RICE CULTIVATION IN AMUR REGION

Rice plays an important role in the modern diet of Russian people. It occupies a leading position in area, yield, and gross grain harvest among all cereal crops. The aim of the research is development of optimal irrigation regimes that ensure rational use of water resources in southern agricultural zone of Amur Region. Setting and conducting field and laboratory experiments, system approaches and modern research methods were used. The article presents the results of studies on rice cultivation under different irrigation regimes. In the southern zone of Amur Region, along with water regimes of 70, 80, 90% of FMC, differentiated rice irrigation regimes were studied, combining differentiation of presumed humidity thresholds and wetting depth of active soil layer 75...85% of FMC (0.4 and 0.6 m); 80% of FMC (0.4 and 0.6 m). In addition, various flooding regimes of rice field (short and intermittent flooding), seeding rates, timing of sowing, rice cultivars were studied. Obtaining a rice grain yield of more than 4 tons per hectare is ensured by application of mineral fertilizers in the dose of N120P30K30 and seeding rate of 5 million seeds. Optimum seeding time was set from 20 to 25 May. Based on the results of the research, irrigation water was saved, as well as yield increased by optimizing irrigation rice regimes using sprinkling by differentiating presumed moisture thresholds and wetting depth. When rice was cultivated under flooding system of irrigation, it was established that regime of shortened flooding turned to be optimal. When sprinkling in conditions of southern agricultural zone of Amur Region, differential irrigation regime of 75...85% of FMC in active soil layer was 0.4 and 0.6 m.