A Comparative Study of Crop Evapotranspiration Estimation by Three methods with Measured Crop Evapotranspiration in Konya Plain

A Comparative Study of Crop Evapotranspiration Estimation by Three methods with Measured Crop Evapotranspiration in Konya Plain

Evapotranspiration values are one of the basic data used in the planning, design, construction and operation of irrigation facilities. The irrigation water needs of several plants are calculated by using various empirical equations based on meteorological data and the system is designed according to the month in which the highest irrigation water is needed. The aim of this study is to compare ETc of several crops calculated with different ETc estimation methods as of FAO56-Penman-Monteith, Hergeaves - Samani and Radiation Equation with determined ETc values obtained from previously conducted researches in Konya. In the study, five commonly cultivated crops in Konya Province such as maize, sugar beet, sunflower, potato and wheat were considered. In most of the cases, it was found that radiation equation produced higher ETc values than the measured ETc values in the researches conducted at the region. As a result of this study, Penman-Monteith was close to most of the values obtained from other studies and therefore remains a highly recommendable method for estimating ETc for considered plants in Konya.