Uman National University of Horticulture

Photosynthetically active radiation (PAR), the solar radiation absorbed by plants in the 380–710 nm wavelength range, represents a key component of the surface radiation budget and plays a central role in terrestrial carbon assimilation. Understanding long-term PAR variability is increasingly important in the context of regional climate change and shifts in radiative forcing that influence surface energy fluxes.In Ukraine, routine PAR measurements are not performed due to the absence of standard instrumentation. Therefore, the quantification of PAR and the assessment of its multi-decadal variability require indirect reconstruction methods. This study develops a long-term PAR database for the warm season (April–October) using actinometric observations and the components of the surface radiation balance. Direct, diffuse, and total PAR were calculated using established conversion coefficients applied to measured shortwave radiation components. Spatial and temporal patterns were analysed using statistical and cartographic methods.The primary study period is 1961–2020, complemented by several shorter sub-periods (1961–1990, 1991–2020, 1991–2000, 2001–2010, and 2011–2020) analysed comparatively to identify decadal and multi-decadal shifts in PAR components. Since the 1980s–1990s, consistent with global warming trends and associated radiative perturbations, the redistribution of solar radiation reaching the surface has been observed. These changes are linked to factors such as aerosol loadings, cloudiness variability, and large-scale circulation patterns, all of which affect the surface radiation budget.Results indicate that direct, diffuse, and total PAR exhibit pronounced spatial gradients, increasing from western and northwestern regions, including the Ukrainian Carpathians, toward the Southern Steppe and Crimea. An increase in direct solar radiation during 2001–2010 relative to 1991–2000, and again in 2011–2020 relative to 1991–2000, resulted in marked increases in direct PAR. Conversely, declines in diffuse solar radiation resulted in reduced diffuse PAR, while heterogeneous changes in total shortwave radiation produced corresponding fluctuations in total PAR.These findings highlight the sensitivity of PAR to long-term changes in the surface radiation budget and contribute to understanding how regional climate change is modifying the radiative environment that underpins terrestrial productivity.

Introduction. The absence of a paradigm for socio-natural development at the noospheric level is now confirmed by the almost complete failure of the concept of sustainable development (especially after Rio+20). Instead of its original restrictive content, the current "strategy" for sustainable development with 17 goals contains only three that are truly close to the high ideals of Rio-92. The rest of the goals emphasize the intensification of economic development at the expense of the planet's natural resources. The authors are deeply convinced that the biosphere's direct response to the expansion of our species is numerous cataclysms, pandemics, and wars. The purpose of this study is to identify socio-natural systems in space and time, which will help determine where humans are now and how far they have "broken away" from the biosphere on the complex and long path to the noosphere/sustainable development. Research methods. The study is based on an analysis of fundamental natural science works, huge amounts of data on the spatial organization of agriculture in the Kharkiv and Cherkasy regions, and the results of previous studies. In addition to traditional methods of geographical and ecological research, cartographic methods were widely used, in particular the author's methodology of elementary GIS (EGIS), historical-geographical and historiosophical research, modeling, and the development of possible scenarios for the development of socio-natural interaction. Main findings. The interpretation of the mechanisms of aggravation of the global environmental problem within the evolutionary process is considered in terms of the categories and concepts of the natural history paradigm. It is stated that the global environmental problem is the result of spatial inconsistency of territorial combinations of different types of ecosystems – agroecosystems, urban ecosystems, and infrastructure ecosystems. The main reason for the ineffectiveness of the concept of sustainable development is the incorrect positioning of the species "Homo" in the planet's biosphere. It has been substantiated that the "ecotope" of Homo sapiens goes far beyond the organismic level of species organization and encompasses the ecosystem level, forming an agroecosystem as an ecological niche with moving spatial boundaries. Based on an analysis of the evolution of agroecosystems in the Kharkiv region over a 3-year period, it has been established that the cause of the aggravation of the global environmental problem is the spatial inconsistency of territorial combinations of noospheric ecosystems. A possible way to harmonize the development of nature and society could be the spatial rotation of the functions of agro- and urban ecosystems while preserving the connecting functions of infraecosystems and striving for contact-type boundaries. Scientific novelty and practical value. The proposed ideal model of socio-natural interaction in the process of nature use, based on the principle of spatial rotation, radically changes the main direction of interaction between nature and society from anthropocentric to adaptive. At the same time, one of the main conditions for noospheric (sustainable) development is fulfilled—a change in the structure and functions of natural ecosystems by humans that leaves them capable of self-reproduction.

BACKGROUND: Russia’s long-term military aggression has caused stress that has affected all Ukrainians and catastrophically worsened their health, as evidenced by many studies. However, longitudinal dynamics of changes in the psycho-emotional-cognitive-behavioral state of victims have not yet been conducted, nor has a comprehensive set of protective-rehabilitation measures been provided. The above-mentioned shortcomings formed the basis of the study.METHODS: The sample covered most regions of Ukraine. Four categories of participants were selected: civilians, “internally displaced persons,” military personnel, persons released from captivity (N.=3916, aged 5-73 years). The research period lasted during the three years of the war in Ukraine (i.e., 2022, 2023, 2024). Twelve diagnostic tools were used.RESULTS: Of the 3916 participants, 2677 were diagnosed with various stress/trauma related disorders (951 males, 1726 females), mainly male military personnel and persons after captivity or occupation. Sleep disorders were recorded in 284 participants. Other psychosomatic disorders with concomitant eating disorders, negative somatics, anxiety and depression were identified in 184 participants, which provoked physical, emotional and sexual violence between partners and even suicidal tendencies in young people. Various behavioral disturbances/disorders were recognized in 771 children.CONCLUSIONS: Identified symptoms can provoke serious chronic neurological-somatic disorders/diseases. As a recreational tool, a complex system of Art-Therapy (AT) and rehabilitation techniques were developed, which implementation gave positive health-recovery results. Our study may contribute to expanding the range of nursing interventions in providing comprehensive care to populations affected by various disasters/conflicts, especially by war-induced psycho-emotional stress.

We introduce a variational approach for extracting curves between a list of possible endpoints, based on the discretization of an energy and Smirnov's decomposition theorem for vector fields. It is used to design a bi-level minimization approach to automatically extract curves and 1D structures from an image, which is mostly unsupervised. We extend then the method to curvature-dependent energies, using a now classical lifting of the curves in the space of positions and orientations equipped with an appropriate sub-Riemanian or Finslerian metric.

У статті наведено результати польового дослідження, проведеного в агрокліматичних умовах Уманського району Черкаської області, з метою оцінки різноякісності, фракційного складу та маси 1000 насінин сої залежно від сортового складу. Дослідження охоплювало п’ять сортів сої: ЕС Ментор, Галлек, ОАЦ Брук, ОАЦ Страйв та ОАЦ Лейкв’ю. Фракційний склад визначали шляхом поділу насіння на великі (>6,5 мм), середні (5,0–6,5 мм) та дрібні (<5,0 мм) фракції методом просіювання. Маса 1000 насінин встановлювалася за стандартними методиками, а вміст білка – за допомогою ближньої інфрачервоної спектроскопії (NIRS). Отримані результати засвідчили виражені відмінності між сортами. Сорти ЕС Ментор та ОАЦ Лейкв’ю характеризувалися переважанням великої фракції насіння (>6,5 мм) понад 55 %, що свідчить про їхню придатність для використання у виробництві крупнонасіннєвої сої. У сортів Галлек та ОАЦ Страйв спостерігався більш рівномірний розподіл насіння між фракціями, що робить їх універсальними для різних напрямів використання. Сорт ОАЦ Брук мав найменшу частку насіння великої фракції (>6,5 мм) і найбільшу кількість дрібного (<5,0 мм) – до 28 %, що вказує на його специфічну морфометричну диференціацію. Маса 1000 насінин варіювала від 131,2 г у сорту ОАЦ Брук до 168,4 г у сорту ЕС Ментор, що вказує на значний вплив генетичних факторів. Вміст білка змінювався від 36,5 % (ЕС Ментор) до 40,8 % (ОАЦ Брук), що підтверджує тенденцію оберненої залежності між масою насіння та його білковістю. Додатково встановлено достовірні кореляційні зв’язки між масою 1000 насінин, вмістом білка та фракційним складом, що дозволяє прогнозувати якісні показники насіння залежно від сортових особливостей. Таким чином, встановлено, що якісні та біохімічні характеристики насіння сої значною мірою визначаються сортовими особливостями, а отримані результати можуть бути використані для оптимізації селекційних програм і технологій вирощування.

The article considers the issue of protecting patients, medical or service personnel, from unwanted, potentially hazardous laser radiation during the operation of surgical diode lasers of the domestic «Fotonica Plus Co». The main technical characteristics of the surgical diode lasers «LIKA-Surgeon» and «LIKA-Surgeon+» of this manufacturer are given. The results of the «LIKA-Surgeon» laser tests, which relate to protecting people from unwanted laser radiation, are provided. Analysis of the obtained results showed that the product ensures user safety in accordance with the requirements of standards for the safety of medical lasers. It is noted that the manufacturer conducts clinical observations of its products after their implementation, which meets the requirements set forth in the new EU Regulation 2017/745 on medical devices.

The object of this study is the extracts from black elderberry fruit pomace obtained using various polyols (glycerol, xylitol, sorbitol), as well as their ability to extract anthocyanins, stability, persistence, and spectral characteristics. It was found that black elderberry fruit pomace is characterized by an increased content of anthocyanins (0.42±0.02 %) compared to fresh fruits (0.29±0.02 %) and juice (0.23±0.02 %), as well as a high concentration of flavonoids: rutin (1.52±0.03 %), quercetin (0.26±0.01 %), and luteolin (2.77±0.04 %). Water-ethyl and water-glycerol extracts demonstrated the highest concentration of coloring substances (57.4–58.3 g/dm3). Microstructural analysis revealed amorphous formations with a size of 50–300 nm, which contribute to the stable retention of anthocyanins. Spectral analysis confirmed the intense absorption bands of anthocyanins (1625–1725 cm⁻1) in glycerin extracts. The high extraction capacity of glycerin solvents is due to their polarity, electrostatic interaction with anthocyanins and stabilizing properties of glycerin. Water-sorbitol and water-xylitol extracts were less stable due to their hydrophilicity and weaker ability to retain pigments. The use of glycerin as a solvent ensured maximum stability of the extracts due to the formation of amorphous structures that slow down the oxidation of anthocyanins. The results could be used in practice in the food industry for manufacturing natural dyes, in particular in beverages, confectionery, dairy and fermented milk products. Practical implementation is possible under the following conditions: extraction temperature 65±1.5 °C, pH 3.2–3.5, concentration in a vacuum evaporator and storage at a temperature of 4±2 °C to preserve the biological activity of anthocyanins and prevent their degradation. In addition, the results of the study open up prospects for the rational use of berry pomace, which is usually subject to disposal

Goal. To investigate the effectiveness of the insecticide Jalentra, CS (chlorantraniliprole, 106 g/l + bifenthrin, 159 g/l) in reducing the population and harmfulness of phytophagous arthropods and its impact on the productivity indicators of apple trees in commercial orchards. Methods. Route surveys were conducted from 2015 to 2024 in horticultural farms in the Forest-Steppe zone of Ukraine (Chernivtsi, Vinnytsia, Cherkasy, Poltava, and Kyiv regions) to determine the species composition and population density of major pests, the areas of orchards they infest, including the codling moth and various leafrollers, sucking pests (scale insects, false scale insects, aphids, and fruit mites). Research was carried out in 2023—2024 in commercial apple orchards under the conditions of the university’s educational and production department. The technical efficiency of Jalentra, CS (chlorantraniliprole, 106 g/l + bifenthrin, 159 g/l) was evaluated at different application rates against plant-feeding mites and insects damaging leaves, shoots, and generative organs of trees and its impact on apple productivity in commercial orchards. The accounting was carried out according to standard methods in fruit growing and plant protection. Results. According to route surveys in apple orchards of the Forest-Steppe of Ukraine, the most numerous and harmful arthropod species during the summer growing season included 21 phytophagous species, specifically: Three mite species (family Tetranychidae); Three aphid species (suborder Aphidinea); Four scale insect and false scale insect species (suborder Coccidae); Five leafroller species (family Tortricidae); Six moth species (family Gracillariidae). During 2023—2024, the most harmful species in the university’s commercial apple orchards were: Mites: red fruit mite, common spider mite; Aphids: green apple aphid, red-gall or gray apple aphid, woolly apple aphid; Scale insects: California red scale, oyster shell scale (or false California scale), acacia false scale; Moths: rose leafroller, netted leafroller, timid leafroller, codling moth; Leaf-mining moths: hawthorn blotch miner, apple lower-side leaf miner, apple upper-side fruit miner. The application of Jalentra, CS resulted in a population reduction of: Mites by 87.9—90.5%; Aphids by 90.9—94.8%; Scale insects and false scale insects by 83.8—90.7%; Moths by 90.8—96.1%. This contributed to obtaining high-quality apple production, with yields 1.39—1.43 times higher than the control (water treatment). The percentage of non-standard products did not exceed 13.1%, compared to 24.8% in the control. The study also confirmed an increase in the biometric indicators of trees, namely: Annual shoot length: +2.0—14.5%; Internode length: +8.8—9.5%; Shoot thickness: 1.05 times thicker; Leaf surface area: +19.6—30.8%. These factors are crucial for forming fruit buds and future yields in apple orchards. No phytotoxic effects of the insecticide on plants were observed during the study. Conclusions. The application of Jalentra, CS (0.25—0.4 l/ha) effectively reduces the harmfulness of major arthropods in commercial apple orchards, providing long-term pest control during the growing season. It improves tree biometric parameters, increases yields, and enhances the commercial quality of apple production. For mites, woolly apple aphids, and California red scale, the recommended application rate is 0.35—0.4 l/ha. The technical efficiency results of Jalentra, CS against major arthropods in apple orchards suggest that it should be recommended to the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources of Ukraine for further registration for apple orchards at the specified application rates and inclusion in the national list of approved pesticides and agrochemicals for use in Ukraine.

The study on economic efficiency in hotel and restaurant management highlights the key features of the HoReCa sector in today’s competitive environment. It reveals that successful enterprises are those that adapt quickly to market changes, implement innovative technologies, optimize costs, and maintain high service quality. Key economic indicators such as profitability, labor productivity, capital turnover, and cost levels were analyzed. The research emphasizes the importance of strategic planning, marketing analysis, human resource development, and financial management. It also highlights the role of digital tools, automation systems, and big data in improving decision-making. A comprehensive approach to managing economic efficiency helps businesses remain competitive and achieve stable growth. The study concludes that flexibility and innovation are essential for success. These factors support the development of sustainable competitive advantages in both local and international markets.