Purpose: development of methodology for determining the irrigation rate value, which ensures the formation of a primary local contour of moistened soil in the soil space under drip irrigation with one emitter. Materials and methods. The methodological and factual basis of the development were materials and empirical dependencies obtained from the data of author's field studies of local moisture contours formed under various soil conditions with above-surface and surface drip irrigation. Results and discussion. The analysis and evaluation of known approaches to the calculation of irrigation rates for drip irrigation of plants is carried out, the direction of the development of the methodology is determined. Based on materials of field and office studies, 11 contour profiles of drip-moistened soil formed under various soil and technological conditions of drip irrigation were obtained. Soil conditions are characterized by a wide range of changes in their parameters: the content of physical clay is from 20.8 to 74.6 % of the dry soil mass (DSM), the lowest moisture capacity is from 16.9 to 32.2 % of DSM, the level of additional irrigation moisture is from 60 to 70 % of the lowest moisture capacity. Moisture contours were formed with an average soil moisture content of 90 % of the lowest moisture capacity. Empirical dependencies for determining the maximum and average radius (diameter) of moisture contours at given depths of the moistened soil layer, which make it possible to predict the volumes of moisture contours are obtained. The dependence and a method for calculating the irrigation rate value, which ensures the formation of a moisture contour of a given depth and a given level of soil moisture, are obtained for a wide range of granulometric and water-physical characteristics of soils. Conclusion. A method for calculating the irrigation rate required for the formation of a local moisture contour in soil space with specified dimensional and moisture parameters during irrigation water delivery by one drip micro emitter is proposed.

Purpose: to determine the impact of emitter flow rate on the geometric parameters of local moisture contours formed in soil space under drip irrigation. Materials and methods. The empirical basis for the development was the data of experimental field studies of moistened soil local contours when irrigation water was supplied to the land surface from the above-ground emitter. Field studies were carried out on three experimental sites, the soils of which are characterized by the content of silt-and-clay of 15.0; 52.0 and 76.0 % of the dry soil mass and the lowest moisture capacity of 14.0; 26.0 and 31.0 % of the dry soil mass, respectively. Irrigation was carried out from above-ground emitters with a flow rate of 1.0 to 6.0 l/h. When setting up the experiments and processing the experimental material, the methods and technologies of the field experiment were used. Results. As a result of field studies, the geometric and moisture parameters of 12 local moisture contours which were formed on three experimental sites with different soil conditions during drip irrigation with varying water supply intensity were recorded. In the process of cameral treatment of created profiles of soil moisture contours, the values of the ratio of the contour diameter and its depth were established for all combinations of soil and technological irrigation conditions provided for by experience. As a result of the analysis of the data obtained, the impact of water supply intensity and soil conditions on the geometry of local contours of soil moisture was determined, and a dependence describing this relationship was proposed. Conclusions. Experimental data on the parameters of moisture contours formed in soil under drip irrigation with different water supply flow rates were obtained. A relationship that makes it possible to assess the impact of water supply intensity on moisture contours geometry and to predict the values of contour diameters for a given depth, depending on soil conditions of the site and the flow rates of drip water outlets.

Purpose: to determine empirical dependencies that allow predicting the geometric parameters of local soil moisture contours formed during drip irrigation of southern chernozems. Materials and methods. The empirical basis of the study was the data of experimental measurements of the moisture contour parameters of southern chernozems, formed during drip irrigation, on 10 experimental sites, characterized by: the content of physical clay from 29.0 to 71.1 % of the dry soil mass (DSM), the field moisture capacity from 20.0 to 30.3 % of DSM, soil density from 1.29 to 1.4 t/cub. m. Soil characteristics were studied using the methods of N. A. Kachinsky, “flooded areas” and “cutting ring”. The moisture content of soil samples was determined according to GOST 28268-89. Results. Analytical processing of 10 experimental moisture contour outlines made it possible to obtain a system of empirical dependencies for determining the outline, diameter, horizontal projection area and volume of the local soil moisture contour. Dependencies take into account soil characteristics – the content of physical clay, the field moisture capacity and bulk density, as well as the technological parameters of drip irrigation – dripper consumption, moisture depth, levels of pre-irrigation and post-irrigation soil moisture and irrigation rate. The obtained dependencies were tested on the experimental data of other researchers. As a result, the deviations of the calculated values of the moisture contour diameter from the experimental ones did not exceed 11.3 % and averaged 4.8 %. Forecasting the area of the horizontal projection showed a deviation of the calculation from the experiment on average 8.9 %, and for the volume of the moisture contour – 8.8 %. Conclusions. Empirical dependences that allow predicting the shape, linear, areal and volumetric dimensions of soil moisture contours formed in southern chernozems during drip irrigation have been established. The results of testing help conclude that the proposed dependencies are acceptable for practical use.

Purpose: developing the methodology for parameter determination and choosing a layout and design solution for an irrigation module for drip irrigation and fertigation of tree and fruit plants cultivated in industrial gardens using industrial technologies for agrotechnical work. The economic and production efficiency of drip-irrigated tree-fruit orchards is determined by the degree of compliance of the layout and design solutions of drip irrigation systems with the natural and climatic conditions and the needs of cultivated crops. The specified compliance of the technical capabilities of drip irrigation systems with the physiological characteristics of plants is ensured by drip irrigation modules that directly supply irrigation water or solution to the zones of their consumption by the root systems of plants. The basis of the publication was the results of the author's research and development of drip irrigation systems for industrial gardens and the author's methods for predicting the size of the contours or zones of drip moisture in the soil space and the parameters of the apple crops root systems. Results. A generalization of private author's methods for predicting the parameters of moisture contours formed in the soil column during drip irrigation, and the parameters of root systems of perennial tree-fruit crops of row planting, developed in relation to the conditions of their cultivation in drip irrigated gardens, is carried out. As a result of the adaptation and joint use of these methods, a methodology for predicting the parameters of moistening zones formed by irrigation lines located along the rows has been developed. Conclusions. A scientific and methodological justification has been developed for choosing a layout and design solution for a drip irrigation module that provides drip irrigation of tree-fruit crops of row planting cultivated in industrial drip-irrigated orchards using industrial technologies for conducting work.