LYSIMETER DETERMINATION OF CROP COEFFICIENT OF DRIP IRRIGATED JATROPHA CURCAS

• T A EWEMOJE

  Agricultural and Environmental Engineering Department, University of Ibadan, Nigeria

• S D FAGBAYIDE

  Agricultural and Bio-Environmental Engineering Department, Federal Polytechnic Ilaro, Ogun State, Nigeria

• K O OLUWASEMIRE

  Agronomy Department, University of Ibadan, Nigeria

The study was designed to examine the actual evapotranspiration and crop coefficient (Kc) of eight months old Jatropha curcas grown in mini-drainage lysimeter with a cylindrical drum of circular cross-sectional area of 0.246 m2, diameter 0.56 m and 1.0 m depth. Investigation was conducted with drip irrigation system using five mini lysimeters. Each lysimeter contained one pressure compensating emitter of 4L/hr. Climatic variables were obtained for the determination of reference evapotranspiration (ETo) using the FAO-Penman Monteith model. The value for the crop evapotranspiration (ETc) was determined from the lysimeter using the soil water balance method on daily basis and the crop factor (Kc) was estimated from the ratio of ETc / ETo. The ETo estimated from weather data for the crop growing season ranged from 19.3 to 33.1 mm/day. The average crop coefficient (Kc) values at different growth stages were 0.6, 0.9, 1.2 and 0.8 for the initial, development, mid-season and late season respectively. The research output will enhance the productivity of farmers with optimum water management on large scale Jatropha cultivation.

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