The indicators for assessing the state of reclaimed land by the presence of dredges, waterlogging, and timing of surface water diversion are presented. The main conditions for the operational cultivation of soils using the cultivating equipment developed at “Institute for Land Reclamation” are indicated.

The analysis of the method of calculating the stability of slopes on circular cylindrical sliding surfaces is given. The absence of an unified approach to determine the hydrodynamic force of the filtration pressure was revealed. The analysis of two known methods is given. The error of the method which determines the filtration force in the same way as in the case of pressure filtration is shown. It is recommended to determine the considered force as an external volumetric filtration gradient directed along the current lines, which corresponds to the physical picture of the phenomenon. Comparative calculations using the most popular formulas at present are performed.

The article provides brief information on the functional effectiveness of physical models of various options for the construction of drainage lines in cohesive soil of heavy particle size distribution; economic calculation results for drainage line options. The concept of a technical and economic indicator is introduced and the results of its calculation according to device options are presented. A ranked series of technical and economic indicators ranging from 0.712 to 0.185 is obtained.

There has been a tendency to decrease in the amount of precipitation falling in the spring and summer in recent years, which often leads to an increase in moisture deficit for crops. Since almost all vegetable crops are characterized by increased demands on the water regime of the soil, a lack of moisture leads to a decrease in their water consumption and, accordingly, to crop losses. Understanding the consequences of increased climate aridity in the republic is gradually returning interest in irrigation. Feasibility studies show that it is beneficial to use irrigation in the production of vegetable products in Belarus.

The fundamental possibility of cultivating perennial bean grasses on drained peat soils with crop sowing is considered. Favorable preconditions have developed in Belarus (climate change, improving the agrochemical properties of soils, expanding the species and varietal composition of perennial leguminous grasses) for carrying out seedless grass sowing after harvesting grain crops. The results of observations of the growth and development of perennial leguminous plants during crop-sowing, their state after wintering, and yield in the first year of use are described. The risks of violation of their grass development, the causes and factors that determine them are identified.

The article presents the results of studies of the effect of liming with the use of dolomite powder, defecate and ameliorant based on carbide lime on the quality of green mass of clover on sour sod-podzolic sandy loam soil. It has been established that the liming of mediumacid sod-podzolic sandy loam soil using various types of ameliorants contributed to obtaining high-quality green clover that meets the livestock requirements of green forages.

On peat soil, the effect of micronutrient fertilizers in the form of nanopreparations, chelate compounds, and salts of metal on the leguminous-grass herbage was studied. In the first year, Elegum-Copper, ElegumManganese and manganese sulfate increased the number of shoots of pasture ryegrass by 76.3–119.5 %. The number of creeping stalks increased after the application of Nanoplant – Co, Mn, Cu, Fe, ElegumCopper and Elegum-Manganese by 33.8–42.6  %. In the second year, the introduction of Nanoplant – Co, Mn, Cu, Fe, Nanoplant – Co, Mn, Cu, Fe, Mo, Zn, Cr, Se, Elegum-Copper, Elegum-Manganese, copper sulfate increased the number of shoots of cereals and legumes. The introduction of manganese sulfate also increased the number of stalks of creeping clover. The yield of dry mass of leguminous-grass grass stand of the first year of life from the application of Elegum-Copper increased by 17.4 %, and manganese sulfate – by 34.1 %. In the second year of grass life, the application of micronutrient fertilizers increased their productivity from Nanoplant – Co, Mn, Cu, Fe, Nanoplant – Co, Mn, Cu, Fe, Mo, Zn, Cr, Se, Elegum-Copper, Elegum-Manganese 19.2–26.5 %. The crude protein content in the cereal component was 16.0– 16.5%, in the bean – 17.0–17.2 %.

Experimental data on the influence of plant growth biostimulants and microelements on the photosynthetic activity of crops and seed productivity of hybrid clover cultivated on drained sod-podzolic gley soils in the northern part of Belarus are presented. The results of observations of leaf area, photosynthetic potential, net productivity of photosynthesis on seed crops of hybrid clover, their relationship with biostimulators under study, and seed yield are presented. The most promising biostimulants are identified.

The studies determined the content of structural carbohydrates in the grasses of yellow-flowered alfalfa of 2–4 years of life cultivated on agricultural peat soils of the Belarusian Polesie. The calculation of the content of hemicellulose and non-structural carbohydrates is carried out. It was found that in the dry mass of yellow-flowered alfalfa, the content of neutral detergent fiber (NDF) and aciddetergent fiber (ADF) was in the range of 41.18–59.35 and 22.68–36.15 %, respectively, depending on the year of use and experience options. The content of non-structural carbohydrates (NSC) by years of life was 8.6–33.1%.

This article presents the results of three years of research on the growth, development and yield of sugar beets during irrigation. For the experiments we used a zoned variety of sugar beet – Belpol single-seeded. As a result of the studies, it was previously established that for soddy-podzolic light loamy soils, when irrigating sugar beets, the maximum yield was observed on the variant with a lower limit of humidity control of 70 % HB in a layer of 0–40 cm. It is shown that sugar beets are most sensitive to lack of moisture during the period from seedlings to the beginning of leaf closure in rows. A decrease in humidity in the calculation layer during the main period of root crop growth for a long time (control) led to the death of the suction root hairs of plants. According to the experimental options in sugar content they differed slightly on this. The difference was less than 1 %. The maximum value of sugar content on average for three years is in the variant with a lower limit of regulation of 70 % HB. It can be concluded that irrigation gives a significant increase in yield and does not reduce the sugar content in the root crop.

Peat-bog fires pose a serious threat to the environment, the economy and the population of the Republic of Belarus. The main causes of peat-bog fires are negligence in using a fire and violation of fire safety rules. Besides, peat-bog fires can emerge as a result of natural causes (lightning discharge, earthquake, spontaneous combustion of peat). Modern methods of extinguishing fires as well as methods of preventing the spread of peatbog fires, that are used in the Russian Federation and are not used in the Republic of Belarus, are discussed. However, the question of applicability of these methods requires a special attention of Belarusian researchers in order to establish whether it is practicable to use these methods or their amended variations on the peat soils of Polesie region.