CROPWAT

Cropwat is a piece of software designed for the calculation of the right amount of water needed for the irrigation of crop fields.

The calculation strategy is based on two publications of the same developer: the "Crop Evapotranspiration" guide that presents a procedure for the calculation of the efficient quantity of crop water, and "Yield response to water", which presents an analysis on crop yield as a result of water use.

In order for Cropwat to provide efficient and correct data, the user needs to insert data about the evapotranspiration process, i.e. the quantity of water evaporated from the soil and eliminated by plants into the atmosphere. The data can be entered manually by filling in the forms provided by the inlays from the left side of the main window. Therefore, users will have to observe weather changes and have access to information regarding the climate (temperature, humidity, wind, sun, etc.), as well as other parameters such as the monthly throughfall quantities and soil characteristics.

After these forms have been completed, the tool will provide information about the necessary water quantity in the "Crop Water Requirements" window and the irrigation schedule.

To sum up, Cropwat is a valuable application for farmers or crop and soil specialists that can supply detailed data about the necessary quantity of water necessary to obtain maximum crop yields.