It was shown that the constant use of mountain meadows and pastures leads to soil depletion and deterioration. Liquid microorganisms-based biologies are considered to contribute to the soil fertility restoration. It has been revealed that there is a lack of serial samples of small-sized maneuverable machines for small contour areas, which could superficially apply solutions of biologies to mountain meadows and pastures.Research purpose To develop and manufacture a laboratory model of the unit for the mountainous area based on the Feng Shou 180 mini-tractor, which could reduce the slope areas degradation processes.Materials and methods A laboratory sample of the machine has been substantiated and developed. Its design is adapted to work with degraded soils in the mountains with a slope of cultivated areas up to 15 degrees. The technology was tested in the mountainous zone of the Republic of North Ossetia-Alania at an altitude of 1540 meters above sea level. A technical examination of a laboratory sample of a block module for biologies surface application was carried out according to the adopted standards.Results and discussion A block-module has been developed for biologies surface application to mountain meadows and pastures. It was identified that the unit laboratory sample complies with the agrotechnical requirements and the terms of reference. The following necessary parameters were calculated: tank capacity is 300 liters, application rate is 0.109 liters per second, pipeline diameter is 12 millimeters. It was determined that the use of the block-module increased the yield of perennial grasses in the mountain zone by 15-20 percent in one year, made it possible to strengthen the turf, which will prevent the development of water and wind erosion in the future.

Abstract. The authors presented the results of research and development, on the basis of which a new device was created that facilitates the restoration of degraded mountain pastures after unsystematic use with excessive grass grazing. The purpose of the study is to develop a new method of improvement and a prototype of attachments that will allow the seeding of perennial grasses in sparse grass and bare areas of the soil, which will increase stiffness. The object of the study are the working bodies: sowing devices, the original design, scatter cones, net runners. The novelty of the technical solution lies in the fact that the authors of the article developed a new resource-saving method for improving mountain fodder land using a modernized seeder equipped with removable working bodies for automatic, targeted seed sowing, sowing seeds only in degraded and bare areas, skipping areas with normal grass stand. The tests were carried out at a mountain hospital, located on the southeastern exposition of the Dargavsky depression of the North Ossetia-Alania, at an altitude of 1650 m above sea level with a slope of 10°, in six plots, with a recorded area of 360 m2 two options in triplicate. The first option is natural seeding, and the second is the seeding of grasses by the aggregate. The plots are located across the slope randomized. It was found that at a concentration of 17.2 MJ of energy in 1 kg of dry matter of feed, the total collection in the control plot was 29.7 GJ, and in the seeded experimental field – 85.3 GJ. It was revealed that changes in the grass stand influenced the accumulation of biomass of phytocenosis. So, the crop of the aboveground fodder mass, when sowing grasses, in the first year of observations was 18.2 c/ha of dry weight, which is 5 times higher than in the control. During the growing season of the third year of observations, the yield in the sown area was 59.1 c/ha of dry weight against 17.3 c/ha in the control.

Abstract. The article presents the results of R&D and new units for the restoration of degraded mountain areas. The purpose of the study is the accelerated restoration of the natural phytocenosis and the implementation of measures to improve meadows using these aggregates. The object of the study is the technologies and units developed by the authors for the following operations: cutting bumps, raking stones, sowing grass mixtures with the simultaneous application of mineral fertilizers. The research objectives included: determining the initial floristic composition of a degraded mountain meadow; assessment of the impact of events and agricultural practices on the change in the floristic composition of the grass stand, its productivity and energy intensity; identification of the effectiveness of the application of the developed units when sowing herbs in turf and targeted application of mineral fertilizers. The novelty of the technical solution lies in the fact that new resource-saving methods have been developed to improve mountain fodder land using small-sized universal units. . The tests were carried out at a mountain hospital located on the southeastern exposition of the Dargavskiy depression of the North Ossetia-Alania, at an altitude of 1650 m above sea level with a slope of 10°, in six plots, with a recorded area of 360 m2. Three options in triplicate. The first option is natural seeding, and the second is grass seeding by the aggregate, the third option is grass seeding and low doses of N60P45K20 fertilizers. The plots are located across the slope randomized. It was found that at a concentration of 17.2 MJ of energy in 1 kg of dry matter of feed, the total collection in the control plot was 29.7 GJ, and in the seeded experimental field – 85.3 GJ; the crop of the aboveground fodder mass, when sowing grasses, in the first year of observations amounted to 21.8 c/ha of dry weight, which is 3 times higher than in the control. During the growing season of the third year of observations, the yield in the sown area was 39.2 c/ha of dry weight against 19.3 c/ha in the control.

Lack of small-sized maneuverable serial discator samples for shallow contour areas of mountain meadows and pastures contributed to the development of mini-discator sample to operate on mountain slopes on soils of diff erent texture. The authors analized the constructive parameters of working elements - discs (the distance between adjacent discs, the curvature radius of discs, and the disc diameter) and their location on the frame of a mini-discator. Based on the Feng Shou-180 mini-tractor, they developed a laboratory prototype of a small-sized modular unit of a mini-discator for soil cultivation (discing). The machine is applicable to soils of diff erent mechanical composition located in the mountain zone of the North Caucasus on the hillside areas of forage lands with a slope of up to 12°. The designed laboratory prototype of a mini-discator is a hinged construction with single-row arrangement of nine spherical disks mounted on individual racks at an angle to the movement axis. There is a device to prevent clogging of the cutting discs and a device to adjust the pressure on the ground. The machine can also be fi tted with press rollers. The design can be switched from the right-left-hand to left-right-hand slope operation when turning. The technical tests of the laboratory prototype were carried out at the SKNIIGPSKH mountain facilities in the village of Dargavs, RNO-Alania, at the altitude of 1540 m above sea level and a slope inclination of up to 15°. The performance tests of the laboratory sample modular unit of the mounted mini-discator for meadow and pasture soil treatment in the mountain zone and technical examination of the scientifi c documentation were carried out in accordance with GOST 33687-2016 and GOST 33687-2015. The developed and manufactured laboratory sample gives prerequisites for designing a serial sample of the machine. The application of the modular unit of the minidiscator will ensure the reduction of degradation processes of sloping areas, increase the yield of forage lands, enhance the resistance to water and wind erosion, and increase the environmental sustainability and effi ciency of grassland farming.

The unsystematic use of mountain pastures with overgrazing of grasses has led to a change in the ecological balance of agrolandscapes, in which 80-85% of the Central Caucasus lands have turned into a state of varying degrees of degradation. In these cases, an important measure in the restoration of degraded mountain forage lands is the sowing of perennial grasses into sparse grass and on bare soil, which increases stiffness. Therefore, the development and creation of a seeder for targeted seeding of grass mixtures in solving the problem is relevant. The authors of the article have developed a new resource-saving way to improve mountain forage lands using a modernized seeder. Tests and studies were carried out at a mountain hospital, located on the southeastern exposition of the Dargavs depression of the North Ossetia-Alania, at an altitude of 1650 m above sea level. It was found that at a concentration of 17.2 MJ of energy in 1 kg of dry matter of feed, the total collection in the control plot was 29.7 GJ, and in the seeded experimental field 85.3 GJ. At the same time, the formation of a dense sod with the accumulation of 104.2 c / ha of root mass is the main factor in the environmental sustainability of mountain agrolandscapes, ensuring environmental safety