Strategy of sustainable soil and plant resource management in the Republic of Kazakhstan

Abstract

This chapter presents the research material gained during implementation of the international project led by the International Center for Agricultural Research in Arid Areas (ICARDA) entitled ‘‘Sustainable management of land resources in arid regions of Central Asia and Caucasus’’. This project focused primarily on irrigation and degraded pastures in south and southeast Kazakhstan. Soils and forage crops were studied using conventional, proven methodological approaches and agro-chemical methods. The subjects of the study were: terrains, soil, water, cultivated and pasture plants (rice, triticale and winter wheat, wormwood-ephemeral, grass-shrub and cereal-grass communities). The following aspects were studied and evaluated: soil reclamation and the environmental condition of the soil surface of Shiely irrigation area, fertility levels, soil salinity chemistry and soil degradation under irrigation in the Kyzylorda region, as well as the degradation of pastures in the Sarysu district of the Zhambyl region. The current status of the soil surface of each study object was described. In addition, methods were devised to improve soil reclamation and environmental conditions and conservation, and to increase soil fertility and crop productivity in irrigated saline soils and pastures of the arid zone.