Agroeconomic Assessment of Utilization Biologics in the Cultivation of Spring Barley in the Conditions of the Southern Steppe of Ukraine

The results of research conducted in 2016‒2018 on the southern chernozem andthe effect of two varieties of spring barley extra-root feed on the formation of grain productivityare given. Based on the results obtained, indicators of agroeconomic efficiency and their changewere determined under the influence of this event (as one of the most important elements of technology)in growing the crop, including in terms of varieties. Despite the increase in productioncosts, the treatment of plant seeding with biologics contributed to a certain increase in notional netprofit, which increased with the number of feeds, reaching the highest values if used to optimizethe nutrition of Fresh florid (300 g/ha). One feeding of Stalker variety is determined at the levelof 5927, two feeding ‒ 6890, three ‒ 7320 UAH, and 3857 UAH/ha ‒ in control. The mentionedindicators were 5968, 6808, 7771 and 3980 UAH/ha, respectively, when the spring barley varietyVakula was grown. One of the most important indicators of economic efficiency decreased‒ the cost of growing a unit of production with an increase in the number of extracurricular feeding.The lowest indicator was the cost price of production of top – dressing with Fresh florid(300 g/ha ‒ according to the Stalker variety): with one extracorporeal sowing ‒ 2269.4; two treatments‒ 2173.5, and three ‒ 2166.7 UAH/t; in control, this indicator was 2638.5 UAH/t. Thesevalues were, respectively, 2262.3; 2185,8; 2105.4 and 2608.0 UAH/t when the barley spring varietyVakula was growing. The use of other biological preparations led to a certain increase in thecost of growing spring barley. The highest values were recorded when using Organic D-2 M withonly one feeding in the plant phase. In this version of the experiment the cost of growing a unitof production even slightly exceeded control, when Vakula variety was grown. The cultivation ofspring barley on the basis of resource saving using modern re-regulating substances and biologicalpreparations is advisable, because it increases not only the level of grain yield, but also themain indicators of agro-economic efficiency - net profit and profitability, and unit cost, on thecontrary, decreases. It was established that by optimizing the nutrition of spring barley on thebasis of resource saving by treating crops in the main growing seasons with biological products,along with increasing grain yield and changes in its quality, other indicators of agro-economicefficiency of crop production increase. The level of profitability in control (treatment of plantswith water) for the cultivation of barley of the spring variety Stalker was 59.2%, then in themost optimal food options it reached 93.8%, and for the Vakula variety they were determined61.0 and 99.5% respectively. The obtained agroeconomic indicators in the cultivation of springbarley made it possible to substantiate the following claims: the use of biologics to treat thesowing of spring barley plants during the main periods of vegetation increases the yield and costof grown grain. It was determined that the level of profitability of growing spring barley witha large number of feeds grew. The indicator reached its maximum value with three times theplanting of barley plants of the spring variety Vakula with Fresh florid, that is, 300 g/ha (99.5%).Two plant crops with this drug provided profitability at the level of 99.1%, and one ‒ 85.6, (incontrol ‒ 61.0%). The highest profitability of cultivation was ensured by the use of Fresh florid(300 g/ha) for optimizing nutrition three times for vegetation ‒in the phases of tillering, shootingand heading. The lowest level of profitability was ensured by the use of the preparation OrganicD-2 M for feeding barley of the spring variety Vakula: one treatment of plants ‒ at the level of60.6%, two ‒ 72.5, three treatments ‒ 78.2%. According to the results of research conductedwith two varieties of spring barley, the best biological product and terms of fertilization weredetermined in order to increase grain yield and improve its quality and agro-economic efficiencybased on the calculation of cost economic indicators. The expediency of nutrition optimizationby using modern biological products for spring barley cultivation has been confirmed.

Sweet Sorghum Raw Material Production on Reclaimed Lands

Bioenergetic characteristics of quantitative and qualitative properties of sweet sorghumhybrids are provided on the basis of a comprehensive study under conditions of cultivationon reclaimed lands. The results of studying the growth and yield characteristics of hybrids ofdomestic and American selection during four years from 2016 to 2019 under the conditions of thePokrov educational and scientific station of land reclamation DSAEU are presented. The height ofthe crop stands varied from 235.3 to 300.0 cm when growing sweet sorghum on various substratesof mining formations. The lowest yield of green biomass was observed mainly on gray-green clay(38.1 t/ha), and the highest – on loess-like loam (101.0 t/ha). Fertililizing with nitrogen fertilizerand biohumate by fertigation helped to strengthen vertical growth, increase the yield of greenbiomass and sweet sorghum grains. The greatest effect was obtained for American hybrids. ForUkrainian hybrids, the application of nitrogen fertilizers had a positive effect on black soil andloess-like loam while the effect of biohumate was noticed only on loess-like loam. Long-termresearch of the sweet sorghum hybrids allowed us to evaluate the studied objects by the level ofpossible production of green biomass and theoretical bioethanol. Ukrainian hybrids Medove andZubr using allow to produce on marginal lands from 3600 to 4250 l/ha of ethanol. The potential ofAmerican hybrids SS506 and Mohawk is slightly lower – 3150–3400 l/ha. Fertigation with nitrogenfertilizer increases the yield of theoretical ethanol from 27% to 68%, irrigation and additionof biohumate – from 15% to 36%

Features of formation of durability of corn hybrids seeds for their cultivation, postharvest processing and storage

The organization of the sowing material stocks is a necessary condition for stable seed production of any crop. Insurance, reserve, breeding and transi-tional funds are such stocks in corn seed production. Their creation and maintenance largely depend on the economic longev-ity of seeds, which can be formed at the stages of cultivation, harvesting, post-harvest processing and storage of seed. However, the data on the peculiarities of the formation of seed longevity of corn hybrids and their ability to long-term storage are lim-ited. That is why research in this area is considered relevant and important. The results of study of regularities of formation and factors of longevity of corn hybrids seeds of domestic selection are summarized in the executed work. Ecological, technical-technological and varietal factors are formed dur-ing corn cultivation, har-vesting and processing. The greatest dependence is noted on the hydrothermal conditions, start-ing from the stage of cultivation, and then – in the stages after harvesting - the modes of drying and separation of seed. High economic durability is provided under the following conditions: hydro-term coefficient at the level of 0,5–0,7 – for vegetation and 0,3–0,4 – for maturing, dry-ing temperature within 36–400С at humidity of seeds of 20–30%, fractional separation, removal from the seeds mass of the unstable frac-tion containing 18–20% of the total. Some of the factors included a sign of seed size, which is clearly manifested at the stage of long-term storage of seed. Sowing fractions differ significantly in terms of size, including the weight of 1000 seeds and their linear size. The greatest economic durability is inherent in the first and second of all factions. It is recommended to obtain them by calibrating the seeds on separating sieves with round holes with a diameter of 8–10 mm, depending on the hybrids. Prolonged storage is proposed on the basis of a combination of two factors – low humidity and airtight packaging of seeds. This significantly reduces resource costs and extends the economic longevity of corn hybrid seeds to 4–5 years.

The Reduction of Greenhouse Gas Emissions Through the Implementation of Low-carbon Technologies for the Use of Lands disturbed by Mining Operations

The climate change is a global environmental problem. Its solution requires thereduction of greenhouse gas emissions, especially CO2, as soon as possible. The developmentand implementation of low-carbon technologies can help in achievement this goal. Disturbedlands, which are a source of environmental pollution, can be used to reduce CO2 emissions. Wepropose to introduce technologies for locating solar and wind power plants on disturbed lands,primarily on mining dumps of overburden. The capacity of such solar and wind power plants canreplace thermal power plants, which generate the main volumes of CO2 emissions. Placing onthe mining dumps of overburden of solar power plants has advantages due to the use of southernexposures of the slopes. The wind power plants on the top of mining dumps of overburden takemore opportunities to use of wind speed by attracting additional height. Mining dumps haveemitted carbon dioxide due to the decomposition of limestone and the spontaneous combustion ofcarbon-containing rocks. Counteraction of CO2 emissions by coating the surface with inert materialsthat block the access of moisture and acid solutions to hazardous rocks is proposed. The useof new technologies for the rehabilitation of disturbed lands through the formation of secondaryecosystems creates opportunities to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. This have avoids additionalCO2 emissions during the operation of machines and mechanisms at the mining–technicaland biological stages of reclamation. Secondary soils able to accumulate carbon in the form oforganic matter up to 11 t / ha for 30–50 years. The study of technogenic soils formation on loess-like loams in the landscape reserves “Vizyrka” (Inguletsky GOK), “Hrushivka” (MarganetskyGOK), “Vershina” (Prosyansky GOK) are have evidenced of this facts. Plant components of ecosystemshave even more opportunities. Secondary vegetation absorbs CO2 from the atmosphereduring photosynthesis, creates the coating of surface of lands disturbed by mining operations.Clover plant group show the greatest ability to accumulate carbon (up to 57 t/ha per year). Theresearch was carried out at the research area of Inguletsky GOK. Our assessment testifies that theintegrated application of the above technologies will reduce emissions in Kryvbas by 95 milliontons of CO2 per year. The work was carried out under the target program of the National Academyof Sciences of Ukraine “Scientific and technical and economic and ecological foundations oflow-carbon development of Ukraine”.

Peroxidase activity and isoenzyme composition in Robinia pseudoacacia L. leaves under the influence of Parectopa robiniella Clemens, 1863

Іn recent times R. pseudoacacia has been suffering from populations of new pests, which cause serious economic damage to this strategic species. Therefore, studying the features of plant defense responses against harmful insects is of great importance for biodiversity conservation for preserving this species in natural and artificial plantings. The aim of the study was to analyze the peculiarities of the activity and isoenzyme composition of peroxidase in R. pseudoacacia leaves during attacks by the invading insect P. robiniella. In the green plantations of Dnipro city, as the object of research, six groups of Robinia pseudoacacia L. model trees of different ages (5 and 35–40 years of age) with the existing leaf damages by P. robiniella leaf blotch miner were identified. Differences in benzidine-peroxidase activity were found in the leaves of 5- and 40-year-old R. pseudoacacia trees. In 35‒40-year-old trees with the presence of leaf blotch mi­ners, the leaves showed a tendency to increase BPOD activity by 24.6% vs control. While in young plants, a significant increase in peroxidase activity was found by 3.8 times due to mechanical damage of the leaves by the miner compared to the control. The revealed significant increase (by 63.2%) in the activity of guaiacol-peroxidase of black locust indicates its active participation in enhancing the barrier functions of leaf cells against P. robiniella, and it indicates the promising use of the enzyme as a biomarker for pest influence. The composition of benzidine-peroxidase isoenzymes was analyzed by electrofocusing. The main pattern of changes in the expressiveness of benzidine-peroxidase due to damage of leaves by a pest was a quantitative redistribution of activity between different molecular forms of peroxidase. Several enzyme isoforms from the highly acidic pH zone showed a significant activity increase in R. pseudoacacia leaves damaged by P. robiniella; this especially applies to the peroxidase system of young black locust plants. The increase in bensidine- and guajacol-peroxidase activity under the influence of leaf miner may be explained by a change in the gene expression of individual isoforms of peroxidases, which is confirmed by the results of studying the relative share of peroxidase molecular forms with isoelectrofocusing. Calculation of the internal diversity index (KD) of IEF benzidine-peroxidase spectra showed that the studied peroxidase spectra of young and medieval trees of control and experimental samples of R. pseudoacacia leaves differ significantly in the level of complexity. Under the influence of the invader the level of complexity increased. The study of the reaction of black locust and the mechanisms of its protection against mechanical damage by phytophages with the involvement of a larger range of enzymes in further research can serve as a theoretical basis for species selection and management to restore it under biotic stress.

Geospatial Assessment of the State of the Samara River Floodplain in the Area of Coal Mining in Western Donbas

The discharge of highly mineralized mine waters of the Western Donbass negativelyaffected the Samara Bay area, which is of great fishery importance. Mine water storage pondswere built in deep erosional cuts in the territories of mine fields in the gullies of Kosminnaya,Taranova, Glinyana and Svidovok. The screening of the bottoms was not performed in any pond.The soils that make up the bottom are not aquicludes, which contributes to intensive filtration ofmine waters and pollution of aquifers. Artificial ponds built without waterproofing of bottoms,rock dumps, mine water discharge routes and other sources of pollution are actively involved inthe zone of influence of mine drainage and worsen the quality of drinking water, the reserves ofwhich in the Western Donbass are limited. There is flooding and flooding by groundwater, as wellas increasing (compared to the period before the violations) areas of land temporarily floodedduring floods on rivers in the valleys of the rivers Samara, Velyka Ternivka and such large beamsas Svydovok, Taranova, Kosminna due to subsidence of the earth’s surface. Differences in theconditions of formation of mine waters determine the nature and degree of their impact on theenvironment. The main difficulties making complicated accurate comparison between calculatedand field data in Samara river floodplain are following: a) changes in parameters of mining andpumping rates of water used for local needs; b) hydrological changes including formation ofnew channels, bed deformation; c) transformation of the monitoring network; d) increasing leakagethrough the clayey bottom of the ponds. The main objective is to provide a comprehensivegeo-ecological assessment of the state of the Samara river floodplain in the area of coal miningin the Western Donbass. Multispectral imagery of Sentinel-2 satellite system was used for remoteassessment within the study area. Geomorphologic assessment of the studied area was performedusing Sentinel-1 satellite radar interferometry. Flooding of the territory is observed due to minedrainage and subsidence of the earth’s surface. The risk of salinization of soils under the conditionsof water use from the beam “Glynyana” and from the Samara river is estimated as insignificant,from the beam “Kosminna” ‒ average. The SAR value of mine waters in “Taranova” and“Svydovok” beams corresponds to a high level of salinity. Samara river waters belong to the 3rdclass and are characterized as highly mineralized, sometimes unsuitable for irrigation. Intensivenatural overgrowth of the mine dumps that have passed the stage of mining reclamation has beenrecorded near the “Heroyiv of Space”, “Pavlogradska” and “Samarska” mines. The rate of selfgrowthof the land cover around the mine “Ternovska” and “Blagodatna” is estimated as average.The self-healing levels of the “Ternovska” and “Blagodatna West Donbasska” mines are ratedfrom low to high. The greatest risk of salinization of soils under conditions of use of water forirrigation is possible at a fence from artificial ponds located in Taranov’s and Svidovok’s beams.The conturs of “Verbsky”, “Ternivsky”, “Bogdanovsky” and “Boguslavskiy” piscicultural pondscan be corrected with map of remote sensing of Samara river floodplain geomorphology. The dataobtained can be useful during development of econetwork of promising ecological corridors inthe floodplain part of the Samara River as well..

Efficiency of post-emergence (“insurance”) herbicides in soybean crops of the Northern Steppe of Ukraine

Loss of soybean yields from weeds can reach 30–50%. Chemical methods of their control are of primary importance for obtaining the maximum grain yield. The critical period for weed control is stage from the first to third true leaf of the crop. The most active growth of unwanted vegetation in soybean crops is observed in the spring-summer period. And if during this period you can mainly suppress weeds, then in the future the crops will be relatively clean. In years when there is a sharp lack of moisture at the beginning of the growing season, a significant part of the plant seedlings appear at a later date, which creates additional problems for crop protection. In order to optimize weed protection measures, it is first necessary to know clearly the species composition of weeds in each specific agrocenosis. The development of highly effective systems of chemical protection of soybean crops against weeds largely depends on the application of highly effective herbicides. The maximum results in the control of weeds, in particular Сommon ragweed, at the time of renewal of spring vegetation, among the preparations used by as were provided by herbicides and their tank mixtures in variants with application of tank mixtures: Harmony: 8–10 g/ha + Command – 0,20–0,25 l/ha + Trend – 300 ml/ha. Here the technical efficiency was at the level of 70,0–72,0%. The increase of technical efficiency in variants with the application of tank mixtures of preparations was determined: Harmony – 8 g/ha + Command – 0,25 l/ha + Trend – 300 ml/ha; Harmony – 10 g/ha + Team – 0,20 l/ha + Trend – 300 ml/ha; Harmony – 10 g/ha + Team – 0,25 l/ha + Trend – 300 ml/ha and Harmony – 8 g/ha + Bazagran – 2,0 l/ha + Trend – 300 ml/ha. Spraying with herbicides and their tank mixtures in general made it possible to save from 0,81 to 1,01 t/ha of soybean grain, compared with the control without herbicides. Herbicide preparations differed slightly regarding the effect on the grain yield. It is necessary to distinguish only tank mixtures: Harmony – 10 g/ha + Commands – 0,20 l/ha + Trend –300 ml/ha; Harmony – 10 g/ha + Team – 0,25 l/ha + Trend – 300 ml/ha; Harmony – 8 g/ha + Bazagran – 2,0 l/ha + + Trend – 300 ml/ha, as well as Harmony – 12 g/ha. The indices of yields on these variants were maximum and amounted to 2,28; 2,31; 2,31 and 2,29 t/ha, which was more than the control by 43, 44, 44 and 43%, respectively.