Estimation of crop water requirements is one of the main components used in irrigation planning, design and operation. Crop water requirements vary during the growing period, mainly due to variation in growth stages of crop and climatic conditions, and related to both cropping technique and irrigation methods. This book describes the various methods used for estimating reference evapo-transpiration (ETo). The daily ETo have been determined for eighteen stations spread across the diverse climatic conditions of Gujarat following FAO Penman-Monteith approach. Step by step procedure has been described to compute each parameter required in determining ETo. The daily, weekly, monthly, seasonal variability have been displayed in graphical form. The procedure to determine the corrected values of crop coefficients (Kcmid and Kcend) for major crops (rice, wheat, maize, pearl millet, chickpea, green gram, soybean, castor, groundnut, mustard and cotton) at different locations have been explained. The crop water requirement (ETc) determined for different crops across the locations using ETo and Kc values are presented and explained. This book describes variability in crop water requirement of different crops over the locations, periods and seasons. The information provided in the book would be useful to planners in managing irrigation scheduling in different parts of India.

Mrs. Rashmi Mehta was born in 1984 in Bhojpur district of Bihar. She did her schooling from Patna and graduated in agriculture from Rajendra Agricultural University, Pusa Bihar in 2013. She has been a meritorious student and rank holder in her carrier. She was awarded M.Sc. (Agri) degree in 2015 in Agricultural Meteorology with first class distinction from Anand Agricultural University, Anand. She secured Diploma in Computer application with A+ grade. She also qualified CCC+ and ICAR/ASRB NET. She was awarded Prof PSN Sastry Gold medal for M. Sc. thesis by the Association of Agrometeorologists. She has published four research papers and attended seminars/symposia. She is life member of Association of Agrometeorologists. She has also been awarded Gold medals in various sport activities like Shot put, Javelin, Discuss, Race etc. at university level. Dr. Vyas Pandey (b. 1955- ) is presently Emeritus Scientist of ICAR at Anand Agricultural University, Anand. He obtained his B.Sc. (Physics, Maths & Geology) in 1974 and M.Sc. Geophysics (Meteorology) degree in 1976 from BHU, Varanasi. He did his Ph.D. (Agrometeorology) from BHU Varanasi in 1989. He joined Groundwater Board, Jodhpur in 1979 as Hydrometeorologist and left the same in 1982 to join Gujarat Agricultural University, SK Nagar as Assistant Research Scientist (Agrometeorology). He became Professor (Agrometeorology) in 2000 and Head of the Department of Agricultural Meteorology at Anand Agricultural University, Anand in 2005 till his superannuation in January 2017. He has guided eight M.Sc. and eight Ph.D. students of Agricultural Meteorology and served as committee member in more than 15 MSc/PhD students. He has monitored 20 research projects funded by various Government agencies such as DST/ ISRO/IIT/MoES/ICAR/IMD as PI and Co-PI. He has published more than 150 research papers in national and international journals besides many book chapters, technical bulletins and reports. His list of awards includes GOI bronze medal for e-krishikiran programme (Soil health Card) besides other academic achievements. He is life member of eight scientific societies. He has visited countries like Israel and USA. He is founding Member Secretary of Association of Agrometeorologists at Anand, and Publisher and Managing Editor of Journal of Agrometeorology. He is reviewer of 25 national and international journals. He has organized four workshops, four training programmes and eight national and international seminars/symposia.