Measures for the Efficient Use of Rice Irrigation Systems

Purpose: to substantiate measures for the efficient use of rice irrigation systems (RIS). Methods. Well-known methods of statistical analysis, synthesis, and analogies were used. Results. Retrospective analysis of rice production shows that bringing the share of rice to the scientifically substantiated sown area in the rice crop rotation of 55–60 % will provide, under current conditions, 278.6–303.9 thousand hectares of sown area and, with an average annual yield increase of 0.18 c/ha, the gross harvest will amount to 1,858 thousand tons. At the same time, the yield potential and gross production of rice have not yet been achieved due to the physical and moral depreciation of the RIS, unsatisfactory reclamation condition of the lands, and a shortage of water resources. Thus, in Krasnodar Territory, the area requiring improvement of the land condition and technological level of systems is 167.3 thousand hectares, of which raising the technical level of systems is 135.3 thousand hectares out of 234.4 thousand hectares of RIS lands. Due to the measures taken in 2000–2024, the areas of RIS where it is necessary to raise the technical level decreased by 9.1 %. In comparison with 2000, the areas requiring comprehensive reconstruction (by 9.2 %), construction and reconstruction of the collector and drainage network (by 7.9 %), increase in water supply (by 24.7 %), repair of the irrigation (by 15.2 %) and collector and drainage network (4.5 %) have decreased approximately proportionally. Conclusions. To increase rice production to 2 million tons per year, it is necessary to survey and assess the condition of rice irrigation systems, to conduct a feasibility study and to develop priority measures for their modernization, reconstruction and repair in the context of Russian regions, to analyze the presence and volume of water resource deficit in rice-growing regions of Russia, to develop new resource-saving technologies for rice irrigation, for example, transition to a pulsed mode of rice irrigation in checks, expansion of sowing of “dryland” rice in field crop rotations using the adapted varieties under sprinkler irrigation or drip irrigation systems.