农田生态系统水分循环与作物水分关系研究

通过对我国不同类型农田生态系统水分循环与作物生产力关系的网络研究,探讨了我国主要类型地区小麦、玉米、大豆等几种主要作物的菡散耗水和需水规律、水分利用效率和作物水分生产函数,获得这些地区主要作物耗水需水特征及小麦水分生产函数。结果表明,在不同生态系统优化结构模式中作物与水分关系均得到极大改善,节约了作物用水,提高了作物产量和水分利用效率。     

养分优化管理条件下作物水分生产函数

养分优化管理条件下的作物水分生产函数,包括供水型生产函数与耗水型生产函数,由玉米水肥耦合田间试验数据推导出,并以耗水生产弹性系数为指标对其产量-水分利用效率-耗水量-供水量间的关系进行分析,同时对养分优化管理条件下的作物水分生产函数与一般水分生产函数进行了比较与分析,指出不同年型作物水分生产函数不同,仍城作深入研究。     

几种大田作物水分-产量模型及其应用

本文介绍了几种大田作物(小麦、玉米、棉花等)水分-产量模型(即水分生产函数)国内外研究现状, 阐明了各种模型之间的本质区别与内在联系.依据部分灌区的田间试验数据, 在全生育期采用二次抛物线模型、各生育阶段采用Jensen模型, 并且运用最小二乘法原理, 拟合了不同作物的水分生产函数, 得出作物不同生育阶段的水分敏感指数, 发现不同作物敏感指数值呈前期小、中期大、后期又变小的变化趋势且与农业灌溉实际相符, 这一结论可为资源性缺水区域制定优化灌溉制度提供理论依据.     

基于RS数据和GIS方法估算区域作物节水潜力

利用遥感ET数据开展用水定额管理及节水潜力分析等方面的研究,是对传统农业节水研究的有益补充。该文利用分类均值法构建了基于遥感ET数据的作物水分生产函数,考虑耗水较低兼顾水分生产率较高的原则,提出基于水资源脆弱区作物ET定额估算模型,利用该模型计算获得冬小麦及夏玉米的ET定额分别为346.00、313.00 mm;保持现有土地利用结构不变,以作物ET定额为评价标准,通过对超过该作物ET定额的像元进行调整,获得大兴区夏玉米及冬小麦的节水潜力分别为1 176.75、369.27万m3。该研究为利用遥感ET数据开展区域耗水节水潜力的定量化评价进行了有益的探索。     

基于根系加权土壤水分有效性的冬小麦水分生产函数

为了准确评估作物水分亏缺程度及其敏感性动态对作物产量的影响,该研究结合基于根系加权土壤水分有效性的植物水分亏缺指数（Plant Water Deficit Index,PWDI）与基于归一化热单元指数的S型累积水分敏感指数,建立了3种不同形式的作物水分生产函数（Crop Water Production Function,CWPF）,即Blank加法模型（PWDI-B）、Jensen（PWDI-J）和Rao（PWDI-R）乘法模型。通过2 a冬小麦栽培田间蒸渗仪试验（北京昌平）和1 a冬小麦栽培田间滴灌试验（山东黄河三角洲）,优化了土壤水分胁迫修正系数中参数,进而对PWDI估算精度及CWPF产量估算效果进行检验与评价。结果表明：蒸渗仪试验基于根系加权估算的PWDI与实测值吻合良好,决定系数R2为0.78,标准化均方根误差（Normalized Root Mean Squared Error,NRMSE）为0.16;滴灌试验PWDI均值与作物株高（r=?0.95）、生物量及产量（r≤?0.79）均具有较好的相关性,表明根系加权PWDI能较准确地反映不同试验条件下冬小麦的水分亏缺程度及其对作物生长的影响;此外,无论是蒸渗仪试验还是滴灌试验,所建的3个CWPF对冬小麦产量的估算精度均在可接受范围内（R2≥0.78,NRMSE≤0.11）,且PWDI-R估算精度依次高于PWDI-J、PWDI-B、以及线性回归模型（即PWDI均值与产量的线性拟合模型）。因此,根系加权PWDI与S型水分敏感指数累积函数融合可用于合理构建冬小麦水分生产函数,其中PWDI-R乘法模型可优先推荐用于研究区冬小麦产量估算和灌溉制度优化,从而为当地冬小麦田间水分管理提供理论依据。     

基于基因表达式编程的作物水分生产函数构建

作物水分生产函数的确定是农业水资源优化配置的关键。该研究采用农业水文生态系统模型（Agro-Hydrological & Chemical and Crop systems simulator, AHC）与基因表达式编程（Gene Expression Programming, GEP）相结合的方法构建作物水分生产函数。以河套灌区3种主要作物（葵花、玉米、小麦）为研究对象,采用AHC模型模拟作物产量等,构建基于GEP算法的作物水分生产函数,探讨考虑盐分胁迫的作物水分生产函数构建的思路与方法。结果表明：1）作物模拟产量与地下水埋深、地下水矿化度和灌水量等因素有关。2）构建作物水分生产函数的最优输入因子组合为地下水埋深、灌溉量、蒸散发、地下水矿化度、土壤根层盐分对作物胁迫因子、土壤根层含水率。3）应用作物水分生产函数估算不同灌溉定额条件下作物产量（预测产量）,并与AHC模型计算的产量（模拟产量）进行比较,玉米、葵花、小麦预测产量与模拟产量具有很好一致性,其决定系数分别是0.96、0.93、0.96,平均相对误差均小于5%,满足计算精度要求。因此,该研究所构建的作物水分生产函数可以较准确地估算盐分胁迫下作物产量,为农业节水与灌溉水高效利用提供科学参考。     

基于时间序列LAI和ET同化的冬小麦遥感估产方法比较

为了评估同化时间序列叶面积指数(leaf area index,LAI)和蒸散发(evapotranspiration,ET)产品对冬小麦产量估测的有效性和适用性,该文选择陕西省关中平原冬小麦为研究对象,以SWAP为作物生长动态模型,利用冬小麦关键生育期的遥感观测和SWAP模拟LAI、ET趋势变化信息构建代价函数,以SCE-UA作为优化算法最小化代价函数,重新初始化SWAP模型中的出苗日期和灌溉量2个参数。重点比较了基于向量夹角和一阶差分2种代价函数的冬小麦单产估测精度。结果表明,同化MODIS LAI和ET后,冬小麦产量的估测精度比未同化精度(r=0.57,RMSE=1 192 kg/hm2)有显著提高,并且基于向量夹角代价函数法同化策略的单产估测精度(r=0.75,RMSE=494 kg/hm2)高于一阶差分代价函数法(r=0.73,RMSE=667 kg/hm2)的估测精度。该方法为其他区域的水分胁迫模式下遥感与作物模型双变量数据同化提供了参考。     

农田水盐运移与作物生长模型耦合及验证

合理定量描述土壤水盐动态及作物生长过程对于干旱灌区制定适宜的农业用水措施具有重要意义。该文以SWAP(soil water atmosphere plant)模型为基础,采用变活动节点法实现了对土壤融化期的水盐运移模拟,并在根系吸水计算中引入了基于S形函数的水盐胁迫计算方法,以修正原SWAP模型对根系吸水的模拟。进一步嵌入了参数与输入数据较少且可以模拟作物生长过程及实际产量的EPIC(environmental policy integrated calculator)作物生长模型,构建了改进的农田尺度土壤水盐动态与作物生长耦合模拟模型-SWAP-EPIC。分别采用宁夏惠农灌区春小麦和春玉米田间试验数据,对SWAP-EPIC模型田间适用性进行了检验。对比分析各层土壤水分与盐分浓度、作物生长指标(叶面积指数、地上部生物量)的模拟值与实测值,结果表明:春小麦和春玉米试验中土壤水分的平均相对误差MRE和均方根误差RMSE均接近于0且模型Nash效率系数NSE值趋近于1,水分模块模拟精度较高,盐分浓度模拟存在略微差异但总体上一致性较好,并且作物生长指标匹配良好;同时,模拟的产量和蒸散发均较为接近实际值,春小麦和春玉米产量模拟相对误差分别为4.9%和3.3%。综上,该文改进的SWAP-EPIC模型可良好地应用于寒旱区农田尺度土壤水盐运移与作物生长耦合模拟。     

基于叶面积指数改进双作物系数法估算旱作玉米蒸散

为准确估算和区分黄土高原旱作春玉米蒸散(evapotranspiration,ET),该文基于实测叶面积指数(leaf area index,LAI)动态估算基础作物系数,利用LAI修正土壤蒸发系数,并基于修正后的双作物系数法估算和区分黄土高原地区旱作春玉米ET,并以2012、2013年寿阳站基于涡度相关系统和微型蒸渗仪实测的春玉米ET和土壤蒸发(soil evaporation)对修正后的双作物系数法的适用性进行评估。结果表明:修正后的双作物系数法能够较为准确的估算春玉米ET,2012年春玉米全生育期ET估算值、实测值分别为365.3、372.6 mm,2013年分别为385.6、369.4 mm;2012年全生育期改进双作物系数法决定系数、均方根误差、模型效率系数和平均绝对误差分别为0.824、0.561 mm/d、0.817和0.449 mm/d,2013分别为0.870、0.381 mm/d、0.871和0.332 mm/d;同时,修正后的双作物系数法可对春玉米各生育期ET进行准确区分,土壤蒸发估算值与实测值有较好的一致性,2012年全生育期估算和实测土壤蒸发分别为0.98和0.99 mm/d,分别占ET的38.12%和37.08%;2013年估算和实测土壤蒸发分别为0.86和0.89 mm/d,分别占ET的33.59%和35.90%。因此,修正后的双作物系数法能够较为准确地估算和区分黄土高原地区旱作春玉米ET。该研究可为黄土高原区农田水分精准管理提供科学指导。     

作物水肥优化耦合区域的图形表达及其特征

用中国科学院安塞实验站田间试验数据,建立了水肥供应与玉米产量、耗水量的关系模型。以作物水分利用效率与产量为目标,得到了两类作物水肥优化耦合区域。在水肥坐标面上,取两种方向(与产量达到最大的点的连线的方向及产量曲面的梯度方向),得到的水分生产弹性系数等于1和等于0的点所形成的区域均呈椭圆形,分别称为第一类椭圆和第二类椭圆。第二类椭圆与第一类椭圆相比,短轴缩小,长轴没有变化。最大产量与最大水分利用效率处于长轴的两个端点上。由此椭圆,根据节肥要求等条件,得到了水肥优化耦合区域。可在此区域内决策水肥的优化投入.     

Energy and water balance measurements for water productivity analysis in irrigated mango trees, Northeast Brazil

Crop water parameters, including actual evapotranspiration, transpiration, soil evaporation, crop coefficients, evaporative fractions, aerodynamic resistances, surface resistances and percolation fluxes were estimated in a commercial mango orchard during two growing seasons in Northeast Brazil. The actual evapotranspiration (E_a) was obtained by the eddy covariance (EC) technique, while for the reference evapotranspiration (E₀); the FAO Penman–Monteith equation was applied. The energy balance closure showed a gap of 12%. For water productivity analysis the E_a was then computed with the Bowen ratio determined from the eddy covariance fluxes. The mean accumulated E_a for the two seasons was 1419 mm year⁻¹, which corresponded to a daily average rate of 3.7 mm day⁻¹. The mean values of the crop coefficients based on evapotranspiration (K_c) and based on transpiration (K_cb) were 0.91 and 0.73, respectively. The single layer K_c was fitted with a degree days function. Twenty percent of evapotranspiration originated from direct soil evaporation. The evaporative fraction was 0.83 on average. The average relative water supply was 1.1, revealing that, in general, irrigation water supply was in good harmony with the crop water requirements. The resulting evapotranspiration deficit was 73–95 mm per season only. The mean aerodynamic resistance (r_a) was 37 s m⁻¹ and the bulk surface resistance (r_s) was 135 s m⁻¹. The mean unit yield was 45 tonne ha⁻¹ being equivalent to a crop water productivity of 3.2 kg m⁻³ when based on E_a with an economic counterpart of US$ 3.27 m⁻³. The drawback of this highly productive use of water resources is an unavoidable percolation flux of approximately 300 mm per growing season that is detrimental to the downstream environment and water users.     

华北地区设施茄子蒸散量估算模型及作物系数确定

构建华北地区设施茄子蒸散量估算模型,可为制定其优化灌溉制度提供理论依据。本研究设灌水定额15 mm(W1)、22.5 mm(W2)、30 mm(W3)和37.5 mm(充分灌溉, CK)4个处理,在设施茄子苗期、开花座果期和成熟采摘期土壤含水率分别达田间持水量的70%、80%和70%时进行灌溉,以保证土壤供水充足。基于修正后的Penman-Monteith方程,通过分析CK处理的作物系数与叶面积指数的关系,建立了基于气象数据与叶面积指数的蒸散量估算模型,利用W1、 W2和W3实测蒸散量对其进行验证。结果表明:修正后的Penman-Monteith方程可用于设施参考作物蒸散量的估算,W1、W2和W3蒸散量的实测值与新建模型的模拟值平均相对误差分别为17.81%、18.31%和17.97%。作物系数与叶面积指数呈显著线性关系,可通过叶面积指数确定作物系数。分析W1、W2、W3和CK处理的产量和水分利用效率(WUE)得出, W2与CK产量差异性不显著,而WUE差异性显著,较CK提高31.59%,表明W2兼顾产量和WUE。W2处理下茄子的作物系数,苗期为0.21～0.46,开花座果期为0.62～0.94,成熟采摘期为0.70～0.92。本研究认为,新建模型在估算设施茄子实际蒸散量上具有较好适用性,计算出的作物系数在节水灌溉条件下具有实际应用价值。     

甘肃地区参考作物蒸散量时空变化研究

区域水土平衡模型的建立通常需要确定计算参考作物蒸散量的模型,这一模型的精确与否,直接影响整体预测模型的最终预报精度.运用FAO-24 Blaney-Criddle法、FAO-24 Radiation法、FAO PPP-17 Penman法及FAO Penman-Monteith(98) 4种方法,对甘肃省1981～2000年33个站点的月参考作物蒸散量进行了计算.对比分析结果表明,AO Penman-Monteith(98)模型的精度与灵敏度均显示了较强的优越性.运用该模型对甘肃省参考作物蒸散量的时空分布特征进行研究表明:甘肃省参考作物蒸散量年内逐月演变曲线呈单峰状;年际蒸散量变化与夏季年际波动变化存在较高一致性;全年参考作物蒸散量分布具有从东南向西北递增的趋势.     

Determination of the potential evapotranspiration and crop coefficient for saffron using a water-balance lysimeter

Agriculture is the major consumer of water and it is possible to decrease water consumption in this sector by proper irrigation scheduling. Irrigation scheduling is based on crop water requirements. Saffron is an important crop in Iran. The main purpose of this study was to determine the potential evapotranspiration and crop coefficient for saffron using single and dual crop coefficients, in Badjgah region, College of Agriculture, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran. Three water-balance lysimeters were used for this experiment in a two-year study. Total saffron potential evapotranspiration values were 523 and 640 mm in the first and second growing seasons, respectively. The maximum evapotranspiration rates for saffron were 4.5 and 6.1 mm d^?1 in the first and second growing seasons, respectively. Based on the results of this study, different saffron growing stages for evapotranspiration were 30, 40, 70 and 60 days. Crop coefficient (K _c) values for the initial, mid- and late-season growth stages were 0.41–0.45, 0.93–1.05 and 0.29–0.31 in both years, respectively. Basal crop coefficient (K _cb) values for the initial, mid- and late-season growth stages were 0.15–0.16, 0.41–0.65 and 0.15–0.17 in both years, respectively.     

A comparison of operational remote sensing-based models for estimating crop evapotranspiration

The integration of remotely sensed data into models of evapotranspiration (ET) facilitates the estimation of water consumption across agricultural regions. To estimate regional ET, two basic types of remote sensing approaches have been successfully applied. The first approach computes a surface energy balance using the radiometric surface temperature for estimating the sensible heat flux (H), and obtaining ET as a residual of the energy balance. This paper compares the performance of three different surface energy balance algorithms: an empirical one-source energy balance model; a one-source model calibrated using inverse modeling of ET extremes (namely ET = 0 and ET at potential) which are assumed to exist within the satellite scene; and a two-source (soil + vegetation) energy balance model. The second approach uses vegetation indices derived from canopy reflectance data to estimate basal crop coefficients that can be used to convert reference ET to actual crop ET. This approach requires local meteorological and soil data to maintain a water balance in the root zone of the crop. Output from these models was compared to sensible and latent heat fluxes measured during the soil moisture–atmosphere coupling experiment (SMACEX) conducted over rain-fed corn and soybean crops in central Iowa. The root mean square differences (RMSD) of the estimation of instantaneous latent and heat fluxes were less than 50 W m⁻² for the three energy balance models. The two-source energy balance model gave the lowest RMSD (30 W m⁻²) and highest r² values in comparison with measured fluxes. In addition, three schemes were applied for upscaling instantaneous flux estimates from the energy balance models (at the time of satellite overpass) to daily integrated ET, including conservation of evaporative fraction and fraction of reference ET. For all energy balance models, an adjusted evaporative fraction approach produced the lowest RMSDs in daily ET of 0.4–0.6 mm d⁻¹. The reflectance-based crop coefficient model yielded RMSD values of 0.4 mm d⁻¹, but tended to significantly overestimate ET from corn during a prolonged drydown period. Crop stress can be directly detected using radiometric surface temperature, but ET modeling approaches-based solely on vegetation indices will not be sensitive to stress until there is actual reduction in biomass or changes in canopy geometry.     

Determination of actual evapotranspiration and crop coefficients of broad bean (Vicia Faba L.) grown under field conditions in the jordan valley,jordan: Bestimmung der aktuellen evapotranspiration und pflanzenbestandskoeffizienten von bohnen (Vicia Faba L.) unter feldbedingungen im jordantal,jordanien

This study was conducted to determine actual evapotranspiration and crop coefficients at different growth stages of broad bean (Vicia faba L.) grown in an open field in the Jordan Valley, Jordan using a precise and accurate approach. The study involved 30-min fluxes measurements of energy budget components over broad bean crop using a complete setup of an Eddy Correlation (EC) system. The measurements were conducted during the three main crop growth stages namely initial, development, and midseason growth stages following the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) crop coefficient model for green harvested broad bean crop. The average crop coefficients during the initial (K_{C ini}), development (K_{C dev}) and midseason (K_{C mid}) growth stages were 0.37, 0.8 and 1.05, respectively. The measured weighted average crop coefficient over the entire growing season K_{C GS} was 9.5% lower than the FAO corresponding value.

Results showed that there was a clear decrease of (bulk) surface resistance (r_s) as crop canopy developed. Daily average r_s values were 855, 337, and 166?s/m for initial, development, and midseason growth stages, respectively. Moreover, r_s was found to be highly correlated to crop height (h_c). A simple linear relation between r_s and h_c with R² of 0.91 was found. This relation will enable future direct determination of crop evapotranspiration (ET_C) using Penman-Monteith equation without the need to calculate both grass reference evapotranspiration (ET_O) and crop coefficient (K_C) values.     

蒸渗仪测定滴灌枣树不同时间尺度下腾发强度特征

为精确测定、准确模拟阿克苏地区滴灌枣树腾发过程,基于大型称重式蒸渗仪测定枣树全生育期逐时及逐日腾发强度（ET）,利用水量平衡方程、PM公式及经典统计原理,分析不同时间尺度下叶面积指数（LAI）、气象因素[温度（I）、风速（V）、净辐射（R_n）]、表层土壤含水率（W）与枣树腾发强度的相关关系并建立预测模型。结果表明：枣树日内腾发强度呈单峰型变化趋势,夜间变化幅度较小且腾发贡献率低。枣树全生育期逐日腾发强度变化呈先增大后减小的趋势,花期的腾发强度最大,为4.42 mm·d^-1;全生育期腾发总量为640.83 mm,其中花期和果实生长发育期耗水量占比较大,分别为38.61%和32.72%。在小时和日时间尺度上,影响腾发强度的主要因素不完全相同,且影响程度有所差异。综合考虑各影响因素,以萌芽期、花期、果实发育期为基础,分别建立以小时、日尺度下估算腾发强度的经验模型ET₁（h）=0.153+0.004T+0.012V+0.176R_n+0.002W+0.067LAI、ET₂（d）=-3.325+0.081T+0.163R_n+0.069W+2.089LAI,拟合度R²均在0.7以上,以果实发育期与成熟期数据对模型进行检验,纳什效率系数分别达0.63、0.80。经偏相关检验,冠层净辐射（R_n）对两种尺度的腾发强度均影响最显著,因此以枣树全生育期数据量为基础,仅建立冠层净辐射（R_n）与腾发强度的回归模型ET₁（h）=-0.063 3R_n²+0.361 2R_n—0.003 7、ET₂（d）=-0.018 3R_n²+0.684 7R_n–1.642 1,R²分别为0.704 7与0.743 6,可满足缺少数据支撑情况下的腾发过程估算。这些模型明确了阿克苏地区滴灌枣树腾发机制及影响程度,可为水分管理精准化提供计算基础。     

农业技术和气候变化对农作物产量和蒸散量的影响

随着农业生产条件的改善、品种改进和有利的气象条件的变化, 世界各地的作物产量得到大幅度提高, 但作物的蒸散量却未出现大幅度提高。本文以石家庄气象站1955~2007 年的气象资料为基础, 分析了河北省冬小麦和夏玉米生长期间主要气象因素变化, 结合中国科学院栾城农业生态系统试验站长期定位灌溉试验的研究结果, 分析了农业生产条件和气象因子变化对冬小麦和夏玉米产量及耗水量的影响。结果表明,1955~2007 年冬小麦和夏玉米生长季的气象因子发生了变化, 日照时数、相对湿度、风速、气温日较差显著降低, 最低气温、平均气温和积温显著升高, 气象因子的变化对作物总蒸散量未产生明显影响, 但由于降水减少,作物生长期间的灌溉需水量呈增加趋势。长期灌溉试验结果表明, 随着农业生产条件的变化和品种的改良, 冬小麦和夏玉米的产量不断增加, 而耗水量的增加幅度小于产量增加幅度, 夏玉米的耗水量呈稳定状态。节水技术的推广和应用对维持耗水量稳定起着非常关键的作用。     

Performance Assessment of Chlorophyll Meter to Determine When to Irrigate Wheat under Different Soil Moisture Deficit Conditions: An Initial Study

ABSTRACT

Proper irrigation timing can minimize the negative impacts that reduce crop yields. Therefore, in an initial pot experimental study, we assessed the SPAD (Soil–Plant Analysis Development)-chlorophyll meter as a tool to determine proper irrigation timing of wheat under different soil water deficit conditions in a controlled-environment greenhouse. The treatments were controlled irrigation at 100% (T₁), 70% (T₂), 50% (T₃) and 30% (T₄) of soil water content at field capacity; and the growth stages were development, mid-season and late-season. SPAD readings were measured pre-irrigation events. The results indicated that the T₃ and T₂ achieved maximum grain yield per accumulated crop evapotranspiration, i.e. water productivity (0.82 and 0.76 kg m^?3), and were at par with T₁. Moreover, the SPAD readings had a high Pearson’s correlation coefficient with crop evapotranspiration (r = 0.95; P ≤ 0.001) and wheat grain yield (r = 0.90; P ≤ 0.001), indicating that SPAD reading could be used to reliably estimate when to irrigate wheat. Therefore, T₃ and T₂ SPAD readings were averaged to estimate a target limit at which irrigation should be applied. Accordingly, the target limit was defined as >44.76 for the development stage, >50.72 for the mid-season stage, and >37.64 for the late-season stage; readings below this target limit indicate that it is time to irrigate.     

Evapotranspiration and regional probabilities of soil moisture stress in rainfed crops, southern India

The long-term probability of soil moisture stress in rainfed crops was mapped at 0.5° resolution over the Krishna River basin in southern India (258,948 km²). Measurements of actual evapotranspiration (E_a) from 90 lysimeter experiments at four locations in the basin were used to calibrate a non-linear regression model that predicted the combined crop coefficient (K_cK_s) as a function of the ratio of seasonal precipitation (P) to potential evapotranspiration (E_p). Crops included sorghum, pulses (mung bean, chickpea, soybean, pigeonpea) and oilseeds (safflower and sunflower). E_p was calculated with the Penman–Monteith equation using net radiation derived from two methods: (1) a surface radiation budget calculated from satellite imagery (E_pSRB) and (2) empirical equations that use data from meteorological stations (E_pGBE). The model of K_s as a function P/E_p was combined with a gridded time series of precipitation (0.5° resolution, 1901–2000) and maps of E_pSRB to define the probability distributions of P, P/E_p and K_s for sorghum at each 0.5° cell over the basin. Sorghum, a C4 crop, had higher E_a and K_s values than the C3 plants (oilseeds, pulses) when precipitation was low (P < 1 mm d⁻¹) but lower maximum E_a rates (3.3–4.5 mm d⁻¹) compared with C3 crops (oilseeds and pulses, 4.3–4.9 mm d⁻¹). The crop coefficient under adequate soil moisture (K_c) was higher than the FAO-56 crop coefficients by up to 56% for oilseeds and pulses. The seasonal soil moisture coefficient (K_s) for sorghum ranged from 1.0 under high rainfall (July–October) to 0.45 in dry seasons (November–March), showing strong soil moisture controls on E_a. E_pSRB calculated at the lysimeter stations was 4–20% lower than E_pGBE, with the largest difference in the dry season. K_c derived from E_pSRB was only slightly (2–4%) higher than K_c derived from E_pSRB, because the maximum E_a occurred during the monsoon when the differences between E_pSRB and E_pGBE were small. Approximately 20% of the basin area was expected to experience mild or greater soil moisture stress (K_s < 0.80) during the monsoon cropping season 1 year in every 2 years, while 70% of the basin experienced mild or greater stress 1 year in 10. The maps of soil moisture stress provide the basis for estimating the probability of drought and the benefits of supplemental irrigation.