Grūdinių kultūrų auginimas Lietuvoje: istoriniai ir geografiniai aspektai
LTStraipsnyje nagrinėjama svarbiausia žemdirbystės šaka - grūdinės kultūros, kuriai geografai dar nepakankamai skiria dėmesio. Svarbiausi geografų darbai šia temą: K. Pakšto (Pakštas, 1928), R. Baubino (Baubinas, 1996). Rusijos mokslininkas V. Tiurinas savo geografinėje disertacijoje nagrinėjo Lietuvos žemės ūkio specializaciją XIX a. pab. - XX a. pr. (Tiurinas, 1960). Straipsnio tyrimo objektas - grūdinės kultūros. Analizuojama grūdinių kultūrų auginimo raida, apžvelgiamos jų auginimo zonos 1989-1998 m. bei pastarųjų pokyčiai.
ENTransition from centralized to market economy in Lithuania brought considerable changes in agriculture. It suffered a decline as a result of the loss of markets in the former Soviet Union, necessity to adapt to new circumstances and reduction of consumption and purchasing power. The present article is dedicated to the growing of cereals as the major branch of agriculture. It is an overview of the history of growing cereals in Lithuania and zones of cereal crops in 1989-1998. The assessment of geographical peculiarities of growing cereals is based on statistical, cartographic, comparative, analytical, synthetical and other metodš of research. In all periods of Lithuanian state development, growing cereals was the leading branch of agriculture. The modern territorial system of cereal growing has developed under the influence of the following main factors: 1. Natural climatic conditions. 2. Domestic market demands. 3. Material interest of cereal growers. 4. Support of cereal growing as the main branch of agriculture by state institutions and governmental policy regarding farmers. 5. Demand for grain in the world market.The growing and trade of cereals was determined by internal and, particularly, external factors such as favourable economical-geographical situation and world economic conjuncture. In the years between the wars the area under cereal crops in Lithuania made 50% of the total area under crops. In 1940 it even increased to 65%. The territorial specialization of growing cereals which developed in the 19th century remained the same in the years between the wars. In the Soviet period the part of cereals in the structure of crop area decreased from 65.1% in 1950 to 48.9% in 1989. This decrease was conditioned by an increase of the areas under forage crops. Cereals were grown by farmers of all territorial administrative units. In 1990-1998 there developed one zone of intensive growing of cereals and two zones of low intensity. 1. The Middle Lithuanian high intensity zone is characterized by potentially good soil properties and high ratio of cereals output to the total output. The specialization in this zone began in the 19th century. 2. In the western low intensity zone the intensity index during the period under consideration decreased twice. This was determined by natural climatic and soil conditions. 3. In the eastern low intensity zone the intensity index was low even in the Soviet years. Due to poor natural climatic conditions and by far lower natural soil fertility these zones are not promising for cereal growing.
