Agricultural sciences

The laboratory researches the mechanisms of plant immunity to pathogens and pests, the mechanisms of relationships in trophic systems "recipient plant - phytophagus", "recipient plant - phytopathogen", "recipient plant-vector-phytopathogen". The laboratory studies the peculiarities of biology and variability of phytopathogens, phytophages and cultivated plants using a complex of classical and molecular genetic methods. The laboratory investigates the genotypic and phenotypic diversity of agricultural crops. Research areas: Plant immunity; Marker-oriented and phytocenotic breeding; Agricultural entomology.

Our laboratory provides the following services: - selection of biomaterial and obtaining animal DNA; - genetic testing of cattle for hereditary pathologies; - genetic testing of cattle for infections of group III-IV pathogenicity; - genetic testing of cattle by genes of economically useful traits; - development of new types of testing at the request of customers.

The laboratory conducts research aimed at finding new target genes involved in the formation of useful plant traits (for example, baking qualities of wheat and triticale). Also, one of the central topics of the laboratory is the study of mobile elements in the genomes of agricultural (tomato, sunflower, soy, rapeseed) and model (arabidopsis and tobacco) plants.

Our research is largely united by the topic of soil structure — the spatial structure of soils and how it provides the most important functions of soils in ecosystems: carbon stabilization, hydrological, biodiversity maintenance and support function (plant growth and development, mechanical stability).

The introduction of methods of structural and functional genomics to solve traditional problems of control and management of genetic resources of fur-bearing animals and rabbits.

The laboratory studies pests and develops ways to destroy them. Namely, the laboratory develops bioinsecticides and multifunctional biological preparations based on fungi and bacteria to protect plants from insect pests; studies the mechanisms of insect resistance to infectious agents; develops ways to increase the virulence of entomopathogenic fungi and bacteria through genetic engineering. Work is underway to create drugs based on bacteria, fungi and microbial consortia that stimulate plant growth and disease resistance.

The study of the current state and spatial-temporal dynamics of forests in three-dimensional conditions of the Caucasus mountains.