Isolation of two strains of West Nile virus during an outbreak in southern Russia, 1999.

From July to September 1999, a widespread outbreak of meningoencephalitis associated with West Nile virus (Flavivirus, Flaviviridae) occurred in southern Russia, with hundreds of cases and dozens of deaths. Two strains of West Nile virus isolated from patient serum and brain-tissue samples reacted in hemagglutination-inhibition and neutralization tests with patients' convalescent-phase sera and immune ascites fluid from other strains of West Nile virus

Results of the Test-Run of the Computer Software Model Support System for Managerial Decision Making

Considered is the experience of development of the decision support system (DSS) in the sphere of biological safety provision. Described are the objectives, functions, and architecture of DSS. Represented are the results of operational program-testing in the model territory (the Astrakhan region). Indicated is the effectiveness of DSS for information support of the control activity over internal and external biosafety hazards. Determined are the directions for further development of DSS

Provision of Epidemiological Welfare on Plague under Aggravation of Epizootic Situation in the Pre-Caspian Sandy Natural Plague Focus in 2014

Reviewed are the lessons learned from cooperation between Rospotrebnadzor institutions in the provision of epidemiological welfare on plague under aggravation of epizootic situation in the territory of the Pre-Caspian sandy natural plague focus in 2014. Plague control measures combined epizootiological and epidemiological monitoring, specific and non-specific prophylaxis, training activities for medical and veterinary officers, instructional advice for medical facilities on matters of infection prevention, and sensitization campaign. Furthermore, vaccinated against plague were 4460 people, field disinsection over 50.5 km2 area was performed, as well as field deratization - 89.4 km2, township disinsection - 257.3 thous. m2, and township deratization - 329.1 thous. m2. Financial expenses on prophylactic (anti-epidemic) activities amounted to 23265.8 thousand rubles. Outlined was viability of preventive planning and prophylactic measures in the territories with forecasted aggravation of epizootic situation in natural plague foci of the Russian Federation

The working results of the research institutions of the Russian federation on sorghum

S.I. Gorpinichenko, Candidate of Agricultural Sciences; N.A. Kovtunova, Candidate of Agricultural Sciences; V.V. Kovtunov, Candidate of Agricultural Sciences FSBSI “Agricultural Research Center ‘Donskoy” (347740, Zernograd, Nauchny Gorodok, 3; email: [email protected]) The working results of the research institutions of the Russian federation on sorghum The article presents the complete analysis of the data concerning sorghum taken from the State List of the Breeding Achievements for 2016. About 20 research institutions are conducting breeding work in the selection of varieties and hybrids of sorghum in Russia, among them such leading establishments as the FSBSI ARRI of Grain Crops named after I.G. Kalinenko, FSBSI Russian RI o Sorghum and Maize, FSBSI Stavropol RIA, FSBSI Nizhne-Volzhsky RIA, FSBSI RIA of South-East and the Academy of Bio and Nature resources, FSAEI HE Crimea federal University named after V.I. Vernadsky. There are 221 sorghum varieties and hybrids, including 55 varieties and 39 hybrids of grain sorghum, 35 varieties and 10 hybrids of sweet sorghum, 29 sorghum-Sudan hybrids, 39 varieties of Sudan grass, 13 varieties of broomcorn and 2 varieties of perennial sorghum registered in the State List in 2016, among which the share of 6 major research institutions in Russia accounts for 118 (53%) sorghum varieties and hybrids. Analyzing the distribution of sorghum varieties and hybrids according to the date of introduction into the State List, we have found that for the last years Russia has been conducting a successful breeding work with grain sorghum, sweet sorghum and sorghum-Sudan hybrids, among which the new (less than 5 years) varieties account 40-53%. For the last six years (2011-2016) the leading institutions developed and introduced into the State List 22 varieties and hybrids of grain sorghum, 14 varieties of sweet sorghum, 8 varieties of Sudan grass, 8 sorghum-Sudan hybrids and 2 varieties of broomcorn

Improvement of harvesting technology of sorghum

The last years have seen a wide application of grain crop stripping technology. All harvesting combines are now equipped with stripper heads. Due to the decrease of number of stems in the stripped grain mass the load on the threshing unit also decreases on 75-80%. It increases productivity of grain harvester in 1.5-1.7 times. Because of a small share of the lands under sorghum, participating in crop rotations, the implementation of sorghum harvesting by stripping technology is paid little attention. At the same time when sorghum is harvested by the traditional method of threshing, plant stems are compressed and rubbed. As a result moisture of the stems falls on grain, it is absorbed by grain and it increases grain humidity. The stripping harvesting does no deform the stems that allow harvesting grain with the same moisture as before stripping. Thus the article considers the possibility to adapt harvesting stripping technology for sorghum, though it has been predominantly designed for grain crops. The experiments showed that the share of non-grain part after stripping of the grain sorghum variety ‘Zernogradskoe 53’ was 17.3%, that was similar to the stripped grain mass of grain crops and in 1.77 times less than after stripping of sweet sorghum. The data about losses of grain obtained during the study greatly vary. The grain losses after stripping of sweet sorghum were 7.6%, that was in 2.64 times more than after stripping of grain sorghum variety ‘Zernogradskoe 53’. Thus, the grain sorghum variety ‘Zernogradskoe 53’ and other varieties of the similar morphology can be harvested with crop stripping technology, using constantly manufactured stripper headers. But the present stripper headers are not suitable for harvesting of sweet sorghum and other varieties of similar morphology and they require large modernization

Breeding of grain sorghum in the Rostov region

Grain sorghum is the most essential fodder and food crop with a range of advantages. The purpose of the study is to reveal the features of grain sorghum's seed-growing and to carry out the analysis of varietal composition, the amount of planted seeds according to the categories, and of the areas planted with sorghum in the Rostov region in 2012-2014. There is a low amount of areas planted with sorghum and they don’t exceed 170 000 ha in Ru ssia, with no more than 60 000 ha in the Rostov region. One of the main reasons of insufficient distribution of the crop are the difficulties in seed growing, namely a late maturation of seeds (September, October), which impedes harvesting and reduces the quality of sowing characteristics. In the Rostov region it’s possible to obtain high quality seeds if apply high agricultural technology, compl y with the rules of seed-growing and choose proper varietal composition. A significant part of the varieties and the hybrids of grain sorghum (48.9%) included in the State Register of breeding achievements has been recommended for cultivation in the North-Caucasus region. The varieties of FSBSI All-Russian Research Institute of Grain Crops named after I.G Kalinenko occupy the largest part (51.3-73.3%) of all the areas planted with sorghum in the Rostov region. According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Food of the Rostov region there is an increase of the amount of sown grain sorghum seeds of different categories from 2 950 hwt in 2012 to 11 100 hwt in 2014. It leads to significant increasing of areas planted with sorghum in the Rostov region from 14 500 to 58 300 hectares