Grants

Today the problem of decreasing soil fertility is very important, as it is related to the food security of the country. The degradation of agricultural land alone could reduce global food production by as much as 30 per cent over the next 50 years. Global food production is already being negatively affected by a lack of arable land. Long-term soil studies carried out in Kazakhstan show that in a number of regions the reduction of humus content is about 20-25% of the initial one, i.e. negative humus balance in the range from 620 to 1650 kg/ha is observed on all types of chernozem soils, which represent the main agricultural fund of the country. Decrease in soil fertility negatively affects the quality and productivity of agricultural crops. This issue can be solved by improving the culture of farming. However, it is often not possible to observe all the necessary measures when cultivating crops. Absence or irrational application of mineral fertilisers, excessive use of pesticides, unreasonable ratio of the set and volume of crops alternated in a certain order or monoculture (wheat/barley) in the structure of sown areas of farms and other factors, all this to a greater or lesser extent negatively affects the soil fertility and its health and, as a consequence, on the finished agricultural products. Effective measures to conserve arable land, maintain and preserve soil fertility and soil health are therefore of high priority for human welfare.

This project aims to restore soil fertility and soil health through the use of short-rotation biologically based crop rotations with the inclusion of melilot and effective annual grass-legume-grass mixtures that add organic matter to the soil, improve its structure, which contributes to the formation of a specific microbiocoenosis and the formation of healthy fertile soil.

Goal of research:

To determine the influence of short-rotation crop rotations with melilot and cereal-legume grass mixtures on soil fertility and soil health and to identify the most productive ones for the steppe zone of Northern Kazakhstan.

Objectives:

1 Determine the main agrochemical indicators of fertility of southern carbonate chernozems under sideration in short rotational crop rotations with melilot and annual cereal-legume grasses.

2.Determine the influence of short-rotation crop rotations with melilot and annual cereal-legume grasses on the yield of spring soft wheat after sideration.

3.Determine microbiological indicators of soil «health» in short rotational crop rotations with melilot and annual grass-legume-legume grass mixtures.

Expected results:

As a result of the project implementation, the most productive crop rotations will be studied and identified in short-rotation biological rotations in terms of the main agrochemical indicators of fertility of southern carbonate chernozems.

The best biological rotations contributing to increased yield of spring soft wheat have been identified.

Microbiological indicators of soil «health» in short-rotation crop rotations with melilot and annual cereal-legume grass mixtures have been determined and the most effective ones contributing to the health improvement of southern carbonate chernozems have been identified.

.

On southern carbonate chernozems, 5 short-rotation grain-fallow and biological rotations were established, with inclusion of melilot and annual grass-legume-grass mixtures. Three-component grass-legume-grass mixture of Sudan grass with vetch and oats and two-component grass mixture of oats with vetch were distinguished by higher content of nitrogen (137.8-145.5 kg/ha), phosphorus (19.3-24.5 kg/ha), potassium (150.6-190.6 kg/ha) in dry biomass of above-ground part and roots.

High nitrate content in soil was observed under mustard crops (15.0 mg/kg) and Sudan grass with vetch and oats (15.5 mg/kg). The content of mobile forms of phosphorus in soil was 12.5 — 41.7 mg/kg, potassium 799 -1204g/kg, sulphur — 7.2 — 9.6 mg/kg. Humus content on the studied variants was up to 3,38%, in comparison with virgin land — 5,25%. Labile carbon was from 0.42 to 0,86%.

Ecological-trophic groups of microorganisms (ammonifiers, immobilisers, fungi, cellulosolytics, oligocarbophiles, oligotrophs) were identified under the sowing of sideral crops. High percentage of fibre decomposition was observed under crops of melilot (41.9%), mustard (35.3%) and oat + vetch grass mixture (31.8%). Increase of carbon dioxide production in 1.2-3.6 times was before sidedress ploughing.

Weak soil phytotoxicity was observed in crops of Sudan grass + vetch + oats (32%) and in crops of barley with peas — 25,2%. Soil suppressive capacity did not rise above 1% in relation to the isolate of fungus F. equisteti, and to the isolate of F. poae (302/1) this indicator ranged from 1% to 30%.

Interspecific differences in phytotoxic activity depending on the cultivation period of A. alternata (4/1), A. brassicae (7/2), A. infectoria (7/4), A. alternata (11/1), and A. porri (8/1) isolates were found. The 14 and 21-day CLF of A. infectoria (7/4), 14-day CLF of A. brassicae (7/2), and 21-day CLF of A. porri (8/1) had a stimulating effect on seed germination. Primary wheat seed roots were more sensitive to fungal metabolites.

Composition of the research team

Рукавицина И.В, Нелис, О.В., Булгакова И. Н. Влияние метаболитов грибовАlternaria spp.на развитие проростков пшеницы // «Eurasian Journal of Applied Biotechnologу». — 2024. — № 4. — С. 10–20. https://doi.org/10.11134/btp.4.2024.2

(Rukavitsina I.V., Nelis, O.V., Bulgakova I.N. Influence of metabolites of fungi Alterpagia spp. on the development of wheat seedlings // «Eurasian Journal of Applied Biotechnology». — 2024. — No.4. — P.10-20. https://doi.org/10.11134/btp.4.2024.2)