Nettle is most often studied as a spinning plant, as a source of biochemicals and environmentally safe fungicides. Major studies are mostly conducted on natural samples and plant populations. Prospects for the use of plant biological resources of stinging nettle (Urtica dioica L.) from the Cretaceous south of the Central Russian Upland to create cultivars for a wide range of applications are considered. The aim of the study is to investigate the productivity of fresh weight and its biochemical composition in the variety of stinging nettle Avicenna, created on the basis of the initial material selected in the Belgorod region of Russia and patented in 2019, and new promising cultivars UD 32/06 and UD 12/16. The experiments were carried out by the split plot method with full randomization in four replicates. The cultivars UD 32/06 and UD 12/16 reliably surpass the Avicenna cultivar in the collection of fresh mass weight by 16.6–22.7% and 23.1 to 27.8%, dry weight by 11.4–28.7% and 1.9–32.7%, and seeds by 19.7–32.0% and 23.2–40.0% accordingly. Analysis of variance showed a significant effect of the factor “Cultivar” on the productive traits “Fresh weight yield” (strength influence 87.2%), “Dry weight yield” (strength influence 43.9%), and “Seed yield” (h²x = 61.6%). The content of crude protein in dry weight of the Avicenna and new varieties is 21.1–24.2%, crude fat: 2.5–4.2%, fiber: 12.0–14.8%. High content of ascorbic acid, calcium, phosphorus, iron, and zinc were observed in all material tested. It is concluded that the biological resources of the wild-growing forms of Urtica dioica L. from the European south of Russia are a valuable source material for obtaining varieties, and varieties with high productivity of the aboveground mass and stable seed productivity. The obtained research results prove the usefulness of nettle cultivation.

As objects for reforestation, the least studied are carbonate substrates, which have a number of specific features in terms of mineral composition, the exchange of nutrients, and biological activity. The use of biological preparations of a consortium of bacteria of the genus Bacillus and mycorrhizal fungi of the genus Glomus in growing seedlings of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) on carbonate substrates provides the metabolic products; soluble and microelement salts function as catalysts for chemical reactions of exudates and soil products; and a greater amount of plant heavy metals (HM) Cu, Zn, Cd, and Pb accumulate in the soil. Among HMs, the random factors most strongly determined an accumulation of Cd (the influence rate of random factors h²_x = 34.6%) and Pb (the influence rate of random factors h²_x = 21.7%) in the plants. A trend of all studied HMs higher uptake by the Cretaceous pine (Pinus sylvestris var. cretacea (Kalen.) Kom.) in comparison with the P. sylvestris ecotype is revealed. Against the biological preparation background of Biogor KM and MycoCrop^®, a greater value of the HM’s biological absorption in comparison with the option without biological preparations is noted. This process occurs against a background of a significant increase in the nitrification capacity in the chalk fine-grained substrate (soil aggregates < 1 mm in size), which is an indirect indicator of an increased intensity of microbiological processes. Spearman’s correlation was noted between the coefficient of accumulation of Cu, Zn, Cd, and Pb in the dry matter of Scots pine (P. sylvestris) seedlings and the nitrification capacity of substrate (r_s = 0.610–0.744, p < 0.05), as well as the relationship between the nitrification capacity index of substrate and the coefficient of biological absorption of copper, zinc, and cadmium (r_s = 0.543–0.765, p < 0.05). No relationship was found between the coefficient of biological absorption of lead and other soil chemical property indicators. HM absorption by plants was random. No correlations have been established between an accumulation of HMs and a content of total nitrogen, an absolute value of nitrate nitrogen, a humus content, or a pH. The significance of the work is the possibility of providing reliable reforestation with Scots pine (P. sylvestris) and Cretaceous pine (P. sylvestris var. cretacea) on the chalk outcrops using the biological preparations Biogor KM, MycoCrop^®, and BGT* methodology and ensuring soil phytoremediation from HMs.

The present research is focused on various pine ecotypes’ seed reproduction in the chalky substrate, challenging environmental conditions on the carbonate soils on chalk outcrops in the south of the Central Russian Upland in relation to pine woods re-afforestation. The winter and spring sowing methods were studied, along with a pre-seeding treatment, by biopreparations based on a consortium of Glomales fungi, bacteria of the genus Bacillus, and bioactive substances. The seeds of two pine ecotypes, Pinus sylvestris L.; Pinus sylvestris var. cretacea Kalenicz exKom, underwent treatment. The study revealed that biopreparations and bioactive substances promote higher pine seed germination rates and ensure the stability and survivability of seedlings in an environment that is unfavorable for plant and tree ontogenesis. Applying biopreparations proved effective during spring sowing, whereas, in the case of winter sowing, their positive impact was not statistically significant. The net effect size of the three organized factors studied in the experiment (pine ecotype, biopreparation, sowing term) (h²_x) on the “survivability of P. sylvestris seedlings” effective feature significantly increased from 90.8 to 93.8%. The effect size of the “pine ecotype” factor on seedling survivability in P. sylvestris was at its highest (14.4%) during the seedlings’ first-year growth period. The effect size of the “sowing term” factor was at its highest (79.4%) at the stage of seed germination. The effect size of the “biopreparation” factor was at its highest (44.0%) during the seedlings’ second-year growth stage. Our results indicate that it is preferable to create forest plantations on chalk outcrops using Pinus sylvestris var. cretacea ecotypes and with pre-sowing seed treatment via biopreparations based on a microorganismal consortium and Biogor KM. The Spearman correlation between the nitrification capacity of soil substrate and seedling survivability during the first three growth periods (from planting till the next year’s springtime) was of a moderate size (r_s = 0.617–0.673, p < 0.05). To improve the growth and productivity of young and mature Scots pine stands, a Biogeosystem Technique (BGT*) methodology was developed.

Alfalfa (Medicago varia Mart.) is the most important forage crop for considerable amount of regions of the Russian Federation and throughout the entire world. Assessment of the stability and resistance of alfalfa varieties to a complex of leaf-spotting diseases under various environmental conditions is important for breeding programs as a tool for selecting the best varieties and breeding samples. In the course of a three-year experiment (2016-2018) there were tested the productivity and resistance to a complex of leaf spotting diseases of a commercial variety Krasnoyaruzhskaya 1 and breeding populations with high multifoliate expression (evident multi-leaf phase – mf-multi-leaf mutations) obtained on its basis in several cycles (I-III) of periodic (recurrent) selection. Six alfalfa-breeding populations were tested in two ecotopes on two soil differences: plot 1-ecotope of field crop rotation; plot 2-ecotope of a plowed meadow in the floodplain of the river Oskol in Chernyansky district, Belgorod region (meadow ecotope). The data obtained were analyzed by the method of two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) according to a 2x4 scheme with the calculation of LSD 0.05. There were evaluated organized factors: factor A — selection feature: A1 (G) – high multifoliate expression (mf-mutation) without the manifestation of anthocyanin color of the stem (green color of the stem); A2 (AN) – high multifoliate expression (mf-mutation) with an evident anthocyanin color of the stem (purple color of the stem); factor B – a recurrence selection cycle: C-0, C-1, C-2, C-3. Pearson’s correlation coefficient was used to identify the close relationships between the studied indicators. It has been established that three cycles of recurrent selection are effective for increasing multifoliate expression in alfalfa breeding populations without increasing inbreeding depression based on seed productivity. Multifoliate forms are resistant to the development of leaf-spotting diseases and their prevalence. The most stable are the forms in which selection for the expression of the mf-mutation was carried out simultaneously with the increase in the index of the anthocyanin color of the stem. For a more effective assessment of the resistance of alfalfa breeding populations to leaf-spotting in Central Russia, comparative testing must be carried out simultaneously under conditions of favorable ecotopes of field crop rotation with fertile black soil rich in humus (chernozem) and in adverse conditions of meadow ecotopes.

In the farms of the Belgorod region, a comprehensive study was conducted to assess the productivity of perennial grasses using soil-saving technologies in comparison with traditional methods of tillage. The results of the dispersion analysis showed that the value of the indicator of the total aboveground and underground productivity of perennial grasses significantly depends on the species composition of the grass stand. It was found that the difference between the site of a perennial fallow and fields with perennial grasses with the use of soil-saving technologies did not exceed 13.9% in terms of the total aboveground productivity. The aboveground productivity of alfalfa was significantly higher than in the control variant (fallow field) and in the experimental fields with soil conservation technologies – by 73.6 % and 101.6 %, respectively. The accumulation of underground mass in the fallow area and in areas using soil conservation technologies is approximately at the same level – 1.91 kg*(m) ^{− 2} in the control and 1.85-2.25 (average 2.04) kg*(m) ^{− 2} in soil-saving crop rotations. At the same time, the Cv in the control variant was 15.78 %, and in grass mixtures, respectively, it was at the level of 16.47 %; 18.74 % and 18.08 %. In alfalfa crops, the accumulation of mass in the underground layer was inferior to the control variant by an average of 27.2 %, and to soil conservation technologies-by an average of 31.9 %. Alfalfa crops, providing greater aboveground productivity, are more intensive in terms of production, but less effective means of increasing the content of organic matter in the soil compared to cereal-legume grass mixtures. In soil conservation agriculture, it is necessary to use cereal-legume grass mixtures as more natural-like, and to increase the intensification of agricultural production, alfalfa crops should be used.

Исследования проводили с целью анализа состояния и определения основных проблемы и перспектив селекции и семеноводства кормовых культур. Селекционное решение возникающих проблем наиболее эффективно, оно позволяет повысить продуктивность пашни и естественных кормовых угодий, при этом возможно заметное увеличение производства и качества животноводческой продукции. Сейчас селекция кормовых растений переживает новый подъем: возросла потребность в специализированных сортах для определенных групп животных или направлений использования и способов заготовки кормов; повысились требования животноводов к качеству кормовых растений (повышенное содержание протеина и витаминов, пониженная концентрация антипитательных веществ), стали актуальными вопросы идентификации сортов. Необходимо уделять большее внимание созданию коллекций кормовых растений, в которые следует собирать не только традиционные виды, но и растения, перспективные для введения в культуру. Перед созданием новых сортов таких растений необходимо определить ассортимент видов трав, потенциально пригодных для введения в культуру. Среди наиболее важных проблем, ограничивающих возможности обеспечения страны семенами кормовых культур необходимого качества можно назвать следующие: отсутствие испытаний учреждениями Госсорткомиссии кормовых культур по семенной продуктивности; нарушения авторского права и фальсификация семенного материала, вследствие вынужденной реализации учреждениями-оригинаторами семян высших репродукций на основе неисключительных лицензионных договоров; ограниченный патентный срок и упрощенная система получения прав на производство оригинальных семян после его окончания; необходимость оплаты государственного испытания сортов культур, не включенных в список наиболее важных; недостаточный учет региональных особенностей животноводства при проведении селекционных исследований; слабая работа по созданию специализированных сортов трав газонного направления. Изменения соответствующих нормативных актах открывают возможности для резкого увеличения производства семян в наиболее благоприятных для этого регионах, а также повышения продуктивности земель в зонах с аридным...