382
R. Ku´ smierek-Tomaszewska and J. ˙
Zarski
modern pressurized systems (sprinkler irrigation), applied mainly in horticultural
crops at only 8.7 thousand hectares [6]. The dimension of these areas places Poland
at a distant position from other countries around the world in terms of plant irrigation.
According to the ICID record [1], which covers a rank of 46 developed countries with
the USA as the leader, Poland maintains the 28th position, while in the classification
of all 159 countries, in which China and India are the leaders in terms of irrigation,
Poland shifts to the 105th place. A small irrigated area in Poland, covering only
0.5% of agricultural land allows for the conclusion that the importance of irrigation in
Polish agriculture is insignificant compared to the area covered by it. This conclusion
cannot be changed even by the fact that the actual area of irrigated crops in Poland is
much larger than declared by the Statistics Poland [6]. The official data do not take
into account systems such as micro-irrigation, especially the drip system, commonly
used in horticulture. According to research published by Treder et al. [7], from 80
to 100 thousand hectares of fruit crops in Poland are under irrigation. On the other
hand, Lipi´ nski [8] estimates the area of irrigated vegetables in the country at about
45 thousand hectares.
Despite the limitations deriving primarily from economic conditions as well as
from the insufficient sources of water and the amount of water available for agriculture, the irrigation of crops in Poland is an important element of water management
in the country and the main element of water management in agriculture. This is a
promising and perspective solution. The main factors that will accelerate the development of irrigation in the future include: assurance of higher, stable and good quality
crop yields, the necessity to increase modernity and make increasingly expanding
agricultural farms more competitive, and the expected climate change. In accordance with the theory of global warming, whose main manifestation is an increase in
air temperature and evapotranspiration, the frequency of droughts in moderate latitudes is also forecasted to increase [9–11]. Some research results indicate that these
changes are already taking place. According to the results of the research presented
by Wibig [12], in Poland, one can observe a tendency towards more intense, longerlasting droughts in the summer season, especially in the areas where water is the
main yield-limiting factor.
19.2 Effects of Irrigation on Crop Production
The main indicators for the advisability of applying irrigation and considering its
role in domestic agriculture and water management are production effects, i.e., the
absolute yield increase obtained under the influence of this treatment in the technology of agricultural raw materials production. The amount and value of production efficiency under irrigation can be discussed in terms of an average approach
(multi-annual mean), or in relation to the specific growing season. Positive effects of
applying irrigation, such as yield increases, account for the basis of their economic
efficiency assessment, which is the main argument for undertaking the investment.
Modifications in the quality of yield under the influence of irrigation, which relates to
R. Ku´ smierek-Tomaszewska and J. ˙
Zarski
modern pressurized systems (sprinkler irrigation), applied mainly in horticultural
crops at only 8.7 thousand hectares [6]. The dimension of these areas places Poland
at a distant position from other countries around the world in terms of plant irrigation.
According to the ICID record [1], which covers a rank of 46 developed countries with
the USA as the leader, Poland maintains the 28th position, while in the classification
of all 159 countries, in which China and India are the leaders in terms of irrigation,
Poland shifts to the 105th place. A small irrigated area in Poland, covering only
0.5% of agricultural land allows for the conclusion that the importance of irrigation in
Polish agriculture is insignificant compared to the area covered by it. This conclusion
cannot be changed even by the fact that the actual area of irrigated crops in Poland is
much larger than declared by the Statistics Poland [6]. The official data do not take
into account systems such as micro-irrigation, especially the drip system, commonly
used in horticulture. According to research published by Treder et al. [7], from 80
to 100 thousand hectares of fruit crops in Poland are under irrigation. On the other
hand, Lipi´ nski [8] estimates the area of irrigated vegetables in the country at about
45 thousand hectares.
Despite the limitations deriving primarily from economic conditions as well as
from the insufficient sources of water and the amount of water available for agriculture, the irrigation of crops in Poland is an important element of water management
in the country and the main element of water management in agriculture. This is a
promising and perspective solution. The main factors that will accelerate the development of irrigation in the future include: assurance of higher, stable and good quality
crop yields, the necessity to increase modernity and make increasingly expanding
agricultural farms more competitive, and the expected climate change. In accordance with the theory of global warming, whose main manifestation is an increase in
air temperature and evapotranspiration, the frequency of droughts in moderate latitudes is also forecasted to increase [9–11]. Some research results indicate that these
changes are already taking place. According to the results of the research presented
by Wibig [12], in Poland, one can observe a tendency towards more intense, longerlasting droughts in the summer season, especially in the areas where water is the
main yield-limiting factor.
19.2 Effects of Irrigation on Crop Production
The main indicators for the advisability of applying irrigation and considering its
role in domestic agriculture and water management are production effects, i.e., the
absolute yield increase obtained under the influence of this treatment in the technology of agricultural raw materials production. The amount and value of production efficiency under irrigation can be discussed in terms of an average approach
(multi-annual mean), or in relation to the specific growing season. Positive effects of
applying irrigation, such as yield increases, account for the basis of their economic
efficiency assessment, which is the main argument for undertaking the investment.
Modifications in the quality of yield under the influence of irrigation, which relates to