Crop Grain Research Articles

Флористический состав и ординационный анализ сегетальной растительности Северного Приазовья (Россия)

The article considers the study of segetal vegetation of agrophytocenoses of grain crops of the Northern Azov region and identifies the ecological patterns of its distribution using ordination and ecological and floral classification. The basis of the work is the materials of field research on winter wheat and spring barley crops. Based on the collected data, the analysis of the position of plant communities on the axes of environmental factors was carried out and the most effective methods of indirect ordination applicable in the study of the ecology of segetal communities were determined. The comparison of the floristic composition of the isolated communities with the diagnostic species and floristic composition of the previously described syntaxons of segetal vegetation of Russia and neighboring countries is carried out. Keywords: SEGETAL VEGETATION, GRAIN CROPS, PLANT COMMUNITIES, ECOLOGICAL AND FLORISTIC CLASSIFICATION, ECOLOGICAL MODEL, ORDINATION ANALYSIS

RUSSIA-UKRAINE WAR: TRANSPORT AND LOGISTICS SUPPORT FOR GRAIN SUPPLY CHAIN IN REGIONAL FOOD SAFETY

With the agricultural industry being vital for regional food safety, the extreme conditions under which it operated in Ukraine during the first half of 2022 has offered a unique insight on vulnerabilities of supply chains as well as the necessity of ensuring transport and logistics support for grain supply chain using adaptive methods. During that time frame, existing infrastructure, logistics, and involved materials were at risk of being stolen or by being destroyed due to direct combat damage or resulting fires. Established food transportation routes suffered from blockades, destruction, or congestion. Switching modes of transport for crop grains proved difficult with the absence of required transport and logistics support. The switch to vegetable oil transport proved harder still. Meanwhile, the re-established naval transportation shed a spotlight on GIS instruments that became critical for the safety of regional food supply chain. This inspired the idea of implementing methods of assessing the safety of transport facilities with the direct participation of the user based on geographic information. These methods can be key in enabling new export routes as part of a stable grain supply chain, supporting logistics behind constructing pipelines for transportation of vegetable oils. As the food safety of the world depends on new export routes, ensuring their efficiency and security will always remain relevant.

SOC sequestration affected by fertilization in rice-based cropping systems over the last four decades

Enhancing soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks through fertilization and crop rotation will contribute to sustaining crop productivity and mitigating global warming. In this study, we analyzed the differences in total SOC stocks and their driving factors in the topsoil (0–20 cm) with various fertilization measures in two puddled lowland rice-based cropping systems (i.e., rice-wheat rotation and double rice rotation systems) over the last four decades from seven long-term experiments in the Yangtze River catchment. The soil types include Cambisol, Luvisol, and Anthrosol. The treatments include no fertilizer application (CK), application of chemical nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium fertilizers (NPK) and a combination of NPK and manure applications (NPKM). Every year, field was ploughed to a depth of 15–20 cm before wheat sowing and rice transplanting. Residue was removed after plant harvesting. Results showed that during the last four decades, the average crop grain yield ranged from 1,151 ± 504 kg ha−1 yr−1 under CK treatment to 7,553 ± 1,373 kg ha−1 yr−1 under NPKM treatment. The topsoil SOC stock significantly increased by 8.6 t ha−1 on average under NPKM treatment in rice-wheat system and by 2.5–6.4 t ha−1 on average under NPK and NPKM treatments in double rice system as compared with CK. A higher SOC sequestration rate and a longer SOC sequestration duration were found in NPKM treatment than that in NPK treatment in both cropping systems. The highest SOC stock ratio (SOC stock in fertilizer treatments to CK) was observed under the NPKM treatment in both cropping systems, though no significant difference was found between these two cropping systems. However, the fertilization-induced relative increase of the SOC stock was 109.5% and 45.8% under the NPK and NPKM treatments, respectively in the rice-wheat system than that in the double rice system. This indicates that the rice-wheat system is more conducive for SOC sequestration. RF and SEM analyses revealed that the magnitude and influencing factors driving SOC sequestration varied between two systems. In the double rice system, continuous flooding weakens the influence of precipitation on SOC sequestration and highlights the importance of soil properties and C input. In contrast, soil properties, C input and climate factors all have important impacts on SOC sequestration in rice-wheat system. This study reveals that the rice-wheat system is more favorable for SOC sequestration despite its lower C input compared to the double rice system in China’s paddies.

Ecological safety evaluation of chlorpyrifos on agricultural soil: Effects on soil microbes

The health of farmland soils is directly related to the proper application of pesticides. Chlorpyrifos is a widely used broad-spectrum organophosphorus insecticide, and its ecological security risk to farmland soils requires evaluation. A trial was conducted to study the effects of chlorpyrifos on soil microbes in a wheat–maize rotation field. A 45 % chlorpyrifos emulsion was sprayed at the recommended and dual doses, after which the chlorpyrifos residue, soil microbial content, bacterial community structure, functional microbial abundance, and enzyme activities were measured. The results showed that chlorpyrifos had a half-life of 8.94–9.88 and 2.17–2.18 days in soil for wheat and maize, respectively. Although the final chlorpyrifos residues in the crop grains were lower than the maximum residue limit recommended by the Chinese government, soil fungal abundance was significantly inhibited, and the structure and function of soil bacterial communities were disturbed. Furthermore, the quantities of nitrification-related genera (Acidobacteria GP4 and Acidobacteria GP6) and functional genes (AOB-amoA and AOA-amoA) decreased, whereas those of denitrification-related functional genes (nirS and nirK) and urease activity increased. Gemmatimonas and alkaline phosphatase involved in phosphorus cycling were activated, and the abundance of cbbLR and cbbLG genes involved in carbon fixation decreased. The integrated biomarker response index showed that nirK and β-glucosidase were the most sensitive indicators in wheat and maize stages. The present study provides toxicological data and theoretical guidance for the ecological safety evaluation and rational application of chlorpyrifos in soil.

RESEARCH ASSESSMENT OF THE QUALITY A LEGUMES BY ECONOMIC AND VALUE INDICATORS

The article analyzes global climate changes, which lead to a decrease in the sustainable production of agricultural products, as well as increased attention of the world community to the problems of ensuring food security, which requires innovative approaches to adapting agribusiness to new operating conditions. It has been established that the International Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) is currently actively implementing a strategic action plan for the adaptation of agriculture to climate change, which is based on the reorientation of agro-food systems in the direction of innovative and mostly carbon-neutral climate-optimized agribusiness. It has been proven that the current trends in increasing prices for mineral fertilizers and energy carriers encourage the search for technologies for the cultivation of leguminous crops, which combine effective agrobiological measures to optimize their nutrition through the use of inoculation, a line of modern microfertilizers and their combinations, taking into account the critical phenological stages of plant development. which ultimately guarantees the realization of both the adaptive potential of the culture and the productive potential of its varieties. It is for these reasons that the scientific substantiation and development of measures to optimize lentil nutrition in the complex of modern agrotechnological methods of its cultivation in the conditions of the right-bank forest-steppe, aimed at ensuring a stable level of productivity with the preservation of quality indicators under the conditions of modern trends towards unstable moisture supply against the background of increasing average daily temperatures, is an urgent task. which requires scientific generalization and solution. The article provides an assessment of the quality of the grain of leguminous crops and highlights their main economic and value indicators, which are regulated by current standards. The assortment of leguminous crops, as well as their importance for the agricultural production of Ukraine, is presented. The issue of harmonization of the main regulatory documents regarding grain and leguminous crops with the requirements of the European Union for a more effective entry of Ukraine into the European and world markets has been studied. Analyzes of certification of grain and leguminous crops were carried out. The validity period of the certificate attesting the sowing quality of seeds has been determined. The concept of quality from the point of view of the consumer of legumes and their processing products is singled out, which is closely related to the aspect of their safety for the consumer's health. The scientific rationale for the development of measures to optimize modern agrotechnological methods of cultivation in the conditions of the right-bank forest-steppe, aimed at ensuring the stability of quality indicators against the background of increasing average daily temperatures, is provided.

Influence of seasonal climatic water deficit and crop prices on rainfed crop grain harvest, repurposing, and abandonment in the western U.S.A.

Increasing climate aridity and drought, exacerbated by global warming, are increasing risks for western United States of America (U.S.A.) rainfed farming, and challenging producers’ capacity to maintain production and profitability. With agricultural water demand in the region exceeding limited supplies and fewer opportunities to develop new water sources, rainfed agriculture is under increasing pressure to meet the nation’s growing food demands. This study examines three major western U.S.A. rainfed crops: barley, spring wheat, and winter wheat. We analyzed the relationship between crop repurposing (the ratio of acres harvested for grain to the total planted acres) to seasonal climatic water deficit (CWD). To isolate the climate signal from economic factors, our analysis accounted for the influence of crop prices on grain harvest. We used historical climate and agricultural data between 1958 and 2020 to model crop repurposing (e.g. forage) across the observed CWD record using a fixed effect model. Our methodology is applicable for any region and incorporates regional differences in farming and economic drivers. Our results indicate that farmers are less likely to harvest barley and spring wheat for grain when the spring CWD is above average. Of the major winter wheat growing regions, only the Northern High Plains in Texas showed a trend of decreasing grain harvest during high CWD. For the majority of major crop growing regions, grain prices increased with lower levels of grain harvest. Interestingly, winter wheat repurposing is significantly higher in the southern Great Plains (∼50% harvested for grain) compared to the rest of the West (∼90%). Our results highlight that the major barley and spring wheat regions’ grain harvests are vulnerable to high spring CWD and low summer CWD, while winter wheat grain harvest is unaffected by variable CWD in most of the West.

Time to Onset of Flowering, Water Use, and Yield in Wheat

Crop breeding has been successful in increasing crop grain yield (GY; reproductive biomass) largely through reduced vegetative size, increased reproductive effort (RE = reproductive biomass/total biomass) and increased water-use efficiency (WUE) in grain production. Flowering time is an important life history trait that signifies the switch from vegetative to reproductive growth. The relationship between GY and time from sowing to flowering (Tsf) is unclear. We fit the relationships between GY and RE vs. Tsf to the logistic model using data from 18 spring wheat genotypes grown under simulated rainfed conditions. Tsf accounted for water use before and after flowering, root length density, total leaf area, and the time from flowering to harvest. Early flowering meant decreased water use before flowering and increased water use afterward. Soil water remaining at harvest was positively correlated with yield. Early flowering genotypes have a higher WUE of grain production, but there was no significant difference in the WUE of total biomass production. The relationship between grain yield and Tsf is described as a unimodal curve, as is the relationship between RE and Tsf. Higher yields and a higher RE have been achieved through earlier flowering, and both RE and Tsf reached their optimal values for maximizing GY. Crop breeding is unlikely to achieve further increases in GY through this route in the future. The results suggest that breeding does not improve biomass’s water-use efficiency, but causes changes in biomass allocation strategy, and this could be a new direction for genetically improving grain yield.

PRISMA and Sentinel-2 spectral response to the nutrient composition of grains

Micronutrient malnutrition is a global challenge affecting >2 billion people, in particular those with a crop-based diet and limited access to nutrient-rich food sources. Conventional methods for measuring the crop nutrients such as wet chemical analysis of grains are time-consuming and cost-prohibitive and, consequently, unsuitable for the consistent quantification of nutrients across space and time. In this study, we propose a new method that is using PRecursore IperSpettrale della Missione Applicativa (PRISMA) and Sentinel-2 images to estimate the nutrient concentrations of crop grains before harvest.We collected grain samples for corn, rice, soybean, and wheat from a farm situated in Italy and measured their nutrient concentrations in the lab. These measurements together with the PRISMA and Sentinel-2 images acquired at the main phases of crop development (vegetative, reproductive, maturity) were used as input for two-band vegetation indices (TBVIs) and Partial Least Squares Regression (PLSR) to predict Calcium (Ca), Iron (Fe), Potassium (K), Magnesium (Mg), Nitrogen (N), Phosphorus (P), Sulphur (S) and Zinc (Zn). Models' performances were assessed using the coefficient of determination (R2) and Root Mean Square Error (RMSE). For PRISMA images, the best prediction results were obtained for P in soybean (R2 = 0.69), K in soybean (R2 = 0.66), Mg in soybean (R2 = 0.58), Fe in soybean (R2 = 0.57), K in wheat (R2 = 0.57), K in corn (R2 = 0.55), P in wheat (R2 = 0.51), S in rice (R2 = 0.58) using TBVIs. In contrast to PRISMA, PLSR outperformed TBVIs when Sentinel-2 images were used as input. For Sentinel-2, the best predictions were obtained for P in soybean (R2 = 0.73), K in wheat (R2 = 0.67), Mg in soybean (R2 = 0.62), Zn in wheat (R2 = 0.56), Fe in soybean (R2 = 0.52), P in wheat (R2 = 0.52). Our study showed that estimating the nutrient composition of crops using remote sensing images has the potential to change how we approach a cost-effective, timely, and spatially explicit representation of the crops' nutritional quality.

‘Rantak’: Perishing indigenous wisdom of cold arid Region of Ladakh

The present study done in four purposively selected villages of district Leh in the union territory of Ladakh documents the perishing indigenous technology of cold arid Ladakh, a water mill used to grind grains. The traditional water mill of this region, locally known as the ‘Rantak’ or ‘Churak’ is used for grinding grains of different crops and vegetables. Driven by fast moving water usually coming or made to come from a height, the Rantak serves the people in grinding cereals like barley, wheat, buckwheat and vegetables like pea, broad bean etc. The mill is made by the villagers having expertise in this by using locally available materials. Unfortunately with the passage of time, a few of them are left in the region and among those left many are non functional. The present generation does not know much about these. The indigenous wisdom of the people of the region is now perishing and the technology is on the verge of extinction.

Peculiarities of keeping pheasants

This research publication highlights current data on the rational use of feed protein by pheasants, which is related to the physiological needs of chicks in this essential means of nutrition. A thorough analysis of feed used in feeding pheasants at the current stage of development of pheasant breeding was carried out. It has been established that cereals have the most significant distribution. Brief information is provided on various factors affecting the composition, quality, nutritional value, and beneficial effects of the main types of grain feed obtained from different fields for pheasants. These include the technology of growing fodder crops, the composition of the soil, applied fertilizers, the type of crop, the conditions of harvesting and storage of plant products (storage period, processing and heat treatment of raw materials), etc. Features of keeping, feeding, and appropriate care of adult birds are also given. The practical advice of this publication on the specifics of feeding, exceptional care, and technology of raising young animals was considered. Brief information is provided on the general features of the rational and practical use of various protein feeds of plant origin in feeding pheasants – grains of cereal crops: corn, wheat, barley, oats, processed products of oil crops – soybeans, sunflowers, and livestock products, such as meat and eggs. In particular, the peculiarities of providing chicks with exchangeable energy and protein are described as essential indicators of the viability of the young. The practical breeding of pheasants is impossible without the correct use of protein and energy feed. It has been established that providing chicks with sufficient feed, particularly protein, is necessary for the modern technology of successful, promising, engaging, and useful pheasant farming. Suppose the conditions of keeping, care, and feeding of pheasants are violated. In that case, the incidence of disease (especially of young ones) and the survival of chicks increases, negatively affecting the efficiency of the new branch of pheasant farming. In such conditions, stress factors of the external environment, new fodder, internal factors with a sharp change in the environment, feeding, poor microclimate conditions, etc., are the factors that lead to the occurrence of diseases. Therefore, optimizing and creating comfortable conditions for keeping pheasants is an urgent task at the current stage of developing a rather exciting and rich in its subtlety industry – pheasant farming.

Chemical Weed Control in Grain Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L.)

A field experiment was conducted at the Demonstration Farmof the Faculty of Agriculture, University of Khartoum, Sudan, during2012/2013 and 2013/2014 seasons, to determine the magnitude of growthand yield losses in grain sorghum crop due to weed competition, and toevaluate the effects of three herbicides viz, sorgoprim, gesaprim and tankmixture of 2,4-D and gesaprim at three rates of each in addition to aweed-free and a weed- infested treatments i.e. eleven treatments. Theexperiment was laid out in a randomized complete block design with fourreplications. The results showed that when the weeds were left to competewith the sorghum crop throughout the season, the reduction percentages inthe seedlings’ dry weight, plant height and plant shoot dry weight in2012/13 were 55.4, 39,2 and 47.2 respectively; reductions in the sameparameters were 74.4, 39.1 and 45.4 respectively in 2013/14. Untreatedweeds – infested control, coupled with weed index (WI) of 65%–66%,inflicted considerable reductions in crop grain number/ plant of 60.1% in2012/13 and 61.4% in 2013/14, grain weight/plant of 66.3% in 2012/13and 66% in 202013/14 and on yield( ton/ha) by 65% in 2012/13 and by66% in 2013/14. All herbicide treatments irrespective of rate ofapplication, resulted in a good to excellent weed suppression. Herbicidesweed control efficiency (WCE) for 2012/13 and 2013/14 ranged from56% to 99% for broad-leaved weeds and from 39% to 97% for grassyweeds. The mixture tank of 2, 4-D + gesaprim @ 0.76L/ha + 0.6 Kg/hatreated sorghum reduced the WI to 2.5% in 2012/13 and to 3.2% in2013/14 and resulted in values of crop grains number/plant, grains weight/plant and yield significantly comparable to weed-free treatment.

Study of the influence of the use of an organic microelement complex on the yield and qual-ity of crops in the conditions of the Left Bank of the Saratov region

The article presents the materials of studies of foliar top dressing with organomineral fertilizers on the productivity and quality of grain of agricultural crops in the conditions of dark chestnut soils of the Saratov Left Bank. It is shown that the application of an organic microelement complex (OMEC) contributes to an increase in yield compared to the control at the level of 0.28 t/ha (winter wheat), 0.07 t/ha (chickpeas and sunflower) and 0.23 t/ha (corn). An analysis of the quality of the products showed that after foliar fertilization with an organic microelement complex (OMEK) these values were higher compared to the control and after application of Bionex-Kemi. When calculating the economic efficiency, the highest net income indicators were after foliar top dressing with an organic microelement complex (OMEK).

Response of Wheat Crop to Potassium Fertilization Under Rain-fed Conditions in Semi-arid Regions

Wheat is regarded as one of the major field crops that is mainly grown under rain-fed conditions in Jordan. However, wheat productivity is relatively lower than the world average. This is primarily due to the prevailing drought conditions as a result of poor distribution and low amounts of rainfall. Research studies showed that K can markedly improve wheat yield and quality under water deficit conditions. The objective of the current study was to investigate the effect of soil-applied mineral potassium (K) fertilizer on the yield and growth parameters of two local durum wheat varieties under rain-fed conditions in Jordan. And to determine the rate of K needed to obtain the optimum wheat yield. Two field trials were conducted under rain-fed conditions in two locations in Jordan. Two local durum wheat varieties were grown during two successive growing seasons. Five different rates of K were applied at sowing time. A randomized complete block design with four replications was followed. The results showed that soil K application exhibited a significant effect on wheat crop grain and biological yields of both varieties at the two locations. However, an increasing trend in plant height, harvest index, and thousand-grain weight with increasing K application rate was noticed. Potassium application to soil can alleviate the adverse effects of drought stress on the wheat crop by improving growth and yield attributes.

The translational landscape of bread wheat during grain development.

The dynamics of gene expression in crop grains has typically been investigated at the transcriptional level. However, this approach neglects translational regulation, a widespread mechanism that rapidly modulates gene expression to increase the plasticity of organisms. Here, we performed ribosome profiling and polysome profiling to obtain a comprehensive translatome data set of developing bread wheat (Triticum aestivum) grains. We further investigated the genome-wide translational dynamics during grain development, revealing that the translation of many functional genes is modulated in a stage-specific manner. The unbalanced translation between subgenomes is pervasive, which increases the expression flexibility of allohexaploid wheat. In addition, we uncovered widespread previously unannotated translation events, including upstream open reading frames (uORFs), downstream open reading frames (dORFs), and open reading frames (ORFs) in long noncoding RNAs, and characterized the temporal expression dynamics of small ORFs. We demonstrated that uORFs act as cis-regulatory elements that can repress or even enhance the translation of mRNAs. Gene translation may be combinatorially modulated by uORFs, dORFs, and microRNAs. In summary, our study presents a translatomic resource that provides a comprehensive and detailed overview of the translational regulation in developing bread wheat grains. This resource will facilitate future crop improvements for optimal yield and quality.

In-situ Remediation Effect of Cadmium-polluted Agriculture Land Using Different Amendments Under Rice-wheat Rotation

Exploring the effects of one-time amendment treatments on cadmium (Cd)-contaminated farmland soils is beneficial for providing a theoretical basis to effectively prevent Cd pollution in farmland soils and ensure the safe production of crops. Five amendments, including straw biochar, fly ash, sepiolite, white marble powder, and shale (particle size <0.2 mm, application rate 2.25 kg·m-2), were applied to the Cd-contaminated farmland soils. The soil nutrients, pH, soil available Cd, and Cd chemical forms in the soils and grain Cd concentration in the planted crops were determined to investigate the effects and persistence of one-time applications of the five amendments. The results showed that:① the application of the five amendments had little effect on soil nutrient content, but all of them could increase soil pH. Amendment treatments improved the transfer of Cd from the acid extraction fraction to residue fraction and further reduced the Cd availability in the soil. The decreasing amplitudes of straw biochar and white marble powder soil conditioner were 20.42%-22.53%, which was higher than those in the other treatments. ② The grain Cd concentrations in rice and wheat were significantly decreased under the amendment treatments with the decreasing amplitudes of 19.88%-48.77% and 5.06%-24.00%, respectively. The Cd concentrations in rice grains under the treatments of straw biochar, fly ash, and white marble powder soil conditioner were 0.195, 0.196, and 0.223 mg·kg-1, respectively, which were lower than those under the other treatments and were close to or approached the National Standard of Food Safety(GB 2762-2017)(0.2 mg·kg-1). ③ The immobilization effects on Cd in farmland soils were decreasing with time under one-time application of the amendments. The available Cd concentrations in the soil and Cd concentrations in crop grains were still lower than those in the control after three rounds of rice-wheat rotation. The straw biochar and white marble powder soil conditioner had a good and long-term effect on reducing Cd availability in soils and Cd concentrations in crop grain, making them ideal materials for safe production in Cd-contaminated soils.

Legume-based cover crop mixtures can overcome trade-offs between C inputs, soil mineral N depletion and residual yield effects

Cover crops can contribute to climate change mitigation through enhanced sequestration of atmospheric carbon dioxide into soil organic carbon. Few studies, however, have estimated the total carbon (C) input to soil, i.e. derived both from plant material (shoot and root) and phyllo- and rhizodeposition. Selection of cover crop species should account for multiple objectives, such as C inputs to soil, nitrate leaching reduction and positive residual effects on the following main crop. However, trade-offs between these objectives may occur. The aim of this study was to investigate the performance of the cover crop species winter rye, hairy vetch and oilseed radish, and to assess the ability of mixtures to overcome potential trade-offs. A randomized split-plot field trial was conducted to compare cover crop treatments and a weeded control under high and low soil nitrogen (N) availability. Multiple-pulse labeling with 14C-CO2 was carried out to trace net cover crop-derived rhizodeposition C. Soil mineral N was measured to 1.5 m depth in autumn, as well as grain and N yield in the subsequent spring barley.Cover crop species accumulated between 1250 and 2580 kg C ha−1, with significantly higher total C input (in shoot, root and phyllo- and rhizodeposits) for the mixtures compared with pure stands of either vetch or radish, while the results for rye were in between. The quantity of C lost via phyllo- and rhizodeposition (qClvPR) showed a significant positive correlation with root C and was highest for the mixtures and rye. The relative ClvPR ranged between 7% and 14% of total cover crop-derived C and tended to decrease under higher soil N availability. All cover crop treatments were able to decrease soil mineral N (0–1.5 m), with radish displaying the highest N leaching reduction potential. Despite substantial differences in cover crop total N uptake and C:N ratios, no significant differences were observed in the subsequent main crop grain or N yields. The mixtures showed the highest total C input and generally a higher or similar mineral N depletion potential than the average of the pure stands, suggesting that cover crop mixtures offer a realistic means for overcoming trade-offs among ecosystem functions.

Evaluating winter grain crops varieties suitable for the Lower Volga region of Russia

For efficient grain production in arid climate, producers need a choice of winter crop varieties. For this purpose, an ecological test of varieties of winter wheat and winter barley was carried out on experimental fields typical for the climatic conditions of the Lower Volga region of Russia. Plots with experimental crops, with an area of ​​10 m2, were located by the method of successive repetitions in 3-fold repetition. By the ecological test, varieties of winter crops of various originators were sown, according to the predecessor - black fallow, with seeds with a field germination rate of 90-95%, with a seeding rate of 3.5 million pcs. ha, to a depth of 5-6 cm. There were 16 varieties of winter wheat in the test, Don 93 served as the standard variety. Five varieties of winter barley were tested, the standard variety was Volzhsky 1. The obtained results of the yield of varieties were processed by analysis of variance to assess their yield. It has been established that in the technological process of production of grain of winter crops, the value of the variety is significant and has a share of 72.4%, the remaining factors of production account for 27.5%. The leader in terms of winter wheat yield (8.5 t/ha) was the Tarasovskaya variety. The lowest yield in the test was in the Governor of the Don variety 5.7 t/ha. High yield of winter wheat in the variety of local selection Kamyshanka 3 was 8.1 t/ha. The maximum biological yield of 6.4 t/ha was obtained for the winter barley variety Buran, mainly due to the larger number of productive shoots 440 pcs/m2 and the largest grain mass per spike 1.46 g variety Voskhod 4.9 t/ha.

The economic essence of electro-pulse extraction technology in the production of extracts from sprouted grains of cereal crops

In this article, we present an economic analysis and optimization of the production process of functional beverages based on extracts from sprouted grains of cereal crops. When approaching process optimization in production, one of the key tools is mathematical experimental design. In particular, second-order rotational planning provides the opportunity to determine the optimal combination of input factors, which in turn leads to maximum economic efficiency of the extract extraction process. In this study, we applied this methodology to the process of ultrasonic extraction of sprouted grains of cereal crops. A series of experimental studies was conducted to minimize costs and maximize revenue from the production of functional beverages based at currently available economic information. As a result of the analysis, optimal process parameters were determined which ensure maximum economic efficiency. The study also included an assessment of the quality of the obtained extracts in terms of their content of biochemical compounds. The example economic forecast for Nestlé Corporation if introducing the proposed improvements has been given. The results of this study provide valuable data for functional beverage manufacturers and can serve as a basis for making informed strategic decisions regarding the use of ultrasonic extraction in their production processes for production costs reduction and maximization of revenue.

SOYBEAN BASE FERTILIZATION: CHEMICAL AND MICROBIOLOGICAL SOIL INDICATORS AND CROP YIELD

Recent research suggests that soybean yield could be doubled in Brazilian conditions, implying that the base fertilization is pivotal, as it might influence chemical and microbiological soil indicators and, hence, the crop grain yield. The current study had the goal of assessing alterations in the chemical and microbiological soil indicators, in the short term, as well as the soybean biometric and grain yield performance as a function of different fertilizers for base fertilization, in two sowing periods. An experiment comprised of two sowing periods was carried out in the 2019/2020 season on a dystrophic Red Latosol, in north Parana state. Five treatments were assessed, comprising: 1) control; 2) mineral fertilizer; 3) organomineral fertilizer; 4) mineral fertilizer mixed with granulated gypsum; and 5) slow release mineral fertilizer. A randomized block design with four replicates was adopted. The following variables were assessed: chemical and microbiological soil indicators; final stand; first pod insertion height; plant height; stem diameter; number of pods per plant; number of grains per plant; number of grains per pod; grain mass per plant; and one thousand grain mass and grain yield. There is no base fertilization effect on the chemical soil indicators in the short term, however, there is an effect on the microbiological soil indicators. Soybean biometric and grain yield performance is decreased with the delayed sowing period, regardless of the type of fertilizer utilized for base fertilization. Analyzing a set of soil quality indicators enables precise and judicious results to be gathered on management practices in the soil environment.

Impact of Green Manuring on Health of Low Fertility Calcareous Soils

This study was conducted in a rice-based cropping scheme to investigate the impact of green manuring on soil health, considering soil physicochemical properties and sustainable crop production. A field experiment was started on 2 November 2015 and completed on 15 April 2018 under a rice–berseem (Trifolium alexandrinum) cropping system in calcareous soil. Two green manuring patterns, rice–berseem and rice–wheat–sesbania (rostrata), were compared with a commonly practiced rice–wheat (Oryza sativa-Triticumaestivum) cropping pattern. Green manuring of the berseem crop (last cutting) along with 50, 75, and 100% of the recommended fertilizer doses of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium (NPK) were compared with recommended NPK fertilization along with control (no fertilizer). The plant growth parameters of rice, including plant height, tillers per plant at maturity, and yield data, were recorded at harvest. The pre-sowing soil analysis revealed that the experimental soil was low in salts, and the nutrient (NPK) status was very low. The results indicated that green manuring substantially enhanced the grain and straw yield of rice crops. Green manuring combined with 75% of recommended NPK produced the highest grain yield (5.83 t ha−1 in year III) compared to the other treatments. The soil analysis showed that the bulk density was reduced while soil porosity, organic carbon, and N, K, and P contents were significantly improved. From the results of this study, it is recommended that under calcareous soil conditions, the regular use of green manuring can significantly improve crop growth, yield, and physicochemical properties of soil and, therefore, should be adopted by farmers.