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MODELLING IRRIGATED WHEAT PRODUCTION USING THE FAO AQUACROP MODEL IN WEST BENGAL, INDIA, FOR SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE
Author(s) -
Singh Ajai,
Saha Sankar,
Mondal Sanchita
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
irrigation and drainage
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.421
H-Index - 38
eISSN - 1531-0361
pISSN - 1531-0353
DOI - 10.1002/ird.1722
Subject(s) - yield (engineering) , west bengal , production (economics) , irrigation , agriculture , mathematics , agronomy , agricultural engineering , crop , environmental science , irrigated agriculture , agricultural science , economics , biology , engineering , physics , ecology , socioeconomics , macroeconomics , thermodynamics
The AquaCrop model clarifies the effects of water on crop yield and is a useful tool for improving farm‐level water management and optimizing water use efficiency. AquaCrop is a water‐driven simulation model that requires a relatively low number of parameters and input data to simulate the yield response to water of most of the major field and vegetable crops cultivated worldwide. Although the model is simple, it pays particular attention to the fundamental processes involved in crop productivity and in the responses to water, from a physiological and agronomic perspective. Good agreement was obtained by AquaCrop in simulating wheat yields under full irrigation. The experiment was conducted with 10 varieties (DBW 17, RAJ 4120, PBW 621, K 0307, HD 2733, HD 2687, CBW 38, DBW 39, HD 2985 and PBW 343) of wheat during 2008–2009 and 2009–2010 at the farm of Uttar Banga Krishi Viswavidyalaya at Majhian located in Dakshin Dinajpur District of West Bengal, India, during December to April, and growth stages and production were simulated using the AquaCrop model for the best variety. The model simulated wheat yield as 4.16 t ha −1 as compared to the actual yield of 4.10 t ha −1 in the year 2008–2009. The model was validated in 2009–2010 for simulating wheat yield and performance of the model was quite satisfactory. The model simulated 4.01 t ha −1 as compared to the actual yield of 3.90 t ha −1 . The model did not perform very well for the validation period. The simplicity of AquaCrop in its required minimum input data, which are readily available or can easily be collected, makes it user‐friendly. It is also a very useful model for scenario simulations and for planning purposes to be used by economists, water administrators and managers working in West Bengal, India. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.