Methods of growing high grain yields in Northern Kazakhstan during the years of virgin lands development (the case of the Zarechny state farm)

Abstract

This article examines the development of virgin and fallow lands in Kazakhstan in the 1950s. Since the climate in the Kazakh steppes was sharply continental, arid, and the soils unsuitable for farming, the cultivation of grain crops was associated with huge risks and difficulties. Everywhere in those years a great number of state farms were established in Kazakhstan, which had to develop not only vast areas in extraordinary conditions and terms, but also apply innovative for that time and for that area methods of cultivation of high yields of grain crops. Analysis of the materials showed that, despite the difficult natural and climatic conditions, lack of agricultural machinery and labour, the virgin lands cultivators harvested high yields by applying the method of layer-by-layer tillage. The authors concluded that in the course of land use state farm specialists tried to maintain the quality characteristics of the soil.