Scientific Substantiation of the Technology of Poplar Cultivation in South-East of Kazakhstan

Kazakhstan is one of the countries where the country’s forest resources continue to be depleted by forest fires and illegal logging, exacerbating the demand for timber. As per records, its forest cover makes up only 5.0%. The lack of timber is particularly acute in the sparsely forested and densely populated areas of the southern regions of Kazakhstan. Plantation forestry is a means to increase wood resources by promoting the cultivation of tree species adapted to local conditions. Targeted forest plantations with widespread use of intensive forest growing methods using innovative technologies, including irrigation and fertilizer systems are not being followed in the country. Poplars are one of the fast-growing tree crops and suitable for the purpose. The rapid growth, large leaves capable of capturing smog, ability to thrive on a variety of soils, its ability to curb winds and soil erosion made poplar preferable in tree planting campaigns. Even though an invasive species in Northern Kazakhstan, it has become a part of everyday life. The poplar tree, its types, distribution, morphology, and role in human civilization are dealt with in this review. An elaborated information on the cultivars and hybrids used in forest plantations, their production and productivity under different cultivation systems followed in Kazakistan is also given in this chapter.