Estimate of the crop coefficient for Eucalyptus cultivated under irrigation during initial growth

• Published in: CERNE Vol. 19; no. 2; pp. 247 - 253
• Main Authors: Alves, M.E.B, Mantovani, E.C, Sediyama, G.C, Neves, J.C.L
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: UFLA - Universidade Federal de Lavras 01-06-2013
• Subjects: DA©FICIT DE HUMEDAD EN EL SUELO; DA©FICIT HYDRIQUE DU SOL; DEFICIÊNCIA HÍDRICA; EUCALIPTO; EUCALYPTUS; FORESTRY; http://www.fao.org/aos/agrovoc#c_25307; http://www.fao.org/aos/agrovoc#c_2683; http://www.fao.org/aos/agrovoc#c_3954; http://www.fao.org/aos/agrovoc#c_8325; IRRIGATION; IRRIGAÇÃO; PRODUTIVIDADE; RECURSO HÍDRICO; RECURSOS HA­DRICOS; RESSOURCE EN EAU; RIEGO; SOIL WATER DEFICIT; WATER RESOURCES; dual kc; kc eucalipto; Necessidades hídricas eucalipto; eucalyptus irrigation; kc dual; Water requirements of eucalyptus; eucalyptus kc; irrigação eucalipto
• ISSN: 0104-7760; 2317-6342; 0104-7760; 2317-6342
• DOI: 10.1590/S0104-77602013000200008

The expansion in areas planted with eucalyptus crops has raised concern about the effects these may have on water resources and existing correlations between water use and crop productivity, which calls for better understanding of water requirements by plant species. The objective of this study was to determine the water requirements of an irrigated eucalyptus crop, having the estimated dual crop coefficient (dual Kc) as a reference. Mean values found for estimated crop coefficients were 0.57, 0.13 and 0.70 for Ke, Kcb and Kc respectively during initial growth stage, and 0.01, 0.81 and 0.82 for Ke, Kcb and Kc respectively during the mid-season stage. The methodology used in this study is not intended to replace field measurements for development of Kc curves. However, it provides a consistent method to evaluate values measured while providing means for estimating variations in values of Kc according to change in the soil fraction covered by vegetation.