Historical note

The Siberian agrarian science goes back through the ages. Experimental work here originated in the XVI-XVII centuries, when the first " plowmen" began to settle around the emerging stockaded towns. When seeing that the Siberian land is quickly ploughed, the Tobolsk voivode Khilkov in 1659 made the peasants carry out experimental sowing with the use of manure. From 1661 such experiments were carried out in other places.

 The experimental work in Siberia was taken up by I. Perfiliev, F. Voyeikov, N. Senotrusov and others at the end of the XVII century. N.A. Radishchev, who arrived in Ilimsk (now Irkutsk Region) in 1792, taught local peasants farming based on his own experiments: he grew garden plants and potatoes, mastered the greenhouse culture. The Decembrists N.A. and M.A. Bestuzhev, N.M. Muravyev, S.G. Volkonsky, A.P. and P.P. Belyaevs, M.M. Spiridov, K.P. Thorson and others contributed greatly to improving agriculture in Siberia.

 

 In 1828, the Omsk Cossack military farmstead (now the Siberian State Order of the Red Banner of Labor Research Institute of Agriculture) was formed. Here Osip Obukhov and Pyotr Shcherbakov bred useful and peculiar to the Siberian region plants, carried out horse breeding and breeding of fine-wool sheep, were engaged in educational work on plant growing and veterinary medicine. In 1880 in Tomsk a university was founded, and in 1883-1885 a botanical garden was formed as its part. The traditions of the university and the botanical garden are based on the scientific contributions of P.N. Krylov, N.F. Kashchenko, S.I. Korzhinsky, V.V. Sapozhnikov, L.P. Sergievskaya, V.P. Chekhov.

 In 1895, General I.I. Zhilinsky's expedition began its work in Baraba. The first experiments on innings of Koshkobinsky floodplain meadow (Ubinka, Novosibirsk region) were started by him in 1897.

 According to historians, cattle breeding and farming in Siberia have been known since the Andronovo culture (1700-1200 BC), although monuments of farming and cattle breeding are also found in excavations from earlier periods. Agriculture reached its peak with the Kyrgyz people (Khakassia). The first mention of them in the chronicles is found in 201 BC, which notes not only their success in cattle breeding, but also in artificial irrigation.

Returning to the history of science development in Siberia, it should be noted that the beginning of the 20th century was marked by the formation of a network of experimental fields and farms throughout Siberia. The first of them was the Tulun experimental farm in 1907. Then in 1908-1910 Yalutorovskoye, Shadrinskoye, Kupinskoye, Krasnoyarskoye, Minusinskoye, Kazachinskoye, Bayandaevskoye, Onokhoyskoye and other experimental fields were founded. Unfortunately, as a result of reorganizations, many of them ceased to exist.

 

 On the basis of some experimental fields and stations in 1937-1938, state breeding stations were established in a number of regions, many of which have achieved quite significant success, such as Tulunskoye, Narymskoye, Kamalinskoye, Onohoyskoye, and Sretenskoye. During the next reorganization of the network of scientific institutions in 1956, most of the breeding stations were transformed into complex research institutes and regional experimental stations.

 The flagship of Siberian agrarian science has always been Siberian Order of the Red Banner of Labor Research Institute of Agriculture. Today it is 177 years old (Omsk).

 Remembering the history of the development of agrarian science in Siberia, it is impossible not to name such prominent figures of Tomsk University as P.N. Krylov, S.I. Korzhinsky, N.F. Kashchenko, V.V. Sapozhnikov, M.D. Ruzsky, and V.P. Chekhov. I.I. Zhilinsky, I.M. Karzin, N.L. Skalozubov, L.A. Sladkov, L.D. Smolin, N.M. Yadrintsev, M.F. Ternovsky, P.I. Plodovsky, V.E. Pisarev. Let us also remember with a kind word such researchers as V.V. Talanov, V.R. Berg, V.P. Baliev, S.I. Bashkirov, B.A. Vakar, A.D. Balzamentov, V.V. Sabashnikov, V.M. and V.M. Krutovsky, K.A. Vanyukov, N.V. Tsitsin, I.V. Larin, L.K. Greben, A.I. Ovsyannikov, T.L. Basyuk. They have laid a rich tradition of Siberian agrarian science, identified and prepared a galaxy of talented scientists who have invaluable influence on the progress of the agrarian sphere of the region. Among our contemporaries it is necessary to note such as I.I. Sinyagin, K.P. Gorshenin, T.S. Maltsev, M.I. Tikhomirov, A.I. Selivanov, A.A. Sviridov, B.A. Neunylov, M.A. Lisavenko, M.O. Simon, N.L. Udolskaya, P.A. Yakhtenfeld, A.I. Tyutyunnikov, I.P. Kalinina, V.Z. Yamov, N.V. Krasnoschekov, V.R. Boev.

 

 Most scientific organizations were part of the Ministry of Agriculture of the USSR, the Ministry of Agriculture of the RSFSR, which carried out scientific organizational and scientific methodological management of the scientific network of the region through their heads of science.

 A new stage in the coordination and consolidation of scientific research in Siberia and the Far East was the creation of the Siberian Branch of VASKhNIL (V.I. Lenin Academy of Agricultural Sciences) in accordance with the USSR Council of Ministers Decree №867 dated November 14, 1969. Already in November 1969 in Novosibirsk under the guidance of I.I. Sinyagin, academician of VASKhNIL, vice-president of VASKhNIL, an organizing committee began its work, which consolidated the scientific forces of Siberia and the Far East and began to form the scientific-organizing structures of the future scientific center. Already in a year, in November 1970, the first presidium of the Siberian branch of VASKhNIL was elected, consisting of the academicians of VASKhNIL I.I.Sinyagin (chairman), A.P.Kalashnikov, A.I.Selivanov, M.I.Tikhomirov, professor I.I.Gudilin (rector of Novosibirsk SAI), academician of the AS USSR D.K.Belyaev (director of the Institute of cytology and genetics of SB AS USSR).

 When the Siberian Branch was organized, it included 5 institutes in Novosibirsk: Siberian Research and Design and Technological Institute of Animal Husbandry, Siberian Research Institute of Chemicalization of Agriculture, Siberian Research Institute of Fodder Crops, Siberian Research Institute of Mechanization and Electrification, Siberian Research Institute of Agricultural Economics and 4 experimental farms - Elitnoe, Cherepanovskoe, Borovskoe, Posevninskoe, as well as 3 institutes in the region - the Siberian Research Institute of Agriculture (Omsk). the Research Institute of Agriculture of the Far North (Norilsk), and the All-Russian Research Institute of Soybean (Amur region). The Novosibirsk Agricultural Institute (now the Novosibirsk State Agrarian University) was assigned to the Siberian Branch for training the personnel. In 1979 on the basis of two secondary schools of the city a Small Agricultural Academy (SAA) was created, and a little later at school № 1 specialized chemical and biological classes were opened. In the SAA, in special classes, students acquire the skills of scientific researchers in the school for young naturalists. The Council of Young Scientists is functioning.

 In subsequent years, the following institutes were established in the research campus: Institute of Experimental Veterinary Medicine of Siberia and the Far East (1974), Siberian Research Institute of Plant Breeding and Selection (on the basis of SibVIR, 1977), Siberian Physical-Technical Institute of Agrarian Problems (on the basis of SEDTB, 1987), Siberian Research and Development, Design and Technology Institute of Agricultural Product Processing (1988).

 The Siberian branch has the largest library of agricultural profile in the region, publishes the scientific journal "Siberian Herald of Agricultural Science", the newspaper "Kolos of Siberia".

 According to the decree of the Council of Ministers of the RSFSR in 1979, research institutes, selection and experimental stations, design bureaus and experimental farms working throughout Siberia and the Far East were transferred under the Siberian branch of VASKhNIL, and in 1988 the Far Eastern branch (now the Far Eastern scientific and methodological center) was separated from the Siberian branch.

 Later, in connection with the improvement of the organizational structure of the scientific network of the Siberian Branch the Scientific Research Institute of Agrarian Problems of Khakassia, the Tuva Research Institute of Agriculture, the Siberian Research Institute of Agriculture and Peat were organized.

 The chairman of the Presidium of the Siberian Branch of VASKhNIL, Vice-President of VASKhNIL from 1970 to 1978 was the famous agrochemist, Academician Irakly Ivanovich Sinyagin. Under his leadership, the construction of a series of scientific and industrial and social objects began. From July 1978 to July 1979 the Chairman of the Presidium of the Siberian Branch, Vice-President of VASKHNIL was Academician Alexander Nikolaevich Kashtanov. From August 1979 to November 2004 the Chairman of the Presidium of the Siberian Branch was Academician Peter Lazarevich Goncharov. From November 2004 to December 2014 - academician Alexander Semenovich Donchenko.

 

In connection with the reorganization of academies of sciences and agrarian science reforming (Federal Law № 253 "On the Russian Academy of Sciences, reorganization of state academies of sciences and amendments to certain legislative acts of the Russian Federation") since December 2014 the Siberian Regional Branch of Agrarian Science has become the legal successor of Rosselkhozacademy SB.

In accordance with the order of FASO of Russia dated September 30, 2015. No. 496 the Federal State Budgetary Institution Siberian Department of Agrarian Science was transformed into the Federal State Budgetary Institution of Science Siberian Federal Research Center of Agrobiotechnologies of the Russian Academy of Sciences with its merger with FSBSI IEVMSFE,   FSBSI SRTDIAH, FSBSI SRIFC, FSBSI SRIMEA, FSBSI SRIPF,  FSBSI SPTIAP, FSBSI SRIAE, FSBSI Kemerovo SRIA, FSBSI SRIAP, FSBSI SRISMCA, FSBSI SRIVMES.

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Biography of the Academician Irakli Ivanovich Sinyagin, Founder of the Siberian Branch of VASKhNIL. 

Irakli Ivanovich Sinyagin (March 20, 1911 - October 1, 1978) - Soviet agrochemist, Academician of VASKhNIL (since 1960), its Vice-President during the period 1965–1978.

Founder of the Soviet agricultural lexicography, compiler of agricultural dictionaries.

The main directions of Irakli Sinyagin's scientific research were agrochemistry and soil science. He studied the content of nutrients in the soils of the sierozem zone, dealt with the issues of sugar beet agrotechnics. For the first time he studied changes in soil properties in a zonal section under the influence of fertilizers. He created a modern concept of plant nutrition area and developed measures to increase the efficiency of fertilizers and rational combination of fertilizers with other agrotechnical methods. Due to his scientific competences, Irakli Ivanovich was elected Vice-President of the International Centre for Mineral Fertilizers, was an expert on mineral fertilizers of the UN Economic Commission for Europe.

Academician Sinyagin is the founder of the Soviet agricultural lexicography, compiler of agricultural dictionaries. He participated in the creation of 19 specialized dictionaries. He was the scientific editor of the two-volume eight-language agricultural dictionary created at the request of the CMEA.

   

He was awarded the Order of Lenin, two Orders of the Red Banner of Labor, the Order of the October Revolution, 10 medals of the USSR, 5 medals of the All-Union Exhibition of Economic Achievements and the All-Union Exhibition of Economic Achievements, the Foreign Order of Merit (GDR) and the Medal of Honor of the Polish Academy of Sciences. He was a corresponding member of the Academy of Agricultural Sciences of the GDR and a member of many foreign scientific organizations. He published more than 400 scientific papers, including 46 monographs.

The most significant fact of his biography, according to Irakli Ivanovich's own estimates, was his work on the establishment and development of the Siberian Branch of the All-Union Lenin Academy of Agricultural Sciences (“VASKhNIL”). He also became the first head of the branch's governing body, the Presidium of the Siberian Branch of the All-Union Academy of Agricultural Sciences named after Lenin.

 

November 14, 1969 is considered the birthday of the Siberian Branch of VASKhNIL in accordance with the Decree of the Council of Ministers of the USSR № 887 “On measures to create a research complex on the development of agriculture in Siberia and the Far East”. Almost simultaneously, the organizing committee headed by Academician I.I. Sinyagin started its work in Novosibirsk.

Irakli Ivanovich, his followers and students decided the main task to create a powerful scientific center in all areas of agrarian science in the Urals, and with the help of scientists, their achievements to develop agriculture in Siberia and the Far East, including virgin lands and BAM areas.

By uniting the existing scientific institutes of agrarian profile, creating new scientific centers, such as the institutes of fodder, agricultural economics, physical and technical processes, SB VASKhNIL (today the SFSCA RAS) established a new qualitative level of scientific research of the processes occurring in the agricultural sector of the economy in the difficult natural and climatic conditions of the east of the country.

New scientific schools and directions were created in the fields of farming, crop production, animal husbandry, veterinary science, engineering support of agricultural production, processing and storage of agricultural products. Leading specialists from all over the USSR came to Krasnoobsk.

He died in Moscow on October 1, 1978, and was buried at the Vagankovsky Cemetery.