Association of Agrometeorologists

Water requirement of pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) for Ahmednagar district of Maharashtra State, India

S.D.GORANTIWAR, D.T.MESHRAM and H. K. MITTAL

The study was carried out to estimate reference crop evapotranspiration, develop crop coefficients and wetted area factors; and estimate crop evapotranspiration of pomegranate for Ahmednagar district of Maharashtra State. The crop coefficient values were estimated on weekly basis from the concept of shaded area that is widely used for the deciduous crops for the pomegranate plantation of 1st year to maturity (5th year) and are presented in the paper. Shaded areas were estimated at solar noon hour with the help of a specially prepared plywood board of different sizes with grid marking of size 20 x 20 cm for 5 randomly selected pomegranate trees each from 2 orchards of different ages. Pomegranate crop evapotranspiration was then determined on weekly basis. The values of water to be applied to pomegranate plantation spaced at 3 x 4.5 m and irrigated by the drip irrigation system of 90% efficiency were estimated and are presented in this paper for Ahmednagar district for 1st, 2nd, 3rd,, 4th, and 5th years of pomegranate orchards for Mrig, Ambhe and Hast Bahars. The values of reference crop evapotranspiration, crop coefficient, area factor, water requirement and water to be applied presented in this paper would be useful for the appropriate irrigation water management of pomegranate.

Pomegranate reference crop evapotranspiration, crop evapotranspiration, crop coefficient, wetted area factor, water requirement