Estimating Energy balance, Crop Coefficient and Evapotranspiration of Baby corn under different sowing windows of Tamil Nadu

Abstract

Surface energy and water balance calculations across crop surfaces improves comprehension of water balance and facilitates water usage that is cost-effective. With this idea, field trails were conducted at Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore during two cropping seasons i.e.,winter (Jan-March) and kharif (June-Sep), 2022 to study crop development, energy balance partitioning and evapotranspiration rate at various growth stage of baby corn under different sowing windows. Energy balance components were studied using Bowen Ratio Energy Balance method (BREB). Crop evapotranspiration was measured and simulated using AquaCrop model. Results clearly indicated that maximum energy balance components such as net radiation (Rn), Latent Heat Flux (LE), Sensible heat flux (H), Ground heat flux (G) were recorded at maturity stage, among crop growing cycle. Early sowing accumulated more amount of energy balance than mid and late sown crops during both seasons. Daily Kc values varied significantly from 0.05 to 1.01 and 0.01 to 0.96 for winter and kharif seasons, respectively. Good correlation was observed between calculated and simulated daily crop evapotranspiration (Etc). The total measured Etc was 486 and 624.4 mm for winter and kharif, respectively whereas AquaCrop simulated ETc of 438.8 mm and 500.4 mm. The digital agricultural technologies like crop simulation models would be useful to increase the accuracy of ET calculation in agricultural water management. This study examines the effective approaches used in estimating ET for baby corn water management which could be made to boost the precision of ET estimation and achieve precise water management.