The Biological Effectiveness of Drip Irrigation for Cotton in the Conditions of Karakalpakstan

This article evaluates the biological effectiveness of drip irrigation compared with conventional furrow irrigation for cotton cultivation under local agro-ecological conditions. In the arid and saline conditions of the Republic of Karakalpakstan, water scarcity is one of the main challenges for sustainable cotton production. Traditional furrow irrigation consumes large amounts of water and often leads to secondary soil salinisation, which negatively affects plant development and final yield. For this reason, the use of modern water-saving irrigation technologies has become both a biological and economic necessity. Field experiments included phenological observations and yield analysis. The results showed that drip irrigation creates a stable and favourable moisture regime in the root zone, preventing water stress during critical growth stages such as flowering and boll formation. Unlike furrow irrigation, drip systems provide uniform soil moisture throughout the growing season. As a result, cotton plants developed faster, matured earlier, and formed more productive bolls. Yields reached 3.91–4.27 tonns per hectare, exceeding the control by 0.57–0.93 tonns per hectare.

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