Vaida Steponavičienė

Vaida Steponavičienė is a Researcher at the Department of Agroecosystems and Soil Sciences, Faculty of Agronomy, Vytautas Magnus University Agriculture Academy. She earned her Doctor of Agricultural Sciences (Agronomy) from Aleksandras Stulginskis University (2017), following Master's and Bachelor's degrees in Ecology and Environmental Science from Lithuanian University of Agriculture.

Her research focuses on sustainable agricultural systems with emphasis on:

• Healthy soil management and preservation
• Decomposition of plant residues and organic matter
• Biopreparations for agricultural applications
• Reduced tillage and sustainable soil management techniques
• Soil agrochemical and agrophysical properties analysis
• Information technology applications in agriculture
• Precision agriculture methodologies
• Soil CO2 emissions and carbon cycling

Dr. Steponavičienė's recent publications demonstrate expertise in reduced tillage systems, examining how straw incorporation and green manure affect oilseed rape agroecosystems. Her research shows that reduced tillage with green manure incorporation significantly decreases soil CO2 emissions (23-29% compared to conventional tillage) while maintaining crop yields. She has documented how these practices influence soil moisture, temperature dynamics, and plant growth parameters.

Her professional positions include:

• Researcher at Department of Agroecosystems and Soil Sciences (2020-present)
• Innovation and Technology Transfer Specialist at Centre for Communication and Technology Transfer (2022-present)
• Previous role as Junior Researcher (2018-2020)

She is fluent in Lithuanian (native), German (very good), English (good), and has basic Russian language skills, supporting international collaboration in agricultural research.