Crop evaporation and surface conductance calculated using soil moisture data from Central India
✍ Scribed by J.S. Wallace; C.H. Batchelor; M.G. Hodnett
- Publisher
- Elsevier Science
- Year
- 1981
- Weight
- 758 KB
- Volume
- 25
- Category
- Article
- ISSN
- 0002-1571
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✦ Synopsis
During the winter (rabi) season in central India, dryland crops rely on stored soil water and limited precipitation. Crop evaporation rates were calculated from changes in soil moisture content under wheat, dhal, lentil, linseed and mixed crops during periods of little or no rainfall. Seasonal variations in the surface conductances of these crops were then calculated using these evaporation rates in the Penman--Monteith equation. Crop evaporation was much less than potential evaporation for most of the season. However, seasonal crop water-use was successfully predicted by adjusting potential evaporation using crop coefficients. The control of evaporation appeared to be achieved via the low surface conductance of the crops, especially in the latter half of the season when soil moisture deficits were high.