Analysis of the viability of tree species in the protective forest strips of the arid territory of the Volgograd region

To solve scientific and practical problems in the field of agroforestry of arid territories, it is particularly relevant to preserve protective forest plantations of artificial origin on agricultural lands, since they have a positive impact on the yield of agricultural crops. Increasing the resistance of tree plantations to unfavorable natural and climatic factors of the arid zone, increasing the period of the reclamation effect on soil fertility, improving the ecological state of agrarian landscapes is a priority task in agroforestry reclamation measures. Created in the middle of the XX century, without deep analysis of soil and geological conditions, without taking into account salt resistance and proper care for a long time, forest strips began to degrade and lost their basic functionality. Intended primarily to mitigate the harsh climate of the Volgograd region, forest strips have also lost their aesthetic appeal. Taking into account the considerable experience of artificial afforestation in the arid zone and in the conditions of the dry steppe, there is still no clear scientific justification for the creation of sustainable protective forest plantations that can provide an appropriate reclamation effect aimed at reducing wind speed, improving the microclimate of fields and stabilizing water and wind erosion. In order for agroforestry in the region to have the calculated effect, an analysis of tree plantations in protective forest strips was carried out, since it is necessary to improve the range of tree and shrub plantations that are used in the creation of artificial forest plantations. The heat resistance and winter hardiness of seeds of the most common tree plantations (such as Quercus robur, Ulmus pumila, гибриды вязов, Ulmus minor, Robinia pseudoacacia, Fraxinus lanceolata, Caragana arborescens, Ribes aureum, Tamarix ramosissima) were studied, their salt resistance and durability of the seed generation were studied. Based on the results obtained it was concluded that the most promising for protective afforestation are such genera as: Ulmus pumila, Ulmus pumila x carpinifolia, Ulmus carpinifolia, Robinia pseudoacacia, Celtis occidentalis и Caragana arborescens, the breeding efficiency of which has been proved by the general condition of many protective forest plantations and their resistance in the arid region.

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