Using soil survey data to estimate readily available water (RAW) for sugarcane irrigation

This paper investigates how the predicted plant available water capacity (PAWC) compares with the experimentally derived readily available water (RAW) that is stored in the soil between irrigations. PAWC was determined using the recently developed Plant Available Water Capacity Estimation Routine (PAWCER) program. Field measurements of RAW were based on sugarcane stalk elongation rates. A good relationship was found between PAWC and RAW across the 11 soils used in this investigation. From the relationship, RAW can be predicted for other soils in the Bundaberg Irrigation Area (BIA). Knowing a soil's RAW is relevant for deciding the suitability of further expansion areas for the sugarcane industry.