Brucellosis, a bacterial disease caused by the genus Brucella, is a zoonotic and occupational disease. A high risk of infection with Brucella is associated with the workplace. Infection may occur by inhalation, conjunctival or skin contamination, accidental injury with a syringe, or exposure in a slaughterhouse or food processing facility. This study delves into Brucellosis, a zoonotic bacterial disease caused by Brucella, focusing on occupational exposure among slaughterhouse workers and food processors in Armenia. The research assesses the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of 306 participants, including 18 slaughterhouse workers and 288 food processors (76 meat and 212 milk employees). Despite universal awareness (100 %) of Brucellosis risk, the study uncovers potential shortcomings in workplace practices, notably in the use of personal protective equipment (PPE), as 43.9 % of respondents wash their working clothes at home. The findings underscore the need for ongoing education and remediation efforts to enhance safety measures and also emphasize the imperative of addressing these issues within at-risk groups in Armenia.

In the Armavir marz of the Republic of Armenia, the effect of the load of buds was studied on the growth, yield, and quality indicators of the Nrneni grape variety. This grape variety was created at the Armenian Agricultural Institute, by crossing the 1-17-1 (Alicant Bushe x Cabernet Sauvignon) hybrid form and the Georgian Saperavi varieties. The Nrneni grape variety is lateripening, moderately high-growing, with low frost resistance and high fungal disease resistance. Experimental vineyards were planted at a planting density of 2.5x1.5 m. The vines were formed according to a low-stem multi-arm fan-shaped formation: The load of the vines was studied at 20, 30, 40, and 50 buds. Research findings related to shoot growth, ripening, and harvest quality enable us to recommend the optimal vine load for the Nrneni grape variety in the Armavir marz region. Based on these studies, we suggest maintaining a load of 30–40 buds per vine.

The fifth article in the series summarizes the results of genetic analysis of 7 varieties of tobacco of the Samsun oriental variety type and their diallel hybrids for the yield of dry leaves. The trait inheritance in F1 is most characterized by an intermediate type, the determination and growth of which is realized primarily by additive genes with a recessive nature. These give rise to deviations between yield indicators and the effects of GCA. A new tactic has been developed for selecting promising starting materials and selecting for the combination of genes in genotypes that control moderate yield and high aromaticity of raw materials. For this purpose, the following varieties have been proposed: Samsun 47, Samsun 36, Samsun Bafra, and Samsun Maden, and universal hybrids Samsun 47xSamsun Bafra and Samsun 36xSamsun Bafra which are valuable both for heterosis and breeding. CMS analogues of maternal forms make it possible to organize hybrid seed production. Analyses of genetic correlations allow us to draw the most important conclusion about the reality of the combination in the genotypes of selected forms of moderate yield and high-quality raw materials by intensifying the photosynthetic apparatus. A new principle of selection in population has been developed: selection should be carried out according to the type of leaf of the aromatic variety Samsun Bafra, and to the rate of leaf formation productive varieties Samsun 36 and Samsun 47.

TIn the current period of agricultural management, when the task is to obtain new breeds of farm animals following modern socio-economic, regional, and natural-geographical requirements and to improve the existing ones, the problem of using the rich gene pool of wild relatives very often arises. It should be noted, however, that the genetic potential of the Armenian Mouflon was not used during the creation of agricultural animals, particularly sheep in Armenia. This was due to several biological barriers, which are currently surmountable with the use of modern biotechnological methods, especially genomic selection. To resolve the issue, we carried out the genetic passportization and barcoding of the Armenian Mouflon kept in the Yerevan Zoo according to ISSR-PCR markers. Five of the 11 ISSR primers used during molecular-genetic research had high activity: (GA)9C, (CA)9G, (CTC)6G, (GTG)6C, and (ACC)6G. A total of 63 or 71.6 % of the 88 ISSR-PCR amplicons were polymorphic. The lowest value of polymorphic DNA fragments was recorded for (ACC)6G (59.1 %) and the highest for (GTG)6C (83.3%) primers. The number of rare alleles, which indicates the originality and homogeneity of the given population, in the experimental group were: (CTC)6G and (GTG)6C. From the analysis of the material obtained during the experimental research, it was possible to decode the genetic formula and barcode of the Armenian Mouflon, which can be used as a test to clarify the identification, origin, and evolution of the species and conduct molecular selection in the breeding processes.

The research aimed to identify latent mastitis in cows on farms in the Republic of Armenia by counting somatic cells in milk using the California method. Among the 170 animals examined, 60 had latent mastitis, which comprised 35.2 % of the population. The highest incidence was observed in the Vayoc Dzor region (50 %), while the lowest was found in the Sunik region (25 %). It was found that 40 animals (23.5 %) showed a pronounced reaction to mastitis, and the concentration of somatic cells in milk was 300-500 thousand/sm3. 20 animals demonstrated a positive reaction to the test (11.7 %), and the number of somatic cells in milk exceeded 500 thousand/sm3. A microbiological study of milk from animals with subclinical mastitis was conducted to determine the species composition of pathogenic microflora. The study indicated that the milk was highly contaminated with staphylococcus, streptococcus, corynebacterial, E. coli, mycoplasma, candida, etc. A rise in leukocytes was observed in the blood of sick animals, as well as increases in band neutrophils, eosinophils, monocytes, lymphocytes, and ESRs. All this indicates, there is an inflammatory process present in the body and the immune system is mobilizing to fight pathology.

In livestock breeding, particularly in sheep breeding, biotechnology of industrial technology plays an important role. A remarkable characteristic of technology is that it should be economically and biologically suitable. As a result, we are faced with the task of increasing grain yields and qualitative compositions of sheep. Ewes not having enough milk to feed their lambs after birth, result in malnourished lambs that grow poorly. Consequently, they become sick, and the rate of decline increases. Based on the analysis of the data, it appears that the variation in the live mass can also be attributed to ewes feeding, care, and behavior during the manger period. According to the research program, 2.5- and 5-month-old lambs were weighed. 2.5-month-old lambs had an average live weight of 17.0-20.51 kg for males and 15.10-18.13 kg for females. Compared to the live weight of newborn lambs (3.85 kg and 3.20 kg), the absolute weight gain of male and female lambs at 2.5 months was 16.66 kg and 14.93 kg, respectively. Lambs grain weight rapidly from birth to 2.5 months old (200-220 grams per day), which is typical for lambs in this age group. The data shows that lambs up to 2.5 months of age grew more rapidly than lambs 2.5-5 months of age, which was 12.69 kg and 12.09 kg, respectively, which is typical for lambs this age of multi-purpose sheep.

There are many berries grown in Armenia, but raspberries are among the most popular. Several pests, the species composition of which has not yet been determined, hinder the achievement of a high-quality harvest. Raspberry (Rubus idaeus) pest species composition was monitored in Tavush marz (Ijevan community) in 2022-2023. Our research has identified and registered seventeen types of pests, of which two belong to the Acarina order of the Arachnoidae class and fourteen to the following orders of the Insecta class: Thysanoptera, Homoptera, Orthoptera, Coleoptera, Diptera, Lepidoptera, Heteroptera, one in the Gastropoda order of Mollusca class. The detected pests were: Tetranychus urticae (Koch, 1836), Eriophyes gracilis (Nalepa, 1891), Thrips tabaci (Lindeman, 1899), Aphis grossulariae (Kaltenbach, 1843), Myzus persicae (Sulzer), Stictocephala bubalus (Kopp and Yonke, 1977), Gryllotalpa gryllotalpa (Linnaeus, 1758), Tettigonia viridissima (Linnaeus, 1758), Byturus tomentosus (De Geer, 1774), Anthonomus rubi (Herbst, 1795), Melolontha hippocastani (Fabricius, 1801), Polyphylla olivieri (Castelnau, 1840), Resselie llatheobaldi (Barnes), Lasioptera rubi (Schrank, 1803), Pennisetia hylaeiformis (Laspeyres, 1801), Dolycoris baccarum (Linnaeus, 1758), and Deroceras agreste (Linnaeus, 1758). Nevertheless, the most spread species were Resselie llatheobaldi (Barnes), Lasioptera rubi (Schrank, 1803), Anthonomus rubi (Herbst, 1795), and Byturus tomentosus (De Geer, 1774).

The increased demand for tomato products has spurred the cultivation of various varieties and hybrids. Particularly notable are the tomato hybrids whose fruits are harvested collectively in entire branches (racemes), thus earning them the name “raceme tomatoes”. The scientific studies were carried out in 2021-2023, in the glass experimental greenhouse of the Scientific Center of Vegetable and Industrial Crops of the Ministry of Agriculture of the RA, Darakert, Ararat Marz, during two vegetation periods: spring and autumn. The study focused on five raceme tomato hybrids: Prodezo F1, Santiana F1, Adventure F1 by Rijk Zwaan, Climbo F1 by Syngenta, and hybrid RM-4, which was obtained by us (Known since 2023 as Syune). Prodezo F1 hybrid, which is included in the state register of Armenia, served as the control. The selection of hybrids was based on the increasing demand among the population for raceme tomatoes. According to varietal characteristics and vegetation period, the dry matter content varied from 6.14 % to 7.74 %, which was 2.88 % - 3.22 % for sugars, and 18.44 % - 22.13 % for ascorbic acid content. As a result of the study, the hybrids Adventure F1 by Rijk Zwaan and RM-4 (Syune), a locally cultivated hybrid, stood out for their quality indicators among the examined tomato hybrids, regardless of the vegetation period. These high-quality hybrids will be introduced to greenhouses of Armenia for further cultivation.

In 2021-2022, a study of herbivorous (phytophagous) mite habitation and harmfulness was conducted in apple and plum orchards in the Armavir region (RA). Research findings of two-year scientific experiments confirmed that between the two apple varieties the Star Crimson variety had the highest habitation rate of Hawthorn Red Spider Mite (Tetranychus viennensis Zacher), specifically 52.7 % in the first year, and 55.5 % in the second year. Among the three plum varieties, Vengerka Italian had the highest habitation rate (49.5 and 53.2 %, respectively) of common spider mites (Tetranychus urticae Koch). Research findings also confirm that at the peak of leaf damage, compared to the Golden Delicious apple variety, the damage caused by Hawthorn Red Spider Mite to the leaves of the Star Crimson apple variety was high in 2021-2022 (43.5 % and 45.0 % respectively). There was relatively high damage caused by Hawthorn Red Spider Mite to the “Vengerka Italian” variety in 2021 and 2022 (39.9 % and 41.0 %, respectively). Effective control measures against phytophagous mites with high habitation in apple and plum orchards will be developed and offered to farmers.

Due to a lack of protein in the human diet, dairy products made from milk proteins have increased in production. The proposed new product was made from cheese whey and curds. The main ingredients were whey proteins and pine cone extract as a natural additive. The relevance of making albumen curd with vegetable extract is scientifically and experimentally justified. Based on this study, the optimal dose of pine cone extract was determined which results in imparting a distinctive taste and aroma characteristic of pine cone, improving the chemical composition, and extending the product’s shelf life.