In the flora of Kazakhstan there are many medicinal plants, of which the genus Artemisia (Asteraceae) includes 81 species. In the current study, chemical composition of essential oil from aerial parts of Artemisia austriaca Jacq. collected from different sites of Northern Kazakhstan was determined using GC-MS analysis. The chemical analysis demonstrated that the oil was dominated by oxygenated monoterpenes amounting to 39.49-59.20% with camphor (7.03-20.52%), 1,8-cineole (8.95-13.55%), α-thujone (3.16-25.78%) and β-thujone (0.87-9.92%) as major constituents. The results also suggested that there was difference in composition as well as amount among different sites depending on pH and organic matter of the soil. Further chemometric analysis using hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) of A. austriaca essential oil compositions from the published literature as well as the composition from present study were used in order to demonstrate geographical variations in the composition of the essential oils. It showed the existence of two main clusters: mixture of α- and β-thujones (32.5±21.6%) / 1,8-cineole (13.9±7.8%) (Cluster I) and camphor (40.5±17.4%) / 1,8-cineole (19.4±9.5%) (Cluster II).

Globally, gall-forming insects significantly contribute to the degradation of desert ecosystems. Recent studies have demonstrated that Haloxylon persicum suffers less damage from gall-formers compared to Haloxylon aphyllum. However, the mechanisms driving the long-term metabolic responses of these species to gall-forming biotic stress in their natural environment remain unclear. The current study comparatively analyzes the anatomical features and metabolomic changes in H. aphyllum and H. persicum damaged by gall-forming insects. This research aimed to uncover potential metabolic tolerance mechanisms through GC-MS analysis. The study findings indicate that gall-forming insects cause a reduction in nearly all the anatomical structures of Haloxylon shoots, with the effects being less severe in H. persicum than in H. aphyllum. Thus, the metabolic pathways responsible for the biosynthesis of biologically active substances that enhance resistance to gall inducers were different, specifically in H. aphyllum—the biosynthesis of fatty acids (+their derivatives) and γ-tocopherol (vitamin E) and H. persicum—the biosynthesis of fatty acids (+their derivatives), dialkyl ethers, carbohydrates (+their derivatives), aromatic acid derivatives, phytosterols, γ-tocopherol (vitamin E), phenols, and terpenoids. The results suggest that the modulation of metabolic pathways under biotic stress plays a crucial role in the enhanced survival and growth of H. persicum.

Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) is a valuable tree species, playing an important role in maintaining the ecological and economic balance not only in Kazakhstan, but also in many countries around the world. The purpose of this study was to assess the growth rate and to identify the genotypes of the half-sib progeny of Scotch pine plus trees in order to further obtain high-quality seeds with valuable genetic traits. A molecular genetic analysis was carried out using six microsatellite and 20 isoenzyme loci on 15 Scots pine half-sib families, represented by two samples of seeds collected in the subsequent harvesting periods (planted in 1986 and 1987), that evaluated the taxonomic characteristics such as tree height and trunk diameter (DBH, measured at 1.3 meters). Families with the highest growth rate in both samples were selected as candidates for the elite group. During the SSR analysis, a decrease in the level of expected heterozygosity (0.2377-0.5362 with an average value of 0.4593) was observed in P. sylvestris L. half-sibs compared to the sample of maternal plus trees (0.5444), with similar results to that of the “founder effect”. At the same time, the level of observed heterozygosity remained sufficiently high (0.3333-0.7037 with an average value of 0.4980 and 0.4556, respectively). During the isoenzyme analysis, the level of genetic variability either decreased or was similar to that of the maternal trees. Rare and unique alleles were found in seed samples of the analysed tree families. In general, this research showed that a comprehensive evaluation combining both traditional breeding methods (genetic assessment of progeny in the course of growth) and molecular genetic analysis is required for the selection of elite trees.

На основе электронных баз данных лесоустроительных материалов и результатов собственных исследований выполнен анализ эффективности использования интродуцентов при лесоразведении в санитарно-защитной зоне г. Астаны. Отмечается, что лесные культуры старше 10 лет представлены десятью видами. При этом среди указанных искусственных насаждений доминируют насаждения вяза приземистого, сосны обыкновенной и березы повислой. Высокая сохранность лесных культур старших возрастов объясняется созданием их на лесопригодных почвах. При этом отсутствие мероприятий по омоложению привело к усыханию 61,8 % всех созданных насаждений вяза приземистого. Благодаря усилиям ученых и практиков за последние 10 лет ассортимент видов, используемых при лесоразведении, увеличился более чем в два раза. При этом, если в старых лесных культурах погибло 28,1 % насаждений, то за последние 10 лет списано лишь 5,0 % от созданных лесных культур. Последние стали создаваться не только на лесопригодных, но и на относительно и условно лесопригодных почвах. При этом при создании лесных культур стали использоваться кустарниковые виды. Также предложен оригинальный способ омоложения кустарников, минимизирующий затраты ручного труда на проведение указанных работ. The article analyzes the effectiveness of using introduced species during afforestation in the sanitary protection zone of Astana on the base of electronic databases of forest management materials and the results of authors’ studies. It is noted that forest crops older than 10 years are represented by ten species. Plantings of Siberian elm, Scots pine and silver birch dominate among these artificial plantings. The high preservation of older forest crops is explained by their creation on forest suitable soils. At the same time the lack of rejuvenation measures led to the drying out of 61.8 % of all planted Siberian elm plantations. Due to the efforts of scientists and practitioners the assortment of species used in afforestation has more than doubled over the past 10 years. In addition, earlier 28 % of all old forest plantings died out, but now only 5 % of created forest plantations has been failed over the past 10 years. The forest plantations began to be created not only on suitable but on relatively and conditionally suitable soils. Besides, an original method of rejuvenation shrubs has been proposed that minimized the costs of manual labour when carrying out the work.

The article discusses the main taxation indicators of half-sibs at the age of 36 years. The total viability of all families is 51.5%, the average height is 17.04 ± 0.13 m, and average trunk diameter at a height of 1.3 m is 19.97 ± 0.21 cm. A high negative correlation (r = -0.68) was found with respect to the trunk diameter and viability indicators. It was found that the height growth of half-sibs is influenced by genotype by 30.6%, and the diameter growth - by 15.6%. A significant increase in height compared to the control was observed in 40.7% of families, while a minor increase in trunk diameter was noted in a small portion of families - 5.6%. The selective height improvement effect amounted to 8.8%, and for trunk diameter, it was 13.5%. It was determined that the offspring of plus trees obtained in the same year with free pollination in a natural plantation and a collection plot (clone of a plus tree) had both low and high overall combining ability, depending on the pollinator. Based on the results obtained, it is concluded that it is impractical to separate families from the same plus tree depending on the origin when assessing their growth.

Picea schrenkiana is a tree species native to the Tian Shan Mountains of Central Asia in Western China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan. P. schrenkiana is one of th