Prevention of Desertification and Land Degradation using Black Saxaul in Arid Conditions

Abstract

The harsh climate of the arid zone determines several biological features in black saxaul plantations. Therefore, the study of the growth and condition of artificial plantations, depending on the use of physiologically active moisture-absorbing substances and growth biostimulants, is of particular practical importance. In the Moinkum sands of the Zhambyl region (Kazakhstan), observations of the growth and development of the black saxaul in places where physiologically active substances and biostimulants of growth were used were continued at industrial plantings in 2018, 2019, and 2020. The purpose of these studies was to prevent desertification by improving the preservation of forest crops of the black saxaul. The use of various water-retaining compounds (hydrogels), growth stimulants (Epin-Extra), and fertilizers, as well as their combined use, had a positive effect. The use of moisture-absorbing substances and biostimulators of plant growth in the cultivation of black saxaul increased the average diameter and average height of seedlings by an average of 30.1 and 38.6%, respectively. The best effect of the growth stimulators used was shown with hydrogel, Epin-Extra (plant growth biostimulator), and a ready-made mixture of hydrogel, fertilizer, and Epin. The use of moisture-absorbing substances, growth biostimulators, and nitrogen fertilizers affected the second and subsequent years after planting.

Assessment of potential ecological risk of heavy metal contamination of agricultural soils in Kazakhstan

“…According to the Sustainable Development Goals defined by the UN General Assembly in 2015 (UN, 2015), the goal of protecting and restoring terrestrial ecosystems and promoting their rational use in agriculture increases the importance of the research problem and outlines future research trends in this area, creating conditions for improving the level and quality of human life and improving the environmental situation and efficient use of natural resources (Bagratuni et al, 2023;Yessimbek et al, 2022).…”

Sustainable Development of Agricultural Enterprises with an Active Environmental Stance: Analysis of Inter-Organizational Management Accounting

“…In such cases, environmental monitoring systems have to be implemented. Biryukov et al (2023) and Yessimbek et al (2022) address the development of the concept of sustainable development for a modern enterprise. The author has developed an algorithm for measuring the cost of environmental damage.…”

Growth and Development of the Black Saxaul Depending on Tillage in Arid Conditions of Kazakhstan

“…The creation of stable and long-lasting protective forest plantations in arid conditions of Western Kazakhstan remains a difficult issue due to the extreme continental climate, the large complexity of forestgrowing properties of soils, the low use of agricultural technology in cultivation, and the lack of measures for their maintenance and protection (Yessimbek et al, 2022;Yesmagulova et al, 2023).…”

“…The effectiveness of a tight planting schedule in the spring period is explained by the rapid deterioration of growing conditions caused by the increase in temperature and the desiccation of the upper soil horizons. In the autumn period, on the contrary, there is a decrease in the intensity of the temperature regime (Yessimbek et al, 2022). To identify the optimal way to create plantations, it is necessary to choose different methods of tillage.…”

“…It blooms in April-June and bears fruit in September. It occurs on takyrs and takyr-like gray soils but forms smaller shrubs here (Yessimbek et al, 2022).…”