Korzun D. I.Ye. Ovsinsky’s activity in the context of development of domestic agricultural research in the late XIX – early XX century

The thesis provides a comprehensive study of the life and creative path of the famous Ukrainian scientist of the Polish origin I.Ye. Ovsinsky (1855–1909), (in Polish – Jan Owsiński), drawing up his scientific biography and defining his contribution into the scientific support of agriculture of the Ukrainian territory in the corresponding period. It is established that the historiography of I.Ye. Ovsinsky's activity in the context of the development of Agricultural Research in the late XIX – early XX centuries is represented by a number of publications, in which, however, the topic under consideration is covered only partially. The lack of a systematic and comprehensive study on this problem calls for the development of historical sources as a basis for studying the history of domestic industry research. Reproduction of the life and creative path of I.Ye. Ovsinsky, determining his contribution to the development of agrarian scientific thought is based on the use of a documentary array of published and unpublished documents and materials of 16 funds of 2 central and 4 regional state archives of Ukraine and the Russian Federation. The basis for studying the issue were the published works of the innovator and other agricultural scientists of the specified period and subsequent years. Materials of periodicals, reference books, bio - and bibliographic reference books have become a significant contribution to the formation of a complete picture of the evolution of Industry Research. The presented study comprehensively incorporates general scientific, interdisciplinary and historical methods. The conditions and main factors of formation of the researcher's scientific outlook are highlighted. It is revealed that his scientific developments were based on a creative reconsideration of the theoretical and practical achievements of his predecessors. It is established that the peculiarities of the economic and social situation of the Polish community specified I.Ye. Ovsinsky’s professional vector towards agronomy. A periodization of the innovator's life is proposed, covering four periods and reconstructing the chronology of his creative activity. The analysis and systematization of the scholar's scientific legacy is carried out. The directions of his scientific research are determined, which include the study of agrotechnical methods in agriculture and the design of agricultural machines for their effective use; introduction of early soybean varieties; technological processes in horticulture; models of industry's economic development. A number of scientist’s unknown publications and archival materials were introduced into scientific circulation, on the basis of which the researcher’s certain biographical data were clarified. The contribution of the innovator to the formation of domestic organic farming is determined. A comprehensive study of his works devoted to the «New system of agriculture» enabled to state that the concept of invented by him agrotechnical methods, which main goal was to achieve sustainable yields while minimizing the impact on the plant and soil, corresponds to the basic principles of modern plow-free, soil-proof, resource-saving and self-restorable agriculture. The contribution of the innovator to the formation of domestic soil-protective energy-saving mechanical engineering is determined.