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The Department of Soil Science and Agrochemistry

The Department of Soil Science and Agrochemistry

 

The department of soil science and agricultural chemistry is one of the first departments created in 1958 by Tselinograd Agricultural Institute. As independent structural division the department of "Soil science and agricultural chemistry" was organized in 2008. The department realizes educational programs of "Soil science and agrochemistry" for three education levels.

The department of Soil Science and Agrochemistry has high scientific and pedagogical personnel potential. 3 professors, 1 associate professor, 9 senior teachers (candidates of science and masters), 6 assistants work at the department. The rate of academic degree holders in the department constitutes 60 per cent. Scientists of the departments are repeatedly noted by memorable awards, medals, diplomas by the MES RK, namely: Ramazanova R.X, Chernenok V.G., Nauanova A.P., Mukhametkarimov K.

Teaching in three levels is conducted on more than 40 disciplines (Soil Science, Geography of Soils, Soils of Kazakhstan, Protection of Soils, Biology of Soils, Mapping of Soils, Soil Science with Fundamentals in Geology, the General Geology, Landscape Science, Agrochemistry, Agrochemistry of Fertilizers, System of Fertilizers Use, Bases of Agrochemical Researches, Microbiology, Soil Microbiology Fertilizer of Vegetable Cultures, Genesis and Classification of Soils, Bioremediation and Bioindication of Soils, Physics and Chemistry of Soils, Soil and Vegetable Diagnostics, Optimization System of Mineral Food of Plants, Fertilizer System of Crop Rotations Cultures, etc.). Since 2015, trilingual training in master and doctoral programs has begun.

 

The department has a specialized research agrochemical laboratory where undergraduates and doctoral candidates have an opportunity to conduct the researches according to their theses.

The only in the region, Museum of soils of the Northern Kazakhstan functions at the department. The basis of the exposition is soil monoliths with the detailed description of their physical, physical and chemical and agrochemical properties.

Scientific researches of the department teaching staff are connected with the development of methods of purposeful management of soil fertility in relation to the system of exact agriculture; scientific bases to increase the efficiency of nonconventional grain crops; technologies of biological land reclamation of rural territories in the conditions of a dry steppe zone  of the Northern Kazakhstan, studying the transformation of nitrogen of fertilizers in the system of the soil plant; actinomycetes in soils of Northern Kazakhstan and a possibility of their use in bioremediation of the polluted soils and protection of plants; use of biomineral and bioorganic fertilizers for potatoes and sunflower.

 

Organization of practical training for students. LLP "Research and Production Center A.I. Baraev", LLP "Agricultural Experimental Station", LLP "KazNIILKhIA

A.N. Bukeikhan", Altai branch of KazNIILKHA."

The department conducts on-site zonal practice on natural and climatic zones, horizontal and vertical zonation of soils by region

Northern Kazakhstan

Eastern Kazakhstan

Central Kazakhstan.

In 2023, students of the department went to zonal practice in various natural and agricultural zones of the Republic of Kazakhstan. They visited «A.I. Barayev Research and Production Centre for Grain Farming» LLP, «Altai Branch of A.N. Bukeikhan KAZNIILKHA» LLP, «North Kazakhstan Agricultural Experimental Station» LLP, Shchuchinsk Burabaysky district of Akmola region, East Kazakhstan region (Ridder).

Organization of 1 summer school in soil science together with foreign scientists in 2022-2023 at the Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz University of Hannover. Omsk State Agrarian University P.A. Stolypin. 3 lecturers from Kazakhstan, 1 candidate of agricultural sciences from Russia, 2 professors from Germany. Students – 34 people (Kazakhstan and Germany)

 

For the last five years, scientists of the department have published more than 100 scientific articles, recommendations, theses in the Republican and international editions, received innovative patents and copyright certificates.

The teaching stuff of the department have trained at higher educational institutions of foreign and the CIS countries, such as: Vaynshtefan University (Germany), Omsk SAU, Bashkir SAU, Novosibirsk SAU, University of Eastern Finland, Krakow Agricultural University, Belarusian SSHA.

 

Bases of professional practice are the following organizations: RSE "NPTsZem"; "The Kazakh scientific Research Institute of Soil Science and Agrochemistry named after U. U. Uspanov"; "The Kazakh Scientific Research Institute of Agriculture and Plant Growing"; "RNMTs of Agrochemical Service" of the MA RK; "The Karaganda Scientific Research Institute of Selection and Plant Growing"; "The Pavlodar Scientific Research Institute of Agriculture"; "KAZNRI of Rice Growing"; "The Kazakh Scientific Research Institute of Forestry and Agroforestry"; "NPTsZH named after A. I. Barayev"; "The North Kazakhstan Scientific Research Institute of Animal Husbandry and Plant Growing"; "KAZNRI of Water Management"; "Southwest Scientific Research Institute of Animal Husbandry and Plant Growing". The university signs individual contracts on practical training with separate farms: Oil Plant LLP, Astyk-STEM Agricultural firm, Bayserke-Agro LLP.

Our graduates work in the MA RK and its divisions, agrochemical service of RK, research institutes, in branches RSE "NPTsZem", ecological laboratories, farms, etc.

The department is headed by the Doctor PhD Almanova Zhanna Sarsimbayevna

 



Department history

Department of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry is one of the first chairs that was founded in Tselinograd Agricultural Institute in 1958 by I. Y. Polovitski - the candidate of agricultural sciences, who headed the chair until 1971. T.S.Steinberg, G.D.Chernishenko, G.D.Tarasyuk were the first members of the department.

The first staff of the department of agrochemistry

 

In 1964, the chair was divided into two independent structural divisions: the chair of soil science and the chair of agricultural chemistry, which were headed by M.V.Afanasyev - the candidate of agricultural sciences, who came from Voronezh Agricultural Institute. Associate professor - V.N.Stebakova, assistants – R.M.Savinova, V.M.Khan, and A.F.Nikulina were also invited from Voronezh Agricultural Institute.

During all the years, along with educational work, the department carried out research work.

Первые учебные корпуса

Afanasyev M.V.

Первые учебные корпуса

Kanivets I.I.

Первые учебные корпуса

Zhandayev M.S.

In the period from 1958 to 1970, under the management of I.Y. Polovitskii the Department of Soil Science organized the first research on fundamental and applied soil science: genesis and amelioration of various types of salt licks. At the same time, solonetzic soil stationary was created on which basis not only research, but also all-union seminars, national meetings were organized.

From 1971 to 1975, L.V.Noskova – the candidate of agricultural sciences, associate professor headed the department of Soil Science. Her research area involved studying the water-physical properties of soils of a chestnut zone and solonetzic soils.

Since 1964, under the management of M.V.Afanasyev graduate students of Agricultural Chemistry chair conducted researches on fertilization of vegetable cultures, agrochemical properties (phosphoric and nitric modes) of dark-chestnut soils of a dry-steppe zone of the Northern Kazakhstan in connection to feeding plants and use of fertilizers, uses of straw as an organic fertilizer in soil-protective agriculture. As the result of their work master dissertations of V.M.Kahn (1967), V.G.Chernenok (1970), V.I.Rylushkin (1971), V. A. Fomin (1974) were defended.

From 1970 to 1977, I. I. Kanivets - PhD of agricultural sciences and professor - headed the Department. Previously, for many years I. I. Kanivets worked in Ukraine and Moldova. During this period, the department continued the research started by V.N.Stebakova and graduate student G. I. Uvarov on chemical methods of reclamation of salt licks (1969-1974), the effectiveness of different forms of fertilizers and the use of laser in agriculture (D.G.Kupriyanov, 1971-1977), the influence of tillage on soil food mode (V.N.Fomin, 1972-1975).

In this period, associate professor V.G.Chernenok created agrochemical hospital on the area of 40 hectares to research and develop fertilizer crops (1970-1972), which was included in the All-Union Geographical network of experiments with fertilizers and became the base to conduct research according to the instructions approved by the USSR State Committee of Science and Technology.

The research results of this period were reflected in the book named "The fertility of soils of Northern Kazakhstan and fertilizer efficiency" (1977).

In 1977, two departments were combined: the department of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry. M.S.Zhandayev was elected as a head of chair, and he worked in this position until 1985. During this period, under the management of M.S.Zhandayev further research was continued to develop methods on recultivation of the broken lands (mine collapses) in Karaganda, and then in Ekibastuz coal pools.

Первые учебные корпуса

V.G.Chernenok

Первые учебные корпуса

U.Zh.Baydyusen

Первые учебные корпуса

A.P.Nauanova

 

From 1985 to 1998, the Department of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry was headed by the associate professor - V.G.Chernenok. Thanks to her active work the chair was transferred to the building of agronomical faculty, a lot of work was carried out to reequip unadapted rooms of soil and agrochemical laboratories with necessary devices, materials and laboratory equipment. In 1986, the scientific agrochemical laboratory was organized in a basement of the building which functions to the present days.

In 1987-1988, the first Soil Museum in Kazakhstan was opened at university. A great contribution in its organization was made by M.Zhandayev, associate professor, N.G.Kondratyuk, research assistant, S.V.Azarov - associate professor, A.F.Nikulina - assistant, architects of Land Use Planning faculty. During this period, V.G.Chernenok developed large-scale stationary researches in the field of agricultural chemistry, and in 1989 the new hospital was founded in the educational-experience farm.

On the materials of scientific researches of the chair more than 500 works were published, 15 candidate theses (V.Khan, V.G.Chernenok, V.I.Rylushkin, V.M.Volodin, M.S.Zhandayev, V.P.Strelchenko, L.I.Nagulevich, V.A.Fomin, G.I.Uvarov, S.V.Azarov, D.T.Kupriyanova, V.N.Fomina) and 7 PhD theses (I.Y.Polovitsky, E.P.Voronova, V.M.Volodin, V.P.Strelchenko, V.G.Chernenok, G.I.Uvarov, T.I.Volodina) were defended.

In 1997, the chair of Soil Science, Agricultural Chemistry and Agriculture was organized and headed by N. V. Shramko, the candidate of agricultural sciences and associate professor until 2001.

In 2001, due to opening a new specialty of "Agroecology", a new chair of "Agricultural chemistry and Agroecology" was organized. It was headed by Professor V.G.Chernenok. Soil Science chair functioned as a part of Agriculture chair.

From 2002 to 2007, U.Zh.Baydyusen - the candidate of agricultural sciences and the associate professor - headed the chair. During this period under the leadership of Professor V.G.Chernenok the faculty staff, namely R.Sh.Kuzdanova, E.T.Nurmanov, Zh.K.Serekpayeva, A.B.Kudashev, N.B.Mustafayeva continued researches on the development of methods to optimize the crops power. At the same time, the chair continued to develop microbiological studies.

Since September 2012, the chair was headed by S.Z.Suleymenov – the candidate of agricultural sciences, graduate of S. Seifullin KATU (2004).

Первые учебные корпуса

S.Z.Suleymenov

Первые учебные корпуса

A.H.Ramazanova

Zh.S.Almanova

In September 2013, A.H.Ramazanova, the candidate of the agricultural sciences, associate professor was appointed as the head of the chair.

In 2014, on the basis of the National rating of Bologna Process Centre and academic mobility of MESRK, S. Seifullin KATU took the 3rd place in bachelor, master and doctoral degree on "080800 - Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry" specialty among the Kazakhstani higher educational institutions. In 2015, according to the Independent agency for accreditation and rating S. Seifullin KATU took the 1st place in  undergraduate, graduate and doctoral programs on "080 800 - Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry" specialty among higher educational institutions of Kazakhstan. In 2016, it took the 2nd place.

In different years, the teachers (A.P.Nauanova in 2006, 2014; H.R.Ramazanov in 2009; K.Muhametkarimov in 2010) were the owners of "The best teacher of high school" state grant. Teachers of the department have repeatedly received Government awards, memorable jubilee medals, diplomas and letters of thanks of the Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Ministry of Agriculture of the Republic of Kazakhstan for a special contribution to the development of science and education.

Staff of the department pays much attention to raising their professional level. Further training takes place at the national and international levels in the short-term and long-term courses in research centers such as: the Institute of Microbiology and Virology of the MES, SI "Agricultural Chemical Service" Ministry of Agriculture, Putra University of Malaysia, the Czech Development Center, Kastamonu University, Ardahan University (Turkey), the Institute of Arable and Vegetable (Serbia), Moscow Forestry Academy (Russia), Guangzhou University, Northwest University (China) and others.

Teachers of the department take part in conferences and symposia in the republic and abroad, such as: International Agrochemical Forum Asia; International Scientific-Practical Conference "The role of the virgin and the prospects for the development of agriculture and crop production in Kazakhstan", dedicated to the 60th anniversary of the development of virgin and fallow lands; 9th International Soil Science Congress on «The Soul of Soil and Civilization» - 14-16 October, 2014 – Turkey, Antalya, Side; International Conference on Emerging Trends In Academic Research. (Online conference) - 25-26 November, 2014 Indonesia, Bali; International Scientific Conference "Problems in the XXI century, mycology and plant pathology" - St. Petersburg; Turkish National Congress on Environmental Protection - Afyonkarahisar, and others.

Foreign professors, such as Professor Christopher Boone Those Sung (Putra University, Malaysia), Academician V. I. Kiryushin (K. TimiryazevaRGAUICCA), PhD TemelSaryildyz (Kastamonu University, Turkey), B. M. Kogut, Doctor of agricultural sciences, professor of V. Dokuchaev Institute of Soil, were invited to give their lectures.

Scientific and innovative activity

The first scientific researchs of the department was organized in 1960  on fundamental and applied soil science - the development of the genesis and melioration of solonetzes.

In 1964, an associate professor of the department, V.G. Chernenok began research on study the phosphorus and nitrogen regimes of dark chestnut soils in the dry steppe zone of Northern Kazakhstan in connection with plant nutrition. At that time, the first agrochemical station was established to study and develop a system of fertilizers of cereals, which was included in the All-Union Geographic system of experiments with fertilizers.

Later Chernenok V.G. continued these studies and reseived new material on the theory and practice of fertilizer application in the dry-steppe zone of Northern Kazakhstan. She was determined optimum parameters of nitrogen, phosphorus content in the soil and was proposed a fundamentally new approach for diagnosing conditions of feeding crops and determining their fertilizer requirements.

Studies on the development of methods and remediation of disturbed lands (mine dumps) in the Karaganda and Ekibastuz coal basins were conducted by Associate Professor Zhandaev M.S.

In the 2000s, the directions of the department's research are the development of methods for diagnosing nitrogen-phosphorus nutrition and the forecast of responsiveness to fertilizers of crops on dark-chestnut soils in the dry steppe zone (Professor Chernenok V.G.), biology and ecology of pathogens of fungal diseases of cereals (Professor Karamshuk Z.P.), methods of creating biologics using plant extracts and microbial consortia that enhance the immunity of grain crops and soil fertility, a collection of nitrogen fixing and mycditic bacteria, cellulolytic microorganisms agents of fungal diseases of cereals (Professor Nauanova A.P.).

In 2015-2017 the staff of the department conducted researchs on the development of methods for the purposeful management of soil fertility, with reference to the system of precise farming, which ensure the optimization of nutrition and the realization of the productivity potential of oilseeds in the conditions of diversification of production (Professor Chernenok V.G.); on the study of the processes of transformation nitrogen fertilizers in the soil-plant system and the development of methods for increasing the productivity of triticale by optimizing mineral nutrition (Professor Kurishbaev A.K., Associate Professor Ramazanova R.Kh.); on the study of the diversity of actinomycetes in soils of Northern Kazakhstan for the purpose of using them in soil bioremediation and plant protection (Professor Nauanova A.P.); on the development of technologies for biological reclamation of disturbed lands and the study of the effectiveness of non-traditional, biomineral and bioorganic fertilizers in the cultivation of sunflower and potatoes (senior lecturers Kulzhanova S.M., Nurmanov E.T.).  

In 2016, the department launched the project "Development of technology for processing poultry weste in organic biofertilizer with the help of domestic biological products and their introduction into crop production" within the framework of the grant of the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (headed by Professor Nauanova A.P.).

Since 2018, Professor Chernenok V.G. is conducting research on the theme: "Develop methods for realizing the productivity potential of lentil varieties that are promising for the dry-steppe zone of Kazakhstan, based on the determination of optimal parameters for agrochemical soil properties and ways to achieve them, ensuring their competitiveness increase in the conditions of diversification of grain production" within the budget program 217 " Development of science".

More than 100 scientific works, including 6 recommendations, 5 monographs, 9 teaching aids, 84 scientific articles, 2 innovative patents and 5 author's certificates were published by the scientists of the department in the last three years.

Currently, the department includes 3 doctors, of sciences 10 candidates of sciences, 3 PhD doctors, 10 senior lecturers and 4 assistants, masters of agricultural science.

International cooperation

The Department maintains close academic ties with foreign Universities and Research centers. The Department of Soil Science and Agrochemistry cooperates with leading Universities of the near and far abroad, including: Belarusian State Agricultural Academy, University of Alberta (Canada), National Research Tomsk State University, Lomonosov Moscow State University, RUDN University and Tashkent State Agrarian University.

International cooperation of the department for the preparation of doctoral students, participation in projects, internships of teaching staff and etc.: Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz University Hannover, Wageningen University, V. Dokuchaev Soil Institute (Russia), Ondokuz Mayýs University, Belarusian State Agricultural Academy, University of California Davis, AgroParisTech University, Omsk State Agrarian University named after P.A. Stolypin and etc. The teaching staff of the department have completed internships abroad: Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz University of Hanover (Germany); V. Dokuchaev Soil Institute; ICET International Center for Educational Technologies (Republic of Belarus).

From May 29 to June 6, 2022 a course of lectures by a foreign scientist PhD Peter Chokura (Poland) on the topic “Nutrition of garden plants. Growing vegetables in greenhouses”.

As part of academic mobility, a graduate student from Nigeria, Diri Kelvin Harrison, enrolled in 2022.

According to the international Bolashak program, she won a grant to a University in Australia for a scientific internship abroad from January 10, 2024 to January 15, 2025. Candidate of Agricultural Sciences, senior lecturer Kenzhegulova S.O.

Student life

One form of attracting students to research is to participate in the Republican Subject Olympiad, which develops their professional knowledge. Students majoring 5B080800 - Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry annually take part in the competitions held at the Kazakh National Agrarian University, and takethe 2nd, 3rd places. In the individual competition the student Zhamaubek G. took the 3rd place; in 2014-2015, in the individual competition Syrlybaeva M.M. took the 2nd place; D.R.Kaliaskar took the 3d place;Kolushbaev Halas was awarded a diploma;in 2015-2016, Zhedelbaeva A. took 2nd place in the individual competition.

The analysis of department research for the last three years has shown that the number of students participating in scientific projects has amounted to: in 2012 – 13 people, in 2013 - 17, 2014-18, 2015 – 25, and 2016 – 25 students.

Furthermore, the competition of student scientific works within the scientific and practical conference "Seifullin Readings" is annually heldat university,where students take the first places.

The important place in the improvement of the organization of student research takesstudent scientific conferences. Participating in conferences for young scientists and students, students of the specialty have good indicators according to publications: 2013– 2014 – 16 people, 2011 - 2012 – 22 people, 2012–2113 – 11 people. In the period from 2013 to 2015, students have published 49 articles.

Academic mobility is developing at the department. Over the past five years, students of the specialty have been trained in Eastern Finland. In S. Seifullin KATU students from other Kazakhstani universities are trained, such as Kazakh National Agrarian University, the South Kazakhstan State University named after M. Auezov, West Kazakhstan Agro-Technical University named after Zhangir Khan.

 

Students are actively involved in university life. First-year student KoyshekenArystan took the 1st place in the athletics competition among students of S. Seifullin KATU, and the 3rd place in wrestling in the city championship among the youth; a third-year student ZhamaubekGauhar took the 3rd place in the national competition on "Togyzkumalak"; a first-year student MerzhakypovaAigerim was awarded in the nomination of "The best team" of the "Bullet Proff" fraction of the "Elite" intellectual club; AldamzharovNurbayev was included in the group of authors of the book "Zhyrzhylagy" as the author of poems.

Information on the subject Olympic Games on Soil Science and Agrochemistry department

Name

departments

Name

specialties

Name

student

Busy

place

Placecarryingout

2022-2023 ACADEMIC YEAR

Soil science and agrochemistry

6B08103 –

"Soil science and agrochemistry"

Beknazarova Rabiga Zhalgasbekovna

2

Almaty

Soil science and agrochemistry

6B08103 –

"Soil science and agrochemistry"

Erimbet Sana Kairgalyovna

3

Almaty

 

Contacts

010000, Republic of Kazakhstan, Astana,

pr. Moldagulova 27, 62, building number 5

Ph. +7 (7172) 31 13 08

e-mail: almanova44@mail.ru

DOCUMENTS
Information on education programs of Bachelor (5B080800 - Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry) and of Master (6M080800 - "Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry")
6В08103 - Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry specialized international accreditation certificate
8D08103 - "Scientific basis of plant nutrition and fertilizer application" specialized international accreditation certificate
7M08107 "Agro soil Science and and plant nutrition" specialized international accreditation certificate