Iodine deficiency impacts 68% of the world's population. It is a public health and economic issue; the global economic cost of deficiency diseases could exceed $40 billion. The biologically essential element iodine is found throughout the biosphere in soils, but it is distributed very unevenly. Regions with low iodine levels in soils and inland waters cover large areas worldwide. The geological and climate factors behind this variation are briefly discussed here. Possible solutions to combat iodine deficiency include using brown algae, which accumulate high levels of iodine. Green macroalgae, such as Cladophora, are well-suited for this task due to their superior productivity, 6 to 12 times higher than brown algae; 80% of the iodine in green algae is in an organic form, while, brown algae contain 90% of iodine in mineral form, and during processing, green algae suffer significantly lower iodine losses compared to their brown counterparts. Incorporating Cladophora into the diets of livestock, poultry, freshwater fish, and shrimp has yielded promising outcomes. Adding just 1% Cladophora to the diet increased slaughter weight by 14% and egg production by 30%. This quadrupled iodine levels in the meat of rabbits, broilers, and laying hens. Eggs saw a remarkable 12-fold increase in iodine content. The analysis presents arguments that Cladophora from saline and hypersaline environments have significant iodine content and are a largely unexplored, low-cost, and abundant resource for combating iodine deficiency on a global scale, offering economic advantages.
Purpose: to conduct a primary assessment of the prospects for using the HYDRUS-1D software product or analyzing the dynamics of the electrical conductivity of water extract and moisture content of dark chestnut soil. Materials and methods. The study was conducted in 2023–2024 in the Republic of Crimea and included the following: determination of moisture content, particle size distribution, and electrical conductivity of soil water extract; calculation of soil water flow indicators using the Rosetta Lite V1.1 software module; meteorological data recording; modeling the dynamics of dark chestnut soil moisture content and water extract electrical conductivity. The determination of pedotransfer functions was carried out in two ways: based on the particle size distribution; based on a combination of actual data on particle size distribution and reference information on soil bulk density. Results. Relatively small values of the average absolute error and the root of the root mean square error were obtained for the average meter-long soil layer for both options. Moreover, the data simulated by the first option are closer to the actual values (the determination coefficient for soil moisture was 0.76, and for the water extract electrical conductivity – 0.83). However, a significant difference was recorded for the top 20 cm of soil, between the calculated and simulated data for the electrical conductivity of the water extract (by 2.1 and 2.0 times, depending on the option), which significantly decreases at a depth of 40–60 cm. Conclusions. On average, for a meter-thick soil layer, the use of the HYDRUS-1D software package allowed us to simulate changes in soil moisture and water extract electrical conductivity with a fairly high accuracy. To improve the reliability of the results, further research is needed to collect initial data and validate the model.
Helichrysum italicum (Roth) G. Don) is a valuable and promising plant for the perfumery, cosmetics, food industry, pharmacy and medicine. The aim of the study is to conduct phytochemical screening of Helichrysum italicum plants grown in the foothills of Crimea for the content of essential oil and other types of biologically (BAS) active substances by vegetation phases and plant organs. The objects of study are freshly harvested and air-dried raw materials of H. italicum (selection sample EOA-81). The methods of research are generally accepted. The studies revealed variability in the content of BAS by vegetation phases and plant organs. It has been established that H. italicum plants synthesize a whole complex of biologically active substances during the vegetation period: essential oil – 0.50–1.49 % on an absolutely dry weight (a. d. m.); extractive substances – 22.47–36.79 %; total phenolic compounds – 2.25–6.26 %, phenolic carboxylic acids and flavonoids – 1.34–5.92 %; tannins – 0.24–1.34 %. It has been determined that the main oil-synthesizing organs of H. italicum are leaves and inflorescences. The greatest amount of essential oil was contained in the leaves – 2.01 %, and in the inflorescences – 1.73 %. The predominant components of the essential oil of H. italicum were monoterpene hydrocarbons, the sum of which reached a maximum in the phases of the beginning of budding - beginning of flowering 87.41–92.71 % with a predominance of α-pinene 69.93–76.17 %. This selection sample EOA-81, according to the component composition of the essential oil, belongs to the α-pinene chemotype. The optimal time for harvesting H. italicum raw materials for obtaining essential oil is the phase of complete budding, which is characterized by the highest content of essential oil of characteristic quality. The optimal time for harvesting H. italicum for obtaining medicinal raw materials is the phase of the end of budding, when the content of extractive substances; total phenolic compounds, the sum of phenol carbonic acids and flavonoids is maximum and the regrowth phase - for tannins. Based on the data obtained, the above-ground part of H. italicum plants can be recommended for use as essential oil and medicinal raw materials.
The article presents the results of a study of the effect of aqueous and alkaline extracts of zoocompost – a product of waste processing by black soldier fly larvae (Hermetia illucens) – on the vegetative growth, development and decorative characteristics of marigolds (Tagetes patula L. variety Bonanza orange). The experiment was conducted in greenhouse conditions (temperature +20…+26 °C, humidity 70–80 %) under chemoponics (a type of hydroponics) conditions on a coconut substrate. The zoocompost obtained from the excrement of larvae grown on wheat bran was characterized by a high content of organic matter (82.8 %), nitrogen (1.8 %), phosphorus and potassium, as well as the presence of humic acids (9.8 %) and beneficial microflora (mainly Bacillus spp.). The initial 10 % suspension was extracted with water or potassium hydroxide, then diluted to concentrations of 0.01–8.0 % and applied as a single root dressing. Filtered water served as a control. The results showed that both types of extracts significantly (p < 0.001) stimulated plant growth: at concentrations of 3.0–5.0 %, the shoot weight increased by 160% relative to the control, inflorescence formation accelerated (by 8–10 days), the number of buds increased (up to 16 pcs. versus 8 in the control) and their total mass. A concentration of 1.0 % was recognized as optimal for improving decorative qualities (flower diameter up to 6.2 cm). The alkaline extract demonstrated more predictable efficiency (r = 0.89–0.91 for the relationship between concentration and shoot and inflorescence weight). Concentrations above 5.0% inhibited flowering, reducing the flower diameter to control values (3.5–4.0 cm).
The steppe Crimea is characterized by an arid climate with high temperatures and a lack of moisture, so maintaining soils and increasing their fertility are becoming key tasks for ensuring the sustainable development of agriculture. The article presents the results of an experimental study on the impact of various soil treatment technologies and the use of the microbiological product Microbiocom-Agro on the activity of oxidoreductases in the rhizosphere of oilseed flax in the conditions of Crimea. The field studies were conducted in 2023–2024 based on the Department of Field Crops at the Research Institute of Agriculture of Crimea. The study used the Mix variety of oilseed flax, which was grown using two technologies: traditional ploughing to a depth of 22–24 cm, and resource-saving direct sowing without pre-treatment of the soil. Before sowing, the seeds were pre-treated with Microbiocom-Agro and water was used in the control variants. The research results showed that in 2023, when using the traditional farming system and direct sowing, there was an increase in thermolabile catalase activity to 21.1–31.9 ml O 2 /min/g of absolutely dry soil, which was 8.1–14.5% higher than in the variants using the biological product. However, when using the traditional technology, seed treatment with Microbiocom- Agro resulted in a 3-fold decrease in peroxidase activity compared to the control. In 2024, the use of the product under conditions of direct sowing contributed to an increase in catalase activity to 25.2 ml O 2 /min/g of completely dry soil, which was 25.8% higher than the control values. In the variant with traditional soil treatment technology, the biopreparation caused a decrease in peroxidase activity by 6.6 times compared to the control.
