We aimed to monitor the species diversity and the dynamics of the number of soybean pests using light traps with an original design to develop protection systems against the main phytophages. Traps lured 44 species of insects from eight orders and 27 families. The capture of 15 species of economically important phytophages was recorded—representatives of various orders and families: order Lepidoptera—Noctuidae, Crambidae, Erebidae, and Geometridae; order Hemiptera—Flatidae; order Coleoptera—Elateridae, etc. Insect identification was carried out via morphological methods. Over the study period (93 days), 4955.41 insect specimens were caught on average per one trap. Most of the attracted insects belong to harmful entomofauna: namely the cotton bollworm (Helicoverpa armigera, Hübner)—58.9%, the beet webworm (Loxostege sticticalis, L.)—12.74%, the nutmeg moth (Anarta trifolii, Hufnagel)—6.5%, the European corn borer (Ostrinia nubilalis, Hübner)—2.68%, and some other species—19.2%. In addition to economically significant phytophages, we registered some indifferent and beneficial species. The summer dynamics of the cotton bollworm and the nutmeg moth were obtained for the entire research period. Then, we calculated the values of the indices of biodiversity and the dominance of insect species. An analysis of the index values allows us to conclude a balanced entomocomplex at the research site.

Leaf airborne diseases cause major shortfalls in agricultural crops. The introduction of technical means can significantly improve early-warning systems for plant diseases as well as provide timely and accurate forecasts. In this paper, we aim to evaluate the possibilities of detecting a phytopathogenic infection using a spore-catching device developed at the Federal Research Center of Biological Plant Protection (FRCBPP) on winter wheat varieties of different levels of susceptibility to major economically important leaf diseases, taking into account climatic conditions. The device captures spores in the surface layer of air among crop plants. We conducted research in the experimental fields of FRCBPP in 2019–2021. The objects of the study were four cultivars of winter wheat. They were selected according to the degree of resistance to various leaf diseases. We studied the progress of wheat diseases according to generally accepted international scales the onset of the first manifestations to their maximum development. We studied the aerogenic infection in wheat crops using the FRCBPP developed portable device for determining the infestation of plants. Sampling was carried out in the same period as the visual assessment. The samples were taken in the crops of each variety at five points. The sampling time was one minute. As a result of research on experimental crops of four varieties of winter wheat, we observed the development of such diseases as powdery mildew (Erysiphe graminis), yellow spot (Pyrenophora tritici-repentis), septoria leaf spot (Septoria tritici), yellow (Puccinia striiformis) and brown rust (Puccinia triticina). In a laboratory study of samples under a light microscope, all of the listed pathogens were found except for septoria leaf spot. Two-way analysis of variance confirmed the statistically significant separate and cumulative influence of the cultivar and year factor on winter wheat diseases. A generalized correlation analysis for three growing seasons (2019–2021) showed that an average statistically significant correlation coefficient (0.5–0.6) remains for the total groups for powdery mildew, yellow and brown rust. This indicator for the causative agent of yellow spot was equal to 0.4 with a high level of statistical significance. Thus, we conclude that by using a spore-catching device, it is possible to identify spores of economically significant pathogens in winter wheat crops and predict the further development of pathogens, taking into account the cultivar and annual climate factors.

The results of improving the design of autonomous LED insect trap lights developed by the Federal Research Center for Plant Biological Protection are provided. The flying dynamics of the summer Helicoverpa armigera is shown. It was found that the insect trap light attracted 2.6 times more phytophagous specimens than pheromon traps. A separating element of a insect trap light been developed, which makes it possible to reduce 50 times the number of captured representatives of useful and indifferent entomofauna. The efficiency of battery charging has been increased by 43%.

An advanced approach to the automated assessment of a microscopic slide containing spores is presented. The objective is to develop an intelligent system for the rapid and precise estimation of phytopathogenic spore concentration on microscopic slides, thereby enabling automated processing. The smart microscopy scanning system comprises an electronic microscope, a coordinate table, and software for the control of the coordinate table and image processing. The developed smart microscopy scanning system processes the entire microscope slide with multiple exposed strips, which are automatically determined based on the novel two-stage algorithm. The analysis of trained convolutional neural networks employed for the detection of spore phytopathogens demonstrates high precision and recall metrics. The system is capable of identifying and counting the number of spores of phytopathogenic fungi species Blumeria graminis, Puccinia striiformis, and Pyrenophora tritici-repentis on each exposed strip. A methodology for estimating the spore distribution on a microscopic slide is proposed, which involves calculating the average spore concentration density.

Aim. To analyze the data in the available literature regarding the effect of various tillages on the development and prevalence of wheat pathogens.Discussion. According to the literature, the existing tillage technologies – classical, minimal and zero – significantly affect the development of pathogens that cause the development of wheat diseases in regions that differ in soil and climatic conditions. In Russia and other countries near and far, the issue of combating diseases of agricultural crops is dealt with by chemical, biological and agrotechnical methods. Despite the fact that agrotechnical methods are of the utmost importance in the general system of measures to protect plants from damage, for a long‐time agricultural technology as a means of plant protection was underestimated. However, many agricultural techniques, as well as genetics and selection, increase the resistance of plants to damage.Conclusion. As a result of these techniques, it is possible to create environmental conditions that will be unfavourable for the reproduction of diseases. At the present time, opinion is firmly established that separately undertaken, isolated methods cannot properly solve the problem of protecting plants from pathogens of agricultural crops. Only a set of methods combined into a system of measures provides a solid basis for plant protection. And in this system of measures, the role of agricultural practices is extremely large.

There have been carried out the route surveys to assess the development and distribution of the main pathogens of wheat and barley in 57 districts ofKrasnodar,StavropolTerritoriesand Rostov Region. The collection, organization and analysis of information on the damage degree of the production and breeding sowings of these grain crops by the main pathogens was conducted using a single spatial information environment designed by the Russian company “NextGIS”. During the field surveys, there have been included the data on the resistance to causative agents of yellow leaf spot of wheat, wheat Septoria leaf spot, powdery mildew on wheat and barley, rust diseases on wheat and barley, net spot of barley, and brown spot of barley into the program. In addition, while filling in the survey card, there were taken into account the date and time of the assessment, the phase of development of the grain crop, the variety; there was carried out a photographic fixation of the examined plants. In the field, there was used the freely distributed NextGIS Mobile software, installed on mobile digital devices (smartphones) running by the Android operating system. According to the results of field surveys using the NextGIS QGIS full-featured desktop geographic information system there were prepared thematic cartographic materials of the main wheat and barley pathogens in the southern region ofRussia. The collected long-term data of phytosanitary surveys will allow conducting a temporary analysis of the spatial distribution of pathogens in the studied area. This information can be useful for specialists dealing with plant protection, for employees of breeding institutions who develop varieties resistant to economically significant diseases of grain crops. The data can be used also by a wide range of specialists engaged in plant breeding who conduct field surveys and account any parameters of plant conditions, harmful facilities and the environment, as well as by the consumers of such information.