In semiarid agro ecological conditions of Vojvodina province, northern part of Serbia, irrigation has a supplementary character. However, since vegetables require increased soil moisture, intensive vegetable production is only possible under irrigated conditions. In irrigated agriculture, applied water may exert different pressure on soil properties, especially chemical. In order to investigate how long term irrigation affects the carbonate chernozem in Vojvodina region, a field survey was conducted at the Experimental field Rimski Sancevi, Department of Vegetable Crops, Institute of Field and Vegetable Crops, near Novi Sad. The soil is classified as chernozem, subtype on the loess and loess sediments. The analyzed soil samples were taken from the irrigated as well as the rainfed plots, from the soil profile, by horizons. The amount of total soluble salts is low, ranged from 0,02 to 0,21%, sodium adsorption ratio from 0,36 to 2,26. Electrical conductivity varied from 0,51 to 2,85 dS/m, with higher values on irrigated variant in surface layers, indicating a tendency towards mild salinity. pH values measured in saturated soil paste are within the limits of neutral to slightly and moderately alkaline, increased on the irrigated variant. The soil's qualitative and quantitative content of cations, determined from the water extract, shows a predominance of calcium and magnesium ions relative to sodium and potassium. The content of calcium ions in the water extract records a higher content in the surface layer of soil on irrigated chernozem. The amount of hydrocarbons decreased with depth of soil profile, not influenced by irrigation. Slightly higher values of chloride were found in surface layer of irrigated soil. The adsorbed cation content of calcium ions shows the dominants in both variants compared to magnesium, sodium and potassium. The quality of water for irrigation belongs to C3S1, according to U.S. Salinity Laboratory. The obtained results showed that there has been no major detrimental effect on soil due to irrigation, but constant control of the quality of water for irrigation is necessary, as well as constant monitoring of the chemical properties of the irrigated soil.

chernozem, chemical properties, irrigation

Presentation: oral