The article analyses the problems of using innovations in the agriculture of the Republic of Belarus and the Russian Federation. Discussed are the main directions of the enhancement of innovations in the agriculture of the republic including the mechanism of reducing commercial risks with introduction of innovations; creation of a network of consultancy services; monitoring the effectiveness of the innovative development of the branch.

The paper studies regulatory, legal, organizational, managerial, financial and economic conditions for creating the distribution network in Belarus. Presented is the assessment of the efficiency of agricultural products export referring the goods and geographical structure, direct supplies of agricultural organizations of the country. The problems which hamper the development of the distribution network on overseas food markets, including marketing and logistics infrastructure are substantiated. In order to increase the export we propose the prospective directions to optimize and improve the efficiency of work of the entities of agricultural distribution network on the external segments.

The article presents the retrospective analysis of the efficiency of the plant breeding branch and comparison of the empirical distribution of cost production. The analytical research on the efficiency of functioning of agricultural enterprises is conducted on the basis of nonparametric methods (DEA).

The paper substantiates the theoretical approaches to the mechanism of formation of the economic potential of processing enterprises of the agroindustrial complex and its structural elements. The methodology of integral estimation of the economic potential of processing enterprises of the agroindustrial complex is developed. The methodological principals of this estimation are substantiated what allows working out the strategy for their development under competitive conditions.

On the basis of the data of a large agrochemical survey the increasing deficit of mobile Zn in arable soils and grasslands has been determined as a result of unbalanced intensification of arable farming, negative balance of organic matter and soil acidification. Four groups of regions with deferent losses of mobile Zn (62–44–14–0 % of the initial content) for the period 1996–2012 have been identified. It resultes in the increasing demand of agricultural crops for Zn fertilization. The prognosis of mobile Zn content in arable soils in respect of the identified groups of regions for the period to 2020 is presented.

The paper presents the results of the research on the changes of the indices of the chemical composition of atmospheric precipitation (acidity, content of sulphate, nitrate, ammonium N, phosphate, potassium, calcium, magnesium, sodium, chloride, hydro carbonate and water soluble organic substance) in the Central (Minsk, 1981–2012) and South-east (“Podolesye” farm of Homel region, 1991–2000) parts of Belarus. It’s established that the chemical composition of atmospheric precipitation and its mineralization status change according to the amount of precipitation and seasons of the year. 

In the researches on sod-podzolic sandy loamy soil the application of mineral fertilizers N30-70P40K90, microelements (boric acid, ammonium molybdate, liquid complex fertilizer) and growth regulators (epin, hydrohumate, mаltamin) increases the yield of green beans by 19.05–21.22 dt/ha and raw protein content by 15.4–16.4%. The optimization of agrochemical methods while cultivating green beans ensures the net income 6,5–89,5 $/ha with the profitability 16–61 %.

The article presents the experimental data on the influence of weather conditions and fore-crops on winter resistance of different varieties of winter wheat in northern Steppe of Ukraine. It is noted that when the land was fallow the safety index of all the plants under study was the lowest: 98 % for Zira, 96% for Zamojnist, and 97 % for Rozkishna. It’s explained by the optimal ratio of the vegetative mass and economical consumption of organic substances during the winter period. The significant influence of weather conditions and fore-crops on the growth of crops is established.

The paper deals with the main results of different methods of using Holstein breed to improve the genetic potential of the productivity of animals of the Belarusian black and white breed on breeding farms and at the population level. The best variant of a large-scale selection with the Belarusian breed and possible efficiency of its use are presented. The directions and methods for further improvement of the breed are identified.

The conducted research shows that the carcasses of Hereford x black and white and Aberdeen Anguss x black and white bulls have a muscular lumber part, back part, a well developed chest part, a better coxofemoral part than the carcasses of black and white bulls. It’s established that Hereford x black and white cows surpass the cows of black and white breeds in respect of body weight by 27,7 kg or 5,0 % and Aberdeen Anguss x black and white by 19,3 kg or 3,5 %.

The results of the first experience of in vitro cattle embryo production in the system of transvaginal oocyte aspiration (TOA) are represented in this article. It’s established that the method of transvaginal oocyte aspiration allows getting 2,7 oocytes per session and 3,3 oocytes per operation. The output of oosytes per session is 2,0 in general. The output of oocytes at blastocyst stage is 8,9 % of the number of matured cells and 21,4 % of the number of divided embryos.

Inclusion of 15 % of extruded food concentrate into KR-1 feed for calves contributes to the enhancement of microbiological processes in the rumen. It is reflected in the increase of the concentration of volatile fatty acids by 14.5 %, decrease of pH by 4.7 % and ammonia by 10%. It ensures the increase of digestibility of dry and organic matter by 9,7-65 percentage points, crude protein by 6.8 percentage points, fiber by 4.5 percentage points, fat by 5.2 percentage points, the concentration of total protein in serum by 7,5%, and the decrease of urea content by 16.2 %, allowing to increase the average daily gain of calves by 8%, to reduce the cost of feed by 9% and get more profit by10 %.

As a result of the analysis of soil deformation S-dependence between resistance and deformation is established. For the description of concave and convex areas of a curve the dependences are proposed. These dependences can be used to substantiate the permissible load on the wheels of agricultural machinery.

The article states the computational schemes and the results of energy consumption calculation connected with the movements of a plough in soil. Friction losses of plough details with soil and their connection with tribotechnical characteristics of friction surface are established.

The paper studies the resistance to oxidation of flaxseed oil extracts from medicinal and aromatic plant raw materials (sage, St. John's wort, thyme, hips, caraway, ginger, turmeric, clove). It’s established that liposoluble biologically active substances of the extracts inhibit the most effectively flaxseed oil oxidation when sage and caraway are used.