Drainage lysimeter based measurement of water requirement and crop coefficient of bread wheat under semi-arid climate of Melkassa, Ethiopia.

In view of the changing climate and growing global food demand, efficient water management is crucial for sustainable agriculture. Accurate measurement of evapotranspiration is essential for determining crop water demand and consequently for designing and managing irrigation systems. This study, conducted at Melkassa Agricultural Research Center in Ethiopia, utilized a drainage lysimeter to investigate the water requirements and crop coefficients of the Kingbird wheat variety during the December to March cropping season in 2021/22 and 2022/23.

Design, construction, and calibration of a weighable lysimeter for measuring water requirements of field crops for data-scarce areas of Ethiopia.

A simple weighable lysimeter was designed, constructed, and calibrated for measuring the water requirements and crop coefficients of shallow-rooted crops. It has a portable weighing mechanism to quantify changes in soil moisture content. The weighing mechanism consists of a horizontal steel bar, a hydraulic car jack, both ends hooked vertical steel bars, a stand, and a digital weighing balance.