Institute of Genetics,
Physiology and Plant Protection
Ministry of Education,
Culture and Research
Subsurface drip irrigation (SDI) of crops, an effective solution to mitigate the effects of drought
From April 30th to May 3rd, 2013 in Chisinau, at the invitation of the Institute of Genetics and Plant Physiology of the ASM, there was a meeting of international experts representing companies specialized in production, delivery and implementation of equipment for subsurface drip irrigation (SDI). The list of guests included: Rodney Ruskin from GEOFLOW (USA), Sergey Abrosimov from SERMIK GLOBAL (USA), and the representatives of METZERPLAS (Israel) Gigi Sagi and Dov Avital.
Some of the topics discussed during the four days of meetings included: peculiarities of implementation and applicability of subsurface drip irrigation for various crops in the Republic of Moldova, advantages of the subsurface drip irrigation in comparison to the various types of surface irrigation (such as flood, sprinkler irrigation as well as surface drip irrigation systems), possibilities of using effluent and treated wastewater for irrigation.
Foreign guests visited the Academy of Sciences where they met with the Deputy Director of ASM- academician Ion Tighineanu and the Coordinator of Department of Agricultural Sciences - academician Boris Gaina; the Institute of Genetics and Plant Physiology of the ASM; the Botanical Garden (Institute) of the ASM; the company ELVITIS-COM, director Vasile Vutcarau, Siret village, district Straseni, and Speia village, district Dubasari - specialization in cultivation of vine seedlings; G.T. “Semion Papuc” and S.C. ECOSPIRIT led by director Vitalii Ababii, Pirita, Dubasari - specialization in cultivation of vegetables and fruits; I.S. CVC Milestii Mici, director Gheorghe Castravet, Ialoveni, specialized in producing of grape vines and wines of high quality; one of the initiators of the idea of bringing SDI technology into Moldova Igor Bugai (doctor of economics) also took part in the meetings.
The director of the Institute of Genetics and Plant Physiology of ASM, PhD Vasile Botnari, taking into account the increased frequency and intensity of droughts, considers it appropriate to conduct a series of research projects and to establish several pilot lots with a purpose of testing of the subsurface drip irrigation (SDI) technology under various conditions, where the efficiency of production, when using the SDI technology, could be maximized by determining the optimal combination of soil and water for irrigation.
