Abstract:
One of the most important simulation models in the field of water productivity (wp) management in the world is the Aqua crop model, which depends on many factors and conditions related to climate, soil. irrigation water etc. Aqua crop model program simulative vegetative growth, yield of wheat crops, biomass of wheat crop and irrigation water productivity. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of deficit irrigation on wheat yield, canopy cover, bio mass and water productivity. A field experiment was conducted to examine wheat yield response under different water application and validate Aqua crop at Shina -Hamusit project. The experiment was conducted with two plots of lands.. The water application levels for the crop at the field were considered 100 % and 50% application level in different growth stages. The agronomic parameters were collected (canopy cover, biomass and grain yield) to evaluate the crop yield response of the Aqua crop model. The canopy cover was analyzed by image tracker (LAI-2000) because Aqua Crop use canopy cover than leaf area index and above ground biomass was measured by cutting the plant within 19m
× 29m area and oven dried by 550c for 60hr to determine green biomass . The result showed that the highest yield was recorded at full (plot one) irrigation (3.6 ton/ha), whereas minimum yield was obtained at plot two (2.78 ton/ha) which was subjected to a 50% water deficit during the whole-season (highly affecting the yield).The Stress of 50% at the mid-growth stage and stress 50 % of the full irrigation water requirement at all growth stage has significantly (α=5%) affected the canopy, biomass and wheat yield production.
The Aqua Crop model achieved well in simulating the growth of biomass, canopy cover and yield of wheat for those of the treatments ( R2 = 0.83 for yield and 0.80 for biomass . RMSE values for yield and biomass was 0.72 ton/ha and 0.35 ton/ha respectively. This study shows that deficit irrigation at 50% stress through the entire crop growth period can bring more water productivity so as to projects can benefit by expanding irrigated land through saved water. Aqua crop model has a decent ability of simulating the yield of wheat for Shina-Hamusit Irrigation project.
Key words: -wheat crop, validation, Aqua crop,calibration