CROP WATER AND IRRIGATION WATER REQUIREMENTS OF DATE PALM (PHOENIX DACTYLIFERA) IN THE LOAMY SANDS OF KUWAIT

An investigation was undertaken in Kuwait University to quantify the crop water and irrigation water requirements of date palm grown in the loamy sands of Kuwait.
FAO CROPWAT decision support system was used for this purpose.
Agro-meteorological data of 43 years were used to estimate the potential evapo transpiration and water requirements of date palm.
The annual potential evapotranspiration (ETo) of Kuwait was estimated as 2883 mm.
The annual crop water requirement (ETc), irrigation requirement (IR) and net irrigation requirement (NIR) of date palm were estimated as 2685 mm, 2553 mm and 2563.9 mm, respectively.
The monthly ETc varied from 74 mm (January) to 392 mm (June). The daily NIR of date palm varied from 97 L tree^-1 d^-1 (28^th November to 31^st December) to 854 L tree^-1 d^-1 (19^th June to 26^th June). An irrigation schedule for date palm grown in the loamy sands of Kuwait was also developed.

III International Date Palm Conference

M. Abdul Salam, S. Al Mazrooei

arid environment, evapotranspiration, FAO cropwat, irrigation schedule, potential evapotranspiration

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2007.736.29