Perennial wheat yields for several years after sowing, and develops a deep and dense root system, thereby improving soil structure and preserving soil fertility. It is also drought resistant, which increases its future potential under the ongoing climate change. Moreover, perennial wheat offers and effective strategy for carbon sequestration through increasing soil carbon stocks. However, the effect of perennial wheat on soil properties remains uncertain in the conditions of south-eastern Kazakhstan due to the lack of data. To fill this gap, we conducted a study in which five varieties of perennial wheat were grown in the Almaty region in soils of different fertility for two years. As a result, in the plot where topsoil was removed to a depth of 25 cm, total carbon increased by nearly three times, from 0.54% to 1.42%, and the number of microorganisms increased from 715.1x103±0.2x103 to 48.0x103±0.6x103 colony forming units per ml of soil. The photosynthetic performance of perennial wheat varieties in the experimental plot was not negatively affected by the removal of top soil suggesting that perennial wheat can successfully restore soil fertility and replenish soil with chemical elements involved in photosynthesis. Our results confirm that in the conditions of the south-eastern Kazakhstan perennial wheat makes a significant contribution to the soil carbon stock accumulation and development of soil biota; in our study, these effects were particularly strong in the case of degraded soil.

The genus Trollius L. remains insufficiently studied in Kazakhstan, necessitating comprehensive monitoring of its distribution and population status assessments. In Kazakhstan, this genus is represented by the following five species: T. asiaticus, T. altaicus, T. dschungaricus, T. lilacinus and T. komarovii. Of those, T. altaicus and T. dschungaricus are the most widely distributed. This study focuses on analyzing the population structure of Trollius altaicus and Trollius dschungaricus in relation to varying ecological and geographical conditions within Kazakhstan, along with conducting a comprehensive morphometric assessment. To study plant communities with Trollius L. species, classical geobotanical methods were applied, including the route-reconnaissance method to determine the species’ range and carry out a detailed population survey which involved the assessment of the age structure of populations and species composition of associated vegetation. Population structure analysis showed that the majority of T. altaicus plants were in the generative stage, with the right skewed age spectrum suggesting a decline in population size. Meanwhile, populations of T. dschungaricus were dominated by juvenile and virginal individuals, with the left skewed age spectrum suggesting a high regenerative potential. The morphometric analysis revealed high variability of plant height, number of leaves, flower diameter, diameter of generative bushes, number of basal leaves, and leaf length and width. The obtained results can serve as a basis for developing effective conservation and management strategies for T. altaicus and T. dschungaricus under ongoing climate change and anthropogenic impact. This research demonstrates that a detailed assessment of phenotypic characteristics is vital for formulating preservation frameworks and managing biological resources sustainably.

This study aimed to comparatively evaluate the physicochemical and biochemical properties of grain and straw from annual and perennial rice cultivated under different soil–climatic conditions in the Kyzylorda and Almaty regions of Kazakhstan, and to investigate the microbiological and agrochemical characteristics of associated rice field soils. The experimental materials included grain, straw, and soil samples collected at full maturity from field trials. Standard analytical procedures were applied, including Kjeldahl nitrogen determination, moisture content analysis, crude fiber assessment, microbiological culturing using serial dilution techniques on selective media, and agrochemical analysis of soil organic carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, and humus content. The results demonstrated significant variation in grain composition depending on both cultivation system and geographic location. Perennial rice consistently exhibited higher protein content (4.73–4.90%) compared to annual rice (3.56–3.84%), while showing reduced moisture (9.58–9.72% vs. 12.36–13.62%) and lower crude fiber content. These differences suggest enhanced nitrogen assimilation efficiency and improved grain quality in perennial rice systems. Microbiological analysis revealed significantly greater abundance and diversity of aerobic and functional microorganisms in soils cultivated with perennial rice than in annual rice and non-cultivated control soils. The total number of aerobic microorganisms reached 820.5 × 10³ and 175.2 × 10³ CFU mL⁻¹ in perennial rice soils, whereas control soils contained only 55.3 × 10³ and 81.7 × 10³ CFU mL⁻¹. The highest abundance of phosphate-solubilizing microorganisms was recorded in the perennial rice field in the Almaty region (2.32 × 10⁹ CFU g⁻¹ soil), indicating the formation of highly active microbial communities involved in phosphorus mobilization and nutrient cycling. Agrochemical analyses further showed that perennial rice promoted the accumulation of soil organic carbon, nitrogen, and humus following topsoil removal, with total organic carbon reaching 1.68% compared with only 0.43% in soils without perennial rice. These findings suggest that the extensive root system of perennial rice contributes to enhanced carbon sequestration and improved soil fertility. Overall, perennial rice demonstrated favorable physicochemical, biochemical, microbiological, and agrochemical characteristics, including improved nutrient composition, enhanced microbial diversity, greater abundance of beneficial phosphate-solubilizing bacteria, and increased accumulation of soil organic matter. The findings highlight the potential of perennial rice as a sustainable agricultural system capable of improving grain quality while promoting long-term soil fertility, microbial biodiversity, and ecosystem stability under the conditions of Kazakhstan.

Populus × canescens (Aiton) Sm. is a natural hybrid between Populus alba L. and Populus tremula L., but its genetic diversity and population structure in Western Kazakhstan remain poorly characterized. Here, we investigated 12 individuals representing five geographically separated populations in the West Kazakhstan Region using chloroplast matK and rbcL sequences. The concatenated 1318 bp dataset was analyzed to assess genetic diversity, haplotype relationships, population differentiation, demographic history, and phylogenetic relationships. Seven haplotypes were identified, with relatively high haplotype diversity but low nucleotide diversity. The predominant haplotype was shared among four populations, whereas several population-specific haplotypes were detected. Pairwise nucleotide divergence ranged from 0.000635 to 0.002096, with the highest value observed between Pop4 and Pop5. Significant negative Tajima’s D and Fu and Li’s statistics were detected; however, the predominantly unimodal mismatch distribution was interpreted cautiously because the low nucleotide diversity and limited sample size reduced its sensitivity for demographic inference. Therefore, the observed pattern should not be considered conclusive evidence of demographic expansion. Bayesian phylogenetic analysis revealed heterogeneous placement of P. × canescens individuals relative to P. alba and P. tremula. These findings provide the first molecular baseline for P. × canescens in Western Kazakhstan and contribute to understanding its chloroplast genetic diversity, population structure, and evolutionary relationships.

The genus Populus L. includes ecologically important woody species that occupy diverse floodplain habitats and exhibit considerable morphological and anatomical variation. The aim of this study was to comparatively assess the morphological, anatomical, and dendrometric characteristics of four Populus taxa-P. alba, P. nigra, P. tremula, and P. × canescens-growing in different floodplain habitats of the West Kazakhstan region. Leaf and stem samples were collected during 2025–2026 and examined using conventional anatomical techniques. Quantitative measurements were performed for epidermal, cortical, vascular, and mesophyll tissues, as well as for leaf and tree morphological characteristics. Statistical analyses were conducted in R using descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, and principal component analysis (PCA). The results revealed pronounced interspecific differences in both anatomical and morphological traits. P. alba was characterized by the largest leaf dimensions and the highest dendrometric values, with mean leaf length, width, and petiole length of 9.37 ± 1.63, 7.83 ± 1.29, and 7.41 ± 1.56 cm, respectively, while mean tree height, crown radius, and trunk diameter reached 134.41 ± 57.81, 21.38 ± 9.20, and 42.77 ± 18.41, respectively. P. nigra was distinguished by the largest central cylinder diameter (1085.7 ± 123.2 μm), the thickest xylem (50.7 ± 6.9 μm), and the presence of calcium oxalate crystals in the primary cortex and pith. P. tremula showed the thickest primary cortex (307.8 ± 9.7 μm), whereas P. × canescens had the smallest central cylinder (228.0 ± 45.0 μm) and generally lower dimensions of vascular tissues. Correlation analysis demonstrated strong positive relationships among leaf traits and among dendrometric traits, while leaf and dendrometric characteristics showed predominantly negative relationships at the interspecific level. PCA based on leaf traits explained 93.6% of the total variation in the first two components, whereas the integrated PCA of six leaf and dendrometric traits explained 97.0%. P. alba formed the most distinct morphological group, while P. tremula and P. × canescens showed substantial overlap, reflecting their close morphological similarity and the hybrid origin of P. × canescens. The combined application of anatomical, morphometric, dendrometric, and multivariate approaches provides effective diagnostic criteria for differentiating closely related Populus taxa and contributes to a better understanding of their structural diversity and ecological adaptation in the floodplain ecosystems of Western Kazakhstan.