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Effective crop evapotranspiration measurement using time-domain reflectometry technique in a sub-humid region

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Abstract

The primary objective of this study was to evaluate the performance of the time-domain reflectometry (TDR) technique for daily evapotranspiration estimation of peanut and maize crop in a sub-humid region. Four independent methods were used to estimate crop evapotranspiration (ETc), namely, soil water balance budgeting approach, energy balance approach—(Bowen ratio), empirical methods approach, and Pan evaporation method. The soil water balance budgeting approach utilized the soil moisture measurement by gravimetric and TDR method. The empirical evapotranspiration methods such as combination approach (FAO-56 Penman–Monteith and Penman), temperature-based approach (Hargreaves–Samani), and radiation-based approach (Priestley–Taylor, Turc, Abetw) were used to estimate the reference evapotranspiration (ET0). The daily ETc determined by the FAO-56 Penman-Monteith, Priestley-Taylor, Turc, Pan evaporation, and Bowen ratio were found to be at par with the ET values derived from the soil water balance budget; while the methods Abetw, Penman, and Hargreaves-Samani were not found to be ideal for the determination of ETc. The study illustrates the in situ applicability of the TDR method in order to make it possible for a user to choose the best way for the optimum water consumption for a given crop in a sub-humid region. The study suggests that the FAO-56 Penman–Monteith, Turc, and Priestley–Taylor can be used for the determination of crop ETc using TDR in comparison to soil water balance budget.

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Abbreviations

ASW:

Available soil water (mm)

TDR:

Time domain reflectometry

ET:

Evapotranspiration (mm)

ETc :

Crop evapotranspiration (mm)

ETo :

Reference evapotranspiration (mm)

I:

Net irrigation depth (mm)

Kc :

Crop coefficient

TAW:

Total available soil water (mm)

θFC :

Volumetric soil moisture at field capacity (m3 m−3)

θWP :

Volumetric soil moisture at wilting point (m3 m−3)

θv :

Volumetric soil water content (m3 m−3)

ρg :

Bulk soil density

θg :

Soil water content by the gravimetric method (m3 m−3)

Ww :

Weight of wet (g)

Wd :

Dry soil (g)

v:

Velocity (m/s)

Ka :

Soil’s bulk dielectric constant

c:

Speed of light (m/s)

Eq :

Equation

A:

Sum of irrigation and rain (mm)

ΔW:

Variation of soil water (mm)

λ:

Latent heat of vaporization (2.501 MJ kg−1)

R n :

Net radiation (W m−2)

G:

Soil heat flux (W m−2)

γ:

Psychrometric constant (kPa °C−1)

ΔT:

Temperature (°C)

Δea :

Actualsaturation vapor pressure (kPa)

U2 :

Wind speed (ms−1) at 2 m height,

Δ:

Slope of the vapor pressure curve (kPa0C−1)

es :

Saturation vapor pressure (kPa)

GM :

Gravimetric method

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Agricultural and Food Engineering Department, Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur, West Bengal, 721302, India

    R. K. Srivastava

  2. School of Infrastructure, Indian Institute of Technology, Bhubaneswar, 751013, India

    R. K. Panda

  3. Department of Agronomy, Uttar Banga KrishiViswavidyalaya, Pundibari, Cooch Behar, 736165, India

    Debjani Halder

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  1. R. K. Srivastava
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  2. R. K. Panda
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  3. Debjani Halder
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Correspondence to R. K. Srivastava.

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Srivastava, R.K., Panda, R.K. & Halder, D. Effective crop evapotranspiration measurement using time-domain reflectometry technique in a sub-humid region. Theor Appl Climatol 129, 1211–1225 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00704-016-1841-7

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