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Models Comparative Study for Estimating Crop Water Requirement and Irrigation Scheduling of Maize in Metekel Zone, Benishangul Gumuz Regional State, Ethiopia

Received: 13 December 2020     Accepted: 4 January 2021     Published: 15 January 2021
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Abstract

This study was aimed to compare estimation methods of crop water requirement and irrigation scheduling for major crops using different models and compare the significance of models for adoption in different situations of the Metekel zone. Crop water requirement and irrigation scheduling of maize in selected districts of Metekel zone were estimated using CropWat model based on soil, crop and meteorological data, and AquaCrop based on soil, crop and meteorological data including Co2, groundwater, field management, and fertility status. Model performance was evaluated using Normalized Root mean square errors (NRMSE), model by Nash-Sutcliffe efficiency (NSE), Prediction error (Pe), and Model efficiency (MF). It is observed that the maximum reference evapotranspiration in the study area was found to be 7.1 mm/day in Guba and the minimum reference evapotranspiration was 2.9 mm/day in Bullen district. In all cases, the maximum ETo in all districts was fund to in March and the lowest in August. The maximum ETc of maize was found to be 702.4mm in Guba district and the minimum ETc was found to be 572.6mm in Bullen district using CropWat but the effective rainfall (Pe) for maize was determined as 185mm respectively in Wembera district. However, using the AquaCrop model the maximum ETc of 565 mm was recorded in Guba but 425 mm was recorded as a minimum in the Wembera district for irrigated maize in the study area. The study revealed that the irrigation scheduling with a fixed interval criterion for maize 10 days with 12 irrigation events has been determined. Moreover, furrow irrigation with 60% irrigation application efficiency was adjusted during irrigation water applications for all districts. The performance of the irrigation schedule and crop response was evaluated by the analysis results in the simulation using different models. It has been observed that there were a strong relationship and a significant relation between the simulated and observed values for validation. Hence, Normalized Root mean square errors (NRMSE), model by Nash-Sutcliffe efficiency (NSE), Prediction error (Pe), and Model efficiency (MF) showed that the AquaCrop model well simulated in all parameters considered. AquaCrop model is the most suitable soil-water-crop-environment management model, so future studies should suggest a focus on addressing deficit irrigation strategy with different field management conditions to improve agricultural water productivity under irrigated agriculture for the study area for major crops.

Published in International Journal of Agricultural Economics (Volume 6, Issue 2)
DOI 10.11648/j.ijae.20210602.11
Page(s) 59-70
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This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2021. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Depilation, Irrigation Events, AquaCrop, Fixed Interval and Deficit Irrigation

References
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    Ashebir Haile Tefera, Demeke Tamene Mitiku. (2021). Models Comparative Study for Estimating Crop Water Requirement and Irrigation Scheduling of Maize in Metekel Zone, Benishangul Gumuz Regional State, Ethiopia. International Journal of Agricultural Economics, 6(2), 59-70. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijae.20210602.11

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    Ashebir Haile Tefera; Demeke Tamene Mitiku. Models Comparative Study for Estimating Crop Water Requirement and Irrigation Scheduling of Maize in Metekel Zone, Benishangul Gumuz Regional State, Ethiopia. Int. J. Agric. Econ. 2021, 6(2), 59-70. doi: 10.11648/j.ijae.20210602.11

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    AMA Style

    Ashebir Haile Tefera, Demeke Tamene Mitiku. Models Comparative Study for Estimating Crop Water Requirement and Irrigation Scheduling of Maize in Metekel Zone, Benishangul Gumuz Regional State, Ethiopia. Int J Agric Econ. 2021;6(2):59-70. doi: 10.11648/j.ijae.20210602.11

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  • @article{10.11648/j.ijae.20210602.11,
      author = {Ashebir Haile Tefera and Demeke Tamene Mitiku},
      title = {Models Comparative Study for Estimating Crop Water Requirement and Irrigation Scheduling of Maize in Metekel Zone, Benishangul Gumuz Regional State, Ethiopia},
      journal = {International Journal of Agricultural Economics},
      volume = {6},
      number = {2},
      pages = {59-70},
      doi = {10.11648/j.ijae.20210602.11},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijae.20210602.11},
      eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ijae.20210602.11},
      abstract = {This study was aimed to compare estimation methods of crop water requirement and irrigation scheduling for major crops using different models and compare the significance of models for adoption in different situations of the Metekel zone. Crop water requirement and irrigation scheduling of maize in selected districts of Metekel zone were estimated using CropWat model based on soil, crop and meteorological data, and AquaCrop based on soil, crop and meteorological data including Co2, groundwater, field management, and fertility status. Model performance was evaluated using Normalized Root mean square errors (NRMSE), model by Nash-Sutcliffe efficiency (NSE), Prediction error (Pe), and Model efficiency (MF). It is observed that the maximum reference evapotranspiration in the study area was found to be 7.1 mm/day in Guba and the minimum reference evapotranspiration was 2.9 mm/day in Bullen district. In all cases, the maximum ETo in all districts was fund to in March and the lowest in August. The maximum ETc of maize was found to be 702.4mm in Guba district and the minimum ETc was found to be 572.6mm in Bullen district using CropWat but the effective rainfall (Pe) for maize was determined as 185mm respectively in Wembera district. However, using the AquaCrop model the maximum ETc of 565 mm was recorded in Guba but 425 mm was recorded as a minimum in the Wembera district for irrigated maize in the study area. The study revealed that the irrigation scheduling with a fixed interval criterion for maize 10 days with 12 irrigation events has been determined. Moreover, furrow irrigation with 60% irrigation application efficiency was adjusted during irrigation water applications for all districts. The performance of the irrigation schedule and crop response was evaluated by the analysis results in the simulation using different models. It has been observed that there were a strong relationship and a significant relation between the simulated and observed values for validation. Hence, Normalized Root mean square errors (NRMSE), model by Nash-Sutcliffe efficiency (NSE), Prediction error (Pe), and Model efficiency (MF) showed that the AquaCrop model well simulated in all parameters considered. AquaCrop model is the most suitable soil-water-crop-environment management model, so future studies should suggest a focus on addressing deficit irrigation strategy with different field management conditions to improve agricultural water productivity under irrigated agriculture for the study area for major crops.},
     year = {2021}
    }
    

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  • TY  - JOUR
    T1  - Models Comparative Study for Estimating Crop Water Requirement and Irrigation Scheduling of Maize in Metekel Zone, Benishangul Gumuz Regional State, Ethiopia
    AU  - Ashebir Haile Tefera
    AU  - Demeke Tamene Mitiku
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    N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijae.20210602.11
    DO  - 10.11648/j.ijae.20210602.11
    T2  - International Journal of Agricultural Economics
    JF  - International Journal of Agricultural Economics
    JO  - International Journal of Agricultural Economics
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    EP  - 70
    PB  - Science Publishing Group
    SN  - 2575-3843
    UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijae.20210602.11
    AB  - This study was aimed to compare estimation methods of crop water requirement and irrigation scheduling for major crops using different models and compare the significance of models for adoption in different situations of the Metekel zone. Crop water requirement and irrigation scheduling of maize in selected districts of Metekel zone were estimated using CropWat model based on soil, crop and meteorological data, and AquaCrop based on soil, crop and meteorological data including Co2, groundwater, field management, and fertility status. Model performance was evaluated using Normalized Root mean square errors (NRMSE), model by Nash-Sutcliffe efficiency (NSE), Prediction error (Pe), and Model efficiency (MF). It is observed that the maximum reference evapotranspiration in the study area was found to be 7.1 mm/day in Guba and the minimum reference evapotranspiration was 2.9 mm/day in Bullen district. In all cases, the maximum ETo in all districts was fund to in March and the lowest in August. The maximum ETc of maize was found to be 702.4mm in Guba district and the minimum ETc was found to be 572.6mm in Bullen district using CropWat but the effective rainfall (Pe) for maize was determined as 185mm respectively in Wembera district. However, using the AquaCrop model the maximum ETc of 565 mm was recorded in Guba but 425 mm was recorded as a minimum in the Wembera district for irrigated maize in the study area. The study revealed that the irrigation scheduling with a fixed interval criterion for maize 10 days with 12 irrigation events has been determined. Moreover, furrow irrigation with 60% irrigation application efficiency was adjusted during irrigation water applications for all districts. The performance of the irrigation schedule and crop response was evaluated by the analysis results in the simulation using different models. It has been observed that there were a strong relationship and a significant relation between the simulated and observed values for validation. Hence, Normalized Root mean square errors (NRMSE), model by Nash-Sutcliffe efficiency (NSE), Prediction error (Pe), and Model efficiency (MF) showed that the AquaCrop model well simulated in all parameters considered. AquaCrop model is the most suitable soil-water-crop-environment management model, so future studies should suggest a focus on addressing deficit irrigation strategy with different field management conditions to improve agricultural water productivity under irrigated agriculture for the study area for major crops.
    VL  - 6
    IS  - 2
    ER  - 

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Author Information
  • Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research, Debre Zeit Agricultural Research Centre, Debre Zeit, Ethiopia

  • Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research, Pawe Agricultural Research Centre, Pawe, Ethiopia

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