The 125th birth anniversary of professor Viktoras Ruokis (1885–1971)

On 11 March 2010, 125 years have passed since the birth of Professor Viktoras Ruokis, the founder of Lithuanian Soil Science and Agrochemistry School and of the Lithuanian Soil Science Society, its first President, the corresponding member of the Lithuanian Academy of Sciences, Honorary Scientist of Lithuania, Respublican prize winner. In 1912 he graduated from Novorossiisk University in Odessa and received the First Class Diploma in chemistry; in 1914 he finished agronomy studies at the Moscow Agricultural Institute. In 1924–1941 V. Ruokis was Head of the Department of Geognosy and Agrochemistry at the Academy of Agriculture in Dotnuva. In 1931 he was conferred the title of Extraordinary Professor. Since 1945 he resumed his work as professor at the Lithuanian Academy (University) of Agriculture near Kaunas and was Head of the Department of Soil Science till 1968. V. Ruokis was engaged mainly in the investigation of soils. As far back as 1930 he classified the soils of Lithuania according to the relief, texture and moisture regime. He made a map of the soils of South Lithuania and published it in 1936, took an active part in compiling the first map of Lithuanian soils in 1951, in publishing the monograph “Soils in Lithuania” (1965). V. Ruokis is the author of 82 pulications, many textbooks, books and booklets (20) dealing with the problems of soil science, mineralogy, petrography and agrochemistry. His publications comprise more than 250 printer’s sheets. V. Ruokis’ life, scientific and pedagogical activities are closely connected with the development of agriculture in Lithuania.[...]Vytauto Didžiojo universitetasŽemės ūkio akademij