Candidate of Agricultural Sciences, Leading Researcher,

Head of Laboratory of Mineralogy and Chemistry of Soils,

Institute of Soil Science and Agro-Chemistry of National Academy of Sciences of Azerbaijan

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M. Ragima St., 5, AZ 1073 Baku, Republic of Azerbaijan

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Abstract. The studied meadow-steppe soils are situated in the southern part of Arazside lowland of Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic. The mineralogical composition of the meadowsteppe soils in this region has been poorly investigated, and it has not been studied at all in some soils. In this connection it is urgent to investigate the soils in these regions. The meadow-steppe soils are characterized by the following field humidity parameters: profile changes make 15,60-23,99 %. The meadow-steppe soils’ pH in the Diadin village demonstrates weak alkaline reaction and the changes in absorption capacity – 2,91-5,63 g/cm3. The hygroscopicity indicators of meadow-steppe soils of the Diadin village are characterized by average indices and change within 2,91-5,63 %. In the Alishir village hygroscopicity also vibrates from 2,36-4,65 %. It is revealed that minerals of montmorillonite in the meadow-steppe soils of the southern part in the Sharur plain make 11,3-16,0 %; caolinite – 9,2- 11,3 %; illite (hidroslude) –4,2-7,3 %. But in the soils of the south-western part of the plain a percentage of the minerals composition forms montmorillonite 14,0 – 17,7 %; kaolinite 10,5 – 14,1 %; illite (hidroslude) in the upper layer – 5,3 %, but in the middle and low horizons it is absent. The percentage composition of the initial mineral is higher in the meadow-steppe soils of the south-western region than in the southern part of Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic. The initial minerals of the studied soils form SiO2 (d-kvarts) on the upper horizon A0-21 cm – 20,5 %, but on the middle one B1 50-72 cm – 19,3 % and on the low horizon C 100-120 cm – 20,4 %.

Key words: absorption capacity, humidity, soil, montmorillonite, illite, kaolinite, field spars and minerals.