Creating an optimal light environment for different crops is crucial for achieving high yields under controlled environment agriculture conditions. Currently, there are no optimal technologies, including lighting technologies, for growing root crops (in particular radish) in CEA (Controlled Environment Agriculture). This study examined the effects of HPS (High-pressure sodium vapor lamps) and three original sunlike full-spectrum LED lamps on the morphophysiological characteristics and the diffuse reflectance indices of the leaves of two contrast radish cultivars. It was found that a higher blue light content (24%) in the spectrum of the LED 3 lamp contributed to the formation of radish plants with a more compact leaf rosette and maximum yield of roots (up to 19%) compared to the other two types of LED lamps. When treated with LED 3, photosynthesis efficiency was probably higher compared to LED 1 and LED 2, which led to a significant decrease in reflected radiation, especially in the blue and red ranges (by 5–143% and 32–86%, respectively). It was found that the genotype had a significant effect on all morphophysiological parameters of radish, while lighting treatment only affected the integral parameters (Pr—proportion of root crop, and Ai—attraction index) and leaf thickness. However, lighting treatment exhibited a greater impact on leaf reflection indices compared to the genotype, especially those related to chlorophyll content. The results of the study indicate that LED 3 lamps, simulating natural light at midday, are suitable for the production of radish root crops under CEA conditions.

The creation of highly effective in low concentrations environmentally friendly biocompatible means with a complex positive effect on plants remains relevant due to the lack of saturation of the market with such compounds. In a series of laboratory, vegetation experiments under controlled conditions and field experiments with phytotest objects (spring barley, wheat, Chinese cabbage and other), we have shown the increase of plants resistance to oxidative stress caused by moisture deficiency in the root-inhabited environment after their treatment at the seed stage or during the vegetative period of development with created by us suspensions based on iron oxide nanoparticles or solutions of water-soluble derivatives of fullerene C60 in previously established most effective concentrations [1, 2]. The treated plants with tested substances solutions showed activation of metabolism, processes of their exchange of matter and energy with the environment, increased transport of the main macro- and microelements to the above-ground part, stabilization of the work of plants antioxidant systems, which together contributed to maintaining their productivity indicators and the quality of the formed plant production at the level of those in the control plants grown in favorable conditions.

The relevance of the new forms of ecologically safe, stable in composition, in functional activity, biodegradable preparations development with a complex positive effect on plants remains high and the presented work is devoted to acquaintance with the generalized results of interdisciplinary studies for the effect on the system of soil (soil substitute) - cultivated plants by nanocompositions created based on carbon (water-soluble polyhydroxylated, carboxylated and amino acid derivatives of fullerene C60) nanostructures with additions of trace elements in certain concentration ratios. Based on the previously identified concentration ranges of the tested fullerene derivatives with a positive effect on plants when treating their seeds, introducing them into the soil, other root habitats and foliar exposure, their compositions with salts of trace elements were developed and in a series of vegetation and field experiments under controlled favorable conditions and when modeling oxidative stress caused by UV-B irradiation, deficiency of soil moisture, deficiency of nutrients, phytopathogens, as well as in the natural conditions of the Leningrad region, the main mechanisms of positive impact (regulatory on vital systems, adaptogenic, immunomodulatory, protective) of the created nanocompositions on plants and the prospects of their application in plant growing are shown. Keywords: nanocompositions, water-soluble fullerenes C60, polyhydroxylated C60, carboxylated C60, amino acid derivatives C60, soil (soil substitute) --- plant system, production process, abiotic stresses, resistance.

The aim of the present work was to assess the physiological state of plants and photosynthetic apparatus activity in lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) by non-invasive methods (leaf diffuse reflectance spectroscopy and chlorophyll fluorescence) under the deficiency of one of the macronutrients (nitrogen, phosphorus, or potassium). Our experiments assessed the deficiency of each of the macronutrients relative to plants vegetating under optimal nutrition. The used methods showed that the deficiency of macronutrients causes changes in the optical characteristics of lettuce plants (cvs. ‘Vitaminnyi’ and ‘Kokarda’), including a decrease in the chlorophyll content (57% and 51%) and a change in metabolism, which leads to a decrease in the efficiency of light energy conversion in photochemical processes of photosynthesis and an increase in the dissipation of excess light energy (19% and 10%). Linear regression equations, describing the relationship between net productivity and spectral characteristics of diffuse leaf reflectance with high accuracy, have been obtained. Changes in all studied indicators of the physiological state of plants under the influence of macronutrient deficiency are more pronounced at the early stages of development than in later periods, when the first symptoms of aging appear (decrease in ChlRI). The observed differences between lettuce cultivars and their response to nitrogen, phosphorus, or potassium deficiency are non-specific and mainly represent quantitative variation. The method for assessing the spectral characteristics of diffuse reflection of leaves seems to be the most promising for monitoring the physiological status of plants and early detection of nitrogen, phosphorus, or potassium deficiency.

Ensuring the technical and technological possibility of regularly obtaining fresh, high-quality plant production in Antarctic stations is an urgent task of our time. This work is devoted to studying the growth and development of leaf vegetable crops and the main quality indicators of their edible parts when grown in the phytotechnical complex greenhouses at the “Vostok” Antarctic station and at the agrobiopolygon of the Agrophysical Research Institute (AFI). The plants, belonging to 13 varieties of 9 types of leaf vegetable crops (arugula, garden cress, cabbage, mustard, leaf radish, leaf lettuce, amaranth, dill, parsley leaf), were studied during five growing seasons at the “Vostok” station and at the AFI agrobiopolygon under controlled conditions (control). The experimental data obtained demonstrate the high productivity of the phytotechnical complex for most of the investigated crops per unit of useful area, with lower costs of electricity and water consumption per unit of production compared with a number of greenhouses at foreign Antarctic stations and greenhouse complexes with controlled conditions located on other continents. Lettuce crops were the most adapted to the growing conditions at the Antarctic station “Vostok”. They did not differ in their evaluated characteristics from the control. All other investigated crops, while not differing in their development rate and quality, had statistically significant (16–61%) decreases in their yield per 1 m2 per year. This may demonstrate the difference in the “genotype–environment” interaction in plants grown at the Antarctic station and AFI agrobiopolygon, probably due to the different barometric pressure and partial pressure of oxygen at the two locations. The positive psychological effects of the greenhouses were identified along with nutritional and other qualities of the plants.

The relevance of the new forms of ecologically safe, stable in composition, in functional activity, biodegradable preparations development with a complex positive effect on plants remains high and the presented work is devoted to acquaintance with the generalized results of interdisciplinary studies for the effect on the system of soil (soil substitute) - cultivated plants by nanocompositions created based on carbon (water-soluble polyhydroxylated, carboxylated and amino acid derivatives of fullerene C60) nanostructures with additions of microelements in certain concentration ratios. Based on the previously identified concentration ranges of the tested fullerene derivatives with a positive effect on plants when treating their seeds, introducing them into the soil, other root habitats and foliar exposure, their compositions with salts of microelements were developed and in a series of vegetation and field experiments under controlled favorable conditions and when modeling oxidative stress caused by UV-B irradiation, deficiency of soil moisture, deficiency of nutrients, phytopathogens, as well as in the natural conditions of the Leningrad region, the main mechanisms of positive impact (regulatory on vital systems, adaptogenic, immunomodulatory, protective) of the created nanocompositions on plants and the prospects of their application in plant growing are shown.

Quick and accurate nondestructive methods of water deficiency detection prior to the appearance of visible symptoms of plant deterioration as well as estimation of photosynthesis parameters are needed to effectively control conditions of plant growth, to manage crop productivity and to implement programs of "smart farming". The aim of our investigation was to analyse spectral characteristics of leaves diffuse reflection as evident in soft spring wheat cultivars (Triticum aestivum L.) of different drought resistance in optimal conditions and under the impact of soil drought; another objective was to determine the reflection indices that could serve as criteria in the phenotyping of genotypes according to their photosynthetic apparatus capacity and the efficiency of light use as well as in the forecasting of genotypes potential productivity and their drought resistance. Wheat plants of 4 drought-resistant and 4 non-resistant cultivars were grown under controlled conditions in the protected ground. In the vessels with simulated soil drought, the moisture content was 30% of total field capacity, while in the control sample it was 80%. Spectral characteristics of radiation reflected from the leaf surface were recorded with the spectrometer HR2000, and then reflection indices were calculated whose value is closely related to the activeness of the photosynthetic apparatus. The experiments conducted showed that in the system of interaction between the soil, the plant and the effective layer of the atmosphere all analysed diffuse reflection indices changed with the emergence of water deficit. The index of photosynthetic apparatus capacity (ChlRI) is less susceptible to short-term soil drought than the indices of the efficiency of light use in the process of photosynthesis (R-800, photochemical reflection index (PRImod) and flavonoid index (FRImod)) which change significantly, so that the degree of their change may be a reliable enough indicator of plant stress caused by water deficiency. It is advisable, however, when estimating and comparing the reaction of various plant cultivars, lines and new forms to the developed water deficiency, to include in the array of plants examined those cultivars whose optical properties and the range of their variation resulting from water deficit are known. This will ensure a more reliable ranking of analysed genotypes according to their drought resistance and will enhance the accuracy of the diagnosis.

The creation of highly effective environmentally friendly means with a complex positive effect on plants remains an urgent task of modern science. In interdisciplinary studies, it was elaborated the new forms of preparations based on carbon (water-soluble polyhydroxylated, carboxylated and amino acid derivatives of fullerene C60) and silica-sols (1-20 wt.% of tetraethoxysilane - TEOS) nanostructures with the addition of macro-, microelements, and other physiologically active compounds. Effect of these preparations on plant production process under favorable controlled conditions and when modeling oxidative stress caused by UV-B irradiation, deficiency of soil moisture, pesticides, phytopathogens, as well as in natural conditions of Leningrad region was investigated. In researches, the original one-step method was used for the synthesis of fullerene C60 derivatives: fullerenol, tris-malonate fullerene, fullerene with L-amino acids (threonine, hydroxyproline, arginine, methionine, etc.), sol-gel synthesis of TEOS-derived compositions and a new procedure for treating the seeds with them. The methods for growing plants and diagnosing their physiological state according to the optical characteristics of the leaves, standard and generally accepted chemical, biological methods for assessing processes in the soil (soil substitute) - plants system were also applied. The main mechanisms of the positive effect of the created nanocompositions on plants are revealed and the prospects of their application in crop production are shown.

В работе представлены результаты прецизионного эксперимента и мониторинговых исследований по формированию базы данных для решения задач точного земледелия. Методика предусматривала физическое моделирование на тестовых площадках с посевами трех зерновых культур с различным уровнем азотного питания растений на фоне оптимального обеспечения макроэлементами (фосфор и калий) и на фоне дефицита калия. В основные фенологические фазы проводились мультиспектральная аэрофотосъемка посевов, контактные измерения оптических характеристик растений в различных спектральных диапазонах и расчет индексов отражения растительного покрова. Сформированная база данных используется для выделения по оптическим критериям, аэрокосмическим снимкам и наземной опорной информации однородных зон управления с различным уровнем азотного обеспечения растений. Проведен анализ зависимости значений индекса NDVI и урожайности изучаемых культур от внесенной дозы азота. Полученные результаты свидетельствуют, что вегетационный индекс NDVIпозволяет диагностировать степень обеспеченности растений азотом лишь на ранних этапах развития. В этой связи подчеркивается целесообразность комплексного использования различных вегетационных индексов для дистанционной оценки и выделения на поле участков, на которых наблюдается дефицит азотного питания.

The scientific and technical fundamentals of physical modeling of “ideal agroecosystems” characterized by a high degree of controllability of the matter and energy flows between the environment and plants with accompanying biota are presented. In these systems, it becomes possible to maximize the genetically determined potential of any agricultural crop, creating ecologically harmonious optimized highly efficient microclimate–variety (hybrid)–technology complexes for obtaining consistently high yields of quality plant production. It was shown that the creation of such agroecosystems is possible with a comprehensive approach, including optimization of the light, air, and root-inhabited environments in accordance with the requirements of a particular crop. The creation of the agroecosystem requires the production or selection of hybrids and varieties providing high yields of high-quality plant products in a regulated agroecosystem, as well as monitoring the physiological state of plants and detecting stress at the early stages using noninvasive physical methods. The use of high-quality seeds based on the results of a nondamaging express assessment of internal defects by X-ray in combination with morphometric analysis. Development and application of highly effective environmentally friendly growth and metabolism regulators is also needed for such agroecosystem.

The scientific and technical fundamentals of “ideal agroecosystems” physical modeling are presented, which are characterized by a high degree of controllability of matter and energy flows between the environment and plants with concomitant biota, and where it becomes possible to realize the fullest extent genetically determined potential of a particular crop and to create ecologically harmonious optimized highly efficient complexes: microclimate - variety (hybrid) - technology to stable receive the high quality yields plant production . It is shown that the creation of such agroecosystems is possible with the integrated solution of the following problems: 1) optimization of the conditions of light, air and root habitat in accordance with the needs of a particular culture; 2) the creation or selection of hybrids and varieties that give high yields of quality plant products in a controlled agroecosystem; 3) monitoring the plants physiological state and detecting stress in the early stages of its occurrence using non-invasive physical methods; 4) the use of high-quality seed according to the results of a non-damaging rapid assessment of internal defects by x-ray in combination with morphometric analysis; 5) development and application of highly effective environmentally friendly plant growth and metabolism regulators.

Quantitative trait loci (QTL) mapping of diffuse reflectance indices of laminas in bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) has been first performed under controlled conditions of a regulated agroecobiological testing ground in the presence or absence of nitrogen fertilizers. Indices chosen for the study determine a range of important characteristics, such as the content of chlorophylls and anthocyanins, carotenoid/chlorophyll ratio, photochemical activity of the photosynthetic apparatus, light scattering on a lamina, assimilating leaf surface area, and grain productivity. In total, 31 QTLs have been mapped. A significant correlation has been revealed between the introduction of a nitrogen fertilizer and the five of six optical characteristics of the photosynthetic apparatus activity in bread wheat. The only exception is the reflectance index for near-infrared radiation (800 nm), which depends on the structural features of leaf tissues. No statistically significant correlation has been revealed between the thousand-grain weight and spectral characteristics of the diffuse reflectance of the lamina measured at the booting stage. However, a significant correlation between the number of grains formed in the spike of the main stalk and the traits characterizing activity of the photosynthetic apparatus (reflectance indices, leaf area) has been observed. Results of the performed variance, correlation, and QTL analyses confirm each other indicating reliability of the revealed effect of nitrogen nutrition level on the manifestation of the studied reflectance indices in bread wheat under strictly controlled conditions of an agroecobiological testing ground. Application of noninvasive optical methods provides a high-throughput assessment of photosynthetic intensity in plants and, therefore, can be used for efficient selection of promising wheat genotypes with high grain productivity under both controlled and field conditions.

Федеральное государственное бюджетное образовательное учреждение

ОПТИЧЕСКИЕ ХАРАКТЕРИСТИКИ ЛИСТЬЕВ ЯРОВОЙ ПШЕНИЦЫ В ЗАВИСИМОСТИ ОТ ЭФФЕКТИВНОСТИ ИСПОЛЬЗОВАНИЯ И ОТЗЫВЧИВОСТИ