Increase in Productivity of Chestnut Soils on Irrigated Lands of Northern and Central Kazakhstan

Alexey Rau, Yelzaveta Koibakova, Balgabayev Nurlan, Madina Nabiollina (), Zhanymhan Kurmanbek, Yerlan Issakov, Kai Zhu () and Lóránt Dénes Dávid ()
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Alexey Rau: Department of Water Resources and Reclamation, Kazakh National Agrarian Research University, Almaty 050010, Kazakhstan
Yelzaveta Koibakova: Department of Biology and Agricultural Specialties, International Taraz Innovative Institute Named after Sh. Murtaza, Taraz 080012, Kazakhstan
Balgabayev Nurlan: Kazakh Scientific Research Institute of Water Economy LLP, Taraz 080003, Kazakhstan
Madina Nabiollina: Department of Water Resources and Reclamation, Kazakh National Agrarian Research University, Almaty 050010, Kazakhstan
Zhanymhan Kurmanbek: Department of Water Resources and Reclamation, Kazakh National Agrarian Research University, Almaty 050010, Kazakhstan
Yerlan Issakov: Institute of Natural Sciences and Geography, Abai Kazakh National Pedagogical University, Almaty 050010, Kazakhstan
Kai Zhu: Faculty of Resources and Environmental Science, Hubei University, Wuhan 430062, China
Lóránt Dénes Dávid: Institute of Rural Development and Sustainable Economy, Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences, 2100 Gödöllő, Hungary

Land, 2023, vol. 12, issue 3, 1-10

Abstract: Natural conditions in North and Central Kazakhstan and the energy potential of chestnut soil testify to the efficiency of agriculture, especially on irrigated lands. The humus horizon of chestnut soils is 35–50 cm, and the humus content is 3.0–3.5%. The majority of the humus (75%) is contained in a half-meter layer, which emphasizes the short humus level. The phosphorus content, both gross and mobile, is very low at 0.98–0.031%. Potassium is in elevated amounts. Soils are most susceptible to the application of nitrogen–phosphorus fertilizers. According to the mechanical composition, chestnut soils are predominantly lightly loamy, light clays with substrates of souses. Salinization is low, with a salt content in the 0–100 cm soil layer of 0.10–0.20%. The mass of the arable soil layer is 1.3–1.4 g/cm 3 . Deep plowing and loosening of soils improve the water and nutrition regime, creating good conditions for arid agriculture. With deep autumn plowing up to 30 cm, the accumulation of sediment and spring meltwater reaches 1200–1500 m 3 /ha more than in spring disposal. Deep plowing ensures absorption of irrigation water, eliminates run-off during irrigation, and reduces the number of crops requiring extra irrigation. In an average dry year, at 50% water availability and 70% soil moisture content (MC), the number of irrigations is 4, and the irrigation rate is 300–470 m 3 /ha; at 60% MC, 2 irrigations are performed, and the irrigation rate is 600–650 m 3 /ha. On irrigated land, the yield of cereals is 2.8–2.6 t/ha; perennial grasses, 3.0–4.5 t/ha; potatoes, 23.2–24.1 t/ha; carrots, 35.0–40.0 t/ha; and cabbage, 50.0–75.0 t/ha.

Keywords: water regime; food regime; irrigation rate; productivity; irrigated agriculture; water consumption; moisture availability; water permeability (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q15 Q2 Q24 Q28 Q5 R14 R52 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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