ИСТИНА

The Geographic network of experiments with fertilizers (GeoNet), founded in the USSR in January 1941, has been functioning for more than 75 years and integrates more than 130 long-term experiments (LTEs) conducted by 65 scientific institutions. More than ten of them have been going on for more than 70 years. Unified plan of the experiments in the first 20 years after foundation of GeoNet allowed scientifically justify allocation of fertilizer plants and ensured the chemicalization in agriculture. In the 60-80’s XX century more than 320 institutions participated in conducting of over 500 LTEs. Due to the organization of comparative geographic studies zonal fertilizer systems were constructed and the efficiency of combining fertilizers with chemicals, soil treatment methods and melioration was studied. At the same time, the first computer data processing was started with GeoNet database for substantiation integrated agrochemical field improvement technologies. With the development of global research networks in the 90’s XX century, combining information from LTEs of various countries, such as EuroSOMNET and LTSE Global Inventory, databases and metadata of GeoNet were used in international and European projects for verification of dynamic models and predictive modelling for adapting agriculture to the expected climate change. At present time the progress in GIS, remote sensing and IT-technologies allows carrying out studies combining GeoNet databases, electronic maps, landscape, climatic, soil and agrochemical information in monitoring systems for target fertility management, forecasting yields and quality of crops within farms and individual fields.