Simulating the Response of Sugarcane Production to Water Deficit Irrigation Using the AquaCrop Model

Abstract

A water shortage has always been the main limiting factor of agricultural development in arid and semiarid areas. In this research, the yield response to water stress for sugarcane in Khuzestan, Iran, was studied using an AquaCrop model under deficit irrigation scenarios (2004–2010). Treatments were contained 100% (I1), 125% (I2), 85% (I3) and 70% (I4) of full irrigation. The results indicated that the simulating sugarcane yield was acceptable with normalized root-mean square error (NRMSE) = 1.89 and root-mean-square error (RMSE) = 1.7. The statistical analysis of yield showed that there was no significant difference between I1, I2 and I3 treatments. Simulating the water productivity (WP) was acceptable (NRMSE = 1.44 and RMSE = 0.06). All the treatments were significantly different than the treatment I1 in simulated WP. Agreement index for yield and WP (0.91 and 0.99) showed compatibility of these predicted values with the actual value. The results showed that the AquaCrop model is an appropriate tool to simulate sugarcane yield and water productivity under deficit irrigation conditions in Iran. According to the results, the I3 scenario can be recommended.