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

Zakarpattia branch of the SI “Derzhgruntokhorona” is a separate structural division of the state institution “Institute of soil protection of Ukraine”, created to carry out scientific research in the field of soil protection and their fertility, rational use and environmental safety of agricultural land, environmental objects, determining the quality of products, raw materials and agrochemicals in Zakarpattia region.

Areas of work of Zakarpattia branch of the SI “Derzhgruntokhorona”:

Monitoring of soils on agricultural land in order to collect, analyze and process information about the qualitative state of soils and their erosion safety, soil contamination with heavy metals, radionuclides, residual amounts of pesticides, and other toxic substances of technogenic and natural origin;

Conducting agrochemical certification to determine soil fertility indicators and the level of their contamination with toxic substances, as well as monitoring changes in these indicators due to economic activity;

Production and issuance of an agrochemical passport of a field or land plot with a conclusion on the fertility and ecological state of soils and recommendations for carrying out measures aimed at improving soil fertility and preventing negative impacts.

Zakarpattia branch annually conducts an agrochemical survey of more than 50 thousand agricultural lands of the region, certification of land plots – about 3 thousand and issues passports on the state of their fertility.

Analytical laboratories of the branch annually perform more than 80 thousand different analyses with the determination of soil fertility indicators and their toxicological and radiological state.

Ecotoxicological studies of surface waters are carried out regarding the level of contamination with pesticide residues, heavy metals and radionuclides; indicators of the quality of agricultural products are determined; natural subsurface resources are studied for the content of heavy metals and radioactive elements; soil and plant diagnostics of mineral nutrition of agricultural crops are carried out, according to the results of which calculations of the need for mineral fertilizers are provided.

Specialists of the branch develop projects for the radical improvement of land and its reclamation and Liming of acidic soils; conduct a detailed soil survey for laying perennial plantings, changing the purpose and removing the humus horizon with accrual of losses; produce projects for allotment of land plots for construction and other land management works; develop projects for creating orchards and vineyards; monitor the implementation of state and regional programs for the protection of soil fertility.

Specialists of the branch take part in scientific and practical conferences, seminars and meetings of various levels. The branch’s scientific achievements are covered in scientific articles, production recommendations, booklets and brochures, as well as on radio and television. Close communication is established with landowners – they are provided with consultations, seminars are held on the reproduction of soil fertility in the region and ensuring their productivity.

Zakarpattia branch of the SI “Derzhgruntokhorona” successfully cooperates with Zakarpatiaan regional state administration and the Department of agro-industrial development of the regional state administration and district departments. By order of the Regional Department, programs have been developed for the restoration of orchards and vineyards, reclamation and development of drained land and liming of acidic soils of the region.

Close creative relations have developed with the Transcarpathian Agricultural Research Station of the National Academy of Sciences for holding working meetings and seminars on technological issues of growing agricultural crops.

For many years, Zakarpattia branch has been cooperating with the Transcarpathian basin water resources Department of the Tysa river in international projects to improve soil fertility in the territories adjacent to the border. Joint efforts help to solve a number of problems related to improving the use of agricultural land in the region.