Estimation of Irrigation Requirement and Schedule in Southern Odisha for Major Rabi Cereal Crops using FAO CROPWAT 8.0 Model

Abstract

Background: The increasing population and need for higher quantity of food grain production necessitates efficient use of limited water in the country, as agriculture sector alone uses 78% of water resources of India. During rabi season, mostly the crops are grown with irrigation in southern Odisha. There is no enough information on water and irrigation requirement of maize, sorghum and pearl millet crops grown in the region, which necessitated this study. Methods: The model-based study involving FAO CROPWAT 8.0 was used for the estimation of gross and net irrigation requirement and scheduling of maize, sorghum and pearl millet grown in southern Odisha. Result: The water requirement estimated with FAO CROPWAT 8.0 model during rabi for maize, sorghum and pearl milletgrown in Southern Odisha was 252.3, 197.9 and 172 mm and irrigation requirement was 231.2, 178.8 and 156.3 mm respectively.