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.