Favourable temperature, aeration, and moisture conditions must be maintained in the tuber nest area to obtain a good potato crop. To develop the theoretical prerequisites and principles of designing the environment for growing potatoes, the authors conducted studies on sod-podzolic sandy loam soil at Lorch Potato Research Center in 2019-2020. The work aimed to study the influence of the complex application of environmental factors, such as moisture-saving superabsorbent polymers Aquasin (Agro) and the width of row spacing on the main agrophysical parameters of the soil and the yield of tubers when optimizing environmental formation in potato growing technology. The field experience tab, records, and observations were carried out in accordance with the requirements of the field experiment methodology and the potato research methododology. The experiment scheme included a variation of three parameters: the Meteor (early) and Favorit (medium-ripening) varieties; row spacing of 120 + 30 cm (for beds) and 75 cm (for ridges); application rates of superabsorbent polymers of 0.200 and 400 kg/ha in the first treatment. The experiment was laid according to the scheme by the method of systematic plot arrangement in a fourfold repetition. The experiment plot area was 21 m². It was experimentally found that increasing the row-spacing and introducing SAP improved medium formation components in the tuber nest zone: the soil temperature decreased by 0.3°C; soil humidity increased from 47.4% to 59.2% of limiting field moisture capacity; values of soil hardness decreased by 2.7...11.0 kg/cm². The crop capacity of the early potato Meteor varieties increased from 30.7 t/ha (in the variant with the ridging technology without application of superabsorbing polymers) up to 37.7 t/ha (in the variant with the ridging technology and a SAP application rate of 400 kg/ha); the crop capacity of the middle-season Favorit variety has increased from 32.3 to 39.6 t/ha, respectively. The autors conclude that the SAP application in combination with the ridge technology is a promising method.

Due to the need to replace worn-out mechanization tools with more modern high-performance brands, the search for alternative technologies for growing potatoes is rather relevant. Tha author made a comparative analysis of the production efficiency of the ridge-band and ridge technologies of potato cultivation for CJSC Lenin State Farm in the Moscow Region. The area of potato cultivation of the "Pirol" variety was 400 hectares. With the ridge-band technology, the main and pre-sowing tillage was carried out by the MTZ 1025 and K744R1 tractors, while ZA1500 was used for fertilization. The PLN-5-35 plow and a KSS-9 cultivator were used as tillage tools. When shifting to the ridge technology of potato cultivation, alternative means of mechanization can be considered. Tractors MTZ 1025 and K744R1 are proposed to be replaced by John Deere 8295R. During autumn tillage, plowing was replaced by deep loosening, carried out by the Digger N Fert + COMPACT deep loosener with the simultaneous application of complex fertilizers. The GL 430 was chosen as the sowing machine instead of the energy-saturated Grimme VL20 KLZ machine. Potato harvesting is proposed to be carried out with a Ventor 4150 self-propelled harvester, which is less productive than the DR-1500, but more fuel efficient; moreover, it cuts the tops while harvesting. The proposed measures made it possible to reduce the production cost of one centner by 10.8% or by 33.5 rubles per 100 kg, increase profit by 16.0% and production profitability by 9.8%, thus reaching 43.7%. The practice of using new machines exemplified by this enterprise can be useful for other potato farms operating in the Non-Chernozem Zone of Russia.

Due to insufficiently studied conditions of pelletizing seeds with diatomaceous-sand and clay-sand mixtures (DSM and CSM), the author conducted experimental research of pelletizing modes of DSM and CSM seeds in a pelletizer made of glass and having the form of an elliptical rotation paraboloid with a base diameter of 60 mm. The author formulated requirements for the quality of pellets and assessed the possibility of indirect evaluation of pelletizing quality by the amount of mixture, which has not entered into the pelletation process. Confirmed experimentally were the dependence of dragee shell strength on several factors, such as rotation frequency and tilt angle of a working tool, moisture and feed mode of initial mixtures, the duration of seed pelletizing with a diatomaceous sand mixture, as well as the mixture composition at the second stage of pelletizing. As a result of screening experiment, it was found that the amount of mixture not involved in the pelletazing process is significantly affected by the humidity of the initial mixtures, the rotation frequency of the working body and the duration of pelletizing with a diatomaceous sand mixture. The search for the region of optimum parameters of pelletizing was made by the Box-Wilson method of steep ascent. The response surface area was described by the segment of Taylor's series, according to the coefficients of which it was found that that the best result is achieved with the initial mixture humidity of 7%, the rotation frequency of the working unit of 16 m^-1 and the duration of the first phase of seed pelletazing with a diatomaceous-sandy mixture of 18 minutes.

The rational movement of a seeding unit when sowing lawn grasses requires the seed drill to move both along straight-line and curvilinear trajectories, thus enabling it to sideslip possible obstacles, while maintaining uniform sowing. To ensure uniform sowing during a curved path, a different amount of seed material is required to enter the soil from the seed wheels, which travel distances of different radii. To check the indices of the non-uniformity of sowing between units and the general variability of sowing at rectilinear and curvilinear movement, the experimental seed drill SV-0.9 equipped with the seeding unit of a reel type was developed and manufactured. It is capable of uniform sowing both at rectilinear and curvilinear movement. The authors present some stand test methods for determining the rate of the non-uniformity of sowing between the units for the experimental seed drill with regard to its ability to provide uniform sowing both at rectilinear and curvilinear movement. Benchmark tests of the experimental seed drill were carried out on seeds with different physical and mechanical properties - white clover and grass mixture "Sportivnaya''. The sowing area was 30 m². The results of benchmark tests confirmed a linear relationship between the number of the reel grooves and the amount of sowing. It was found that between the units of the seed drill, the index of the non-uniformity of sowing of white clover seeds ranged between 2.23 and 3.10% and of grass mixture - 3.97 and 4.79%, the standard value being 8%. The variability index of the total sowing of white clover seeds was 2.77%; while for grass mixture "Sportivnaya", this index was 2.95%, the standard value being 9%. The study experimentally confirmed the effectiveness of the developed seed drill for the uniform sowing of lawn grasses.

Biologization of agricultural production provides for the refuse to use mineral fertilizers and chemical pesticides. Due to the lack of serial samples of small-sized maneuverable machines capable of the surface application of biological product solutions to degraded mountain meadows and pastures, the authors developed a laboratory sample of the block module based on the Fenshaw-180 minitractor and offered the technology of introducing biological products by the developed unit, specified the design of its working parts and units, taking into account agrotechnical requirements. At the next stage, they carried out commissioning and adjustment work, bench and field tests of the block module. For testing, a site typical of the soil-climatic zone was selected that meets the requirements of the technical assignment, technical specifications for manufacturing, and agrotechnical requirements for the prototype. Tuning and adjustment, bench and field tests of the block module were then carried out. For testing, a typical site for the soil-climatic zone was selected that meets the requirements of the technical assignment, technical specifications for manufacturing and agrotechnical requirements for a prototype. The technology was tested in the mountainous zone of the Republic of North Ossetia-Alania (the Dargavs basin, the SKNIIGPSKh base) at an altitude of 1540 m above sea level with a southeastern exposure and a slope steepness of up to 15°. The laboratory sample of the unit complies with the agrotechnical requirements and the terms of reference. Surface application of biological preparations was carried out according to the application rates. Studies have established an increase in the yearly yield of perennial grasses by 15...20% and strengthening of the turf, which prevents the development of water and wind erosion in a mountain zone with degraded soils. The authors conclude that it is expedient to use the developed block-module in mountain meadows and pastures with a slope of up to 15°.

Inflammation in the cow hooves leads to a decrease in milk yield and may cause early culling of animals. Early diagnosis of the disease provides a reduction in the cost of treatment, allows maintaining the health and milk production of animals. The use of infrared thermography to determine the temperature of cattle limbs is a fast and non-invasive way to obtain reliable information about the animal's health. To develop a mathematical model for determining the state of cattle limbs based on the profiles of hoof thermograms, the authors processed the data of 20 cows of the Yaroslavl breed, which are on the 2^nd-4^th lactation, with a lactation period ranging between months 1 and 7. The data array was formed using a Guide C400M thermal imager in the IR range. Data on the physiological state of cattle were entered into the Matlab R2019b program. For color gradation, the RGB color space was selected. The presented mathematical model for processing the profile of thermograms makes it possible to collect information on the spatial and temporal dynamics of cattle hoof temperatures by thermophysiological categories. When determining the state of the limbs, the areas of spatio-temporal distribution of temperature in the hoof are identified in the form of a transformed segmentation profile of the thermogram into a matrix, where RGB is assigned to the pixels from each fragment of the area, indicating a certain temperature. Exceeding the values R > 230, G > 103, B < 0 symbolizes a temperature above 40°C and means the presence of inflammation in the hoof. The developed algorithm will allow a farm veterinarian to automatically receive information about the state of the hooves of each cow, determine the focus of inflammation, its location, and diagnose the disease.

When designing new livestock farms, it is important to introduce the proper space-planning solutions in cow barns and technological solutions for major production processes. This task requires the development of mathematical relationships. The study presents the mathematical relationships for determining the dimensions of a cow barn for loose cubicle housing of animals using three options for the location of cubicles (technological modules). Each mathematical relationship takes into account several factors. They include the number of cows in the group; parameters of the technological module depending on the live weight of cows (the dimensions of cubicles and alleys); selection of the width of a feed table, a manure removal channel and a cow traffic alley depending on the adopted technological solutions. Determining the overall barn size makes it easier to compare different options of spatial solutions for the loose cubicle housing in terms of financial costs and animal comfort. It also allows selecting an option best suited for specific farm conditions at the stage of preparing the design assignment (basis). The proposed relationships can be used in designing algorithms of dairy farms.

The abatement of greenhouse gas emissions from livestock production is an important task of today. One solution is to reduce the generated amount of organic waste and the number of operations required for its transportation and application as they contribute to lower fuel consumption. A mitigation measure of carbon dioxide emissions is to cut down the quantity of manure-bearing wastewater from milking parlors and use it most effectively. The study aimed to assess the environmental effect of this measure. The carbon dioxide emissions were assessed by comparing two technologies. Technology 1 included the use of milking parlor wastewater in a greenhouse and the field application of manure. Technology 2, the basic one, featured the field introduction of milking parlor wastewater mixed with manure. A mathematical optimization model was applied to calculate the carbon dioxide emissions per ton of milk. The optimization problem solving showed that these emissions from the farm with 600-650 milking cows may differ by 4.9% depending on the technology option. The normative data and theoretical research results were used to calculate the carbon dioxide emissions from the fertilizer application units for a farm with 640 milking cows and a specific wastewater output of 7 l/cow/day. The planned milk productivity was 25 kg/cow/day. The MZHT-23 fertilizer application machine aggregated by T-150K tractor was employed. This machine unit transported the liquid organic fertilizers over a distance of 7 km and had a capacity of 22.9 t/h. The study established that the technology with manure management in the greenhouse (Technology 1) will reduce carbon dioxide emissions from the units transporting organic fertilizers to the fields by 11.1%, as compared with the basic technology.

At the moment, there is no comprehensive solution for the remote monitoring of the technical condition, location and other parameters of the machine fleet. One of the promising areas in repair and diagnostics is proactive diagnostics and improvement of diagnostics systems. To solve this problem, web-service is offered, which can help control location of machinery units, technical condition, and other parameters. The JavaScript programming language with asynchronous AJAX-requests is suitable for user-website interaction. For data storage, the authors proposed a cloud server accessed through the MySQL relational database management system. When transferred to the server, all data are converted into JSON format by means of the Apache server, which is the means of communication between the operator's screen and the server. A cross-platform local XAMPP server is used to communicate all systems. The Slack messenger is used to send messages and establish fast communication between operators, mechaniс components, and drivers. To remotely monitor the technical condition of a combustion engine, the system has a diagnostic algorithm that allows monitoring the condition of mechanical systems taking into account the analysis of data received from the electronic control system. The electronic control system can be connected via a single OBD-2 connector to read out standard information about the technical condition of the vehicle. The applicability of the developed diagnostic algorithm has been confirmed on a pilot plant with an IVECOF4HE diesel engine with modern electronic means of control. The conducted economic analysis has proved the effectiveness of the implementation of a remote control system during vehicle operation at the enterprise. The next stage in the development of an intelligent diagnostic system is to improve the algorithm for diagnosing the technical condition and expanding control over the other vehicle parts.

Fine-dispersed sprinkling, ultra-light water fog, and artificial snow are currently widely used in various sectors of the national economy. With a view to the possibility of a wider use of fine sprinkling and artificial snow in the agro-industrial sector and a practical proposal for their use, the authors analyzed the designs of technical devices capable of finely dispersing liquids and forming artificial snow for agricultural needs. The study determined the main technological parameters of the optimal technical solution. Studies have shown that artificial snow generators can be used not only for the production of artificial snow, but also for the implementation of fine sprinkling or the creation of ultra-light water mist, used as a covering material, maintaining the microclimate in agricultural buildings, treating agricultural plants with nutrients or protective solutions. The formation of artificial snow or fine sprinkling is carried out by stationary or mobile installations that provide water spray in the form of tiny droplets ranging in size from 50 to 600 microns, which tend to freeze later on. It has been determined that the most effective devices for spraying liquid in snow generators are sprayers based on the Laval nozzle, which provide high-quality fine spraying of the liquid with the ability to control the droplet size and ensure stable operation under various temperature conditions. The theoretical productivity of the plant during the treatment of crops and plantings with artificial snow can range between 0.05 and 0.34 ha/h. The conclusion is made about the need for further studies of the dynamic impact of the sprayed liquid jet on plants to determine the optimal operating modes and design parameters of the device, and the optimal location of the spraying devices relative to the treated objects.

The functional properties of the surface are significantly affected by its microgeometry, therefore it is necessary to optimize the parameters of the microgeometry of the surface of metal structures. The analysis and evaluation of the microgeometry of the surface allows an assessment of the fatigue strength of metal structures. In order to study the dependence of the durability of thin-sheet structures on the degree of corrosion destruction, the microgeometry of the surface was analyzed using a profilometer 130 in accordance with GOST 25142-82. Low-carbon cold-rolled steel 08kp was used as the test material. The surface roughness of the samples was Ra = 0.22 microns. The roughness parameters were calculated according to GOST 2789-73. A profilogram representing a discrete series of values of peaks and troughs of the relief of the metal plate surface was studied. To assess the microgeometry of the surface, a wavelet analysis was used, which allows processing signals that are nonstationary in time or inhomogeneous in space. The signal in the form of successive approximations has a trend, cyclic components and local features (fluctuations) around the components of the signal. The locality property of wavelets gives advantages over the trigonometric Fourier transform: the sines and cosines are defined on the entire numerical axis, and the wavelets have a compact carrier. For multiscale analysis, a fast cascade algorithm of calculations has been developed by analogy with the fast Fourier transform. In the study, the signal was decomposed to the 9th level. The reconstructed detailing coefficients represent high-frequency and low-frequency fluctuations. The decomposition of the signal to the 9th level made it possible to analyze the surface roughness of the 08kp steel using a multiple-scale wavelet analysis.

Increasing the performance of machines within their useful life necessitates modernizing maintenance and repair strategies. To develop a method for organizing maintenance and repair of machine parts aimed at improving the reliability of agricultural machinery, the authors carried out an analysis of the U-shaped form of the failure rate curve. Two types of post-warranty service were considered. The study showed that the failures of machine parts observed while operating are of two types: failures of the manufacturer (determined by the quality of design, manufacture and installation, and characterized by the failure rate) and operational failures (determined by the service quality of machine parts and characterized by the distribution law of failures described by the Weibull distribution, the standard normal Gaussian distribution law or other distribution laws of random variables). The research yielded the characteristics of the life periods of the control objects. The authors determined and justified the law of resource distribution and the active area of control, and presented methods for their analysis and use in the maintenance and repair of machine parts. The proposed method of maintenance and repair, based on preventing the failures of machine parts through the use of post-warranty service, will improve the reliability of diagnosed machines.

An analysis of the working conditions of agricultural machinery showed that the main contaminants of parts include a combination of soil residues with plant and other organic materials and a mixture of petroleum products of various origins. To identify the most efficient and cost-effective mode for cleaning parts, the authors conducted an experiment that takes into account three factors: the duration of washing, the temperature of the washing solution, and the concentration of the aqueous solution of detergent components. The optimization criterion is the amount of washed out contamination. The authors designed a matrix for the implementation of the full-factorial experiment plan. Samples in the form of a square tube with a size of 50 x 50 mm and a length of 50 mm were cleaned using a submersible washing machine in the form of a small-sized ultrasonic bath Specos V-100. A solution consisting of sodium carbonate and a mixture of surfactants in a ratio of 9:1 was used as a detergent. The modes of ultrasonic cleaning were changed in accordance with the variation of three factors: cleaning duration - from 5 to 15 minutes, washing solution temperature - from 40 to 80°C; concentration of the aqueous solution of detergent components - from 5 to 25 g/l. The reproducibility of the experimental results was confirmed using the Cochran test. The significance of the regression coefficients was determined using Student's t-test. The model was validated using the Fisher criterion. Based on the regression equation, the authors determined response surfaces, in which the dependences are extremely close to linear. It is concluded that with washing duration of 12 minutes, a washing solution temperature of 70°С, and a concentration of the aqueous solution of detergent components of 20 g/l, the amount of washed out contamination is maximum.