The purpose of research was to study the characteristics of land use in agro-landscapes of Rostov region and on the basis of the results obtained, to substantiate measures to improve, protect and rationally use land, for which the objectives were set: to characterize the natural, climatic and land resources of Rostov region, including their ecological condition, and to take an assessment of the region’s territory on favorable land use for crop production. Comparative-geographical, analytical and statistical methods of research were used. It has been found that the basis for assessing the territory in terms of favorable land use in agricultural production, i.e., the territorial differentiation of this production, can be an analysis of trends in the main crops yield for the region under consideration. Agricultural crops with the largest percentage in crop acreage structure of Rostov region were selected: winter wheat, spring barley, sunflower. For the systematization of crop yields, the grouping method has been used, and as a result, the boundaries of four intervals are conventionally designated: 1 – low yield, 2 – satisfactory yield, 3 – normal yield, 4 – high yield. On the map of Rostov region, areas that are within the boundaries of the same intervals, were united into zones. As a result of the conducted studies, it was concluded that agricultural areas under favorable natural and climatic conditions not always have high rates in crop production, which requires careful analysis of the crop culture in each specific case.
Keywords: land use, agrolandscape, agricultural crops, yield, zoning.
