dose of N40P80K80, the largest winter wheat productivity was 4.52 t/ha. The lowest cost of grain was established in the grain-fallow-row crop rotation, which varied from 4.68 to 5.04 thousand rubles/t due to higher yields compared to other studied crop rotations and with a dose of N20P40K40 (4.68, 4.80 and 4.97 thousand rubles/t, respectively for crop rotations). A higher level of profitability of 113.7 % was observed in grain-fallow-row crop rotation with a dose of mineral fertilizers N20P40K40, a dose of N40P80K80 not allowing obtaining a high payback of fertilizers. The energy intensity of production increased with increasing doses of applied fertilizers; its minimum values were determined in grain-fallow-row crop rotation (1.35–2.77 GJ/t). Energy efficiency coefficients when applying a dose of N20P40K40 in crop rotations were higher than when applying N40P80K80.

Elemental composition of white lupine grain

The study was carried out to study the elemental composition of various parts of the grain of white lupine varieties Gamma, Dega and Deter 1, which were cultivated in 2009-2011. in the North- East of the Central Black Earth Region. The content of 19 elements was determined at the Belgorodsky State Center for Agrochemical Service. The elemental composition of grain and its parts has been studied. Intensive consumption of chemical elements allows white lupine to have a unique chemical composition of the grain, which shows that the content of many chemical elements standardized in feeding is much higher than in the seeds of other leguminous crops. In terms of manganese content, white lupine is a concentrator plant. In the grain of white lupine, nitrogen (6.82±0.25 %), phosphorus (0.45±0.07 %), potassium (1.37±0.17 %), magnesium (0.17±) accumulate in significant quantities 0.02 %), sulfur (0.31±0.02 %), iron (41.85±1.36 mg/kg), zinc (48.55±4.33 mg/kg), manganese (390, 70±181.57 mg/kg), cobalt (0.82±0.19 mg/kg), molybdenum (6.80±0.67 mg/kg), which are concentrated to a greater extent in the core. The shell contains calcium (0.35±0.02 %), sodium (0.240±0.006 %), chromium (0.329±0.049 mg/kg), lead (0.60±0.04 mg/kg), cadmium (0.061 ±0.003 mg/kg), arsenic (0.024±0.002) higher than in the core. The separation of lupine grain into core and shell during deep processing can be used to increase or decrease the concentration of chemical elements. The range of variations in the content of chemical elements increases with increasing their concentration. In the analyzed samples, the content of lead, cadmium, arsenic and mercury is less than the maximum permissible values for white lupine grain used in feed. The data obtained are important for use in the production of compound feeds, protein concentrates and for determining standards for the content of chemical elements in white lupine grain and its parts as statistical materials when drawing up feeding programs for farm animals, poultry, and fish.

Patterns for digitalization of grain crop production in the crop rotations of the central black earth region forest-steppe

The purpose of the study is to identify significant patterns in the use by crops of natural resources of yields and fertilizers, suitable for decision support through the use of digital technologies. The results are as follows: a method is proposed for predicting the yield of grain crops, taking into account the moisture supply of crops and nitrogen norms in the composition of mineral fertilizers, based on a regular relationship between the energy accumulated by crops and water consumption; comparison of the annual predicted yield values with the experimental ones obtained in the stationary experiment on typical heavy loamy chernozem confirmed statistical reliability of the yield forecasts for spring barley and winter wheat, sown after reliable predecessors that provide timely and vigorous shoots; the productivity of crop rotations, calculated on the basis of the regular relationship between the exchange energy and the nitrogen content in the marketable part of the yieldby the input of fertilizers into the soil, coincided with the actual productivity with sufficient accuracy; the economic and environmental effect against the background of equalrates of mineral fertilizers turned out to be the smallest and the largest ones, respectively, in the grain-fallow-row crop and field crop rotations. The presence of patterns for predicting yields and reproducing soil fertility allows, at the stage of designing specific crop rotations (also during their modernization), using digital technologies, to choose the most economically feasible of the possible crop rotation schemes in relation to specialization, financial condition and infrastructure of agricultural enterprises. A prerequisite for making adequate decisions at the same time, there is the absence of obviously unacceptable alternations in the crop rotation.

Evaluation of breeding forms and varieties of hybrid clover of different geographical origin in the conditions of the Central Black Earth Region

The aim of the research was to evaluate wild forms of hybrid clover (Trifolium hybridum L.) of di erent geographical origin in the year of sowing (the rst year of herbage life), in comparison with varieties, under conditions of unstable moisture in the Central Black Earth region. We studied 20 varieties and wild forms - varieties Novator (standard), Pervenets, Fregat, wild forms from the North- West, Central, Volgo- Vyatsky, Central Black Earth regions, Tatarstan, Chuvashia, Canada, etc.). The research was conducted in Belgorod region in two plots of collection nurseries in 2022-2023 on typical chernozem. The highest dry matter yield in the year of sowing (0.411…0.504 kg/m2) on average for two years possessed varieties Novator (standard) and Pervenets, as well as wild forms from Canada VIC 8, Tatarstan - VIC № 753, Moscow - M-2/21 and Belgorod - B-2/20 regions. The form M-2/21 is of particular value. With dry matter yield in the year of sowing in 2022 at the level of the standard (0.416 kg/m2) in 2023 the number provided a yield of 0.672 kg/m2, significantly exceeding the standard by 0.165 kg/m2, or 32.5 %. On average for two years, the samples showed signi cant morphological dissimilarity and variation in length of one stem (43.1…57.6 cm), weight of one stem (1.6…3.5 g), obliquity (26.5…50.1 %). When evaluating the forms of hybrid clover by productivity in the year of sowing, the most reliable evaluation traits include stem length (r=0.514) and stem weight (r=0.599), the degree of anthocyanin colouration of the stem (r=0.501) and leaf area (r=0.521).

Evaluation of the Hybrid Clover Breeding Forms and Cultivars of Different Geographical Origin in the Central Black Earth Region

Evaluation of the Hybrid Clover Breeding Forms and Cultivars of Different Geographical Origin in the Central Black Earth Region

Dynamics of the Agroecological State of the Soils of the Central Chernozem Region during Long-Term Agricultural Us (on the Example of the Belgorod Region)

The paper analyzes the results of eleven survey cycles of arable soils conducted from 1964 to 2022 in the southwestern part of the Central Chernozem region in the Belgorod region. In the steppe zone of the region, ordinary chernozems predominate, in the forest-steppe zone – typical and leached chernozems. During the eleventh survey cycle (2019–2022), the average level of application of mineral fertilizers was 114.4 kg a.i./ha, organic – 9.6 t/ha, liming of acidic soils – 43.8 thousand hectares per year. As a result, the average yield of winter wheat increased to 5.09, sugar beet – up to 45.6, corn for grain – up to 7.15 t/ha. At the same time, the maximum value of the weighted average content of organic matter (5.3%) was recorded in the soils of arable land for the entire observation period. The proportion of acidic soils decreased to 28.6%, including moderately acidic soils, to 3.0%. The value of hydrolytic acidity decreased to 2.7 cmolc/kg. The weighted average content of mobile forms of phosphorus (139 mg/kg) and potassium (161 mg/kg) is the highest in the Central Black Earth region. 85.7% of the surveyed soils belong to the category of low content of mobile forms of sulfur, zinc – 97.2, copper – 92.5, cobalt – 98.8, manganese – 40.1, molybdenum – 21.3%. In terms of the content of mobile forms of boron, 98.2% of the soils are classified as highly rich.

Форпост КЛ – первый отечественный сорт ярового рапса, устойчивый к имидазолиноновым гербицидам

A spring rapeseed cultivar Forpost KL has been developed during the period of 2009–2019 by an individual selection method in F2 from ESI-No. 65/2009 × Luch hybrid combination. That was the first Russian spring rapeseed cultivar resistant to imidazolinone herbicides. In 2015–2019, in the competitive crop variety testing conducted in the All-Russian Research Rapeseed Institute, the cultivar Forpost KL exceeded the standard Rif on seed yield by 0.15 t/ha (by 7.6 %), on oil yield – by 0.07 t/ha, and its glucos-inolate content in seeds was lower by 2.6 µmol/g. Forpost KL has been included into the State Register of breeding achievements (Patent No. 12408) and approved for production in the North-West (2), Central (3), Volga-Vyatka (4), Central Black Earth (5), Middle Volga (7), Ural ( 9), West Siberian (10), and East Siberian (11) regions from 2022.

Yield structure of highly heterosic winter rye hybrids and features of its formation

In the conditions of the Central Black Earth Region, the peculiarities of yield formation by highly heterotic hybrids of winter rye were studied for 3 years. The purpose of the research is to establish which structural elements and processes are responsible for the formation of higher yields in highly heterotic winter rye hybrids compared to the population variety. Each year 13-18 first-generation hybrids obtained using P-type CMS served as the starting material. The studied hybrids and the standard were sown in pairs on plots of 5 m2 in 6-fold repetition using the standard (dactyl) method. We studied the yield structure only of those hybrids that exceeded the standard—a high-yielding population variety—by 15 percent or more. The studied material was analyzed according to 53 indicators including in addition to the main elements of productivity, a detailed analysis of the ear and stem, as well as a number of characteristics characterizing the cenosis, the plant and its individual organs, physiological characteristics and the quality of the formed grains. As a result of the studies, it was found that highly heterotic hybrids of winter rye form a larger grain yield due to a larger yield of above-ground mass and a larger proportion of grain in it. Large proportion of grain in the above-ground mass of the crop (Kkhos.) is the result of more efficient use by hybrids of reserve plastic substances accumulated as a result of photosynthesis in the stem and ear, in particular. This is confirmed by the lower specific gravity of the stem and its parts (internodes), and higher values of micro-distribution, grain attraction and filling indices, as well as the Canadian index. Heterotic hybrids are characterized by a different type of organogenesis, which differs from that characteristic of modern population varieties. It was concluded that when breeding population varieties of winter rye to increase yield, it is necessary to select genotypes with higher values of the Canadian index and indices of micro-distribution, attraction and grain filling, as well as with a lower specific weight of the stem and its parts.

Селекция раннеспелых гибридов кукурузы универсального использования

Abstract. The expansion of the northern zone of corn-sowing in the Russian Federation, the increase in demand for corn hybrids capable of maturing in zones with a short frost-free period, forming a high yield of grain and green mass, adapted to various soil and climatic zones, requires intensification of breeding work for early maturity. The purpose of the research is the creation of a new early-ripening corn hybrid of universal use, characterized by adaptability to various soil and climatic conditions. The research was carried out at the Agricultural Research Center “Donskoy” and research institutions in Russia in 2018–2021. Methods. The main method of creating hybrids is the method of interline hybridization using heterosis in the first generation. Topcross crosses were used to obtain hybrid combinations. Object of the study are early ripe corn hybrids. A new early-ripening corn hybrid Vityaz’ MV of universal use was created jointly by the ARC “Donskoy” and the Federal State Budgetary Scientific Institution of the National Grain Center named after. P. P. Lukyanenko. It is included in the State Register of Breeding Achievements and approved for use in the production of the North Caucasian, Central, Central Black Earth and Middle Volga regions for grain and silage. According to the research results, the new hybrid is distinguished by high grain yield and plasticity. In the environmental test of research institutions in Russia, located in different soil and climatic conditions, the grain yield was 5.03–10.30 t/ha. In the ARC “Donskoy”, the average grain yield, including dry years, was 4.31 t/ha, which is significantly (by 0.36 t/ha) higher than that of the Krasnodarskiy 194 MV standard. The yield of green mass – 28.2 t/ha, dry matter – 9.41 t/ha. The new hybrid is drought-resistant, resistant to lodging and bunt smut, and is characterized by low harvest grain moisture content (14.0 %). The scientific novelty should be considered the creation of a new early-ripening corn hybrid Vityaz’ MV of universal use, adapted to various soil and climatic zones of the Russian Federation.

Analysis of the Rational Use of Forest Resources in Sparsely Forested Regions (on the Example of the Central Black Earth Region)

Relevance. The world trends in the modern forest resources use result into disasters i.e. the death and deterioration of forest resources, the degeneration of natural forests, carbon dioxide increase in the atmosphere, a decrease in timber reserves, etc. So, rational use of forest resources are vital, especially in poorly forested regions, for these forests do not have great raw material resources, they are protective, and, require a special approach in their use. The purpose is to study and to analyze the use of forest resources on the base of the example of the Central Chernozem region (CDR) as a small-bodied one. The objectives is to form the ideas and to determine the priority areas for the use of forest resources in poorly forested regions. Methodology. The official statistics reference books of the Federal State Statistics Service of the Russian Federation were used during the research process as well as Web resources materials (official sites), mass media information. Results. The rational use of forest resources in poorly forested regions are based upon the next functions ‒ preserving their environment-forming, water-protective, health protective functions So, the use of these resources are to be analyzed to determine the future criteria and rational use methods. Conclusions. The forests of poorly forested regions are different in a number of features: they are protective, they do not have exploitation functions, and they are extremely important, so their rational use is a priority. The analysis of the use of forest resources in poorly forested regions (based upon the example of the Central Black Soil Region) will further contribute much to the formation of priority areas to conserve their resources and environmental component with the particular value for the country and for the regions both.

Биоэнергетические и репродукционные насаждения настоящих тополей в Центральном Черноземье России

The need to use fast-growing tree for bioenergy production was noted in the international and domestic press in the second half of the 20th century. In the first twenty years of the current century in a number of countries this problem has not only acquired research character, but also found a practical solution. The results of the research of true poplars (black, balsamic and their hybrids) on newly established field experiments in the Central Black Earth Region of the Russian Federation are considered. The aim of the research is to study and select promising forms of true poplars. Two types of experimental plots were established: variety testing plots and collection-stool bed plantations for reproduction of promising clones and varieties. The rooting ability, safety and growth in height were monitored on variety testing plots, and the yield of planting material (stem cuttings) was determined on reproductive collection-stool bed plantations. The best results on growth were noted on 2-year variety testing site facilities of LLC "United Nurseries" and carbon polygon of Voronezh State Forestry University named after G.F. Morozov in Voronezh region. Several fast-growing clones and varieties of true poplars at juvenile age were identified here. Among them we can mention P. trichocarpa No. 84, euramerican cultivar Sacrau-59, hybrids E.s.-38, and Version. Their average heights ranged from 359±21.5 to 416±12.7 cm, and maximum heights ranged from 435 to 495 cm. The best results in growing reproductive material were obtained at the collection-stool bed plantation of the Kulikovsky Forestry of the Lipetsk Forestry Department. Among annual plants the best growth results were found in the poplars trichocarpa No. 84 (183 cm), deltoides (149 cm), Marylandica (147 cm), simonii (133 cm) and E.s.-38 (157 cm). Among the annual shoots grown on three-year-old roots, Sacrau-59 (340 cm), E.s.-38 and deltoides (240 cm each), Marilandica' (230 cm) and Version (200 cm) were superior to the others in height. In general, the yield of standard stem cuttings from annual plants on 1-year-old roots was about 16 thousand pieces/ha and from annual plants on 3-year-old roots – 78 460 pieces/ ha. The clones and varieties mentioned above can be recommended for creation of bioenergy plantations in the Central Black Earth region of the Russian Federation. The first obtained results of these studies are promising in terms of rational use of renewable energy resources in Russia. For citation: Tsarev A.P., Tsareva R.P., Tsarev V.A., Evlakov P.M. Bioenergetic and Reproductive Plantations of True Poplars Species in the Central Black Earth Region of Russia. Lesnoy Zhurnal = Russian Forestry Journal, 2023, no. 5, pp. 75–89. (In Russ.). https://doi.org/10.37482/0536-1036-2023-5-75-89

Century-old experience of land management and formation of new agricultural landscapes in the Central Chernozem Region

To the 100th anniversary of the Land Management and Landscape Design Department of the Voronezh State Agrarian University/ The anniversary article is devoted to the history of the formation and development of the Department of Land Management and Landscape Design of the Faculty of Land Management and Cadastre of the Voronezh State Agrarian University. The analysis of 100-years experience in land management and the formation of new agricultural landscapes in the Central Black Earth region is presented in this paper. The authors also propose the measures to improve land management at the present stage.

Human and Nature in the History of Agricultural Management in the Central Black Earth Region of Russia

The article discusses the history of the Research Institute of Economics and Management of Industrial Agriculture in the Central Black Earth Region of the Russian Federation, which was merged with Dokuchaev Research Institute of Agriculture of the Central Black Earth Region in 2020. Long-term cooperation between these research institutions involved the efficient synthesis of economic, natural, and legal sciences. Consolidated scientific creativity allowed creating a set of programmes, monographs, and recommendations which became a guiding light for specialists and practitioners of all levels who contribute to the development of the agricultural industry in Russia. Land and soil are the main actors in the arena of life. The state of the Russian agriculture reflects the socio-economic state of its society. Similar to a barometer, not only does it allow us to determine the effectiveness of production forces and production relations, but also to suggest what is needed to support the development processes. Sustainable land management is the right approach to the production of competitive and environmentally friendly food and to the management of a socially beneficial rural area, whose sustainability depends on the existing potential, production concentration and specialisation, and acceptable living standards for people engaged in agriculture. Only such integrity and rational land management can ensure the productivity and efficiency of economic mechanisms.

Фенотипическая и генетико-селекционная оценка березы повислой (Betu-la pendula ROTH) и березы пушистой (Betula pubescens EHRH.) ex situ и in vitro

The results of a study of birch test cultures obtained by different methods of ex situ pollination and introduced into culture in vitro are presented. To identify the phenotypic, cultural and cytological characteristics of two birch species naturally growing in the Central Black Earth Region - silver birch (diploid) and downy birch (tetraploid), test cultures of seed origin F1 and F2 were specially created. The article presents data on phenotypic (growth in height in the juvenile and reproductive periods of ontogeny), genetic selection (seed propagation system) variability and some characteristics of the introduction of F1 seed progeny of breeding forms of local birch species into in vitro culture. To predict the growth characteristics of seed progeny of breeding forms of local birch species obtained by different methods of pollination - self-pollination and open pollination at different stages of ontogeny (at the age of 2 and 10 years), a statistical processing of the feature of growth in height of families was carried out using the rank Spearman's correlation coefficient ρ. Species specificity was shown in response to different pollination methods, morphogenic activity of self-fertile and self-sterile forms of these birch species on a nutrient medium ½ MC + 6-benzylaminopurine 1 mg/l, primary shoot formation of explants and regenerative capacity in these species, the nature of morphogenesis (formation of the main escape). For the polyploid species (downy birch), a higher level of self-fertility was established, as well as a more intensive growth of shoots in height than for drooping birch; primary explants in the former had a different character of morphogenesis (there was a joint initiation of the main shoot with adventitious ones) than in silver birch (formation of the main shoot), which indicates a greater adaptive potential for polyploid species and their greater opportunities for inclusion in genetic breeding experiments and obtaining valuable breeding forms.

Microelements in the slope agricultural landscape of the Central Blackearth Region and their correlation with grain crop productivity

The purpose of the current study was to determine the content of mobile forms of microelements in soils with different relief and to establish the correlation between elements and productivity of the main agricultural crops under the conditions of the Central Blackearth Region. The study was carried out on the territory of the Kursk region on the fields of the FSBSI Kursk FARC in the laboratory for agrochemistry and agroecological monitoring in the period from 2006–2016. The subjects of the study were microelements and their quantity. The object of the study was the arable soil and grain crop productivity. There has been established that the slopes of polar exposures have different levels of microelement content. The content of mobile copper has decreased on the slope of the northern exposure and amounted to 0.07 mg/kg and 0.09 mg/kg on the watershed plateau. On the slope of the southern exposure, it has tended to increase (0.10 mg/kg). The highest content of mobile zinc has been determined on the watershed plateau (0.13 mg/kg), the lowest on the southern slope (0.06 mg/kg). The manganese content on the territory of the watershed plateau was relatively higher in comparison with the slopes of polar exposures (17 mg/kg), northern slope (10.8 mg/kg), and southern one (8.0 mg/kg). There has been found that microelements have a different effect on productivity of the studied grain crops according to land relief. On the territory of the northern slope and the watershed plateau, barley productivity has been more influenced by the content of zinc and manganese. Winter wheat productivity was dependent on manganese. On the southern slope, productivity of the studied grain crops was significantly affected by both the content of mobile zinc and manganese.

Winter wheat productivity and grain quality while minimizing agricultural techniques in the conditions of the Central Blackearth Region

Winter wheat is the main grain crop in the Central Blackearth region. The purpose of the current study was to estimate the effect of basic tillage practices and doses of mineral fertilizers in crop rotations on the productivity, grain quality and economic efficiency of winter wheat grain production in the conditions of the Central Blackearth region. The study was carried out on the experimental field of the FSBSI “Kursk FARC” on the slope of the northern exposure in 2016–2020. The scheme of the trial included crop rotations (grain-fallow, grain-grass-fallow, graingrass), primary tillage methods (plowing, disking, non-moldboard plowing), mineral fertilizers (without fertilizers, single N20Р40К40 and double N40Р80К80 doses). As a result of the study, there has been established productivity advantage of the grain-fallow crop rotation over the grain-grass-fallow and grain-grass crop rotation. Winter wheat productivity in the grain-grass crop rotation has decreased on an average of 10.2 %, in the grain-grass it has reduced on 15.8 %, compared with the grain-fallow crop rotation. The minimization of primary tillage methods in most cases has contributed to a decrease of winter wheat productivity, content of gluten, protein, and grain nature weight, compared with plowing. The introduction of mineral fertilizers has contributed to the improvement of all indicators of winter wheat grain quality. The largest yield of 4.63 t/ha was obtained in a grain-fallow crop rotation when plowing the soil with a fertilizer dose of N40P80K80. Calculations of the economic efficiency of the applied technologies have shown that the cost price of winter wheat grain was lower (4.44 thousand rubles/t) when disking soil in a grain-grass crop rotation with the application of a fertilizer dose N20P40K40. At the same time, the profit has amounted to 19.85 thousand rubles/ha, the level of profitability was 125.2 %. The minimum cost price of winter wheat grain was found in the variant with a fertilizer dose of N32P64K64.

Fertility of Leached Chernozem as a Result of 85-Year Application of Fertilizers in Grain-Beet Crop Rotation under Conditions of the Central Black-Earth Region

The use of fertilizers in the grain-beet crop rotation for 85 years significantly changed the agrochemical properties of leached chernozem, which were most pronounced in the optimization of the phosphate regime of the soil and least of all – potash. Fertilization changed the nitrogen regime and physico-chemical properties of the soil to a greater extent in a layer of 20–40 cm than –20 cm. It was found that the content of P2O5 in the soil under crops of grain crops was higher than under sugar beet crops, and K2O and pHKCl were less. The greatest changes in the agrochemical properties of the soil under sugar beet crops were noted when using N190P190K190, cereals – with the aftereffect of N135P135K135 + manure 25 t/ha.

Comparative indexing of early-maturing corn hybrids in multi-environment trial

The article shows the results of a multi-environment trial which was conducted in 2022 to determine the adaptability of corn hybrids and identify genotypes which are better to choose for a short growing season. Ten new early-maturing (FAO 130-150) corn hybrids were studied in 6 plant breeding organisations – ecological sites in 4 soil-climatic zones of Russia such as the Central Black Earth region, North Caucasus, Urals, West Siberia. The corn hybrids were evaluated by plasticity (bi), stability (σd2) and selection indices: the breeding value of the cultivar (Svc), the selection index (Si) and the selection value index of the cultivar (Ssvi). Nalchik (Ij = +1.51), Belgorod (Ij = +0.18) and Voronezh (Ij = +0.04) had favourable environmental conditions, unfavourable environments were in Chelyabinsk (Ij = -1.09), Omsk (Ij = -0.56) and Pyatigorsk (Ij = -0.08). Hybrid 140/26 had the highest grain yield (6.50 t/ha) on average, it exceeded the best standard by 1.15 t/ha. The hybrids 140-28 had the highest mean yield (7.66 t/ha) and 140/24 (7.65 t/ha) under favourable conditions, hybrid 100/28 was the best (5.42 t/ha) in unfavourable environments. Hybrids 100/24 (18.7 %), 140/25 (19.0 %), 100/27 (20.5 %) had the lowest grain moisture at harvest. Hybrids 140/24 (bi = 1.82, σd2 = 0.08), 140/28 (bi = 1.54, σd2 = 0.09), 100/26 (bi = 1.45, σd2 = 0.17) with high ecological plasticity and stability were recommended to grow under intensive growing conditions. It was shown that the application of the technique for evaluating corn hybrids by selection indices makes it possible to identify regionally oriented genotypes. It is better to grow hybrids 100/28 (Svic = 8.44) и 100/27 (Svic = 8.26), which had an optimal balance of environmental stability, grain yield and grain moisture at harvest, in unfavourable conditions with a short growing season.