Definition of Terms

 Crop Water Requirement (CWR): The total water needed by a crop

for its growth and development, expressed as evapotranspiration
(ET).
 Evapotranspiration (ET): The sum of water lost through soil
evaporation and plant transpiration.
 Effective Precipitation (Pe): The portion of total rainfall that is
available for plant use after accounting for losses like runoff and
deep percolation.
 Irrigation Scheduling: The planning and implementation of
irrigation based on the crop’s water needs, soil characteristics,
and climatic conditions.
 Consumptive Use Of Water

Quantity of water require by plant to

meet to meet it’s
evaporation-transpiration & to meet

C.U = E +T + 𝑊𝑚
metabolic activities .

>99% <1%
~ E+T C.U
=consumptive use
𝑊𝑚 =Water require for
metabolic process
E = Evaporation
crop water requirement includes all losses

like:

a) Transpiration loss through leaves (T)

b) Evaporation loss through soil surface in

cropped area (E)

c) Amount of weather used by plants (WM)

for its metabolism .

These three components cannot be

separated so easily.
d) Other application losses are conveyance loss,

percolation loss, runoff loss, etc., (WL).

e) The water required for special purposes (WSP)

like puddling operation, ploughing operation,

land preparation, leaching, requirement, for the

purpose of weeding, for dissolving fertilizer and

chemical, etc.
Hence the water requirement is symbolically
represented as:

WR = T + E + WM + WL + WSP
or
WR = IR + ER + S
or
WR = CU + WL + WSP

CU = E + T + WP
Where,
IR - Irrigation requirement; ER - Effective rainfall
S - Contribution from ground water table.
Evapotranspiration

ET – Evapotranspiration from surface

T- Transpiration from leaves

E - Evaporation
 Importance of Crop Water Requirement

 Necessary for planning and development of water

resources.

 Plays an important role in management decisions.

 Accurate assessment of water needs of crops allow

efficient use of water resources.

 Crop Substitution
 • Factors affecting crop water requirement

1) Crop factors
a) Variety 3) Climatic factors
b) Growth stages a) Temperature
c) Duration b) Sunshine hours
d) Plant population
c) Relative humidity
e) Crop growing
season d) Wind velocity
e) Rainfall
2) Soil factors
a) Structure 4) Agronomic management
b) Texture factors
c) Depth a) Irrigation methods used
d) Topography
b) Frequency of irrigation and
e) Soil chemical
composition its efficiency
 Effect of major climatic factors on crop water need
Climatic Factor Crop water need

High Low

Sunshine sunny (no clouds) cloudy (no sun)

Temperature hot cool

Humidity low (dry) high (humid)

Wind speed windy little wind

 Growth stages of a crop

The total growing period is divided into 4 growth stages:

Initial stage: this is the period from sowing or transplanting until

the crop covers about 10% of the ground.

Crop development stage: this period starts at the end of the

initial stage and lasts until the full ground cover has been reached;
it does not necessarily mean that the crop is at its maximum
height.

Mid - season stage: this period starts at the end of the crop
development stage and lasts until maturity; it includes flowering
and grain-setting.

Late season stage: this period starts at the end of the mid season
stage and lasts until the last day of the harvest; it includes ripening.
Growth stages of a crop
 Growth stage of the crop and Kc

A certain crop will use more water once it is fully developed, compared to a crop which has
just recently been planted.
There are four stages of crop growth:

1. Initial stage: germination stage (<10% ground cover)

 Kc value doesn’t show significant change

2. Crop Development Stage: From end of initial stage to 70-80% ground cover.
 Kc show significant increase over time

3. Mid-season stage: From full ground cover to time of starting to mature.

It covers the flowering stage of the crop.
 Kc value doesn’t show significant change

4. Late season stage: from end of mid-season stage until full maturity or
harvest.
 Kc shows significant drop over time
Growth stage and

Kc

Initial Dev’t Mid-season Late-season

Stage stage stage
stage

Growing Period, days

Methods of Determining Crop
Water Requirements
Direct Methods: Methods based
on field measurements and
observations

Indirect Methods: Methods using

climatic data (Empirical methods)
 Empirical Methods
 Blaney-Criddle Method

 Jensen-Haise Method

 Pan Evaporation Method

 Penman Method
 CROPWAT Software

 CROPWAT is a powerful tool developed by FAO for estimating

crop water requirements and designing irrigation schedules.

 Inputs: Climatic data, soil characteristics, crop type, and growth

stage.

 Outputs: CWR, effective rainfall, and irrigation schedules.

 Benefits: Simplifies decision-making and ensures water use

efficiency.
 Calculating ET

All methods for computing crop ET involve the

following equation.

ET = Kc x ETo
Where
ET = evapotranspiration for a specific crop (mm/day);
Eto= potential ET or reference crop ET (mm/day);
Kc= crop coefficient
 Crop Coefficient (Kc)
 Crop Coefficient (Kc) relates the actual rate at which
a crop uses water (ET) to potential
evapotranspiration (ETo).

 Crop coefficients depend on the type of crop and its

stage of growth.
 Values of crop factor (Kc) for various crops and growth stages
Crop Initial stage Crop dev. stage Mid-season stage Late season stage
Barley/Oats/Wheat 0.35 0.75 1.15 0.45
Bean, green 0.35 0.70 1.10 0.90
Bean, dry 0.35 0.70 1.10 0.30
Cabbage/Carrot 0.45 0.75 1.05 0.90
Cotton/Flax 0.45 0.75 1.15 0.75
Cucumber/Squash 0.45 0.70 0.90 0.75
Eggplant/Tomato 0.45 0.75 1.15 0.80
Grain/small 0.35 0.75 1.10 0.65
Lentil/Pulses 0.45 0.75 1.10 0.50
Lettuce/Spinach 0.45 0.60 1.00 0.90
Maize, sweet 0.40 0.80 1.15 1.00
Maize, grain 0.40 0.80 1.15 0.70
Melon 0.45 0.75 1.00 0.75
Millet 0.35 0.70 1.10 0.65
Onion, green 0.50 0.70 1.00 1.00
Onion, dry 0.50 0.75 1.05 0.85
Peanut/Groundnut 0.45 0.75 1.05 0.70
Pea, fresh 0.45 0.80 1.15 1.05
Pepper, fresh 0.35 0.70 1.05 0.90
Potato 0.45 0.75 1.15 0.85
Radish 0.45 0.60 0.90 0.90
Sorghum 0.35 0.75 1.10 0.65
Soybean 0.35 0.75 1.10 0.60
Sugarbeet 0.45 0.80 1.15 0.80
Sunflower 0.35 0.75 1.15 0.55
Tobacco 0.35 0.75 1.10 0.90
 Seasonal Water Requirements of Major Crops (Source: OFWM)

Group Crop Seasonal Group Crop Seasonal

Water Water
Requirement Requirement
(mm) (mm)

Cereal Wheat 325-450 Fodder Crops Berseam 800

Barley 250-325 Oats 400-500

Rice 1200-1600 Sorghum 450-650

Maize 300-350 Mott Napier

Grass

Oil-Seeds Rape and 235-650 Sudan 600-650

Mustered Grass

Sunflower 600-1000 Spices Turmeric 800

Soybean 450-700 Garlic 600-700

Sesame 500-600 Cumin 300

Seasonal Water Requirements of
Major Crops (Source: FAO)
Crop Crop water need Crop Crop water need
(mm/total growing period) (mm/total growing period)

Alfalfa 800-1600 Pea 350-500

Banana 1200-2200 Pepper 600-900

Barley/Oats/Wheat 450-650 Potato 500-700

Bean 300-500 Rice (paddy) 450-700

Cabbage 350-500 Sorghum/Millet 450-650

Citrus 900-1200 Soybean 450-700

Cotton 700-1300 Sugarbeet 550-750

Maize 500-800 Sugarcane 1500-2500

Melon 400-600 Sunflower 600-1000

Onion 350-550 Tomato 400-800

Peanut 500-700
 ETc Calculation Procedure

1. Select the type of crops to be grown

2. Establish planting dates
3. Determine lengths of crop growth stages
4. Determine Kc values for each growth stage
5. Calculate ETc from

ETc = Kc x ETo
Where,

ETc = Crop water requirement

Kc =Crop factor
Kc =f(crop type and growing stage)
General Procedure for Calculating
ETc under Standard conditions
Calculate ETo

Select single coefficient - Kc

Select lengths of growth stage

Select values- Kcini, Kcmid, Kc end

Adjust Kcini for wetting frequency

Adjust Kc mid & Kc end to local conditions

Construct Kc curve

Read Kc values from the curve ETc = Kc x ETo

 What is Crop Factor, Kc?
 The effects of weather conditions are
captured in the ETo estimate.

 The effects of crop transpiration and soil

evaporation are combined into a single Kc
coefficient.

 Kc combines differences in soil evaporation

and crop transpiration rate b/n the crop and
the grass reference surface

 Kc varies with the specific crop characteristics

 Kc = f(crop type, climate, soil evaporation, growth stage,)
Kc Curve
ETc Calculation Procedure
1. Select the type of crops to be grown
2. Establish planting dates
3. Determine lengths of crop growth stages
4. Determine Kc values for each growth stage
5. Calculate ETc from

ETc = Kc x ETo
Where,

ETc = Crop water requirement

Kc =Crop factor
Kc =f(crop type and growing stage)
 Kc Values
Initial Crop Mid- Late & Depth of Root Depletion
Crops development season harvest system (cm) level (%)
Seasonal
Cabbage 0.45 (20) 0.75 (25) 1.05 (60) 0.90 (15) 40-50 0.45
Carrot 0.45 (20) 0.75 (30) 1.05 (30) 0.90 (20) 50-100 0.35
Cotton 0.45 (30) 0.75 (50) 1.15 (55) 0.75(45) 100-170 0.65
Maize 0.40 (20) 0.75 (35) 1.15 (40) 0.75 (30) 100-200 0.60
Onion 0.50 (20) 0.75 (45) 1.05 920) 0.85 (10) 30-50 0.25
Pepper 0.35 (30) 0.75 (35) 1.05 (40) 0.90 (20) 50-100 0.25
Potato 0.45 (25) 0.75 (30) 1.15 (30) 0.75 (20) 40-60 0.25
Rice 1.05 (30) 1.2 (30) 1.2 (80) 0.9 (40) 1
Sorghum 0.35 (20) 0.75 (30) 1.11 (40) 0.65 (30) 100-200 0.55
Sesame 1.1(20) 1,1 (30) 1.1 (40) 0.35 (20) 2 0.6
Tomato 0.45 (25) 0.75 (40) 1.15 (40) 0.80 (25) 70-150 0.40
Wheat 0.35 (15) 0.75 (30) 1.15 (65) 0.70 (40) 100-150 0.55
Alfalfa 0.35 0.85 100-200
Banana 0.50 1.1 50-90
 Calculation Example
Sewir Irrigation Scheme- North Shewa, Amhara

Crop Onion Pepper

Planting date 16 September 16 July

Harvesting date 30 December 25 December

Soil type clay Clay

Note
•Months and growing stages do not correspond. Also do ETo and Kc
•Yet ETc has to be determined on monthly basis
 Step 1 - Growth Stages- Manual- 3 IWR Annex III

Growth Stages Onion Pepper

Duration Months Duration Months

(days( (days(

Initial 20 15 Sept-5 Oct 40 16-30 Dec

Development 50 6 Oct-25 Nov 45 26 Aug-10 Oct

Mid season 20 26 Nov-15 50 11 Oct-30 Nov

Dec

Late season 15 16-30 Dec 25 1-25 Dec

Total 105 160

 Step 2-Kc values

Determine Kc Values

Growth Stage Onion Pepper

Initial 0.5 0.35
Mid Season 1.05 1.05
Late Season 0.85 0.90
 Step 3- Kc Curve for Onion
1.2
1.1
1.0 
0.9

0.8 
0.7
0.6
0.5

0.4
0.3
0.2
0.1
0.0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 110 120 130 140

Initial Development M-season Late

Sept Oct Nov Dec
 Step 4-Monthly Kcs
Determine Kc for onion for Each Month
Sept Kc = 0.5, 15 days, Oct Kc =0.5, 5 days

Oct Kc=(0.5+0.83)/2= 0.665, 25 days

 Kc (Oct) = 0.5 x 5/30 + 25/30 x 0.6665 =0.64

Nov Kc = (0.83+1.05)/2 = 0.94, 25 days

Assume 30
days for
Kc (Nov) = 0.94 x 25/30+ 1.05*5/30 =0.96
each month

Dec Kc=(0.85+1.05)/1=0.95, 15 days

Kc (Dec) = 15/30 x 1.05 + 15/30 x 0.96 =1

=(1.05+.96)/2
 Summary of ETc Values
Month Sept Oct Nov Dec

ETo 4.9 4.7 4.2 4.0

Growth Stage Initial Development Mid Season L.

Season
LGP (days) 20 50 20 15

Kc (GS) 0.5 0.75 1.05 0.85

Kc (month) 0.5 0.64 0.94 0.95

ETc (mm/day) 2.45 3.2 3.9 3.8

ETc (mm/mon) 37 96 117 114

Seasonal ETC = 364 mm

 Crop Water Need Calculation
Determine the crop water need of tomatoes
GIVEN

Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May June July

ETo(mm/ 4.0 5.0 5.8 6.3 6.8 7.1 6.5

day)

Humidity medium (60%)

Wind speed medium (3 m/sec)

Duration of growing period (from sowing): 150 days

Planting date: 1 February (direct sowing)

Step 1: Estimate the duration of the various growth
stages, using Table 7.

Crop Total Initial stage Crop dev. Mid-season Late season

growing stage stage stage
period
(days)

Tomatoes 150 35 40 50 25

Step 2: Indicate on table, as per example below, the ETo values and the
duration of the growth stages.
Note: When calculating the crop water needs, all months are assumed to
have 30 days. For the calculation of the reference crop evapotranspiration,
the actual number of days of each month is used e.g., January 31 days,
February 28 or 29 days, etc.
 Planting date 1 Feb

Initial stage, 35 days 1 Feb-5 Mar

Crop development stage, 40 days 6 Mar-15 Apr

Mid season stage, 50 days 16 Apr-5 Jun

Late season stage, 25 days 6 Jun-30 Jun

Last day of the harvest 30 Jun

Step 3: Estimate the Kc factor for each of the 4 growth stages, using
Table 8

Kc, initial stage =0.45

Kc, crop development stage =0.75

Kc, mid season stage =1.15

Kc, late season stage =0.8

The Kc values are inserted in the Table
• It can be seen from the table above that the months and
growth stages do not correspond.
• As a consequence the ETo and the Kc values do not
correspond.
• Yet the ET crop (= ETo × Kc) has to be determined on a monthly
basis.
• It is thus necessary to determine the Kc on a monthly basis,
which is done as follows:
 February:Kc Feb = 0.45
 March:5 days: Kc = 0.45
 25 days: Kc = 0.75
In summary:
Step 4: Calculate, on a monthly basis, the crop water need,
using the formula:
ET crop = ETo × Kc (mm/day)

February: ET crop = 5.0 × 0.45 = 2.3 mm/day

March: ET crop = 5.8 × 0.70 = 4.1 mm/day

April: ET crop = 6.3 × 0.95 = 6.0 mm/day

May: ET crop = 6.8 × 1.15 = 7.8 mm/day

June: ET crop = 7.1 × 0.85 = 6.0 mm/day

In summary:
Step 5: Calculate the monthly and seasonal crop water
needs.
Note: all months are assumed to have 30 days.

February ET crop = 30 × 2.3 = 69 mm/month

March ET crop = 30 × 4.1 = 123 mm/month

April ET crop = 30 × 6.0 = 180 mm/month

May ET crop = 30 × 7.8 = 234 mm/month

June ET crop = 30 × 6.0 = 180 mm/month

 In summary:

The crop water need for the whole growing season of tomatoes is 786 mm.
 Irrigation Scheduling Concept

 Irrigation scheduling is a systematic method by which a producer

can decide on when to irrigate and how much water to apply.

 The goal of an effective scheduling program is to supply the plants

with sufficient water while minimizing loss to deep percolation or

runoff.
 Irrigation scheduling is essential for good water management and it
deals with two classical questions related to irrigation. These are

 (1) how much to irrigate and

 (2) How often to irrigate.

 How often and how to irrigate is function of irrigation water needs

of the crop.

 For example, if irrigation water need of crop is 5 mm/day, each day

crop needs a water layer of 5 mm over the whole cropped area.
However, 5 mm of water need not be supplied every day.
 Scheduling of Irrigation to Crops
Advantages of Irrigation Scheduling
a) It enables the farmer to schedule water rotation
among the various fields to minimize crop water
stress and maximize yields.
b) It reduces the farmer’s cost of water and labour
c) It lowers fertilizer costs by holding surface runoff
d) It increases net returns by increasing crop yields
and crop quality.
e) It minimizes water-logging problems
f) It assists in controlling root zone salinity
problems
g) It results in additional returns by using the
“saved” water to irrigate non-cash crops
 Methods of Irrigation Scheduling

These can be broadly classified into following categories:

1.Soil indicators
2.Climatological

3.Plant indices
4.Water balance
Soil water regime approach
 In this approach the available soil water held
between field capacity and permanent wilting
point in the effective crop root zone
 Alternatively soil moisture tension, the force
with which the water is held around the soil
particles is also sometimes used as a guide for
timing irrigations.
Feel and appearance of soil
 This is one of the oldest and simple methods of
determining the soil moisture content.
 It is done by visual observation and feel of the
soil by hand.
 The accuracy of judgement improves with
experience.