Step 1: Concept
Plants release water through their leaves (transpiration), and water evaporates from the soil (evaporation).
Step 2: Meaning
The sum of these two losses is called evapotranspiration (ET), which represents the crop's water requirement.
Step 3: Analysis
A lysimeter is a large, buried container filled with soil and vegetation that measures the amount of water lost through a balance of mass (water in vs. water out).
Step 4: Conclusion
It is the standard instrument for measuring evapotranspiration.
Final Answer: (A)