Methods of irrigation in Russia

Irrigation is one of the efficient methods of influencing plants’ environment. Until recently irrigation was primarily aimed at increasing the soil moisture content to a level favourable for the growth and development of crops. At present the effect of irrigation should be considered more widely, i.e., as a method intensively influencing the plant’s environment. Under certain conditions irrigation can be applied not only to increase soil moisture but also, for example, as a means to protect plants from frosts and dry winds, to apply fertilisers, etc.

Irrigation is chiefly aimed at delivering the optimum amount of water directly into the soil to ensure plant growth, and at increasing the humidity of the ground air, as well as at soil leaching if required.

Depending on its purpose, irrigation can be classified as follows: wetting the soil and ground air, soil leaching from harmful salts, application of fertilisers, warming irrigation and frost protection.

The principal methods of irrigation are surface, sprinkling, intrasoil, subsurface and mist irrigation. Soil wetting and salt leaching are the principal purposes of surface irrigation. Sprinkling provides soil and air wetting, frost prevention and an application of fertilisers and herbicides.

The main purposes in intrasoil irrigation are soil wetting and application of fertilisers and herbicides. Subirrigation (or subsurface irrigation) aims at providing soil wetting as well as offseason irrigation (when surface water is not available). The main objects of mist irrigation are air wetting and frost prevention.

No single method of irrigation can be considered as universally applicable. The choice has to be made on consideration of relative efficiency, economics, experience and tradition of irrigators.

Notes to the Text

was primarily aimed at – было нацелено прежде всего на

should be considered – нужно рассматривать

soil leaching – вымывание из почвы