New study reveals efficient irrigation methods for sugarcane in semiarid regions.
Sugarcane water requirements and crop coefficients were studied in a semiarid region using field water balance methods. The researchers found that sugarcane needs around 1339 mm of water per year, with irrigation accounting for 991 mm and effective rainfall for 424 mm. The crop coefficients for different growth stages were determined to be 0.70 for tillering, 1.20 for grand growth, and 0.78 for maturity. These values were slightly lower than standard estimates, indicating potential water savings in sugarcane cultivation. The study also developed a mathematical equation to predict daily crop coefficients, which can help in efficient irrigation management and crop yield modeling in semiarid regions.