THE INTENSIVE TECHNOLOGY OF GROWING POTATOES IN MOST OF THE TERRITORY OF RUSSIA POSSIBLE THE USE OF IRRIGATION, WHICH ALLOWS GROWERS TO RECEIVE A GUARANTEED HARVEST, INDEPENDENT OF THE NATURE'S VOLUME. HOWEVER, FARMS CAN CHOOSE THE OPTIMAL (THE PROVIDES THE BIGGEST RETURN ON INVESTMENT) METHOD OF IRRIGATION FOR THEMSELVES. TODAY WE WILL TALK ABOUT THE ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF DRIP IRRIGATION.
Irina Berg
WITHOUT OPTIONS
Today, in our country, drip irrigation of crops and perennial plantations is carried out on an area of about 230 thousand hectares. According to Aleksey Novikov, Candidate of Agricultural Sciences, Deputy Director for Research and Innovative Development of the All-Russian Research Institute of Irrigated Agriculture (Volgograd), for growing potatoes, drip irrigation systems (DIS) are used in industrial cultivation technologies, as well as on household plots. This method of irrigation makes it possible to introduce into the soil the amount of moisture that plants and soil evaporate daily, and maintain a monotonous level of moisture.
Deputy General Director of Vesta LLC Viktor Solenkov I am sure that in the conditions of the local climate, growing vegetables and potatoes without irrigation is a pointless business. In the Tambov region, where the enterprise is located, seasons with sufficient rainfall have been rare lately. And in such years, almost all producers can boast of a good harvest, which does not give any competitive advantages. This farm, which has been operating since 2002, first applied drip irrigation to cucumbers, then to onions. And when they tested irrigation in potato fields, once again
once convinced of its high efficiency and made this practice permanent.
Head of household plots Alexander Black from the Krasnodar Territory has been engaged in potatoes for about 15 years and gradually increased the area for planting crops to six hectares. The agrarian did not immediately come to drip irrigation, but otherwise the problem of acute moisture deficiency in the summer was not solved. He understood that production, focused on the sale of products on the wholesale market, should be as efficient as possible. And only the installation of DIS will allow the farm to receive consistently high yields.
In the Astrakhan region, it is impossible to grow potatoes and vegetables without irrigation, and farmers prefer drip irrigation. Doctor of Agricultural Sciences, Head of the Laboratory of Agricultural Technologies of Vegetable Crops of the Federal State Budgetary Scientific Institution "Caspian Agrarian Federal Scientific Center of the Russian Academy of Sciences" Anastasia Bondarenko explains this by a high level of evaporation of moisture. As in most of the Lower Volga region, there is not enough natural precipitation here, and the air temperature during the summer rises to 40-45°C.
Elena Gushchina has been growing potatoes in his farm since 2021. The use of a drip irrigation system was provided for by the business plan, which made it possible to win a state grant for the development of an agro-startup. According to the farmer, the features of the hot and dry Astrakhan climate do not allow farming without irrigation. And the chosen method, first of all, makes it possible to process small areas, within 10-20 hectares.
IN SEARCH OF THE SOURCE
Alexey Novikov believes that the main condition for organizing drip irrigation is the presence of water sources in the immediate vicinity of the fields. It can be used both from open sources (rivers, irrigation canals) and from closed sources (main and on-farm pipelines). The scientist draws attention to the importance of ensuring high-quality water purification from mechanical impurities and remnants of aquatic vegetation. Usually the issue can be resolved
drip irrigation system equipment with various filters.
Household Elena Gushchina is located 15 kilometers from the Volga River, in the steppe zone. Water is supplied to local fields from irrigation canals built many years ago and administered by the municipal water utility. Farmers set
their pumps and pump life-giving moisture from here, which diverges throughout the region. The subscription fee for the service this year is 14 thousand rubles per hectare of irrigated area. Water from canals created in the last century for irrigation of Krasnodar rice crops and fed by the Kuban River is also used by Alexander Black. The potato grower annually concludes an agreement with the state budget institution, which owns the irrigation system. The price of the service is more symbolic. Watering one hectare of fields costs about 1,3 thousand rubles for the entire agricultural
season.
However, not all regions can boast of large reservoirs and an extensive network of irrigation canals, among them is the Tambov region. Viktor Solenkov notes that it is for this reason that his farm does not increase the area under irrigation. AND
the last few years on drip irrigation - no more than 100-150 hectares of vegetable crops, including potatoes.
PROFITABLE "DROP"
When choosing drip irrigation, it should be borne in mind that in addition to a one-time purchase of basic equipment, you will have to purchase a new drip tape every year. The cost of it is at least 30% of the total cost of DIS and, according to estimates Viktor Solenkov, reach up to 20-25 thousand rubles per hectare. Today, a linear meter of pipe costs two rubles, and the price has remained virtually unchanged since the early 2000s. Economic analysis shows that such investments are fully justified. The yield of potatoes at Vesta LLC has doubled compared to the results of the average season in terms of rainfall. The enterprise receives additional profit not only due to the volume of potatoes produced, but also due to an increase in the marketability and quality of tubers.
Many agrarians, introducing this method of irrigation in their farms, took advantage of the help of more experienced colleagues. mentor Elena Gushchina became her father-in-law Vladimir Gushchinwho has been in agriculture for over 20 years. He not only gave practical advice, but also provided the young farm with a filtration system for the SKO. It was very useful, because the price of a new industrial filter starts from 150 thousand rubles and can increase depending on the requests of the agricultural producer. The efforts paid off, and last year the potato yield reached 60 tons per hectare. The farmer is sure that she will get even more impressive results, because her farm is still among the beginners.
For Alexander Cherny, who once worked as a drip irrigation operator in one of the largest farms in the region, it was not difficult to organize irrigation in his private household plot. After that, the quality of the grown tubers improved markedly and the yield increased: for the Colomba variety, from 35 tons of marketable potatoes per hectare to 52-55 tons, and for Colette, from 32 tons per hectare to 45-47 tons. So all expenses for watering are covered with a vengeance.
Alexey Novikov confirms that the cost recovery of farmers is ensured by the level of products received. In
All-Russian Research Institute of Irrigated Agriculture for a long time conducted research aimed at developing
elements of potato cultivation technology on drip irrigation. It has been established that with the ridge planting method in the extremely arid conditions of the Lower Volga region on light chestnut soils, it is possible to obtain up to 70 tons of tubers per hectare.
UNDISPUTABLE BENEFITS
So, the main advantages of drip irrigation for farmers include saving irrigation water, increasing yields and improving the quality of agricultural products. As explains Alexey Novikov, high rates can be achieved due to sufficient and uniform watering, dosed application of instant complex fertilizers and timely tillage.
Drip irrigation keeps row spacings dry, eliminating the need for loosening and minimizing herbicide, weeding and cultivation costs. In addition, the need for
the use of fungicides.
According to Viktor SolenkovAn important feature of this method compared to overhead irrigation is the reduction in water consumption. Plus significant energy savings. Due to the local, normalized supply
moisture to the root zone, as well as maintaining low pressure in the DIS, the consumption of electricity is minimal.
Alexander Black said that after each watering by sprinkling, that is, weekly, it was necessary to treat plants from late blight. But now, when the leaves and topsoil remain dry, it is enough to apply
protective equipment every 12 days. Potato growers also note a decrease in the level of soil weediness.
After the installation of DIS, the consumption of water-soluble and liquid forms of fertilizers is also reduced due to their delivery directly to the root zone. Anastasia Bondarenko claims that in this way, plants absorb nutrients much faster and more efficiently than when fertilizing the soil before sowing.
The delivery of fertilizers through drip irrigation, according to Elena Gushchina, guarantees the Astrakhan peasants
decent harvest. Local soils are very poor, and without competent, point feeding, almost nothing grows here.
The main disadvantage of this method of irrigation in large farms is the need to establish and install every year
to remove SKO, which increases the share of manual labor. Viktor Solenkov calls this factor the main obstacle to the use of "drops" over large areas.
Alexander Black does not find the process of installing a drip irrigation system too time-consuming. In his personal back room
farm, a drip tube is laid at the time of hilling potatoes. But easily adjustable automatic watering
saves a lot of time and effort. At any time convenient for him, the agrarian just closes and opens the taps, the rest
SCO performs its work without human intervention.
Do not forget that the fragile drip tape is easily damaged, and its integrity can be threatened by agricultural machinery or pests living in the fields. Insects, rodents and even birds sometimes leave small holes in the tape in search of water. But such damage is easily repaired without the need to replace the tube.
When growing potatoes in regions with a hot climate, the high temperature of the water supplied to them in black ribbons can have a negative effect on tubers. So that the water does not get very hot under the sun, Alexey Novikov advises
watering in the morning and evening hours.
Drip irrigation keeps row spacings dry, eliminating the need for loosening and minimizing herbicide, weeding and cultivation costs. In addition, the need for the use of fungicides is reduced.
NEED TO TRY
The area of agricultural land where drip irrigation is used in Russia continues to increase. According to Alexey
Novikov, only in the Lower Volga region, about 30-40 thousand hectares of land are under irrigation. Of course, the construction of the DIS requires considerable capital investments from the farmers. Therefore, first of all, it is justified in the cultivation of highly profitable
perennial plantings: orchards, vineyards, berry fields. And also - potatoes, vegetables and some highly profitable industrial crops.
Anastasia Bondarenko sees excellent prospects for this irrigation method, which facilitates both plant nutrition and
and taking measures to protect them.
Through drip irrigation, farmers can apply various drugs against diseases and pests with significant savings
funds and time.
According to Alexander Cherny, if funds allow and there are all possibilities for installing DIS, there is no need to doubt,
it is necessary to act. Drip irrigation is great, and the Krasnodar potato grower regrets not having dared to use it sooner.
Elena Gushchina advises not to be afraid and try everything new, thanks to which you can make your work more productive.
Drip irrigation allowed Astrakhan farms, famous throughout the country for their watermelons, to enter the market with
early tomatoes of the highest quality. The crop grown on irrigation shows a yield of up to 120-150 tons per hectare.
The number of skeptics is still high, and many farmers do not understand why they need to install a "drop" and carry
additional expenses. Viktor Solenkov trying to explain to colleagues from the Tambov region and other regions that the matter
not only in the growth of potato yields. If the work of the economy depends on the weather, does not show any stability, and
the grown tubers are not of high quality, and there will be no reliable, stable ways to sell products. As the previous season showed, their presence is the key not only to success, but also to the survival of the modern potato grower.