UDC 631.331
DOI 10.36461/NP.2025.76.4.025

THEORETICAL RESEARCH ON OPERATIONAL RELIABILITY OF A COMBINED OPENER FOR SOWING GRAIN CROPS
N. P. Laryushin, Doctor of Engineering Sciences, Professor¹; N. A. Brykin, Postgraduate¹;
A. N. Kalabushev, Candidate of Engineering Sciences¹;
A. V. Shukov, Candidate of Engineering Sciences, Associate Professor¹;
T. A. Kiryukhina, Candidate of Engineering Sciences, Associate Professor¹
Penza State Agrarian University, Penza, Russia, e-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

The objective of agricultural producers is to apply efficient methods for cultivating grain crops and increasing yield.
The growth and development of grain crop seeds depend on nutrients, that could provide high yield with seed distributed along the length and depth of the furrow during sowing with fertilizer application, with a soil layer separating seeds at a starter dose from the main fertilizer dose, while minimizing costs.
Grain-growing under conditions of uniform distribution of seeds and fertilizers with an intervening soil layer promotes seed germination and root system growth during the initial period. Field experiments in grain-growing has demonstrated that the best results were achieved when sowing grain seeds with a soil layer of 30…40 mm between seeds at a starter fertilizer dose and the main fertilizer dose applied simultaneously. Scientific research has confirmed that the soil layer with the main fertilizer dose highly influenced on the seeds, with complete utilization of nutrients by the plants.
Currently used combined openers of grain seed drills do not satisfy agronomic requirements for sowing: distribution of seeds along the furrow length and sowing depth, disruption of the required soil layer thickness between the main fertilizer dose and seeds with a starter dose, and clogging of the space between discs with seed tubes and fertilizer conduits. All these factors reduce the quality of grain crops and yields. The application of mineral fertilizers with a combined opener allows sowing of seeds with starter and main fertilizer doses separated by a soil layer.
This article deals with design, operating principle, and theoretical research on the developed combined opener for a seed drill intended for sowing grain crops.
Keywords: combined opener, chisel-type share, fertilizer application, seed tube, soil layer, distribution uniformity, seeds, fertilizers, seed drill, soil.

Publication information View article

UDC 631.331
DOI 10.36461/NP.2025.76.4.023

COMBINED OPENER SEED DRILL DESIGN FOR SOWING GRAIN CROPS
N. P. Laryushin, Doctor of Engineering Sciences, Professor¹; N. A. Brykin, Postgraduate¹;
A. N. Kalabushev, Candidate of Engineering Sciences¹; D. V. Vanin, Director²;
A. V. Shukov, Candidate of Engineering Sciences, Associate Professor¹;
T. A. Kiryukhina, Candidate of Engineering Sciences, Associate Professor^1
1Penza State Agrarian University, Penza, Russia, e-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
²LLC Zavod SelMashDetal, Kamenka, Penza region, Russia, tel. (8412) 628517

The effective methods for grain crops cultivation for increasing maximum yields is a key objective for agricultural producers.
Favorable conditions for seed germination and grain crops cultivation to achieve maximum yields with minimal input costs requires proper nutrition, necessary seed distribution along the length and depth of the furrow during sowing, and the fertilizers application with an intervening soil layer.
The placement of seeds and fertilizers separated by a soil layer promotes seed germination and root system development during the initial growth phase and subsequent vegetative development. The most favorable results within the current research were achieved when grain seeds were sown together with a starter dose of fertilizer while simultaneously applying the main fertilizer dose with a soil layer of 30-40 mm between them. It was noted that the soil layer exerted a beneficial effect of the main fertilizer dose on the seed material with maximum plant nutrition.
Combined openers currently mounted in grain seed drills do not correspond to agronomic requirements. Such openers have several disadvantages: non-compliance with agronomic sowing specifications, insufficient uniformity of seed distribution along the furrow, failure to maintain the required soil layer between the main fertilizer dose and seeds receiving the starter fertilizer dose, and clogging of the space between discs containing the seed tube and fertilizer delivery tube. These factors reduce the quality of grain crop sowing and, consequently, yields. The design of a combined opener capable of sowing seeds and applying the main fertilizer dose with an intervening soil layer represents a relevant scientific and technical approach.
This article deals with the design and operating principle of a combined opener for a seed drill intended for sowing grain crops.
Keywords: combined opener, chisel-type share, fertilizer, seed tube, soil layer, uniformity of seed and fertilizer distribution, seed drill, soil.

Publication information View article

UDC 631.452+631.445.41+631.8
DOI 10.36461/NP.2025.76.4.006

YIELD AND QUALITY OF AGRICULTURAL CROPS WITH THE FERTILIZER "ULUCHSHITEL" APPLICATION
I.S. Semenov, Postgraduate; E.N. Kuzin, Doctor of Agricultural Sciences, Professor;
A.N. Arefiev, Doctor of Agricultural Sciences, Professor;
E.E. Kuzina, Candidate of Agricultural Sciences, Associate Professor
Penza State Agrarian University, Penza, Russia,
tel. +7(412) 62-85-65, e-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

This article deals with the results of a three-year research (2023-2025) evaluating the effect of the fertilizer “Uluchshitel” application (manure, NPK doses equivalent to manure) on the yield and grain quality of winter and spring wheat, as well as maize. It was noted that the separate application of the examined fertilizer at doses of 750-1000 L/ha provided a significant but moderate increase in yield (by 13.1-18.5% for wheat and 15.0-16.7% for maize) compared to the unfertilized control, mainly due to the improvement of crop structure indicators (number of productive stems, ear/cob length, 1000-grain weight). The most favorable effect was obtained with the combined application of the fertilizer “Uluchshitel” (optimally 750-1000 L/ha) with organic or mineral fertilizers. It provided a synergistic effect, increasing the yield of winter wheat to 7.03 t/ha (an increase of 49.3%), maize to 8.43 t/ha (an increase of 38.4%), and spring wheat to 4.92 t/ha (an increase of 43.0%). Grain quality indicators (gluten and crude protein content) also increased most significantly in the combined application: protein yield per hectare for maize increased by 61.2-63.0% relative to the control. It was proved that the fertilizer “Uluchshitel” was as an effective ameliorant and activator of soil fertility, significantly increasing the utilization rate of nutrients from traditional fertilizers. The fertilizer “Uluchshitel” application in agricultural crop cultivation technology leads to more resource-efficient and adaptive agriculture by simultaneously improving the agrophysical, agrochemical, and biological properties of the soil.
Keywords: “Uluchshitel”, fertilizer, yield, number of productive stems, 1000-grain weight, gluten content.

Publication information View article

UDC 636.083.143+631.879.4
DOI 10.36461/NP.2025.76.4.015

EFFECT OF COMPOST AS A BEDDING MATERIAL ON POULTRY FARMING
¹A.N. Bastrakov, Candidate of Biological Sciences, Researcher,
²D.Yu. Ilyin, Candidate of Biological Sciences, Associate Professor,
³I.V. Sokolov, Chief Executive Officer, ²G.V. Ilyina, Doctor of Biological Sciences, Professor,
²A.I. Zyabirov, Doctor of Technical Sciences, Associate Professor, ²M.L. Ilyina, Student
¹A.N. Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution of the Russian Academy of Sciences,
²Penza State Agrarian University, Penza, Russia, tel. (8412)628-151, e-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
³Biogenesis LLC

The poultry farming in Russia makes a significant contribution to ensuring the country's food security. Floored housed broiler breeding predominates in meat poultry farming, so this research is aimed at developing sustainable bedding materials. Composts are of great importance being the bioconversion of solid livestock or organic waste. Current research was carried out to study the microbiological and physicochemical properties of the “Biogenesis” compost in order to assess its compositions with coniferous wood shavings as essential bedding material for turkeys.
The “Biogenesis” compost is the processing of organic waste by the larvae of the fly Hermetia illucens. Properties of the “Biogenesis” compost, its compositions with coniferous wood shavings, and the granulated compost were examined. Microbiological evaluation revealed no pathogenic microflora, indicating the safety. Microbial counts ranged from 1.1×105 to 3.6×108 cells/ml, with the highest values determined for the compost without wood shavings and the lowest for the granulated compost. The granulated compost is characterized by minimal moisture capacity, while the compost composition with coniferous wood shavings in a 1:2 ratio had the highest. The highest ammonia sorption capacity per unit mass was observed for the compost composition with coniferous wood shavings in a ratio of 1:2, the lowest – for the granulated compost (the mass fraction of ammonia after saturation increased by 9.25 times, 7.75 times and 2.14 times, respectively).
Based on the data obtained, it is possible to recommend the compost in combination with coniferous wood shavings, thereby reducing the volume of sawdust used in production.
Keywords: poultry farming, floored housed poultry farming, poultry waste, compost, veterinary sanitation.

Publication information View article