Central Chernozem Zone, Institute of Agriculture of the

Central Chernozem Zone, Institute of Agriculture of the

 

(full name, V. V. Dokuchaev Scientific Research Institute of Agriculture of the Central Chernozem Zone; NIISKhTsChP), a center of agricultural science and plant selection managed by the Ministry of Agriculture of the RSFSR and located in the central chernozem zone of the European part of the USSR. The institute was organized in 1956 in the settlement of Talovaia in Voronezh Oblast, incorporating the Scientific Research Institute of Land Cultivation of the Central Chernozem Zone, which had been established at the site of the experimental field laid out in Kamennaia Step’ in 1892 by the expedition led by V. V. Dokuchaev.

In 1976 the institute had divisions specializing in soil-protective land cultivation; the improvement of agricultural and forest lands, land cultivation, irrigation, mechanization, and the electrification of agricultural production; economics; the distribution of scientific and technical information; and livestock raising. It has a plant-breeding center with a division of seed growing and laboratories for the study of winter and spring grains, leguminous plants, and groat crops. The institute’s other divisions deal with biochemistry, the technological evaluation of grains, physiology and cytology, varietal farming practices, plant selection and seed growing for corn crops, and agronomic soil analysis. The institute also has three experimental farms.

The institute studies methods of land cultivation and animal husbandry for the central chernozem zone and introduces new varieties of agricultural crops. In 1976, 20 varieties bred by the institute had been regionalized, including six of grain crops, two of leguminous plants, and four of perennial grasses. The institute offers a program of graduate study for resident and correspondence students. It has published Sbornik nauchnykh rabot (Collection of Scientific Papers) since 1959. In 1967 the institute was awarded the Order of the Red Banner of Labor.

I. A. VINOKUROVA