WATER INDICES AND EVAPOTRANSPIRATION OF FORAGE PLANTS GROWN IN SEMI-ARID ENVIRONMENTS: A REVIEW
Keywords:
Pennisetum purpureum cv, BRS Capiaçu, Supplemental Irrigation, Biosaline Agriculture, Water Use EfficiencyAbstract
The semi-arid environment is characterized by adverse edaphoclimatic conditions, such as low and irregular rainfall, high evapotranspiration, and low-fertility soils, imposing severe limitations on agricultural and livestock production. In this context, adaptive strategies for water management and the use of forage species adapted to these conditions become essential to ensure productivity and sustainability. This review aims to analyze and discuss the relationship between water indices, evapotranspiration, and water management strategies—including irrigation with brackish water (biosaline agriculture)—in the sustainable production of the BRS Capiaçu cultivar under semi-arid conditions. The study addresses the characterization of the semi-arid region and its limitations, the main morphological and productive characteristics of BRS Capiaçu, and the relevance of water management in mitigating water stress. Drip irrigation is highlighted as an efficient technique for the rational use of water, and biosaline agriculture as a promising alternative in the face of scarce good-quality water resources. In addition, the concepts of evapotranspiration and water use efficiency (WUE) are discussed as essential parameters for irrigation planning and management. It is concluded that the combination of adapted genetic materials, water management practices, and the use of brackish water constitutes a sustainable strategy to increase forage production and ensure the economic and environmental viability of livestock farming in the Brazilian semi-arid region, emphasizing the importance of BRS Capiaçu as a high-yield and drought-resilient alternative.
