The paper presents an approach for the analysis of rural areas’ socio-economic development. Rural regions include spheres of human activity: institutional, environmental, social, labour, industrial, economic, technological development spheres. Under the development of the rural regions, changes in the variables of different spheres of human activity in the region, increasing the potential for human development, is understood. Human Development Index measures the potential for human development measurement. The model of socio-economic development of the rural regions presented in the article is characterized by both endogenous and exogenous variables of the model. Model of socioeconomic development of the rural regions is presented in the form of six econometric equations, each of which is an ADL-model. Each ADL-model contains endogenous and exogenous variables. The article presents the structural form of a system of economical equations in each one equation there is more than one endogenous variable. It shows the transition from the structural form to the form of the system of economical equations, where each equation has only one endogenous variable. The system of equations was developed for the rural regions of Russia. Baseline data were obtained from the database of the State Statistics Committee of Russia. The article provides a solution to the system of equations. The solutions to the model can be used for developing strategic development of each separate rural region or a combination of all the rural regions.

The paper provides the study of specific spatial conditions of rural development of Arctic zone regions in Russia during 2000 – 2015. The aim of the paper is to propose the methodology for rural development disparities study in the Russian Arctic. Spatial development of the Arctic is described by a system of indicators, reflecting the system of the resettlement, the level and quality of life: total population size, life expectancy at birth, housing stock etc. The extent and nature of disparities, particularly, social and economic disparities within the rural territories of the Arсtic are explained. The assessment has been based on min-max ratio, coefficient of variation as well as Gini index. Eliminating excessive spatial differences in the social development of urban and rural territories of Arctic regions, improving the demographic situation, raising the level and quality of life of the population should be seen as a priority of the state policy in the Arctic in order to make it attractive for living.

The analysis of regeneration processes on post-agrogenic lands allows establishing patterns and features of succession processes in phytocenosis, to identify the most appropriate measures to promote natural regeneration and to establish the possibility and feasibility of the production of forestry crops on lands left out of agricultural use. A study of forest regeneration processes in areas of fallow land for agricultural purposes adjacent to the floodplain of the Oredezh River in Gatchina district of Leningrad region. On the prepared study plots (0.25 ha) in different elements of the slope relief, the natural regeneration of pine and spruce and living ground cover was also taken into account. The soils on the objects of the study are agricultural soils of different thickness, from 30 to 45 cm. In two areas the soil is turfy, well-cultivated, concealed podzolic, ferrous illuvial soil on sands. On plots No. 3–5, the soil is turfy, well-cultivated, concealed podzolic, ferrous illuvial, clayey, on a red loam. The purpose of the study was to identify the nature of forest regeneration processes in areas of fallow land for agricultural purposes. It has been established that the composition of the emerging undergrowth depends on a number of factors: the type of soil, the taxation characteristics of the adjacent forest, the forest vegetation subzone, and the living ground cover. In these soil conditions on the deposits, young mixed undergrowth with a predominance of spruce and pine after a meadow stage of ruderal vegetation is formed.

The feature of the microorganisms of rumen microbiocenosis is the ability to form a number of digestive enzymes, including cellulases, which allows ruminants use the energy of feeds rich in fiber. Microorganisms that are promising as a source of cellulases, biodestructors of toxins having antagonistic properties against pathogens for creating probiotic feed additives, both for reindeer and for other livestock, were isolated from the reindeer rumen. The aim of the study was to create a collection of microorganisms that are promising for creating a biopreparation. As a result, collections of 63 associations of microorganisms decomposing cellulose and carboxymethylcellulose were created; their morphology and cultural properties were described. It was found that the amount of cellulose degradation was 44 – 62% in the 4 most active isolates (No 14, 15, 21 and 26). The obtained data allowed to make a conclusion about the ability of bacterial strains isolated from the rumen to synthesize cellulolytic enzymes carrying out cellulose biodegradation, which allows them to gain a competitive advantage in the rumen of the reindeer diets with an abundance of cellulose. Isolates No 14 and 15 showed high antagonistic activity to Fusarium sporotrichioides, and isolate No 15 and 16 showed high antagonistic activity to Fusarium oxysporum. Isolate No 15 showed a wider antifungal activity compared to other isolates. Among all isolated strains, this bacterial isolate is represented as having a large spectrum of activities, including both high cellulolytic and high antifingal activity.

New types of polymer fertilizer series ‘Vitanoll’ are used in adaptive-varietal agro technology in the cultivation of seed potatoes. The experiments were conducted on sod-podzolic soils, typical of the North-West region of the Russian Federation. The aim of the research was to study the effect of new polymer fertilizers on potato yield. Research tasks included assessing the effect of various polymer fertilizers (Polymer-N, Polymer-P, Polymer-K.), as well as the effect of Polymer-N on different potato varieties. Based on the studies conducted, the most responsive potato varieties to polymeric fertilizers with nitrogen were identified. They turned out to be Salin (increase of 7.1 t haE−1) and Mocart (increase of 4.1 t haE−1). Evaluation of the influence of different types of polymer fertilizers revealed that the most effective are polymer fertilizers with potassium.

The aim of the work was to study accessions of Dactylis glomerata L. of different origin for breeding in the Leningrad region. The work was carried out at the Leningrad Agricultural Research Institute. The study involved 15 accessions. The nursery was founded in 2016 and included two replications for green yield and two – for seed production. Cutting and sampling for biochemical studies were conducted in May-June 2018, seeds were collected in July. The amount of ascorbic acid, carotenoids and chlorophylls and crude protein were determined. Statistical analysis included the calculation of the parameters of variation, ANOVA and correlation analysis. Three groups were identified by the degree of ripeness: a small group of early maturing – 31 days, a group of late maturing (single accession from Karelia) – 51 days, a large group of middle maturing – 34–37 days. For the late maturing accession the mechanism of regulation of the beginning of heading is due to the sensitivity to photoperiod. The adaptive potential of widely zoned varieties is wider than for localized. Their productivity is higher. The content of pigments in the green mass is closely correlated. The system of pigments in the complex of characters is separate, but is positively associated with the seed productivity and negatively – with the content of ascorbic acid. The seed productivity of the accessions is related to the total pigment content and power of the generative shoots (length and mass).

The objects of research are the lime-tree forests of the Leningrad region. The studies were carried out on 2 permanent plots established by the authors in May 2013 in the Lisino forest district (Leningrad region, Russia). The goal of research was to obtain a complex characteristic of stands dominated by linden (Tilia cordata). The objective of the research included a taxation and geobotanical description on permanent plots and studies of the soil cover (morphological and agrochemical characteristics of soils). The general health status of stands on the surveyed areas was determined as satisfactory – mean score 2.5 and 2.8 (relevant health status was determined with the help of the following 6-grade scale for each tree: 1 – no signs of weakening; 2 – weakened tree; 3 – very weakened tree; 4 – partial mortality of the tree; 5 – dead-standing trees of the current year; 6 – dead-standing trees of previous years). The average mortality rate varies from 3.05% year-1 on the sample plot 2 to 5.7% year-1 on the sample plot 1. Vegetation on sample plots attributes to a nemorose-herbal series of forest types, soils – to a podzolic type with a weak development of the podzol-forming process. They were well-mediated ones by humus in the upper horizon. This fact was facilitated by the lime litter: a lime has a deep root system to take up nutritional chemicals from a greater depth, where moraine loams enriched with calcium carbonate located. Old-aged forests of this type are being in the phase of gap dynamics now. This means that they can occur for a rather long time in the same place, however, the lime-tree forests of natural origin are constantly under threat of being replaced by spruce. The results of our study have shown that low levels of soil mineral nutrients supply are sufficient for the successful linden growth.

The aim of research was to determine peculiarities of relations between mature layer of the stand with distribution of spruce (Picea abies. Kr.) regeneration according phenology forms and growth specifics. The study examined the success of the resumption of spruce in the Leningrad region under the canopy of the parent stand. In stands with different share of spruce and in various forest-typological conditions, the features of the relationship between the maternal canopy of the stand, the distribution of the natural resumption of spruce by phenological forms and its course of growth were investigated. The account of the undergrowth was carried out by two methods: continuous reading and selective-statistical method. Regardless of the state of viability of spruce undergrowth, the increase in success of regeneration goes from a late vegetation season growth start form to an early one. Under the canopy of the maternal tree stand, young spruce of the early form has the best growth and development indices. In general, under the canopy of spruce stands, the annual height increment in spruce undergrowth, regardless of the phenological structure, the size categories and the state of viability, is greater than under the canopy of pine, pine-spruce and birch-spruce stands. The best characteristics of spruce undergrowth, regardless of phenological forms in vaccinio-myrtillo-pinetum type of forest are described. When analysing the characteristics of spruce undergrowth under the canopy of the stand, taking into account the phenological and altitudinal structure, and the state of viability, it was revealed that at the average age prevailing in the spruce undergrowth of the transitional form, the best parameters of growth have small and medium forms and growth in the early form. Analysing the characteristics of spruce undergrowth under the canopy of the stand, taking into account the phenological and height structure, as well as vitality status, it was revealed that at average age, dominating for the spruce undergrowth of transitional form, the best parameters of small and medium groups of undergrowth has early vegetation season growth start form. The best parameters of the growth have a large group of undergrowth of late vegetation season growth start form.

The objective of this study is to assess the qualitative and quantitative characteristics of pine (Pinus sylvestris) and spruce (Picea abies) stands growing on lands that were previously in agricultural use in the Leningrad region. Sample areas of mature mixed pine-and-spruce prevailing stands were studied. The taxation has revealed that the average height and diameter of the stands under study are greater than those in mixed modal stands of these species on forest lands. The analysis of the results of the study was performed by dispersion, correlation and ranking methods. To determine the competitive relationship between species, the coefficients of skewness, and kurtosis were calculated. For coniferous stands growing on former arable lands, the distribution of diameter classes for pine and spruce differ depending on the prevalence of species. The predominance of one of the coniferous species in the stands leads to an aggravation of competition, which manifests itself in positive coefficients of asymmetry. The skewness indicators and the kurtosis of tree trunks distribution clearly demonstrate the strengthening and weakening of competitive relationships in the stand. Competitive relationships between species are more balanced in stand compositions that include more than half of spruce and about 40% of pine, which results in the largest volume of stemwood. A more powerful root zone of trees in the former arable soil allows mixed stands of spruce and pine to produce a larger volume of wood than in pure stands of pine and spruce for the investigated region.

The purpose of the study was to compare forest and postagrogenic soils by parameters such as carbon content in organic matter and total nitrogen to predict the fertility state of lands that are at the stage of restoration of woody vegetation. Areas with similar soil formation conditions were selected on the postagrogenic and forested lands having mature forest stands related with such types of forest: Myrtillosum forest, Oxalidosum and Herbosa-Composita forest, and also areas under the soil complexes of postagrogenic fallow lands. A number of physico-chemical indicators for the soil were assessed according to the methods generally accepted in soil science: the particle size distribution, the bulk density and the thickness of the pedogenic horizons were determined. An analysis of the carbon stocks in organic matter (Corg) and nitrogen (Ntotal) in the genetic horizons of the soils of myrtillosum, Oxalidosum and Herbosa-Composita forest types shows an increase in the content of organic matter and total nitrogen from Myrtillosum to Herbosa-Composita forest type. A comparative analysis of the physical and agrochemical state of postagrogenic and forest soils showed that, despite the previous anthropogenic impact, the agroland horizon retains a high content of organic matter and total nitrogen. The properties of postagrogenic soils in the studied areas are not deteriorated, and the transformation towards the natural forest soils of the region is not observed, despite the long period of fallowing.