[Ecological problems in soil science and agriculture]

The article provides a deep overview on the role of humus and modern conceptions of its genesis, molecular structure and functional models and brings a reader right up to solving the acute problem of large-tonnage humus production developed by NTI TTR. On the run drawbacks of the only existing technology of artificial humus production, that is the vermiculite one (with an output less than 25 %), are criticized. The technology proposed for obtaining two products, cryptohumin and ligumin, is based on physico-chemical methods of effecting a substrate. Any agricultural wastes can be used as raw materials (cattle straw manure, liquid manure, fowl manure, lignin, rotted straw, fallen-down leaves, non-feed plant masses). Based on paradigm of an ideal organomineral fertilizer the artificial humus production technology is proposed that comprises a sequence of the following technological operations: 1. cattle manure - 2. mechanical desintegration - 3. high voltage activation - 4. electrical field completion - 4. excessive moisture removal - 5. granulation - 6. drying - 7. packaging. The first three stages being mandatory are performed on the unique non-standard equipment which brief description is provided. For the rest (4-7) stages the serial equipment is involved and it is not considered in the article. The effect on the substrate is easily controlled and allows, on the one hand, to maximally automate the production process and, on the other hand, to interfere in every elementary process that makes the technology flexible and reliable. NTI RRT has proceeded to developing the technical documentation for a processing line (power up to 160 KWt and output up to 5 tonnes per hour of cryptohumin and 10 tonnes per hour of ligumin). The calculations made by means of using kinetic equations have shown that for achieving the non-deficite humus balance in soil one processing module line is needed with output of 5 tonnes per hour. This is expected to revive 5,000 hectare per year. Thus, for reviving 1 mln. hectares about 200 lines are required with total output 40 MWt. The tecnology proposed can be referred to as a resource-saving one. The creation of the lines will allow to enter the world market with the products developed. The issue of the day is seeking investors for the further processing line production