Crop Coefficient for Oregano
Answered by: Conrad Richter
Question from: Roy Mayne
Posted on: October 02, 2005

We are looking for Kc values to use drip irrigation on Oregano crop. We are in Mendoza, Argentina, a very desert clime with high evapotranspiration ratios. As we use a class A evaporation tank we need to use a crop coeficient instead to apply a correct amount of water by the irrigation system (not a total evaporation ratio). We are tring to find them on the bibliography but until now its very dificult. If you have an idea about it, this will be a very important point to start our investigation and then adapt to our zone.

The crop coefficient (Kc) values are useful for calculation the crop evapotranspiration (ETc) which in turn can be used to estimate the water requirements of a crop. Unfortunately, we do not have the Kc for oregano. There are few available Kc values for herb crops. Below are some the ones that we know:

garlic: 1.00 (mid season), 0.70 (end season)

mint: 0.60 (init season), 1.15 (mid), 1.10 (end)

alfalfa: 0.40 (init), 0.95 (mid), 0.90 (end)

hops: 0.3 (init), 1.05 (mid), 0.85 (end)

If you are growing other herbs and you know the Kc values for them, you may be able to estimate the value for oregano. For example, we would expect sweet marjoram (Origanum majorana) to have Kc values similar to oregano. If no estimate for oregano is available, I would use the values for alfalfa and then adjust those as you learn from experience.

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