Abstract
Current assay, conducted on the experimental farm of the Goiás Federal Institute, campus at Urutaí GO Brazil, determines the crop coefficient (Kc) for sugar cane in the Brazilian savannah at several phases of development. Kc was determined by the soil water balance method in a 3.0 m3 suspended drainage lysimeter, measuring 1.0 m in width and height and 3.0 m in length. Reference evapotranspiration (ET0) was determined by Penman-Piche’s equation with data on air evaporating capacity with Piche’s evaporimeter. Crop evapotranspiration (ETc) was performed by the amount of water available at the bottom of the lysimeter. Irrigation occurred when water capacity on the soil reached -100 KPa, by employing drip subsurface irrigation system. Coefficients of sugar cane crop at different phases were 0.31 (initial), 1.15 (crop development), 1.25 (mid-season) and 0.90 (late season). Crop coefficient values were similar to the suggested by FAO-33. Key words: Saccharum officinarum L., drainage lysimeter, drip subsurface irrigation, evapotranspiration of crops.
Highlights
Sugar cane is a highly relevant crop in agribusiness worldwide due to the production of most biofuel and high capacity for production expansion, especially in tropical and subtropical regions
Very important sugar cane planting areas occur in the Brazilian savannah, occupying approximately 2,550,000 ha, producing 28.6% of all the sugar and alcohol in Brazil (CONAB, 2014)
Considering the importance of adequate supply of water for sugarcane cultivation and the adequate management of water resources for agricultural production, the present study aims to determines crop coefficient for sugar cane in the Brazilian savannah during the crop’s several development phases, by the soil water balance method, with a drainage lysimeter
Summary
Sugar cane is a highly relevant crop in agribusiness worldwide due to the production of most biofuel and high capacity for production expansion, especially in tropical and subtropical regions. Very important sugar cane planting areas occur in the Brazilian savannah, occupying approximately 2,550,000 ha, producing 28.6% of all the sugar and alcohol in Brazil (CONAB, 2014). The savannah of the central-western region of Brazil is characterized by severe water deficits, with yearly rainfall ranging between 800 and 2000 mm, in a seasonal.
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