Impact of Climatological Parameters on Crop Water Use of Maize and Sorghum: A Case of Adami-Tulu Jido-Kombolcha woreda, Central Rift Valley of Ethiopia

Abstract

In Ethiopia agriculture is the backbone of the country's economy, with most the population involved in this sector. However, a wide range of climatic and topographical diversities influences it. Climate variables like temperature and precipitation are the important determinants of crop productions. Therefore, this study investigates the potential impact of climatological parameters on the crop water use of main crops, Maize and Sorghum at Adami Tulu Jido Kombolcha Woreda which is situated in 38°25'E and 38 45'E and 7°35'N and 8°05'N, in the central rift valley part of Ethiopia. Penman-Monteith and Hargreaves method were used to estimate current and future crop evapotranspiration of Maize and Sorghum. The regression and correlation analyses were used to examine the impacts of some climate variables on crop water use of Maize and Sorghum using XLSTAT software. It is clearly seen that maximum temperature, minimum temperature and sunshine hours has positive correlation with ETc of both Maize and Sorghum. The regression analysis computed for the climate variables and ETc of Sorghum and Maize have coefficient of determination 0.637 and 0.840, respectively. The results show that in future crop water use of both selected crops will increase in the study area. So, minimizing water loss (evaporation reduction by mulching or rapid crop cover, wind shields, minimum tillage, weeding etc. must be taken over the study area.