DETERMINING THE NEED OF ALFALFA FOR WATER IN THE CONDITIONS OF SARAJEVO AREA (BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA)

Abstract

Alfalfa has a great need for water, because it creates a huge plant mass. For this reason,
yield level, similar to the other species with large green mass, primarily depends on
provided water during the growing season. Alfalfa uses water well from the prevegetation
reserve in land, especially of rainfall during the growing season. In this
paper, the need for water in alfalfa for average, the most rainy and dry hydrological
year in the conditions of Sarajevo area was established. Evapotranspiration of alfalfa is
567 mm for the most dry, 569 mm for the most rainy and 540 mm for average
hydrological year. Water deficit occurs in May, June, July and August in the amount of
323.9 mm for the most dry, 178.4 mm for the most rainy and 222.1 mm for average
hydrological year. In the study area, alluvial soil is predominant (fluvisol), which is of
a light mechanical composition (sandy loam) and favorable chemical characteristics for
alfalfa growing.