Luhansk branch of the state institution “Institute of soil protection of Ukraine”


Creation and main areas of work

In the Luhansk region, the soil protection service was established in 1964 as a zonal agrochemical laboratory. Since its creation, the name has changed several times, slightly transformed and expanded functions. In 2013, the Luhansk branch of the state institution “Institute of soil protection of Ukraine” was formed. which currently performs about 250 types of various studies of soil, water, fertilizers, as well as agricultural products to determine the quality indicators, the state of contamination with residues of long-lived pesticides and heavy metals, and radiological contamination.

Every year, the branch’s specialists conduct a planned agrochemical survey (certification) of an average of 250 thousand hectares of agricultural land in the Luhansk region, on the basis of which the results of the agrochemical state and cartographic material are issued for 4,200 –  4,800 land plots  (fields).

The laboratory of the Luhansk branch of the SI “Derzhgruntokhorona” is accredited in the state enterprise “Luhanskstandartmetrologiya”.

Specialists of the Luhansk branch of the SI “Derzhgruntokhorona” develop plans for the use of fertilizers on arable land in the Luhansk region, conduct soil and plant diagnostics of mineral nutrition with calculations of the need for fertilizing with mineral fertilizers. Every year, the branch’s laboratories carry out quality control work in 350 thousand tons of agricultural products and feed.

Research work

The Luhansk branch of the SI “Derzhgruntokhorona”  conducts research work on  the development of relevant  methods for preserving soil fertility and increasing yields in the characteristic conditions of the region.

An important task  of the Luhansk branch as a regional scientific institution, where information is concentrated on the ecological state of the region’s soils within each individual land plot, is to promptly inform the management of the SI “Derzhgruntokhorona”, the Department of agro-industrial development of the Luhansk regional state administration, district management units and landowners about the trends in the development of soil formation, the rate of soil degradation of the region, the dynamics of their fertility indicators, first of all about the change in the priority of macronutrients in the recharge system. To this end, specialists of the Luhansk branch carry out significant work, during which they participate in the organization and holding of bush and district meetings, where they make reports on the problems of rational use of soils and Fertilizers.

Based on the results of scientific and practical activities of the Luhansk branch of the SI “Derzhgruntokhorona”, specialists publish thematic articles, methodological recommendations, booklets, and draw up an annual report on scientific work. The branch actively participates in the publication of the newsletter “Agroluhanshchina”.

Collabortion

In the course of its activities, the branch actively cooperates with the Department of agro-industrial development, the Department of Ecology and natural resources of the Luhansk regional state administration, district departments of agro-industrial development, the State Agricultural Inspectorate and the Main Department of land resources in the Luhansk region, also cooperates with educational institutions of the agricultural direction, with students of which scientific and practical classes are conducted. Close cooperation is also carried out with major agro-industrial producers, such as LLC “Loture-Agro”, PJSC “Agroton”, LLC “Kernel-Trade”, PE SVF “Agro”.