Natural-climate zonal distribution of the beekeeping industry in the west of Kazakhstan

Abstract

Analysis of the features of Western Kazakhstan for the presence and level of thermal regime, phytocenotic diversity as a source of food for bees and other important indicators are necessary to establish the level of intensity and search for ways to increase the efficiency of the beekeeping industry, which will become a significant replenishment of the fodder base for farm animals. In addition, the use of such honey plants as sweet clover, alfalfa, clover, sainfoin significantly improves soil fertility in crop rotation structures, since the use of leguminous herbs significantly increases soil nitrogen. In cases where sweet clover is sown on lands with a high salt content, their salinity is significantly reduced, which today makes it possible to stop soil degradation, and this is a solution to global problems. The climate of the western regions of Kazakhstan is characterized by a sharp continentality, which increases from northwest to southeast. The signs of continentality are distinguished by sharp temperature contrasts of day and night, winter and summer, and a rapid transition from winter to summer. Instability and scarcity of atmospheric precipitation, intensity of evaporation processes and an abundance of direct sunlight throughout the growing season are typical throughout the region. Intensive crop production is mainly concentrated in the steppe and dry-steppe zones located in the northern part of the West Kazakhstan and Aktobe regions. The territory of intensive agriculture in the west of Kazakhstan for many years has formed a range of agricultural crops, priority for crop production, the main of which are winter cereals, spring breads, legumes. The entire grain wedge accounts for 50% of all sown area. On average, 12% of the area is sown annually with oilseeds and 36% is allocated for sowing forage crops, including typical nectar-bearing crops: sunflower, safflower, alfalfa, sainfoin, sweet clover. Mustard, buckwheat, camelina are sown in small amounts. The natural and climatic conditions of Western Kazakhstan in terms of indicators and characteristics that affect the activity of bee pollination are complex, unstable, but quite acceptable for targeted involvement in agricultural production. Seed production of field crops with the involvement of cultivated species of pollinating insects in the process of pollination can increase the yield of seed production by 45-50%.