DEVELOPING HORTICULTURE ON IRRIGATED LANDS OF CRIMEA

Abstract

Purpose: to analyze the development of horticulture in Crimea under conditions of extreme water scarcity. Materials and methods. The study was carried out on the basis of system and information-analytical approaches using methods of qualitative and quantitative statistical data analysis. Results. At present, on average, Russian residents consume no more than 45 % of the recommended consumption rate of fresh fruits and berries, and in many regions even less. It is shown that in Crimea the share of seeded fruit production on irrigated lands increased from 35–55 % in 2014–2015 to 85–95 % in the following years, and the share of drupe fruit production – from 20–30 to 55–75 %. It is revealed that fruit yield on irrigated lands under production conditions is 2–4 times higher than on non-irrigated lands on average for a multi-year period. The dependence of fruit yield on average for 2020–2022 on the farms in Crimea which apply irrigation, on the most important, showing that the largest influence on fruit yield of seed crops is exerted by the size of area of fruit-bearing plantations, number of irrigations per 1 ha of orchard and share of area with drip irrigation method in the total irrigated area, were obtained. The maximum influence on fruit yield of drupe fruit crops is exerted by the size of area of fruit-bearing plantations and the share of area with drip irrigation method in the total irrigated area. Conclusions. Land irrigation is one of the most important agrotechnical methods for further development of intensive horticulture. The deficit of water resources was not an obstacle for the growth of seed crop production on irrigated lands of Crimea by 4 times, and drupe fruit production by 2.1 times for the period 2014–2022.

Keywords

• seed crops
• drupe crops
• gross yield
• yield
• crimea
• irrigation