Determining the yield responses of maize plant under different irrigation scenarios with AquaCrop model

Abstract

The AquaCrop simulation model is a significant implementation used to determine the response of crop yield to water and accordingly build up new strategies to improve agricultural irrigation management. Since determining the appropriate irrigation program in the field researches will require many years and labor; it becomes convenient with the AquaCrop to determine the adaptation of crops to the cultivating conditions and to examine the impact of possible variables such as drought on crop production. In this study, different irrigation scenarios were created, and yield predictions were made with the AquaCrop 6.1 model for maize plant which irrigated by drip irrigation method in Adana conditions, Turkey. These scenarios were created by determining four different depletion levels of readily available water (RAW) amount in the soil. These depletion levels were 25%(S1), 50%(S2), 75%(S3) and 100%(S4). The highest grain yield value was found in S1 as 10.075 ton/ha and the lowest grain yield in the S4 as 9.837 ton/ha. The amount of seasonal irrigation water simulated for different irrigation schedules varied between 348.5-390.7 mm, and the evapotranspiration (ET) varied between 411.5-426.5 mm. As a result, S3 scenario has been recommended considering the amount of irrigation water and the yields achieved.