Estimation of Potato Irrigation Requirement for Management Water Sustainability By Using FAO CROPWAT 8.0 in Central of Iraq

• Rafid Ahmed Al-Zabad

  Author

Declining availability of water resources across the Iraqi context has become a major ecological concern associated with climate change and reduced river flow caused by upstream dam construction. In semi-arid regions, accurate estimation of crop water needs is essential for supporting improved irrigation management and achieving more effective use of water resources. The present investigation estimated crop irrigation demand in Al-Qadisiyah Governorate, Central of Iraq, at 1144.2 mm/10. The water demand did not remain constant throughout the period of crop-growth. The frequency of irrigation was relatively low during the initial stage of development since the amount of reference evapotranspiration was low and root systems were not deep. It peaked at the middle of the season when evapotranspiration was at its peak and the soil was at its highest level of moisture loss. The paper also cites the importance of irrigation scheduling tools like CROPWAT and CLIMWAT in assisting farmers in Iraq.

• pdf