Water requirement variation of pará pasture, brachiaria mutica (forsskal) stapf, in el espinal (tolima), under different el niño (enos) –southern oscillation– scenarios

Abstract

this paper was made to determinate differences between water requirements and needed irrigation of Pará pasture, under different scenarios of ENOS phenomenon on the Nataima climatic station (El Espinal, Tolima). Peña et ál. (2001) methodology was used to know climatic behavior under El Niño, La Niña and Neutral Scenarios. Reference culture evapotranspiration was determined. Pará pasture water requirement and irrigation needs under each proposed scenario were determined using FAO’s methodology and software (2006, 2008). Significant differences were found in median water requirements between El Niño and La Niña scenarios. Irrigation needs do not show statistical differences between medians; although, differences in irrigations requirements for some months show the necessity of knowledge and characterization over the modulator effect on climatic factors agriculture dependent