Monitoring water use efficiency of irrigated sugarcane production in Mpumalanga, South Africa, using SEBAL

Authors

  • A Singels 1. South African Sugarcane Research Institute, Private Bag X02, Mount Edgecombe, 4300, South Africa; 2. School of Agricultural, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Kwazulu-Natal, Private Bag X01, Scottsville, 3209, South Africa; 3. Department of Plant and Soil Sciences, University of Pretoria, Private Bag X20, Hatfield 0028, South Africa
  • C Jarmain 1. School of Agricultural, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Kwazulu-Natal, Private Bag X01, Scottsville, 3209, South Africa; 2. Centre for Geographical Analysis (CGA), Department of Geography and Environmental Studies, University of Stellenbosch, Private Bag X1, Matieland, Stellenbosch, 7600, South Africa
  • E Bastidas-Obando 1. eLEAF, Hesselink van Suchtelenweg 6, 6703 CT Wageningen, The Netherlands; 2. Delft University of Technology, Stevinweg 1, 2600 GA Delft, The Netherlands
  • FC Olivier South African Sugarcane Research Institute, Private Bag X02, Mount Edgecombe, 4300, South Africa
  • AL Paraskevopoulos South African Sugarcane Research Institute, Private Bag X02, Mount Edgecombe, 4300, South Africa

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.4314/wsa.v44i4.12

Keywords:

remote sensing, sugarcane, irrigation, evapotranspiration, biomass, water use efficiency, SEBAL

Abstract

The objective of this study was to assess the accuracy, spatial variation and potential value of remote sensing (RS) estimates of evapotranspiration (ET) and biomass production for irrigated sugarcane in Mpumalanga, South Africa. Weekly ET and biomass production were estimated from RS data from 2011 to 2013 using the Surface Energy Balance Algorithm for Land (SEBAL). Ground estimates of canopy interception of photosynthetically active radiation (FPAR) and aerial biomass were compared to RS estimates. ET was estimated with a surface renewal (SR) system in one field. Evaporation coefficient (Kc) values were calculated from ET and reference grass evaporation. Remote sensing FPAR and biomass estimates compared well with field measurements (R2 = 0.89 and 0.78). SEBAL ET estimates exceeded SR estimates by 5 mm/week, while full canopy Kc values for SEBAL compared better with literature values than with SR Kc values. SEBAL estimates of ET and biomass were regarded as reliable. Considerable spatial variation was observed in seasonal RS ET (1 034 ± 223 mm), biomass (45 ± 17 t/ha) and biomass water use efficiency (WUEBIO, defined as dry biomass produced per unit of ET) (4.1 ± 1.0 kg/m3). About 32% of sugarcane fields had values below economic thresholds, indicating an opportunity to increase productivity. Actual yields correlated well with WUEBIO values, suggesting that this may be used for monitoring crop performance and identifying areas that require remedial treatment.

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Published

2018-10-31

Issue

Vol. 44 No. 4 October (2018): Water SA

Section

Research paper

License

Creative Commons License

The content of this journal is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution Licence.  Users are permitted to read, download, copy, distribute, print, search or link to the full texts of the articles in this journal under the terms of this Licence, without asking prior permission from the publisher or the author, provided the source is attributed. Copyright is retained by the authors.

How to Cite

Singels, A. (2018) “Monitoring water use efficiency of irrigated sugarcane production in Mpumalanga, South Africa, using SEBAL”, Water SA, 44(4 October). doi:10.4314/wsa.v44i4.12.