Estimation of Irrigation Scheduling Derived by FAO Model for Wheat, Barley, and Tomatoes in Kirkuk Governorate in Iraq

• Suaad Shnawa Al-Khazai1, Tayba mohammed Hamza2, Taif muthher muslim3 Noor Sabah Kamel4, Saja hasan‏ Al-Ghazi5

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This study aimed to  manage water resources efficiently for decreasing water consumption . The FAO-CROPWAT 8.0 model was used to estimate reference evapotranspiration (ETo), crop water requirements and optimal irrigation scheduling  for decreasing water irrigation water  the important cultivated crops in Kirkuk Governorate, Iraq (wheat, barley and tomato) using weather data. The findings indicate that water demand varies among crops and growth stages, reflecting seasonal and ecological conditions. .The crop water requirements of the three examined crops were found to be in the following sequence: Wheat 1505 > Tomatoes 867.2> Barley 134.2.  The study revealed that the wheat, barley crops do not require irrigation because they are winter crops and rely on rain-fed agriculture during the winter. Tomato was high in the beginning because the reference evapotranspiration (ET 0) was high and the rooting depths were shallow. This rate decreased in the middle of the growing season when the rate of evapotranspiration reduced and roots systems had been formed more and this is the time when the soil retained its maximum moisture content. These results highlight the effectiveness of CROPWAT and CLIMWAT as decision-support tools for optimizing water allocation, recommend for guiding irrigation scheduling, and improving crop productivity. The study provides valuable insights for farmers, planners, and policymakers to enhance water resource management, adapt cropping patterns, and promote sustainable agriculture under increasing water scarcity and climate change.

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