«The Recognized Father of Soviet Physics» – the Creator of Russian Agrophysics

The name of Abram Fedorovich Ioffe is inextricably linked with the history of Russian physics, his contribution to the development of semiconductor physics, the creation of an extensive scientific school, and as the organizer of physics and technology institutes in the USSR. The article makes an attempt to summarize materials related to the activities of A.F. Ioffe on the creation of a new field of scientific knowledge in the USSR – agrophysics, his role in organizing the world's first specialized scientific institution at the intersection of physics, technology, and agronomy – the Physico-Agronomic Institute in Leningrad. The idea of the birth of agrophysical research in the USSR belongs to A.F. Ioffe, who, within the Leningrad Physico-Technical Institute (LPTI), which he led, organized the discussion and then the implementation of the first work in the field of solar technology: the study of the physical foundations for the energy use of solar radiation; studying thermal phenomena in solar installations; studying the issues of converting radiant energy into electrical energy in photovoltaic cells. From the employees of LFTI, the so-called solar brigade, the Central Asian Solar Technical Institute later grew, and in 1932, a team was allocated from the solar technical group to work at the new Physico-Agronomic Institute. In 1934, this institute at the VASKhNIL received the name Agrophysical Institute (AFI). From 1932 to 1960 A.F. Ioffe headed the AFI. The article presents the main directions of scientific work at this institute during its formation, carried out by famous scientists, students, and associates of A.F. Ioffe. A table has been compiled of the main physical instruments developed at the API, which have become the basis of agrophysical instrumentation.