Vol 17, No 1 (2022)

Field experiments were conducted on leached chernozem in conditions of forest-steppe of the Central Chernozem region in 2018-2020. Spring rapeseed cv. Rubezh was chosen as the object of the research. The processing of rapeseed plants was carried out twice: in the leaf rosette phase and growth of the central stem - according to the scheme: 1. Control (without treatment); 2. Ecolist Macro 12-4-7 (2L/ha); 3. BionexKemi (2L/ha); 4. Ecolist Macro 12-4-7+ Borogum (2L/ha + 1.0 l/ha); 5. Bionex-Kemi + Borogum (2L/ha + 1.0 L/ha). The studies conducted showed that the fertilizers used in the experiment contributed to a reduction in the growing season by 2-3 days. The treatment of spring rapeseed plants with agents positively affected both the indicators of the crop structure and, in general, the productivity of spring rapeseed. Foliar top dressing with the studied fertilizers contributed to greater fruit setting and preservation of the pods. In comparison with the control, the maximum increase - 1.80 c/ha and 1.62 c/ha - was obtained when using Ecolist Macro 12-4-7+ Borogum fertilizer complex and Bionex-Kemi + Borogum, respectively. The studied multicomponent fertilizers resulted in reducing of protein in spring rapeseed seeds, but significantly increased the oil content. The maximum oil yield was obtained from the use of a mixture of Ecolist Macro 12-4-7+ Borogum (769.4 kg/ha).

The effectiveness of plant genetic transformation is determined by the choice of genetic structures and their regulatory sequences that cause a high and stable expression level of heterologous genes. In this regard, the actual task of biotechnology is the use of highly effective plant promoters. The choice of promoter determines not only the level of the expression gene, but also the effectiveness of genetic transformation. The purpose of our study was to evaluate the influence of explant type and 5´-deletion variants of the plant strong pro-SmAMP1 promoter, on the Agrobacterium -mediated transformation efficiency of potato ( Solanum tuberosum L.) cv. Udacha. To analyze the regenerative capacity of potato stem and leaf explants, AGL0 strain carrying constructs containing the 5’-deletion variants of the promoter fragment of gene encoding antimicrobial peptide from Stellaria media L. ( pro-SmAMP1 ) was carried out. Four genetic constructs based on the plant expression vector pCAMBIA1381Z were used in this work, containing the selectable gene hptII and reporter gene uidA under different 5’-deletion variants of the pro-SmAMP1 promoter (-442, -675, -732 and -1196 bp relative to the transcription initiation site); as well as two binary vectors based on the expression vector pCAMBIA1302 with 5’-deletion pro-SmAMP1 promoter variants (-442 and -1196 bp), controlling the expression of gfp reporter gene. It was found that the effectiveness of Agrobacterium -mediated transformation depended on the type of genetic construction used, but not on the type of explant being cultivated. The insertion of the promoter region pro-SmAMP1 gene, hptII , as well as the absence of the bacterial Vir E gene was confirmed by PCR. Depending on the type of genetic construct, the transformation efficiency for the reporter gene varied from 2.0 to 7.2 %. The results are compared with previously conducted few studies, according to which the choice of promoter determines not only the expression level of marker genes, but also has a significant influence on the genetic transformation efficiency.

The parasitoids from Tachinidae family have important role in biological control; nevertheless, the phylogenetic relationships of supra genera groups are poorly studied. Here, we present phylogenetic analyses of the family based on molecular data. 73 species of parasitoid flies belonging to 30 tachinid genera, including the four currently recognized subfamilies (Dexiinae, Exoristinae, Phasiinae, Tachininae) and 20 tribes were analyzed in the molecular study. The Tachinidae are reconstructed as a monophyletic assemblage based on morphological data and with four nonhomoplasious apomorphies (synapomorphies). Monophyly is well supported by a bootstrap value. Our morphological analysis generally supports the subfamily grouping Dexiinae + Phasiinae, while Tachininae + Exoristinae is not supported as one group, and with only the Exoristinae and the Phasiinae reconstructed as monophyletic assemblages. The Dexiinae, which were previously considered a wellestablished monophyletic assemblage (except for few studies), are reconstructed as polyparaphyletic with respect to the Phasiinae. The Tachininae are reconstructed as a paraphyletic grade, while monophyly of Exoristinae was recovered except genus Admontia Brauer & Bergenstamm, which arose within subfamily Tachininae. In contrast to molecular analysis, all subfamilies are polyparaphyletic groups in which they interact with each other, with the exception of Phasiinae, which includes most of its taxa in a monophyletic group.

Green spaces in the urban environment are oppressed due to the high anthropogenic load in industrial cities. Methods of ecological and phenological monitoring (registration of phenological phases, study of the degree of flowering and fruiting) allow to assess influence of the environment on plant communities of urban ecosystems. The purpose was to study the features of seasonal development of some widespread woody and shrubby plants in the landscaping of Orenburg through ecological and phenological monitoring. Within the framework of this work, the course of seasonal development of 5 species of woody and shrubby plants with registering 6 vegetative phases and 4 generative phases of life cycles was studied. The intensity of their flowering was assessed and the level of fruiting was determined as indicators of their stable development in urban conditions. According to the results of the observations, only Aronia mitschurinii was found to be the most favorable type due to nature of its phenological developmen. Aronia mitschurinii, Sorbus aucuparia, Crataegus sanguinea and Syringa vulgaris have the best decorative characteristics, as well as a high level of fruiting. These species are characterized by high ecological plasticity. Therefore, despite the increasing rates of anthropogenic load, they are able to form a full-fledged green framework of the urban environment and act as biological filters of atmospheric air in the Orenburg region.

Annual seedlings of silver birch ( Betula pendula Roth.), grown from seeds of autumn and spring sowing period, were analyzed. Planting material was kept in protected ground. Before sowing, various growth substances were incorporated into the soil - mineral and organic fertilizers, forest soil. It was revealed that autumn sowing increased the height of seedlings 1.03…1.66-fold in the variants compared to the control, except for the variants with the use of nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizers, where the largest number of plants per unit area was observed. In the variants with Humatophosphate, boric acid, Trichocin, humus and forest soil, from 60 to 100 % of seedlings reached standard values in a year. A similar experiment with the same growth substances, but spring sowing of seeds, showed a significant lag in seedling growth. The use of nitrogen fertilizer in spring, in contrast to the autumn period, had a positive effect on plant height, annual seedlings had the highest height in the experiment - 14.1 cm. Seedlings in variants with humus and forest soil also had good indicators. All variants overtook the control seedlings in height by 1.06…2.68 times. Therefore, the time of sowing seeds is important - all indicators of autumn seedlings significantly exceed the similar ones of spring seedlings. This fact is explained by several reasons: during the autumn period, the seeds are sown freshly harvested, they undergo pre-sowing preparation (snowing and stratification) in natural conditions, the seeds are not stored, in case of violation of which the seeds significantly lose their germination capacity. In addition, the seeds begin to germinate and shoots begin to grow much earlier than if they were sown in the spring. Shoots are not exposed to late spring frosts, as they are protected by covering material.

In Russia, different technologies are used for keeping commercial young animals in the production of rabbit meat. The main ones are in rooms with a controlled microclimate (imported young rabbits) and sheds (domestic breeds). The aim of the study was to establish the dominant factors that determine efficiency of rabbit meat production under different keeping technologies and dry feeding. Experimental studies were conducted according to classical zootechnical methods. The experiment in the room with controlled conditions was carried out on crossbred young animals - f rom Californian and New Zealand white breeds, which were imported from France in 2010; the experiment on domestic breed - Soviet chinchilla - was carried out under shed keeping technology. During the fattening period all rabbits were fed with complete granulated compound feed with an identical ratio of nutrients: 16.0 % protein and 17.5 % fiber for crossbred rabbits; 16.4 % protein and 17.9 % fiber for Soviet chinchilla rabbits. Slaughter of Soviet chinchilla rabbits and crossbred rabbits for meat was carried out at the age of 90 and 77 days, respectively. Analysis of the dynamics of live weight showed that at the age of 45 days and at the time of slaughter crossbred young rabbits exceeded Soviet chinchilla rabbits by 204.5 g and 240.0 g, respectively. Meanwhile, the relative growth of crossbred rabbits was not much higher than this indicator in Soviet chinchilla rabbits (by 3.4 and 4.1 %, respectively). The pre-slaughter weight was also significantly higher in crossbred animals, and the carcass weight was significantly higher in Soviet chinchilla rabbits. Accordingly, in the Soviet chinchilla the slaughter yield was 9.2 % higher than that of the crossbred rabbits, that is in meat production in the Soviet chinchilla more organic matter goes into products and less to waste. This testifies to the fact that by the age of 77 days the crossbred rabbits did not realize their full meat potential. Thus, considering the increased energy costs in buildings with a controlled microclimate, both technologies for keeping commercial young rabbits have the same chances in the production of rabbit meat.