The given paper presents the results of long-term monitoring of the hydrological regime of spring flood, soil, vegetation and productivity of estuaries of the high Sakmar-Tanalyk plain in the steppe zone of the Trans-Urals of the Republic of Bashkortostan. It is found that large water storage reservoirs built in 1986-2012 on the Tanalyk River and its feeders have reduced the amount, frequency and duration of flooding due to high flow and rainfall. It showed lower productivity of natural hayfields from 2.87 to 1.96 t/h as well as the reduction of valuable moisture-loving grasses (wheat grass, slough grass) in the botanical composition of grass from 61 to 32%. It is revealed that the decisive role in replenishing soil moisture reserves of floodplain estuaries takes place during flooding by flood waters. A single spring flooding is found to provide one cut of natural grasses. Long-term flood irrigation (about 30 years) led to 15 cm silt deposit, enriched the upper layers of meadow-Chernozem saline soils (Luvic chernozems sodic) with organic matter and nutrients, and improved the structural and aggregate composition. The salinity quality changed from chloride-sulfate to sulfate-sodic. The salinity level altered from medium to weak.

Higher yields of environmentally friendly potato require more organic fertilizers and irrigation. The most common organic fertilizer is cattle manure. The research goal is to study the effect of irrigation and high rates of cattle manure used in conditions of the southern forest-steppe of the Bashkortostan Republic on the yield and quality of potato tubers. The conducted study demonstrates increased potato tuber growth from 0.12 to 0.72 kg/plant and 0.30 to 0.79 kg/plant with a higher rate of cattle manure (120 t/ha) under rainfed and irrigation conditions, respectively. Cattle manure disposal is one of the most acute issues in terms of environmental conservation. It is a great concern in farming practice worldwide that requires the scientifically-proven use of farmyard manure. To get consistently high yields of crops and maintain soil fertility becomes possible when taking into account local agro-meteorological and soil conditions. The optimal rates of cattle manure for potatoes cultivated on leached chernozem in the southern forest-steppe of the Republic of Bashkortostan under irrigation and rainfed conditions were found. Potato growing at different rates of cattle manure application has been studied. There is an economic assessment of efficiency to apply different rates of manure.

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This chapter provides an overview of the current state, challenges and avenues for the further promotion of Conservation Agriculture (CA) in the Eurasia region . There is no unified statistics and data collection system for CA in the region. However, the estimated area under CA is about 10-11 million hectares (ha) while the area of degraded agricultural land is continuously growing. The population increase and raising demand for food, negative impact of unsustainable agricultural production practices to environment along with land degradation, recurrent drought and heat stress due to climate change, and other factors are gradually leading to adoption and promotion of CA in all countries of the region. Despite this, there are still challenges for the widespread implementation of the CA system. Lack or insufficient access to special field equipment and machinery, limited knowledge and skills of local people - farmers, agricultural and extension specialists, inadequate evidence-based results of research work and other factors still play a limiting role in the widespread adoption of CA. In addition to the dissemination of knowledge, techniques and evidence of successful practices, the dissemination and greater adoption of CA in the region requires expanding CA research work and political support to increase the motivation and direct involvement of farmers. Training young specialists and farmers will also help to make a huge breakthrough in the development of CA in the region.