Water Requirement of Sugarcane Using CROPWAT 8.0 Model: A Case Study of North India

Abstract

The global consumption of water is doubling every 20 years, more than twice the rate of human population growth. As per one of the estimate of Food and Agriculture organization (FAO), 70-80 per cent of the increase in food demand between 2000 and 2030 will have to be met by irrigation. Efficient water use can increase crop diversity, produce higher yields, enhance employment and lower food prices. Understanding crop water requirements (CWR) is essential for better irrigation practices, scheduling and efficient use of water, since the water supply through rainfall is limited and erratic in nature. So it has become very important to define appropriate strategies for planning and management of irrigated farm land. One of the major practices adopted by the researchers for estimating water requirement of the crop is modelling. In this paper, Sugarcane crop water requirement in Lakhimpur Kheri district of Uttar Pradesh are forecasted, based on the meteorological data. For determination of crop evapo- transpiration and yield responses to water in the agro-climatic district, CROPWAT 8.0 model is used, which was developed by the Land and Water Development Division of Food Agricultural Organization (FAO). It includes a simple water balance model that allows the simulation of crop water stress conditions and estimation of yield reductions based on well-established methodologies.