Substantiation in Selection of Precursors to Rice in Drip Irrigation Conditions on Light Chestnut Soils of the Volga Upland

Abstract

Study results of the All-Russia Research Institute of Irrigated Agriculture obtained in 2014–2016 in conditions of the southern slope of the Volga Upland are presented. The possibility of rice cultivation with innovative water-saving technology on general-purpose irrigation systems, including a different set of agricultural crops as precursors in other crop rotations, has been determined. To assess the preferences of different rice precursors, we selected soybean, a legume culture, potato, a row crop, and a narrow-crop rice. Studies have shown that, despite small time differences, rice crops after all precursors completed the vegetation period and formed a yield close to the planned one without negative impact on soil, phytosanitary condition, and growth and development of rice. All this makes it possible to recommend them to be used as rice precursors in rice crop rotations on general-purpose irrigation systems with periodic irrigation in the following order: soybean → potatoes → rice.