This project is aimed at solving one of the most acute problems of the modern agro–industrial complex - soil degradation and depletion. Scientists set themselves an ambitious task: to develop and test in real conditions an effective technology for restoring fertility even on the poorest and most damaged soils.

"Our experiment is a practical example of how science can and should respond to the challenges of the times. Within the framework of the Priority 2030 program, we focus on research that has not only fundamental, but also practical value for the region and the country. The creation of artificial chernozem is a strategic direction in soil science, and we are grateful to our partners who provided the territory and their best practices for this work," said Svetlana Sushkova, PhD, Professor of the Department of Soil Science and Land Resources Assessment, Head of the Intelligent Agroecosystems Research Laboratory at the SFedU Academy of Biology and Medicine.

A key feature of the project was the collaboration with farmers, for whom the scientific approach is the basis of daily work. Vasily Mokrikov, an individual entrepreneur and the head of the farm, is not just an agrarian, but a true enthusiast and innovator of agriculture, a well–deserved honorary worker of the agricultural industry. Vasily Ivanovich adheres to the principle of "A fool grows weeds, a smart one grows crops, and a wise one grows soil." He was one of the first in the region to introduce and improve the resource-saving No–Till technology for years, a zero tillage system that eliminates traditional plowing.

His son, Grigory Mokrikov, Candidate of Agricultural Sciences, continues and develops his father's business, reinforcing his practice with a serious scientific base. Thanks to their joint painstaking work and caring attitude towards their land, the farm managed to achieve impressive results: to increase the content of organic carbon in the soil – a key indicator of its fertility. Such an increase, even by one percent, is a world-class event in agronomy. Grigory Vasilyevich actively implements scientific principles in practice. This is a unique example of the introduction of innovations in agriculture, which not only yields results in increasing organic carbon reserves in farmland fields, but is also a family business that Grigory Vasilyevich steadily follows.

Based on the results of his painstaking work, Grigory Vasilyevich has prepared and plans to defend his doctoral thesis in November this year. Grigory Vasilyevich's daughter is a 3rd-year student of the Department of Soil Science at the D.I. Ivanovsky Academy of Biology and Medicine and is actively involved in the introduction of a model experiment, which makes the creation of artificial soils on the territory of this farm especially significant due to the continuity of generations.

"It is a great honor and responsibility for us to become a part of such an experiment. We have been proving for decades that careful attitude to the soil, rejection of heavy machinery and deep faith in the power of nature give amazing results. We hope that our experience and the initiative of the SFedU scientists will help create a technology that will bring thousands of hectares of depleted land back to life," Vasily Mokrikov shared.

On the territory of the quarry, SFedU scientists have laid a series of experimental plots where they will test various combinations of ameliorants, organic fertilizers and specially selected siderate plants. The goal is not just to quickly restore the territory, but to launch natural soil–forming processes that will lead to the formation of a stable, self-regulating and fertile layer, similar to chernozem. As for the timing, experts note that the speed of creating such a fertile layer directly depends on the scale of work and the amount of resources. For example, the restoration of a 10-20 hectare site can be completed within 3-6 months with the appropriate level of funding and technical support.

"Although the implementation of the technology requires significant resources, both human and financial, its effectiveness is proven by the successes in the development of the UAE. This opens up broad prospects for scaling, supported by a two-way request.: from the Persian Gulf countries and from the Russian leadership, as required by the decree of the President of the Russian Federation," said Tatiana Minkina, PhD, Head of the Department of Soil Science and Land Resources Assessment at the Academy, Head of the stratproject "Soil Resources Management and Soil Fertility" of the Priority 2030 program at SFedU.

A promising direction for the development of this project is the adaptation of reclamation technology for other types of soils besides chernozem. This will require serious research, as scientists are talking about recreating functions, rather than copying unique natural objects protected by the Red Book. Work in this direction is already underway and is part of a long-term strategy.

The success of this project will open up new opportunities for the reclamation of lands disrupted by industrial activity and for the restoration of agricultural lands affected by erosion and degradation. The implementation of this study once again confirms the status of the Southern Federal University as a center for scientific and technological development, solving strategic tasks within the framework of the Priority 2030 program. It is worth noting that a group of scientists from the SFedU Academy of Biology and Medicine is actively working on the development of solutions for agrobiosafety and soil fertility within the framework of the federal program "Priority 2030" (national project "Youth and Children"), implementing the strategic technological project of the SFedU "Technologies of soil Bioengineering".