Fertigation with sprinklers: Food and water security on the Ukrainian steppe
			
	
 
Więcej
Ukryj
	
	
									
				1
				Faculty of Water Management Engineering and Ecology, Dnipro State Agrarian and Economic University, Serhiy Yefremov Str. 25, Dnipro, 49009, Ukraine
				 
			 
						
				2
				Independent Scientist, Norfolk, United Kingdom
				 
			 
						
				3
				Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Kamýcká 129, Prague, 16500, Czech Republic
				 
			 
										
				
				
		
		 
			
			
		
		
		
		
		
		
	
							
										    		
    			 
    			
    				    					Autor do korespondencji
    					    				    				
    					Hennadii  Hapich   
    					Faculty of Water Management Engineering and Ecology, Dnipro State Agrarian and Economic University, Serhiy Yefremov Str. 25, Dnipro, 49009, Ukraine
    				
 
    			
				 
    			 
    		 		
			
																																 
		
	 
		
 
 
J. Ecol. Eng. 2025; 26(6):150-161
		
 
 
SŁOWA KLUCZOWE
DZIEDZINY
STRESZCZENIE
Facing climate change, soil degradation and sabotage of one third of the country’s freshwater resources (due to the war and destruction of the Kakhovka reservoir), we examine the prospects of fertigation on black soils in the south of Ukraine using sprinkler irrigators. By compiling daily soil hydrographs, it is possible to track changing water availability and control the soil water regime to ensure irrigation efficiency, preserve soil condition, and boost yields. Fertigation enables a more uniform distribution of fertilisers across the field compared to conventional broadcasting, and supplies nutrients during critical stages of crop growth when the size of the crop excludes wheeled vehicles. Comprehensive management of soil water and nutrient supply throughout the growing season yielded 16-17 t/ha of grain corn; the water-use coefficient was 344 m3/t; total water consumption reached 5 670 m³/ha, of which 2 900 m³/ha was irrigation.