Scientists from Altai State University developed bases for precision farming in steppe regions

For the second year, scientists from the Institute of Geography of Altai State University, within the framework of the Priority 2030 Program, have been implementing the project “Ecological state of agrogenic soils and modes of their rational use in the conditions of Altai Krai.”

Altai Krai is a zone of risky farming. The region has seven soil-climatic zones, each of which has its own unique characteristics that determine soil fertility. Intensive use of agricultural land, irrational use of fertilizers, non-compliance with crop rotation, and the use of technologies without taking into account the soil and climatic characteristics of the territory inevitably lead to a gradual deterioration in fertility.

To conduct agriculture rationally, farmers need to know and take into account all the characteristics of the soils at their disposal. The databases developed by scientists from the Institute of Geography of Altai State University will help with this. They are digital cartographic systems of the Mikhailovsky and Uglovsky districts. The work of scientists consisted not only of collecting scientific information, but also of field trips, laboratory analyses, and the use of geographic information systems technologies.

“Our bases are different in that we work not along field areas, but precisely along soil contours. One field, depending on its size, can have from 1 to 10 or more soil contours. And each contour will manifest its own properties  – the soils will be different. In order to maximize the productivity of land and save money on their cultivation, we must correctly distribute fertilizers, carry out land reclamation, treat crops, etc. With the help of a digital mapping database, a farmer can plan work on problem areas with high accuracy using geodetic information. Our databases can be downloaded into task cards for advanced agricultural machinery, according to which the units will automatically, in accordance with the program, distribute fertilizers, pesticides, etc.,” said project participant, a lecturer from the Institute of Geography Nikita Pochemin.

Scientists have done a lot of work to compile these cartographic databases. They laid soil excavations, selected soil samples, conducted laboratory analysis of soils, determined their physicochemical properties, and assessed crop productivity.

“As part of the research, we compared samples taken by agrochemical stations in the 60s and 90s in the same places in order to track the dynamics and calculate the potential productivity of the soil and its changes over time. As part of assessing potential productivity, we are specifically interested in the fertility of soil cultivated without the use of mineral or organic fertilizers. This can be achieved by the effect of using various cultivation technologies,” noted Nikita Pochemin.

The bases created by scientists from ASU have already shown their effectiveness in the Mikhailovsky district. Experts have identified the potential that the fields provide and made recommendations for their rational use. The actual harvest exceeded the natural potential level of fertility, which indicated the high efficiency of technologies in the framework of soil exploitation. But such use gradually reduces natural fertility and requires the introduction of mineral and organic fertilizers, a set of soil protection measures, that is, the development of measures aimed at reproducing soil fertility. In addition, problem areas that cannot be used intensively were identified.