EVALUATION OF POTENTIAL SUGARCANE YIELD BY USING SHALLOW GROUND WATER FOR COUNTERMEASURE IN DROUGHT PROBLEM

Abstract

 In this study, we focused on shallow ground water use for sugarcane farming, as the countermeasure of severe drought problem. Firstly, we evaluated how affect the rainfall amount and patterns on sugarcane yield through regression analysis by using the meteorological and agricultural statistic data from 1993 until 2014. The yield of sugarcane had positive relationship(R>0.3) with 4 month accumulated rainfall during May-Aug and Oct-Jan. Large economic loss was estimated in 2005 and 2006, because 2004 was sever drought year and heavy rainfall occurred in Sep. 2005. Secondly, we monitored the seasonal fluctuation of shallow ground water level in Dan Chang district, Suphanburi province, based on resistivity mapping data. And available ground water was estimated around 400mm during 2017/2018 season. Then, sugarcane yield estimation model was developed and applied. And numerical simulation was conducted to estimate the potential sugarcane yield by using shallow ground water. In 400mm irrigation case, average yield increase rate was 32.8 % and the effect was larger in drought year. In drought year, available ground water become smaller like 200mm case. But, even in 200mm irrigation case, 19% yield increase rate was expected in drought year which annual rainfall was only 800mm/year.