The humus content, elemental composition and optical density of humic acids in virgin and irrigated soils of the Tashsakinsky massif of the Khorezm region of Uzbekistan were estimated. The studied desert virgin and irrigated soils have characterized by light and medium loamy granulometric composition, dusty-granular structure and slightly alkaline reaction. Carbonates present in small quantities - 3.10-10.60%. The total humus content in the upper horizons varies from 0.19% to 0.76%. In virgin grey-brown soils the humus type is humate-fulvate, agriculture soils are humate. The degree of humification of organic matter in newly irrigated gray-brown-meadow and meadow-marsh soils is higher than in virgin gray-brown soils and decreases down the profile. It was revealed that the optical density of humic acids of virgin gray-brown, irrigated meadow and meadow-marsh soils is characterized by high values. The percentage of the sum of humic acid elements differs little from virgin soils to old-irrigated meadow soils. In the lower horizons, oxidation increases by 1.02 times compared to other studied soils. For the first time, the elemental composition of humic acids in virgin and irrigated soils of the desert zone of the Tashsakinsky massif of the Khorezm region was determined. The elemental composition of humic acids showed the oxidizability of humic acids, which decreases from top to bottom along the profile, which is associated with the features of the genesis of the studied soils, the age of irrigation and the degree of cultivation of these soils.

This article discusses the processes of dehumification and loss of humus in leached chernozem soils of agricultural lands of the North Kazakhstan region due to mineralization and as a result of erosion processes. Modern rates of soil dehumification lead to a decrease in the fertility of agricultural land and a decrease in yields, soil fertility is a valuable resource. The intensive process of decomposition of organic matter and its dehumidification occurs as a result of plowing virgin soil and as a result of its improper use in agricultural conditions. In the North Kazakhstan region, after the development of virgin lands, trends of intensive soil dehumidification are widespread. It was found that the object of study, leached chernozem, loses 0.69 t/ha by mineralization of humus and 0.011 t/ha as a result of erosion processes. Due to the long-term agricultural use of the land, improper construction of soil protection works, lack of organic substances that complement the humus composition of the soil, the balance of humus is disturbed, and organic substances connect soil structures with each other, increasing resistance to environmental factors. The destruction of soil structures of the plowed soil layer, the predominance of dust structures, thinning of the humus layer and the intensity of erosion processes were revealed.

Natural zeolite from the Shankanay deposit is effective for use as an additive to mineral fertilizers when growing vegetable crops in the foothill zone of south-east Kazakhstan. Zeolite added to the soil with mineral fertilizers leads to an increase in the water-physical properties of dark chestnut soil. The water permeability of these options has increased noticeably. The use of zeolite and fertilizers helps to increase the mobile forms of nitrate nitrogen, mobile phosphorus and exchangeable potassium. The addition of zeolite reduces the concentrations of mobile forms of heavy metals in the dark chestnut soil under study. Thus, the concentration of cadmium in the soil in a 0-20 cm layer under sowing table beets when using 2 tons of zeolite decreased by 50% with a control value of 1.0 mg/kg, which does not exceed the maximum permissible concentration.

A positive effect of zeolite fertilizer on the productivity of vegetable crops was revealed, which makes it possible to increase the total yield of table beet roots from 42.8 t/ha in control to 43.3-62.7 t/ha in fertilized variants with an increase in yield from 4.4 t/ha up to 19.9 t/ha. The yield of cabbage was 25.7 t/ha on the control, and increased by 6.5-16.5 t/ha on the fertilized variants. The use of zeolite and fertilizers contributes to the production of vegetables with good and high quality indicators. Application of both zeolite and fertilizers increased the dry matter, sugar and vitamin C content of the studied crops. The amount of nitrates in the products decreased with the addition of zeolite and increased in other variants of the experiment, but did not exceed the maximum permissible concentration. Thus, in the control variant, the nitrate content in cabbage heads was 223 mg/kg wet weight, in the variants with zeolite 2t/ha - 205 mg/kg, in beetroots - 248 mg/kg and 195 mg/kg, respectively.

The article presents the results of studying the effect of various doses of ammonium nitrate on the yield and protein content in spring triticale grain. Numerous studies around the world have established that nitrogen is a key factor influencing the productivity of grain crops. The paper presents the results of a 5-year study (2018-2022) of cultivating spring triticale using fallow and stubble predecessors. Nitrogen fertilizer was applied when sowing in rows at a dose of 20 to        80 kg/ha in the active substance. The experiments were carried out in the Akmola region (LLP "SPCGF named after A. Barayev") on southern carbonate chernozem. Over the five years of research, only 2018 was characterized by optimal hydrothermal conditions during the triticale growing season, the remaining four years (2019-2022) were dry. The reserves of productive moisture in the meter layer of soil before sowing triticale in fallow were 119-138 mm, in stubble - 119-125 mm. The content of N-NO₃ in the soil layer 0-40 cm before sowing triticale varied according to the years of research, so for fallow it varied from 11 to 28 mg/kg, and for stubble from 10 to 17 mg/kg of soil. The amount of P₂O₅ before sowing (in the soil layer of 0-20 cm), regardless of the predecessor, varied within 24-37 mg/kg of soil. It was not possible to establish a reliable effect of different doses of ammonium nitrate on grain yield and protein content in triticale grain using the two studied precursors. A strong correlation between the dose of nitrogen fertilizer and the yield of triticale based on the steam predecessor was established only in 2020   (r = 0.85) and in 2021 (r = 0.83). For stubble, a strong positive correlation between nitrogen doses and yield was noted in 2019 (r = 0.78), 2021 (r = 0.79) and 2022 (r = 0.87). A correlation between the protein content in triticale grain and nitrogen doses was established based on the fallow in 2 of 4 years (r = 0.86...0.96). For the stubble, a strong positive relationship was noted in all years of research (r = 0.83...0.99).

In field experiments, the high energy efficiency of the use of mineral fertilizers for potatoes on chestnut soils of northern Kazakhstan was revealed. The energy efficiency of the use of nitrogen, phosphorus and potash fertilizers has been established. The energy consumption of nitrogen fertilizers per 1 kg of increase in the yield of the main product, depending on the doses of fertilizers, ranged from 6223,3 MJ (efficiency = 2,2 units) to 15129,6 MJ (efficiency = 1,0 units). The energy content of 1 kg of phosphorous fertilizers used by increasing the yield of potato tubers (c) was estimated from 11712 MJ (efficiency = 1,9 units) to 18300 MJ (efficiency = 2,5 units), which indicates high energy efficiency. Energy costs varied in the range of 5130,5 MJ against the background of N₄₅K₄₅ and 7208,3 MJ against the best variant of N₄₅P₉₀K₄₅. The energy efficiency from the use of potash fertilizers is estimated at 2,2 units for variants K₄₅ and K₉₀ against the background of N₄₅P₄₅. Energy costs are reduced by obtaining 1 c of potato tubers in more efficient variants in terms of the energy efficiency of the fertilizers used. Knowing the energy costs (Ao, MJ) for growing crops and the energy content (Vf₀, MJ/ha) in the yield of products, it is possible to conduct a bioenergetic assessment of the effectiveness of crop cultivation in the practice of applying fertilizers. The purpose of the research is to identify the bioenergetic efficiency of the use of mineral fertilizers for potatoes on chestnut soil in the conditions of the Northern region of Kazakhstan. 

The article gives an assessment of one of the promising and valuable oilseeds – mustard, the cultivation of which is provided for by the program of diversification of grain production in Kazakhstan, in particular, crop production. It was revealed that the conditions of mineral nutrition of mustard in the steppe zone of Northern Kazakhstan have not been studied. Therefore, field experiments were conducted to study the optimization of mustard mineral nutrition conditions. A 14-variant scheme is presented for creating different levels of phosphorus and nitrogen in the soil in order to determine the quantitative relationship between the level of nutrients in the soil and the productivity of mustard varieties. During all the years of the study, mustard developed in conditions of phosphorus deficiency in the soil, average nitrogen supply and increased potassium only. The application of nitrogen-phosphorus fertilizers contributed to an increase in the nitrogen content of nitrates and mobile phosphorus in the soil by 2-3 times and was determined by the amount of fertilizers applied. The productivity of mustard on a naturally non-windy background was low, it depended on the dose of fertilizers, soil moisture, and the initial content of nutrients. This explains the ambiguous reaction of mustard to the application of the same types, doses and combinations of fertilizers.

Achieving sustainable fruit production and ensuring quality preservation are paramount in modern apple orchards. This review delves into contemporary methods designed to optimize mineral nutrition, aiming to bolster both yield and fruit preservation. Various strategies for enhancing apple orchard management are examined, with a focus on maximizing the efficacy of mineral fertilizers, maintaining balanced nutrition, and understanding the critical role of key nutrients such as nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, and boron. The review underscores the importance of comprehending plant nutrient requirements across different growth stages and phenological phases to attain sustainable, high-quality fruit production. Furthermore, it emphasizes the necessity of continuous diagnostic assessments to tailor mineral nutrition practices to the specific needs of apple orchards, ensuring optimal performance and economic viability.

The article examines and presents to the public the most pressing, relevant and unresolved problems of soil science in Kazakhstan. The authors offer their vision of solving these problems.

Western Kazakhstan is characterized by a large territory, extremely heterogeneous in terms of soil formation conditions and a complex soil cover structure. Its formation is also influenced by negative anthropogenic factors against the background of desertification. A soil map has been compiled. A methodology for an integrated approach to land resource assessment based on a genetic approach, taking into account the degree of soil degradation, has been substantiated.