Abstract

A ratio of crop evapotranspiration (ETc) to reference evapotranspiration (ETo)determines a crop coefficient (Kc) value, which is related to vegetation growth andspecific crop phenological development. The determination of Kc is important forpredicting crop irrigation needs using meteorological data from weather stations. Theobjective of the research was to determine growth-stage-specific Kc and crop water usefor celery and fennel using the experimental data from C.D.S. 'E. Pantanelli' ofUniversity Aldo Moro of Bari, located in the countryside of Policoro (MT), southern Italy.Two weighing lysimeters, consisted of undisturbed 4 m2 area of 1.5 m depth of soilmonoliths, were utilized to measure crop water use. The lysimeters were located in thecenter of a 0.5 ha field of square form. Water use was measured on a daily basis. Inaddition, daily reference evapotranspiration (ETo) was computed by the Penman-Monteith equation, utilizing the weather data collected at the agro-meteorologicalstation near the experimental field. Watering was provided with drip method andscheduled to keep soil water content in the root zone under optimal growing conditions(irrigating at 20% of available water depletion and restoring 100% of the ETc measureddaily by lysimeters). The length of crop cycle was 110 and 117 days for celery, and 93and 135 days for fennel, in the 1st and 2nd year, respectively. For celery, the total ETcamounted to 231.5 and 313.3 mm in the 1st and 2nd year, respectively, and daily Kcranged between 0.4 and 1.4. For two cultivars of fennel, whose growing cycle tookplace at different times of the year (August-November 'Conero', and September-February 'Trevi'), the total ETc was equal to 311.7 mm for 'Conero' and 249.8 mm for'Trevi'. The daily Kc varied between 0.4 and 1.9 for 'Conero' and between 0.5 and 1.7for 'Trevi'. Specific Kc values across the growing season were determined based on theKc curves that represent the distribution of Kc over time throughout the season. Hence,it can be highlighted that the values of Kc corresponding to the three typicalphenological stages (initial, mid-growth, final) of celery were about 10% higher thanthose reported in FAO 56 Irrigation and Drainage Paper.The Kc was modelled as a function of days after planting and growing degree days.The later could be more useful for practical applications since reduces the necessity offrequent field observations of phenological phases. The development of regionallybased and growth-stage specific Kc curves helps in irrigation management andprovides a tool for a better water use in arid and semi-arid areas of the Mediterraneanregion.

Autore Pugliese

• Boari Francesca , Cantore Vito

Tutti gli autori

• F. Boari; M. Todorovic; M.I. Schiattone;V. Cantore

Titolo volume/Rivista

Non Disponibile

Anno di pubblicazione

2014

ISSN

Non Disponibile

ISBN

2-85352-536-8

Numero di citazioni Wos

Nessuna citazione

Ultimo Aggiornamento Citazioni

Non Disponibile

Numero di citazioni Scopus

Non Disponibile

Ultimo Aggiornamento Citazioni

Non Disponibile

Settori ERC

Non Disponibile

Codici ASJC

Non Disponibile