How to use the water use efficiency calculator
Find how much plant biomass is produced per cubic metre of water used. Enter above-ground biomass produced, water used (evapotranspiration) in the fields above; the water use efficiency is computed instantly and plotted on the chart so you can see how the answer changes.
Common searches this calculator answers include “water use efficiency”, “biomass per water”, “crop water productivity”, “calculate water use efficiency”, “find water use efficiency”.
Formula
Variables
- B — Above-ground biomass produced (kg/ha)
- ET — Water used (evapotranspiration) (mm)
Worked example
With above-ground biomass produced = 8000 kg/ha, water used (evapotranspiration) = 400 mm, the calculator gives water use efficiency ≈ 2 kg per m³ of water.
Frequently asked questions
What is the water use efficiency calculator used for?
Find how much plant biomass is produced per cubic metre of water used. It helps with questions such as “water use efficiency”, “biomass per water”, “crop water productivity”.
What is the formula for the water use efficiency calculation?
Water use efficiency (kg per m³ of water) = (B / 1e4) / (ET / 1000). Here B is above-ground biomass produced (kg/ha), ET is water used (evapotranspiration) (mm).
What inputs do I need for the water use efficiency calculator?
You need above-ground biomass produced in kg/ha, water used (evapotranspiration) in mm. Each field is pre-filled with a typical example so you can see how the result responds as you edit the numbers.
How do I use the water use efficiency calculator?
Type values into the input fields. Results and the chart update instantly. Use Reset to restore the example values, Copy results to paste them elsewhere, or Share to copy a link that preserves your inputs.
Is the water use efficiency result exact?
Calculations use standard formulas and double-precision arithmetic, then display about seven significant figures. Real-world measurements carry uncertainty, so treat results as estimates unless your inputs are exact.