Wheat is the main cereal crop in Kazakhstan and fertilizers play an important role in enhancing harvest growth. In this study, the impact of new sulfur-containing fertilizers on the growth and yield of wheat was evaluated, and the resistance of varieties to Puccinia triticina Erikss was also investigated. (also known as Puccinia recondite Rob. ex Desm.) for recommendations in agriculture. The study was conducted from 2017 to 2020 in a nursery and greenhouse. The sulfur-containing fertilizer contains nutrients that allow you to extend the duration of absorption by the plant, thereby extending the period of their availability to plants, compared to conventional preparations. By encapsulating molten elemental sulfur and impregnating with a solution of calcium polysulfide, a long-acting compound based on amorphous and monocalcium phosphate was developed. The sulfur is in a water-soluble sulfate form, which, in turn, is slowly oxidized by bacteria and retained in the soil. Three different types of the developed sulfur-containing nano-particle have been used to test in greenhouses and nurseries: powdered, pasty sulfur-containing composition, and a solution of calcium polysulfide. The results showed that the use of powdered and dissolved sulfur-containing fertilizers contributed to the early ripeness and increased productivity of wheat. Wheat varieties were tested for the presence of key Lr genes that determine resistance to brown rust. The Omskaya 29 sample showed an immune response according to phytopathological assessment, and molecular screening revealed four resistance genes. The new sulfur-containing product is recommended for improving wheat productivity in agriculture, and the Omskaya 29 variety can also be used as a valuable breeding material resistant to brown rust.

In this paper, the modification of natural clinoptilolite and mordenite zeolites from Almaty using acid treatment is addressed for the purposes of improving adsorption performance and for drinking water purification. Structural chemical transformation was characterized by the use of X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and Scanning electron microscope (SEM) techniques. Acid treatment led to a partial dealumination that was responsible for an increase in the number of surface defects and micropores, improvement in ion exchange capacity, and selectivity toward heavy metals. Additionally, modifications greatly enhance the uptake capacities of Pb²⁺, Cd²⁺, and As³⁺. The clinoptilolite post-modification removal efficiencies reached 94%, 86%, and 84%, respectively, while mordenite zeolites achieved 95%, 90%, and 87% removal efficiencies, respectively. The enhancement of performance was related to the increase in surface area and active sites for ion exchange, verified from analysis of the Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) surface area. The use of different Bhatt and Kothari methods has revealed that adsorption processes followed Langmuir isotherm models for Pb²⁺ and Cd²⁺, whereas As³⁺ adsorption was better described by the Freundlich isotherm model. However, second-order kinetics indicate that chemisorption was the dominant mechanism. Such evidence indicates spontaneity and an endothermic process, as shown from thermodynamic studies. Results showed that modified zeolites indeed had a high degree of reusability, with over 80% of the adsorption capacity retained even after five cycles. Acid-modified zeolites can provide cheaper, greener methods of purification, generating only negligible secondary waste when compared to conventional methods of water purification, for example, activated carbon and membrane filtration. Results from this study proved that modified clinoptilolite and mordenite zeolites have the potential for sustainable heavy metal treatment in drinking water purification systems.

The adaptive potential of plants in urban environments, responding to factors like air pollution, electromagnetic radiation, and specific microclimates, remains insufficiently understood. Our study focused on two evergreen Cupressaceae family species, Thuja occidentalis L. and Platycladus orientalis L. Franco, which are commonly found in Kazakhstan’s urban landscapes. Conducted in Almaty, one of Kazakhstan’s most polluted cities, our comparative analysis examined the anatomical features, photosynthetic activity, and secondary metabolite composition of these conifers. Both species exhibited xeromorphic traits, such as submerged stomata, resin passages, and a prominent leaf cuticle. T. occidentalis displayed higher photosynthetic activity values (quantum yield of photosystem II (YII), electron transport rate (ETR), and quantum yield of non-photochemical quenching (Y(NPQ))) than P. orientalis, while P. orientalis exhibited a higher quantum yield of non-regulated energy dissipation in PSII (Y(NO)) values. Chemical analysis revealed 31 components in T. occidentalis and 33 in P. orientalis, with T. occidentalis containing three times more thujone (16.42% and 5.18%, respectively) and a higher monosaccharide content (17.33% and 6.98%, respectively). T. occidentalis also contained 14.53% steroids, whereas P. orientalis showed no steroid presence. The cytotoxic activity of essential oils was determined by the survival of Artemia salina aquatic crustaceans, whereas tested essential oils from both species exhibited acute lethal toxicity to A. salina aquatic crustaceans across all tested concentrations. The connection between physiological traits, adaptation strategies, and cytotoxic effects offers a comprehensive view of the ecological and pharmacological importance of these two observed conifer species, highlighting their diverse roles in urban environments, as well as their potential medical uses.

Hedysarum L. is one of the large genus of the Fabaceae Lindl. family, consisting of 200 species. Species in the genus Hedysarum are valuable forage and medicinal resources. In this study, we studied Hedysarum theinum Krasnob and Hedysarum neglectum Ledeb growing in the western Altai of Eastern Kazakhstan. H. theinum is a perennial, herbaceous, valuable medicinal plant, a rare species, an Altai-Dzungarian endemic, and a globally endangered species. H. neglectum is a perennial plant of high medicinal and fodder value, growing mainly in the sub-alpine zone. The purpose of the work is to identify the anatomical features and determine the phytochemical composition of the components of two species of Hedysarum. Route-reconnoitering methods were used in a field search of two species of Hedysarum for comparative study in 2020-2021. The extracts were analyzed by gas chromatography with mass spectrometric detection. The location of biologically active substances in the anatomical structure of the stem has been established. Biologically active substances are concentrated around the conductive bundles of the leaf and stem. The comparative anatomical structure of the stem in H. theinum revealed a thick ring of sclerenchyma under the cambium, which is absent in H. neglectum. In determining the phytochemical compounds of the aboveground organs of two Hedysarum species, the total number of components was 74, of which 55 compounds were found in H. theinum and 57 in H. neglectum. In both species, 37 components were detected, in H. neglectum 11 components had significant content, in H. theinum 9 components contained a significant percentage of compounds. Analysis of the root extract showed that H. theinum contains 27 and H. neglectum contains 29 compounds. Of these, 15 compounds are characteristic of both species. The phytochemical data obtained confirm the anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antifungal, antimicrobial, antimalarial, and antitumor properties of these plants.

Fraxinus sogdiana Bunge (family Oleaceae) is a rare, relict species, with a disjunctive distribution range. The species is listed in the Red Book of Kazakhstan. The aim of this study was to determine anatomical features and identify the phytochemical composition of F. sogdiana growing in different soils in Kazakhstan. The research objects were vegetative organs collected in the Temirlik River Valley of the Almaty region (the State National Nature Park “Sharyn”) and the Boralday River Valley of the Turkestan region (the Syrdarya–Turkestan Regional Nature Park) in 2020–2022. A comparative anatomical analysis of the vegetative organs of F. sogdiana revealed similarities and differences between the specimens studied. The level of significance was taken at 5%. The main feature identified in the anatomical structure of the F. sogdiana leaves was the presence of large special motor cells in the upper and lower epidermis. A study of the phytochemical composition identified the ten most important biologically active substances with antimicrobial, antitumor, diuretic, and antioxidative properties. In the study areas, soils were different in terms of conditions and time of soil formation. The soil profile of the floodplain terrace of the Temirlik River was found to be stratified with alternating interlayers of light loamy and sandy loam granulometric composition with inclusions of pebbles; differentiation of the soil profile into genetic horizons was poorly pronounced. The soil profile of the floodplain terrace of the Boralday River had a clear differentiation into genetic horizons.