Comprehensive assessment of Krascheninnikoviaceratoides L. development and its productive potential in reclaimed pastures of arid zone

Improper use of pasture lands has become one of the factors resulted in destruction of natural vegetation. In order to stop desertification, forest reclamation works were carried out in the Caspian region in the mid-20th century, and significant areas of Krascheninnikovia ceratoides (L.) plantings were created. The Pamirian winterfat is a wide distributed plant. It has a well-developed root system, providing sufficient water in climatic conditions of the arid zone. The article provides a systematic assessment of the long-term impact of afforestation and the development of a subshrub layer in various humidity conditions over the growing season during the functioning of pasture ecosystems in reclaimed Molodezhny-teresken territory. The main taxation indicators used to assess the development of Krascheninnikovia ceratoides were determined: height, crown diameter, plant standing density. The research was based on field taxational and morphological measurements of the subshrub and calculations of the complex indicator D. The study revealed that the generalized analysis of the biometric parameters of Pamirian winterfat according to criterion D was an objective tool for assessing its development in the prevailing climatic factors of a certain year. A direct correlation was established between the amount of precipitation in autumn period of research years and the values of the integral indicator D (r = 0.97) with its higher value in 2012 (D = 0.905). There is a high level of direct correlation between the values of the integral indicator D and the yield of feed mass (r = 0.90). Krascheninnikovia ceratoides reclamation and forage plantations have stability, durability, high price-forming potential and are the best way to improve and restore pastures in arid and semi-arid zones.