All-Union Scientific-Research Institute Research Articles

К истории открытия и изучения феномена Окло

The paper dwells on the brief history of the discovery and studies of the Oklo uranium deposit, a natural nuclear reactor, is considered. It was shown by French specialists in 1972. The discovery was made by studying the isotope ratio 235U§238U in ore. Several years earlier, such research was carried out at the All-Union Scientific Research Institute of Mineral Raw Materials (VIMS). Unfortunately, the application for the discovery of domestic scientists was rejected.

The effectiveness of breeding work on the improvement of the main economically important traits of traditional variety population Banannaya in Primorsky kray

Relevance. Although there is notable success in breeding vegetable crops to obtain heterotic F1 hybrids, traditional selection methods have been gaining in popularity as a means of improving the economically important traits of local traditional varieties in Russia today. These varieties suffered the reduction in their valuable starting parameters (yield, the uniformity of marketable produce and biochemical composition) over the many years of reproduction. The Department of Potato Breeding and Horticulture (FSBSI “FSC of Agricultural Biotechnology of the Far East named after A. K. Chaiki”) have been working on the creation of new squash variety-populations with large fruits using the variety-population Banannaya 42, bred by V. Ya. Smolei at the Far Eastern experimental station of the All-Union Scientific Research Institute of Plant Breeding in the 1940s, as the starting material. We carried out a multi-year research on the selection of promising families belonging to this variety to increase yield, improve the uniformity of fruits and the main biochemical parameters. Results. The breeding work conducted on the families of variety-population 945 in 2011-2022 resulted in the improvement of some economically important traits (the uniformity of fruit shape, yield, and biochemical parameters) compared to the started form. The eleven years of research allowed us to achieve high uniformity of fruit shape in the selection of the ninth year (PIP 2) – 90.0-90.7 % (increased by 34.9-36.0 %). The yield increased from 28.4 t/ha to 38.2-45.3 t/ha or by 34.5-59.5 %. The following biochemical parameters were improved through selection: the content of dry mater from 8.5 to 12.9 % or by 51.8 % on average, the content of sugars from 6.1 to 9.1 or by 49.2 %, the content of carotene from 1.7 to 3.8 or by 123.5 %, and the content of vitamin C from 9.6 to 21.1 or by 119.8 %. We selected the families of the same type from variety-population 945 (variety-population Banata) with improved and uniform economically important traits for submission to the State variety testing. The yield was 38.2-45.3 t/ha, fruits were heart-shaped, skin was greyish green, pulp was orange, and the content of sugars was 9.0-13.2 %. Large-fruited variety population Banata was included in the State register of breeding achievements admitted to use in the Russian Federation in 2024.

The history of agricultural machinery repair system in Russia

The paper highlights the imperative for the maintenance and repair of agricultural machinery. (Research purpose) The research aims to undertake a retrospective analysis illuminating the evolution and establishment of the machine repair system. This analysis spans from the production of the inaugural Soviet tractor to the advancement and production of contemporary machinery and equipment. (Materials and methods) The paper analyses publications from different periods focused on the challenges surrounding the establishment of a centralized system for the repair and maintenance of machinery and equipment across all stages of agricultural production development. (Results and discussion). The paper sheds the light on the dynamics of tractor production in the early 1930s, detailing the transition from reliance on imports to the utilization of domestic agricultural machinery in the local market, alongside the phases involved in establishing a domestic repair service system. Furthermore, it explores the evolution of repair workshops at machinery technological stations from 1928 to 1957 and outlines the structuring of a repair depot within the enterprises of the All-Union Association «Soyuzselkhoztekhnika» between 1961 and 1990. Additionally, the paper delves into the analysis of repair strategies, ranging from individualized to in-line approaches. The paper underscores the pivotal role of academic and industrial science in equipping repair enterprises with essential technological documentation, repair equipment, and supplementary materials. It also highlights their contribution to the development of methodological support for maintenance and repair operations at the level of a centralized system. (Conclusions) The paper presents information on the research and design activities undertaken by specialized laboratories and departments within the All-Union Scientific Research Institute of Agricultural Mechanization VIM from 1930 to 1961. It acknowledges the significant contributions of scientists and experts in the domains of machine wear theory and the standardization of repair technologies. Furthermore, the paper emphasizes the critical influence of the State Union Scientific Research Technological Institute for the Repair and Operation of Tractors and Agricultural Machines GOSNITI between 1963 and 2013 on establishing a robust machinery repair and maintenance system. It outlines the potential and future directions for the evolution of a service system for agricultural machinery.

Retrospective Analysis of Tools for Blackened Soil Tillage from 1900 to 1950

The paper explores the design characteristics of tillage tools during the period 1900-1950. (Research purpose) The primary objective of the paper is to undertake a retrospective analysis of the design characteristics of tillage tools used on blackened soils in the first half of the 20th century. (Materials and methods) The paper analyzes the stages involved in the creation and improvement of horse-drawn and tractor plows. The findings reveal the following categories of plows: suspended, front, frame, shuttle (balance), and reversible. (Results and discussion) The designs of horse-drawn and early tractor plows are examined. The paper highlights the benefit of balanced and reversible tools such as plowing without the formation of ridges and furrows, attributed to the alternating operation of right-handing and left-handing bodies. It is revealed that the development of wide-cut arable units occurred due to the modernization of frame sections and the possibility of their restructuring into three- and four-hull versions. It is determined that the October Revolution Plant and the All-Union Scientific Research Institute of Mechanization and Electrification of Agriculture (VIME), the predecessor to the Federal National Research Center VIM, were the pioneers behind the creation of the initial five-furrow plow in 1936, boasting a working width of 35 centimeters. (Conclusions) With the advent of wide-cut arable units, there was a reduction in labor intensity and energy consumption during the soil cultivation process. Plows equipped with screw moldboards were commonly employed for more effective incorporation of plant residues.

Оценка использования фотосинтетически активной радиации соей на орошаемых землях юга Ростовской области

Purpose: assessment of the use of photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) by soybeans while using the improved cultivation technology on irrigated lands in Rostov region. Materials and methods. The studies were carried out on irrigated lands at Bessergenevskoe Agricultural Enterprise LLC in 2019–2021. The laying of field experiments on soybean crops, recording and observations were carried out according to the methods of VNIIMK and All-Union Scientific Research Institute of soybean. In the experiments, the following soybean varieties were sown: SK Optima, SK Riana, Selecta 201, Selecta 302, SK Veda. The method of A. A. Nichiporovich was used to calculate the use of PAR. Indicators of solar radiation were determined according to the data of the meteorological station in Gigant. Results. As a result of the research, the indicators necessary for calculating the capacity utilization (CU, an analogue of Efficiency) of the PAR under the conditions of Rostov region were specified: the duration of the soybean vegetation and total solar radiation for this period, the core product yield and the by-products biomass, the ratio of soybean seed yield to by-products, energy value of the core product and by-products. It has been found that the level of seed yield of soybean varieties on average for three years of research varies within the range of 3.96–4.66 t/ha, the maximum indicator was obtained for the cultivar SK Riana. Conclusions. The studies allowed determining the total mass of soybean plants, including the core product: the seed yield of the studied soybean varieties is from 3.96 to 4.66 t/ha, and of the by-product is from 4.79 to 5.64 t/ha absolutely dry mass with a ratio of 1:1.21, the energy content of the core and by-products and calculating the utilization capacity of the total radiation Kfar. Calculations showed that the Kfar soybean utilization factors depend on the total solar radiation received and the mass of the substance synthesized by soybean plants and reach 1.43 and 1.48 % for the cultivars SK Optima and SK Veda, respectively (this characterizes the crops of these varieties as ordinary) and 1.61; 1.62 and 1.67 % for cultivars Selecta 201, Selecta 302 and SK Riana, respectively (this characterizes the crops of these varieties as good).

СТАНОВЛЕННЯ ТА РОЗВИТОК МАШИНОВИПРОБУВАЛЬНОЇ СПРАВИ В УКРНДІПВТ ІМ. Л. ПОГОРІЛОГО

Summary The purpose of this work is to describe the historical path of the formation and development of the machine testing system and the creation and development of the main scientific institution of Ukraine for testing agricultural machinery and technologies – L. Pogorilyy UkrNDIPVT. Methods: historical-scientific, dialectical-logical, bibliographic-statistical, problem-chronological, which contributed to the comprehensive analysis of the research subject based on the principles of comprehensiveness, historicism and scientific objectivity of knowledge. Results. It is known that the machine testing system performs an important scientific-technical and public-societal function, which connects agricultural production and agricultural machine building from the standpoint of accelerated testing of new machines and equipment and timely forecasting of directions for the development of competitive machinery and technologies, implementation of state and industry standards, protection environment, information and consumer protection. Today, these important functions are assigned to L. Pogorilyy UkrNDIPVT – one of the leading state scientific and testing institutions of Ukraine, which unites the main research institute for forecasting and testing of agricultural machinery and technologies and zonal testing organizations (Lviv, South Ukrainian and Kharkiv branches) into a single scientific and testing institution. The stages of formation and development of the machine testing industry highlighted in this work include the activities of the Ukrainian Zonal Machine Testing Station (UkrMVS, 1948-1976), the All-Union Scientific Research Institute for Testing Machines and Equipment for Animal Husbandry and Fodder Production (VNDIVMOT, 1976-1991); Ukrainian Research Institute for Forecasting of Equipment and Technologies for Agricultural Production (UkrNDIPVT, since 1991), which on December 26, 2003 was named after a well-known test scientist in Ukraine and abroad, academician of the Ukrainian Academy of Agrarian Sciences, doctor of technical Sciences, Professor Leonid Pogorilyy. The main areas of research and testing activities of L. Pogorilyy UkrNDIPVT named after in the light of modern problems and tasks are presented. Keywords: machine testing, agriculture, agricultural technologies, L. Pogorilyy UkrNDIPVT

ЖІНОЧІ ДОЛІ В НАУЦІ НА ПРИКЛАДІ ПРОВІДНИХ ВЧЕНИХ ВСЕСОЮЗНОГО НАУКОВО-ДОСЛІДНОГО ІНСТИТУТУ ЛУБ’ЯНИХ КУЛЬТУР: ГАННИ АРІНШТЕЙН, ГАЛИНИ ХРЕННІКОВОЇ І ОЛЕКСАНДРИ БОНДАРЄВОЇ

The article reveals and analyzes the scientific activity and contribution to the history of growing fiber crops by representatives of the weaker sex of the All-Union Scientific Research Institute of Fiber Crops for the first time, using the example of the scientific achievements of Hanna Arinstein, Galina Hrennikova, and Oleksandra Bondareva. A study of the dynamics of the number of women and their positions in the scientific institution in 1944–1991 was also conducted. During the entire existence of the scientific institution, the leadership of the institute was carried out by men. But the departments were often headed by female doctors and candidates of sciences. In certain periods of the institute's work, the number of female scientists increased and vice versa, but over the 90-year history of the institution's existence, more than 30 representatives of the weaker sex have written their name in the history of ASRIFC. For this article, 3 bright representatives of the scientific community of ASRIFC were chosen, who in different years each conducted research in their field and left a significant contribution to the history of the cultivation of fiber crops. The outlined problem was not adequately covered in the scientific literature. Even in the well-known bibliographic series, which is dedicated to the scientists of the research station of fiber crops, there is only one collection dedicated to the representative of the weaker sex, Lydia Mykhailivna Gorshkova. The issue of women's contribution to the history of agricultural science at ASRIFC and their place in the scientific team was not raised at all. From 1944 to 1991, a significant number of scientists of ASRIFC were women, their share underwent dynamic changes in the range of 26–40%. The share of female scientists with a PhD degree was constantly increasing and during 1944–1991 doubled from 5 to 11 people. It was found that only one woman was awarded a doctorate in the period of 1966–1970. Despite this, the contribution of female scientists to the development of the production of fiber crops is quite significant and forever inscribed in the history of agricultural science of Ukraine.

The Art Applied to Business

The article presents an overview of Russian authors’ publications, mainly from the first issues of the journal “Technical Aesthetics” of the All-Union Scientific Research Institute of Technical Aesthetics (VNIITE). The purpose of this study is to highlight the controversial issues and problems relevant at the initial stages of forming the theory of a new type of artistic and industrial activities: technical aesthetics. The study’s relevance is determined by the fact that in the theory of design, at present, the aspect of the “art — design” linking is considered systemically incomplete. While the stages of the development of Russian design in chronological and biographical perspectives are covered quite fully by K.M. Kantor, N.V. Voronov, Yu.V. Nazarov, G.V. Vershinin and a number of other authors, but the theoretical aspects require further research development.The years of the Institute’s active work (1960s—1980s) are called fruitful in conceptual, scientific and creative terms, it was then that the professional model of the service and interaction between design and the planned economy was finally formed. The article shows that, at that time, intensive discussions of the main problems of artistic design and the provisions of aesthetics were reflected in regular publications of a number of periodicals, especially the journals “Technical Aesthetics” and “Decorative Art of the USSR”; and the difficult question of the criteria for evaluating the aesthetic qualities of industrial products turned out to be paramount. The term “artistic construction” implied the solution of the problem of bringing art and science closer to industry. In this process, in the discourse of the principles of technical and aesthetic creativity, all employees of the Institute — theorists and practitioners who would become outstanding design specialists — took part.The VNIITE’s activities met the demand of the time, the task of national importance — to establish mass production of a decent aesthetic level of industrial products. The period of 1964—1969 is the first stage in the study of the Soviet design formation history and is associated with intensive studying the heritage of the 1920s, introducing new materials into scientific circulation, formulating a number of new problems, and developing criteria for an objective assessment of many phenomena. It was accompanied by a number of difficulties in the relation between the settings of artistic construction and Russian art studies. This article justifies the importance of the work of the pioneers in the field of design in connection with other fields of art, and specifically with architecture and printing.

Становление отечественной эргономики и эргодизайна в советский период

The 60s-80s of the last century are characterized by emerging a number of theoretical and methodological works devoted to new understanding of design as a person’s interaction with his objective world. These are the works of designers (Fedorov M.V., Minervin G.B. and others), philosophers (Kantor K.M., Shchedrovitsky G.P., Yudin E.G.) and psychologists (Zinchenko V.P., Munipov V.M., Chainova L.D. and others). Common positions were noted in a variety of interpretations; these positions are interdisciplinarity and project-based design. Intensive development of technical means of labour activity determined the need to have an integral system of ideas about a working person, his labour activity, his relationship with the machine and with the environment, his ergonomics. Thanks to the research and development of prominent Russian philosophers, engineers and psychologists, ergonomics received the status of an interdisciplinary, scientific and design discipline of a new type, based on a systemic methodology and an activity approach. On the basis of the All-Union Scientific Research Institute of Technical Aesthetics, founded in 1962, a productive integration of design and ergonomics tools was fulfilled; a direction was formed, which would later be called ergodesign. Special interdisciplinary research, projects and developments were organized where specialists from different fields of knowledge studying the human nature participated. In the process of these events the ideas of various disciplines were synthesized. A significant part of the research in the field of ergodesign in the period of 1960s-1980s was carried out within the framework of a closed problem in the field of space ergonomics and defence technology. Some of the solutions in the field of space ergonomics and defence technology related to the developments conversion in the post-Soviet period are discussed in this article.

Scientific center “Express” of the JSC “VNIIZHT”: history and modernity

The article reflects the most important areas of work of scientists and employees of the scientific center “Express” and their contribution to the formation and development of information technology since the founding in 1959 of the Department of computer science of the All-Union Scientific Research Institute of Railway Transport and up to the present.Theoretical foundations of the application of transport cybernetics in the national economy of the country were created by Corresponding Member of the Academy of Sciences of the USSR A. P. Petrov, who was one of the first to use mathematical methods and computing technology in solving transport problems and headed the development in this direction at the institute. The practical work on the creation of the first domestic automated system for selling tickets for trains, called “Express”, was headed by B. E. Marchuk.Since then, the “Express” system has transformed from a local ticketing system at the Kievsky railway terminal in Moscow into a powerful multifunctional international passenger traffic management system that interacts with the ticket reservation systems of European countries.Theoretical and practical developments carried out by the scientific center have resulted in the introduction of new information technologies in the Russian Railways holding and in the railway administrations of the member states of the Commonwealth.At present, the main activities of the staff of the scientific center are the creation of automated control system “Express” of a new generation (ACS “Express” NP) and the system of international integration of passenger transportation Express International.

“And We Had to Do Better Than Abroad”: the Local Vilnius Branch of VNIITE, All-Union Research Institute of Industrial Design, in Soviet Lithuania

This article focuses on the functioning of the Vilnius branch of VNIITE, the All-Union Scientific Research Institute for Technical Aesthetics. This large Soviet establishment was founded in 1962 and was active in product design, design research, dissemination of information and other related fields. The Vilnius office was one of the most privileged amongst the ten regional institutes, as suggested by the number of renowned international design journals the local staff was able to access. The practices of the VNIITE branch in Vilnius were diverse. The products designed by local designers included technical machinery, consumer products and public interiors. The branch was active in research, which included different scientific fields. The staff of VNIITE gave lectures and translated foreign articles to disseminate design knowledge and to inform local audiences of the “Western world”. Therefore, the Vilnius VNIITE office played an important role in modernising local design culture. This explains why a study of the practices of this institute is vital for broadening the knowledge of Lithuanian design during the Soviet occupation.

The Center for Industrial Design Aesthetics (CIDA) of the All-Union scientific Research Institute of Technical Aesthetics (VNIITE): Establishment, educational and exhibition activities. 1977-1987

The Center for Industrial Design Aesthetics (CIDA) of the All-Union scientific Research Institute of Technical Aesthetics (VNIITE): Establishment, educational and exhibition activities. 1977-1987

The Center for Industrial Design Aesthetics (CIDA) of the All-Union Scientific Research Institute of Technical Aesthetics (VNIITE): VNIITE branches’ exhibitions. 1977-1987

The Center for Industrial Design Aesthetics (CIDA) of the All-Union Scientific Research Institute of Technical Aesthetics (VNIITE): VNIITE branches’ exhibitions. 1977-1987

ТЕОРЕТИКО-МЕТОДОЛОГИЧЕСКИЕ АСПЕКТЫ ОСМЫСЛЕНИЯ СИСТЕМНОГО ОБЪЕКТА ДИЗАЙНА

The article is devoted to the analysis of the system object from the point of view of design from design, sociocultural and philosophical positions. The authors systematize the definitions of a system object of design proposed in the 1960–1980s by theorists and practitioners, art historians, cultural experts and philosophers from different countries, including Russia, which allows a comprehensive understanding of the phenomenon of design culture. This article is devoted to the characteristic properties of the system object in design. They were considered and analyzed on the example of the «Absheron» design-program when designing of agricultural village). This concept was developed at the All-Union Scientific Research Institute of Technical Aesthetics (VNIITE) in 1983. Using the same example, the features of the approach to designing a system object in design was observed not only as a separate product, but as a sociocultural situation that constantly changes at each design stage.

ЭТАПЫ РАЗВИТИЯ СИСТЕМНОГО ПОДХОДА К ПРОЕКТИРОВАНИЮ

In this paper the stages of development of system approach of designing in different countries, including Russia. Authors study the genesis of this phenomenon of design-culture from XX century (the moment of formation of industrial design as a professional activity) up to its theoretical and methodological foundation by materials of Soviet specialists from the All-Union Scientific Research Institute of Technical Aesthetics (VNIITE) in the 1960-1980s.
 Each stage of the development of a system approach was analyzed taking into account the sociocultural and economic background. The article was focused on the sources of the formation of a system approach in design as a methodology in Russian design practice such as the «Interdesign» seminars, research works carried out in the VNIITE and higher educational institutions, as well as the results of the practical application of the system approach of design in the works of the Institute and its branches.

Микроструктура древесины культур сосны различной исходной густоты на осушенной торфяной почве после применения удобрений и гербицидов

To secure a steady operation of large wood processing enterprises in north-west of the Taiga zone, accelerated coniferous forest cultivation appears to be the most promising. Treatments with mineral fertilizers and herbicides create optimal conditions for stand growth and thus result in wood increment. Trunk wood qualities and, hence, the output of the most valuable trunk sections are contingent on the volume and anatomical structure of radial increment. This paper shows the effect of fertilization and herbicide treatments on the anatomical structure of wood in pine plantations of different stocking rates in drained peat soils. Variations of late wood share and density are directly associated with the changes in anatomical structure of wood. Fertilization of pine plantations with density of 4000 and 2000 trees/ha increased the number of early tracheid rows in the process of their growth. The application of fertilizers and herbicides in pine plantations stocked at 1000 trees/ha induced a gradual reduction in the number of early tracheid rows. A combined mineral fertilizer plus herbicide treatment enlarged the number of late tracheid rows in wood of the plantations stocked at various rates. The total number of tracheid rows per annual ring increased in the plantations stocked at a rate of 4000 and 2000 trees/ha. The reduction in total number of tracheid rows of plantations with 1000 trees/ha stocking rate is down to mineral fertilization combined with herbicide treatments. Fertilizer and herbicide treatment of the plantations with the initial density of 4000 trees/ha leads to the formation of thick-walled early and late tracheids. Application of fertilizers in pine plantations with 1000 and 2000 trees/ha stocking rates promote the formation of early and late tracheids of a larger diameter. Tracheids of a smaller diameter were formed in the plantations stocked at 4000 trees/ha. The overall impact of fertilizers and herbicides caused an increase of late tracheid size in the plantations with different stocking rates. Comparing the obtained data with the regulatory requirements of GOST 968–68 and the Laboratory of Raw Materials of the All-Union Scientific Research Institute of Pulp and Paper Industry, we have found that cultivation of pine plantations with various stocking rates on dried peat soils using fertilizers and herbicides can be aimed at producing pulpwood (1st and 2nd categories) and high-quality sawlogs.For citation: Neronova Ya.A. Wood Microstructure of Pine Plantations with Different Initial Stocking Rate on Drained Peat Soil upon Fertilization and Herbicide Treatments. Lesnoy Zhurnal [Russian Forestry Journal], 2020, no. 4, pp. 68–76. DOI: 10.37482/0536-1036-20204-68-76Funding: The research was financially supported by the Federal Budget within the fulfillment of the state assignment of the KarRC RAS (Forest Research Institute of the KarRC RAS).

Activities of the All-Union Research Institute of Grain Farming in the Framework of Combating Soil Erosion in Virgin Regions of Kazakhstan (1960–1970)

Introduction. The history of the contribution of Soviet scientists to the development of virgin and fallow lands in Kazakhstan is one of the relevant and new topics in the study of the history of the USSR in modern society. Methods and materials. Studying the history of a large agricultural project of the Soviet Union is necessary to develop new concepts in modern historical science. In Soviet and modern historiography, historians have studied virgin soil as a political and economic reform of the state. In this vein, the contribution of Soviet scientists who solved the issues of environmental and economic efficiency of this agrarian reform was not sufficiently represented. The works do not present the fight against land erosion, organized by the All-Union Research Institute of Grain Farming located in Northern Kazakhstan. Analysis. For scientific work and research of virgin lands, the opening of the AllUnion Scientific Research Institute of Grain Farming in Northern Kazakhstan was necessary. Famous agricultural scientists worked at the institute; they conducted their research in the fields of Tselinny Krai. Academician A.I. Baraev, breeder, academician V. Kuzmin were among them. They were engaged not only in scientific work, but also in a short time saved the virgin lands of Kazakhstan. Their direct scientific work was related to the fight against land erosion and the protection of soils from wind erosion. At the Institute, scientists created new soil tilling tools and seeders, improved a new farming system, and created new highly productive varieties of crops. The Institute defended dissertations on topics related to the fight against land erosion, and conducted many scientific projects. Results. The work with new sources of local archives of Kazakhstan makes it possible to talk about the enormous contribution of Soviet scientists in the development of virgin and long-fallow lands of the arid North Kazakhstan and the development of agriculture in this region. Their experience and scientific results were invaluable in the agricultural sector of the republic.

The 100th anniversary of the Federal Scientific Vegetable Center, the leader of Russian scientific vegetable growing

This year, the staff of the Federal Scientific Vegetable Center (FSVC) celebrates their 100th anniversary. Prof. S. I. Zhegalov was the recognized founder of the institution, which was reorganized from Gribovo Vegetable Experimental Station. Its team started with 14 employees, and the experimental crop area was slightly less than 4 hectares. In a short period of time (1920 to 1927), 74 cultivars of the most popular vegetable crops and a number of flower crop varieties were developed and improved. The second period of the Station’s development (1937 to 1966) was associated with the name of Acad. E. I. Ushakova. During this period, a pleiad of talented scientific plant breeders emerged and thrived: A. V. Alpatyev, S. P. Agapova, E. M. Popova, A. D. Plinka, Yu. A. Kobyakova, and others. In 1971, Gribovo Experimental Station was transformed into the All-Union Scientific Research Institute for Breeding and Seed Production of Vegetable Crops (VNIISSOK). The Institute was headed by Acad. P. F. Sokol. Under his leadership, capacity building and logistic support of the Institute were promoted: new facilities were built, and the experimental production network was expanded. Despite the difficulties associated with the reorganization and the financial and political situation in the country in 1992–2017, the staff achieved significant results during the years of the directorship by Acad. V. F. Pivovarov. New cultivars were developed to meet the demand; they occupied more than 50% of the crop area under vegetables across the country. Each year, the Institute produced 200–300 tons of elite and cultivar seeds. In 2017, the Institute was merged into the Federal Scientific Vege table Center as the keystone element. The Center also incorporated the All-Russian Research Institute of Vegetable Production and seven experiment stations throughout the Russian Federation. The Institute has been successfully cooperating with the N.I. Vavilov Institute of Plant Genetic Resources (VIR) for many years, exchanging germplasm materials and experience, and jointly developing vegetable cultivars.

Agrobiological method of phytomelioration of degraded pastures using the cuttings of calligonum aphyllum and roll coulisses

Natural pastures, which occupy about 80% of the territory of the Republic of Kalmykia of the Russian Federation, are the basis of the fodder base for animal husbandry. Intensive and irrational exploitation of pastures disrupted the existing ecological balance and led to desertification of the territory. The most negative processes of land degradation were manifested in the Black Lands in the form of anthropogenic desertification. Such processes of anthropogenic desertification take place not only in the North-West Caspian Region of the Russian Federation, but also in a number of developing countries of the world. These regions located in the arid zone are in great need of realizing the potential of their land and plant resources. The experiments were carried out on sandy massifs on the territory of the Yashkul region of the Republic of Kalmykia of the Russian Federation. Accounting and observations were carried out according to the methods of All-Union Scientific Research Institute of fodder named after V.R. Williams and of All-Union Instruction for Geobotanical Research of Natural Foraging Sites and Compilation of Large-scale Geobotanical Maps. The method proposed by us is aimed at solving the problems of combating desertification, anthropogenic degradation of pastures by creating mechanical barriers for the movement of sands at the initial stage of growth and rooting of Calligonum aphyllum seedlings. The use of this technique has significantly increased the survival rate of Calligonum aphyllum seedlings (from 30 to 70%), and thus, in general, improve the effectiveness of phytomeliorative work.

Ученый, наставник, педагог (к 90-летию со дня рождения Александра Соломоновича Михлина) [16.02.1930–30.10.2007

This article is dedicated to the memory of ScD (Law), Professor, Honored scientist of the RSFSR Aleksandr Solomonovich Mikhlin and to the 90th anniversary of his birth. Aleksandr Solomonovich Mikhlin was born in Moscow on February 16, 1930. In 1951, he graduated from the Moscow law Institute, after which he worked as a legal adviser in the system of the Ministry of Railways. In 1954, he entered the full-time postgraduate course of the All-Union Institute of Legal Sciences of the Ministry of Justice of the USSR. In 1959, he defended his PhD thesis on the topic “Consequences of crime in Soviet criminal law” (under the scientific supervision of a well-known scientist in the field of criminal and correctional labor law, ScD (Law), Professor B. S. Utevskiy). After the defense, he worked for some time as a legal adviser, and in 1962–1965 as a scientific Secretary of the Research Institute of Technology and Chemistry. In 1965 he joined the All-Union Scientific-Research Institute of public order protection at the Ministry of public order of the RSFSR, which later was reorganized into All-Union Scientific Research Institute of the MIA of the USSR (all-Russian Research Institute of the MIA of Russia), where he worked the rest of his life. Since the end of the 60s (with the participation and also under the leadership of A. S. Mikhlin) for 30 years (in 1970, 1975, 1979, 1989, 1994, 1999) the work to prepare and conduct special censuses of convicts was carried out. A huge amount of unique information was obtained on persons sentenced to various punishments, as well as on suspects and accused for committing crimes in custody. Based on the materials of a special census in the late 60s, A. S. Mikhlin began working on his ScD thesis, which was defended in 1974 on the topic “The Identity of convicts sentenced to imprisonment and the problems of their correction and re-education”. After 1997 A. S. Mikhlin became involved in interpretation and explanation of newly adopted legal acts. Under his scientific supervision and direct participation, scientific and practical comments of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation, the Penal Code of the Russian Federation, the Federal law on detention of suspects and accused for committing crimes, and the Criminal Procedure Code of the Russian Federation were prepared and published. Thematic judicial collections of current decisions of the Plenums of the Supreme Courts of the USSR, the RSFSR, and the Russian Federation, as well as textbooks on criminal law, penal law, and criminal procedure, were very popular. Three editions of the monograph on the death penalty were also published (in Moscow in 1997 and 2000, and in London in 1999, in English). In total, Professor A. S. Mikhlin published more than 550 scientific papers, more than 1000 printed pages, including more than 100 monographs, textbooks, commentaries, manuals on criminal and correctional labor (penal) law in various publications in Russia, the former Soviet Union Republics, as well as in the United States, Great Britain, Canada, Belgium, Romania, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Germany, and Bulgaria.