Studying the soils of Uzbekistan with a clear plan and purpose is closely related to the establishment of the National University of Uzbekistan (formerly Turkestan, Central Asia, Tashkent State). In fact, the establishment of the Geobotany and Soil Science Research Institute under this university in 1920 is the basis for our above thoughts. During 1920-1932, this institute was founded by professor N.A. Dimo, professor M.A. Orlov, research scientists N.B. Bogdanovich, M.A. With the participation of Pankov, D.M. Klavdienko and others, the irrigated lands of Uzbekistan, Karakalpakstan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan were thoroughly studied and soil maps were prepared for various purposes. The main soil types distributed in these regions were comprehensively described. These maps and all the scientific information about the soil certainly became the basis for the creation of a clearly planned farming system in the development of agriculture at that time.

In 1935, the establishment of the department of soil science in the system of the faculty of geology and geography of the university indicates that the study of soils in Uzbekistan has become a huge branch of science of national importance. The Department of Soil Science was transferred to the Faculty of Biology in 1949, and in the same year, the Department of “Agronomy” was established in this faculty, and from this year the faculty is managed under the name of the Faculty of Biology and Soil Science. During this time, professors-teachers of the Department of Soil Science carried out remarkable scientific and research works. In particular, M.A. Orlov was considered the founder of the department of soil science, and his entire scientific activity was aimed at studying the genesis and properties of anthropogenic (oasis) and soils formed under the influence of irrigation and human farming activities. Acad. S.N. Rijov, later Assoc. In his research, Kha.A.Abdullaev focused on the assessment of the cultural condition of irrigated lands, the importance of humus in increasing its productivity, and the problems of its management.

During the 1960s and 1970s, the staff of the department – B.D. Mikhaylov, K. Gafurov, L. Tursunov, V. Sayfutdinova, L. Salkova, N. Kavkhoyans and other graduate students studied the middle and lower reaches of the Zarafshan Valley, including Kattakurgan, They carried out research on the perfect study of the soils of the Khatyrchi, Zirobulaq, Karnab deserts, Bukhara and Karakol oases. During this period, soil, soil-erosion, soil-ameliorative maps (1:10,000, 1:25,000) of hundreds of farms were compiled and submitted for practical use. K. Gafurov, L. Tursunov, N. Yakubov, A. Niyozov, A. Abdiev defended their candidate’s theses based on the collected information at that time. Another noteworthy research of this period is the research of dry lands of Chirakchi district of Kashkadarya region under the leadership of associate professors V. Valiev and L. Tursunov.

Since 1980, under the leadership of associate professor H.Abdullaev, the soil of the Chotkal mountain ranges on the example of the Chotkal biosphere reserve, under the leadership of associate professor L. Tursunov, the soils of the Turkestan mountain ranges on the example of Zomin “People’s Park” and Zomin Reserve, and finally, Hisar, Nurota mountain The soils were studied on the basis of the serqirra program. During the research period, the laws of formation of mountain soils and the properties of all types of mountain soils were comprehensively studied, soil erosion maps were prepared, and candidate dissertations of A. Nazarov, M. Fakhrutdinova, S. Yusupov and Kh. Kongirov were completed. supported.

It is known that the role of human agricultural activity in the formation of soil, its further genesis, evolution and properties is important. The staff of the department also paid attention to the study of this issue. In particular, under the guidance of associate professor of the department H.Abdullaev, the teacher of the department T.Abdrakhmonov thoroughly studied the properties and characteristics of brown soils with a brown color, defended his candidate’s thesis based on the data obtained over many years. In particular, V. U. Sayfutdinova, under the guidance of Academician S. N. Rizhov, has researched for many years how long these soils used by humans can restore their original state (evolution) under the influence of natural factors, and based on the obtained data, she defended her candidate’s thesis. And D. Kamilova researched the changes of soil properties in different agrophones for many years and based on the collected data she defended her candidate’s thesis.

From 1961 to 1967, Doctor of Agricultural Sciences, Professor N.P. Malinkin headed the department of agrochemistry. The service of N.P. Malinkin in the creation of the cotton fertilization system is incomparable. These two great scientists trained a lot of scientific personnel during their work at the university and founded their own schools.

From 1968 to 1995, a doctor of agricultural sciences, a professor, a full member of UzFA, a member of the International Academy of Informatics of the New York Academy of Sciences, an agricultural worker who served in Uzbekistan, Jorakul Sattorovich Sattarov, a member of the International Society of Soil Scientists and the World Fertilizer Center, was the leader.

In 1995-1996, the department was headed by J.Sattarov’s student B.S. Musaev. Despite his young age, Musaev further developed laboratory and field experiment work at the department. He wrote many methodological manuals and the textbook “Agrochemistry”.

Since 1996, the head of the department has been the doctor of agricultural sciences, a well-known soil scientist, professor S. Abdullaev. He has achieved good results by carrying out scientific work in the field of land reclamation. Many textbooks, manuals and monographs have been published. From December 1, 2018, the departments of soil science and agrochemistry were merged and named Soil Science.

Currently, 1 academician of UzFA, 5 doctors of science and 9 candidates of science and doctors of philosophy (PhD) are working in the Department of Soil Science.

Until now, the Department of Soil Science of the National University of Uzbekistan has been headed by the following scientists:

In 1935-1962 – Prof. M.A. Orlov
In 1962-1968 – Academician S.N. Ryzhov.
In 1968-1981 – Assoc. K. A. Abdullaev.
In 1981-1986 – Assoc.V. U. Sayfuddinova.
In 1986-2008 – prof. L. Tursunov
In 2008-2011 – Associate Professor M. Fakhrutdinova
In 2011-2014 – Associate Professor T. Abdrakhmanov
In 2014-2015 – associate professor Z. Khaidmukhamedova
In 2015-2015 – Assoc.S. Sidikov
Since 2020, Professor Z. Jabbarov has been leading.

Professors and teachers of the department of soil science and agrochemistry effectively use ICT and innovative technologies in their classes and conduct their classes at a high level.

To this day, the staff of the department is conducting research on the basis of several state grants of the republican science and technology center. The scientific research carried out by the department for almost 90 years was reflected in dozens of monographs and textbooks, hundreds of scientific, scientific and popular articles and pamphlets.

For more than 70 years, the department of soil science established under the National University of Uzbekistan has served not only Uzbekistan, but also Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, as well as the Russian Federation, foreign countries such as China, Vietnam, Korea, He trained highly qualified personnel in the field of soil science for the countries of Egypt, Iraq, and Cuba.

Currently, a full-fledged soil science and its following directions have been formed in Uzbekistan. These include: geography, evolution and cartography, soil micromorphology and mineralogy, soil chemistry, soil agrophysics and technology, soil validation, soil reclamation, soil agrochemistry, soil erosion, soil biology and microbiology, soil ecology, and other similar areas. It can be said without exaggeration that the founders of these directions and the great scientists, doctors of science, professors, academicians who develop them are the former students of the soil science department of UzMU named after Mirzo Ulugbek.