RUDN Journal of Agronomy and Animal Industries

Field experiment on determining the effect of seed presowing treatment by promising methods (ultraviolet radiation, ozonation, low-frequency electromagnetic field) on the state of crops and biological yield of winter wheat was carried out. The results obtained were compared with the results of conventional seed treatment with chemical agent. It was found that presowing treatment with ozone and UV radiation stimulated seed germination and increased their field germination. Biological yield of control plants was higher for plots where seeds were treated with UV radiation and ozone by 5.8 and 2.34%, respectively. Seed treatment with electromagnetic fields did not result in higher yields. Actual yield data confirmed this trend. Straw and grain weight and their ratio significantly exceeded the control value in the plots where seeds were treated with UV radiation and ozone. Chemical analysis showed that only grain from plots where seeds were treated with ozone had significant excess over the control value: protein and gluten content was higher by 4.2 and 5.2%, respectively. The results obtained in the field experiment are largely consistent with the results of previous published studies. The combination of exposure to ozone and UV radiation during presowing treatment of seeds will provide disinfection and stimulation of germination, increase field germination, plant density, yields, and improve grain quality. These methods have shown better results in comparison with the method of seed treatment by chemical agent and, therefore, they can be recommended for implementation in production. Their combined use will make it possible to carry out effective disinfection and stimulation of germination, as well as to increase the yield and quality of grain.

Arctic cities are an important and relevant object of research due to the unique combination of extreme natural and climatic conditions and anthropogenic impact. Microbial communities are sensitive indicators of changes occurring as a result of anthropogenic impact, including urbanization, the consequences of which in the Arctic zone are poorly studied and poorly predictable. The aim of this study was to assess the microbiological potential of urban soils of the Norilsk agglomeration (Norilsk, Kayerkan, Oganer and Talnakh) to perform ecological functions based on the study of some microbiological parameters. The number of saprotrophic and oligotrophic bacteria, microscopic fungi (plating method), microbial biomass and respiration (substrate induced respiration method), functional diversity of microbial communities (MicroRespTM technique), and the sanitary and hygienic state of soils were studied. It was revealed that urban soils were characterized by low microbial biomass (from 107 to 159 μg C g^–1) compared to the background, but sufficient microbial respiration (from 0.28 to 0.64 μg C g^–1h^–1), which indicates their high activity. An increase in the number of culturable bacteria and microscopic fungi was noted in urban soils and, in some areas, an increase in the functional diversity of microbial communities compared to the background. Microorganisms capable of decomposing easily accessible compounds — carbohydrates and carboxylic acids — prevailed in the community, but the proportion of microorganisms utilizing difficult-to-decompose compounds was also high (up to 20%). The sanitary and hygienic condition of urban soils of the agglomeration was assessed as moderately hazardous. An increase in the number of coliform bacteria, enterobacteria and opportunistic microfungi has been noted, which is generally characteristic of urban ecosystems and is not critical. The identified patterns suggest that urban green infrastructure can form niches for the microorganisms that can effectively perform ecological functions despite stressful conditions. In this case, issues of an integrated environmental approach to solving the problems of landscaping and improvement of Arctic cities, selecting a range of plants and technologies for the care and maintenance of green infrastructure are becoming increasingly relevant, which will contribute to the formation of sustainable and healthy urban ecosystems.

Different methods of planting English oak (Quercus robur L.) — acorns, one-year-old seedlings and two-year-old saplings — on experimental plots of Volga-­Akhtuba floodplain in the Astrakhan region, Chernoyarsk district, village of Solenoye Zaymishche were studied. The following variants of hydrological conditions — long-duration flooding, short-­duration flooding, non-flooding — were studied. Forests of the Astrakhan region are experiencing enormous natural and anthropogenic loads, which leads to the degradation of forest phytocenosis. Therefore, such studies are relevant for this region. The purpose of the research was to study the methods of planting English oak (Quércus róbur) with various planting materials, including acorns, one-year-old seedlings and two-year-old saplings in the floodplain conditions of the Volga River in the village of Solenoye Zaymishche. The data obtained were processed by the method of variance analysis of B.A. Dospekhov (2014) using the Microsoft Excel program. According to the results of the three-year study (2021—2023), the highest survival (56 %) was noted under conditions of Volga-­Akhtuba floodplain on long-duration flooding site with two-year-old saplings, which exceeded the other variants by 4–5 times.

Creation of animal resource populations is a convenient tool for studying genetic diversity, increasing efficiency of breeding, and conserving genetic resources. In the article, we studied the resource population of males of egg and meat direction of productivity, as well as their progeny of the first and second generations, analyzed the differences in growth and development in different generations. An analysis of the difference and variability in terms of live weight was carried out. Characteristic of exterior was given based on the indices of massiveness and broad body - indicators that have dependencies with meat productivity of poultry. In birds of the first and second generation, a significant difference in live weight was revealed in comparison with the parental form of the Russian White breed at all ages, and in comparison, with the Cornish breed - from the 4th to the 12th week in birds of the second generation and to the 16th week in birds of the first generation. Coefficient of variation showed that in males of the first generation at the age of 10…12 weeks it was above 25%, which indicates a high degree of variability of the trait in terms of live weight, in comparison with other animals in the resource population. The Cornish breed had the lowest coefficient of variability for the traits at 6, 12, and 20 weeks of age. In terms of broad body and massive indices, the effect of heterosis was observed in males of the second generation during their development by the age of 20 weeks, which characterized them as healthy and fast-growing individuals with well-developed muscles. The results of our study can help poultry farmers in breeding work when selecting chickens to create new breeds and lines with improved characteristics, and for private and personal farms to increase the efficiency of their own production.

Influence of the effect of crossing the Romanov and Edilbay sheep breeds on the main indicators of slaughter was studied. As the object of study, we used the Romanov breed (I group), its crosses with the Edilbay breed of the first generation (½ Romanov × Edilbay - II group) and the second generation (¼ Romanov × ¾ Edilbay - III group). The effect of crossing in terms of slaughter qualities in crossbred young animals was established. At the same time, wethers of group I were inferior to crossbred peers of groups II and III in terms of the carcass fullness coefficient K 1 by 3.40 and 4.48 %, respectively, and the level of thigh completion coefficient - by 6.80 and 7.82 %, respectively. Crossbreeds of groups II and III were superior to purebred wethers of group I in pre-slaughter live weight by 11.18 kg and 13.32 kg, fresh carcass weight - by 6.03 kg and 7.56 kg, carcass yield - by 1.63 and 2.62 %, slaughter weight - by 6.16 kg and 8.00 kg, slaughter yield - by 1.57 and 2.71 %, respectively. The advantage in terms of the studied slaughter indicators was in the second generation crossbreeds of the third experimental group.

Oxidative stress and decreased antioxidant defense were registered in dogs with endocardiosis. Complication of underlying pathology in the form of cardiorenal syndrome leads to aggravation of lipid peroxidation processes and causes further decrease in activity of enzymes of antioxidant defense system of animal organism. The aim of the study was to evaluate the pathophysiological significance of oxidative stress in the processes of formation and progression of cardiorenal syndrome in dogs with endocardiosis. Concentration of malondialdehyde, ceruloplasmin, diene conjugates, activity of superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione reductase, glutathione peroxidase were measured in venous blood serum samples from 24 dogs with uncomplicated forms of endocardiosis, 31 dogs with endocardiosis complicated by cardiorenal syndrome, and 22 healthy dogs. Compared with the group of healthy dogs, dogs with endocardiosis were diagnosed with statistically significantly higher median of serum concentrations of malondialdehyde, ceruloplasmin, diene conjugates, as well as statistically significantly lower activity of superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione reductase, glutathione peroxidase, which indicates activation and progression of lipid peroxidation processes against the background of simultaneous decrease in parameters of antioxidant defense system. Presence of cardiorenal syndrome in dogs with endocardiosis led to a sharp increase in manifestations of oxidative stress, which should be considered by clinicians when optimizing therapeutic and preventive measures. Lipid peroxidation products, as well as indicators of enzyme systems of antioxidant defense can be used as potential biomarkers of the development of cardiorenal complications in dogs with endocardiosis.

Results of conservative treatment of degenerative lumbosacral stenosis in dogs are presented. For the first time, clinical efficacy of epidural injection of anti-inflammatory drug Diprospan (betamethasone) in dogs with lumbosacral stenosis was shown. 32 animals were treated at VetProfAlliance Veterinary Surgery Center from 2023 to June 2024. Comparable data in case histories and feedback for evaluating treatment outcomes were established with the owners of 22 dogs. 22 case histories were analyzed. To exclude possible concomitant orthopedic pathologies, X-ray examination of knee and hock joints in mediolateral projection and hip joints in ventrodorsal projection was performed. Patients with discospondylitis at lumbosacral level were excluded from the study group. All dogs with lumbosacral stenosis belonged to large and giant dog breeds. The age of clinical symptoms is from 6 to 11 years old, and breed variability to this disease was also noted. Males predominate by gender - 59% (13/22). At the same time, 69% (9/13) of males were castrated and 78% (7/9) of females were sterilized. 32% (7/22) of dogs in this group were obese, and 50% (11/22) were overweight. Studies have found that Diprospan injections with 20…30 days interval can completely neutralize neurological symptoms in 50% of dogs with 1…4 degrees of neurological disorders caused by lumbosacral stenosis. In 22 out of 32 dogs, the result of treatment was assessed as positive with improvement in condition or achievement of complete remission.