Soil Institute named after V.V. Dokuchaev

In 1888, at the initiative of V.V. Dokuchaev , the Soil Commission was established as part of the Free Economic Society , which became the forerunner of the Soil Institute.

In 1913, the Commission was reorganized into the Dokuchaev soil committee, headed by K. D. Glinka , L. I. Prasolov , S. S. Neustruev .

In 1918, under the leadership of F. Yu. Levinson-Lessing , the soil department of the Commission for the Study of Natural Productive Forces (KEPS) was organized on the basis of the committee, and in 1925 the Soil Institute of KEPS.

On April 2, 1927, the general meeting of the USSR Academy of Sciences, on the basis of a memo by F. Yu. Levinson-Lessing and V. I. Vernadsky, decided to transfer the KEPS Soil Institute to the Academy of Sciences, that is, to create an independent Soil Institute. V.V. Dokuchaev.

In 1927, the Institute participated in the preparations for the 1st International Congress of Soil Science in the United States.

Until 1931, the Institute consisted of a department of cartography and geography of soils (headed by L. I. Prasolov), several zonal groups headed by B. B. Polynov , S. S. Neustruev, N. I. Prokhorov, A. M. Pankov, M.I. Rozhanets, and the Soil Museum .

The experimental and laboratory base of the institute consisted of three laboratories: soil chemistry (supervisor K.K. Gedroits ), mineralogy of soils (P. A. Zemyatchensky) and mass analysis (N. I. Sokolov).

In 1931-1933, a number of problem-solving laboratories were created: soil fertility ( A. T. Kirsanov ), saline soils ( B. B. Polynov ), biochemistry ( I. V. Tyurin ), physics (AM Pankov, later A. F Lebedev, N. A. Kachinsky), physical chemistry ( I. N. Antipov-Karataev ), soil erosion (AM Pankov), microbiology cabinet (N. N. Sushkina).

Moscow period

In 1934, the institute was transferred from Leningrad to Moscow . At the same time, the works of the institute continued to be published in Leningrad until 1941.

In 1935-1937, laboratories were organized: soil chemistry ( A. A. Rode ), radiography (I. D. Sedletsky) and spectral (D. N. Ivanov).

In the 1930s, comprehensive studies of the country's soil cover began, soil maps of the European and Asian parts of the USSR, a world soil map were compiled, and soil classification was developed. Special studies relate to the genesis of podzolic , forest-steppe soils, solonetzes , solonchaks, and chestnut soils . The colloidal fraction and soil organic matter were studied.

In the postwar years, special attention was paid to various aspects of land reclamation , work continues in the areas of cartography and soil classification, research on organic matter and micromorphology.

In June 1961, the institute was transferred from the structure of the USSR Academy of Sciences to the All-Union Agricultural Academy ( Ministry of Agriculture of the USSR ). The institute included 1 department and 11 laboratories. The main topics of the institute: the study and accounting of land resources of the USSR, the development of scientific foundations for improving soil fertility, reclamation and development of saline, solonetzic and boggy soils, the protection of soils from erosion, as well as issues of the general theory of soil formation, classification and systematics of soils ^[1] .

In 1974, the Institute participated in the preparation and conduct of the 10th International Congress of Soil Science in Moscow.

In 1976, multi-volume editions were published: “Agrochemical characteristics of the soils of the USSR” and “Agrophysical characteristics of the soils of the USSR”.

In 1977, at the VASKhNIL Jubilee session dedicated to the 50th anniversary of the founding of the Soil Institute “for successes and in connection with the 50th anniversary”, the Institute was awarded the Order of the Red Banner of Labor .

In 2012, LLC MIP Soil Institute named. V.V. Dokuchaeva »The founders include the Federal State Budgetary Scientific Institution Soil Institute V.V. Dokuchaev.

Since January 8, 2014, the Institute came under the control of the FANO of Russia , as a result of the reassignment of the FANO - the Russian Academy of Sciences , the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences and the Russian Agricultural Academy ^[2] .

In 2017, a new unit was created - the Testing Laboratory Center (ILC) of the Soil Institute named after V.V. Dokuchaev ”, in 2018 he received an accreditation certificate.

Official Names:

• 1925 - Soil Institute of the Commission for the Study of Natural Productive Forces ( KEPS )
• 1927 - Soil Institute named after V.V. Dokuchaev, Academy of Sciences of the USSR
• 1961 - Soil Institute named after V.V. Dokuchaev

under the direction of:

• 1992 - Russian Academy of Agricultural Sciences
• 2014 - FANO of Russia
• 2018 - Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation and RAS .

Director of the Institute, by year of appointment:

• Central Museum of Soil Science named after V.V. Dokuchaev

• Soil Institute V.V. Dokuchaev (Moscow) - official site
• Central Museum of Soil Science V. V Dokuchaeva (St. Petersburg) - official site