Kholodna A. Soil-ecological groundning of energy crops cultivation on the low-fertile soils in the Left-Bank Forest-Steppe and Steppe (on the Kharkiv region example)

Object - change of ecological and productive properties, which characterize the productivity and agro-ecological condition for growing energy crops. Purpose - soil-ecological substantiation of growing energy crops on low-productive soils of the Left-Bank Forest-Steppe and Steppe of Ukraine. Methods - field, laboratory-model, laboratory-analytical, mathematical-statistical, computational-comparative. Theoretical results - theoretical aspects of soil-ecological substantiation of growing energy crops on low-productive soils of the Left Bank Forest-Steppe and Steppe of Ukraine are highlighted: the role of microbiological and biochemical indicators as decisive factors of macroelement accumulation-dissipation processes in alluvial-meadow soils is estimated; identified the main factors that increase the coefficient of soil structure and intensify the process of carbon sequestration. Practical results - substantiation of economic and ecological expediency of cultivation of energy crops on soils with disturbed properties, which is based on their positive impact on biological and physicochemical properties of soils. Agricultural enterprises and agricultural producers of various forms of management, which conduct economic activity on low-productive soils, unsuitable for growing traditional food crops, in order to obtain relatively cheap environmentally friendly energy raw materials and improve the ecological condition of agricultural landscapes, it is recommended to grow second-generation energy crops as an effective energy-saving and carbon-stabilizing measure. Novelty - the positive influence of growing energy crops on the proteolytic activity of the studied soils is proved; the positive effect of energy crops on soil biota (meso- and macrofauna), especially on soils with low biological activity, has been established. The following issues were further developed: the positive impact on the soil structure of growing perennial energy crops; confirmation of the remediation properties of energy willow and giant miscanthus. Degree of implementation - on the basis of research materials the patent for the useful model "Method of definition of protease activity of soil" is received. The research results are included in the scientific-methodical publication "Methodology of operative diagnostics of the influence of natural and anthropogenic loads on the functional stability of acid soils" and introduced into the educational process of Kharkiv National Agrarian University named after VV Dokuchaev. Branch - environmental and agriculture.