Use of hissopus officinalis L. culture for phytoamelioration of carbonate outcrops of anthropogenic origin the South of European Russia

Eurasian-African species of the Lamiaceae family - Hissopus officinalis (L.) gradually enters the culture of the South of European Russia. This semi-shrub has high resistance to carbonate soils, overground productivity, and longevity. Field experiments were conducted including the study of H. officinalis value to phytomeliorate cretaceous exposures in comparison with standard Agropyron cristatum Gaertn. crops and natural succession on the chalk outcrop of anthropogenic origin in the Belgorod region in 2008–2016. During nine years the H. officinalis crops were significantly higher than those of A. Cristatum Gaertn. and options with natural succession for the accumulation of overground and underground phytomass. It has been established that over an average nine-year period the H. officinalis crops generated 370.5 g-(m²)⁻¹ of absolutely dry substance of aboveground organic mass per year in comparison with the A. cristatum (213.6 g-(m²)⁻¹ per year) crops and natural substrate overgrowth (59.7 g-(m²)⁻¹ per year). On a chalk outcrop, the total carbon tends to increases by 1.971% in absolute terms as compared to the initial state for nine years of life in fine-grained soil under the H. officinalis crops. The content of humic acids increases by 1.109% in absolute terms, including an increase in the content of fulvic acids by 0.793%.It is concluded that the H. officinalis crops have greater environmental and technological value for phytomelioration of cretaceous exposures as compared with standard grass stands and natural vegetation communities.