HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Figures Only Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Todorovic, M. Articles by Steduto, P. Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by Todorovic, M. Articles by Steduto, P. Agricola Articles by Todorovic, M. Articles by Steduto, P. Related Collections Agroclimatology Crop Growth and Development Sunflower Crop Models

SYMPOSIUM PAPERS

Assessment of AquaCrop, CropSyst, and WOFOST Models in the Simulation of Sunflower Growth under Different Water Regimes

^a CIHEAM—Mediterranean Agronomic Institute of Bari, Via Ceglie 9, 70010, Valenzano (BA), Italy
^b Istituto per i Sistemi Agricoli e Forestali del Mediterraneo, CNR-ISAFoM, Via Patacca 85, 80056, Ercolano (NA), Italy
^c Dipartimento di Scienze delle Produzioni Vegetali, Univ. degli Studi di Bari, Via Amendola 165/A, Bari, Italy
^d Washington State Univ., Pullman, WA 99164-6120, USA
^e FAO, AGLW, Viale delle Terme di Caracalla, 00153, Rome, Italy

^* Corresponding Author (rossella.albrizio{at}cnr.it).

This work compares the performance of AquaCrop, a crop simulation model developed by FAO, with that of two well established models, CropSyst and WOFOST, in simulating sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) growth under different water regimes in a Mediterranean environment. The models differ in the level of complexity describing crop development, in the main growth modules driving the simulation of biomass growth, and in the number of input parameters. AquaCrop is exclusively based on the water-driven growth module, in that transpiration is converted into biomass through a water productivity (WP) parameter; Cropsyst is based on both water and radiation driven modules, while WOFOST simulates crop growth using a carbon driven approach and fraction of intercepted radiation. The data used in the analysis were obtained in field experiments with hybrid Sanbro_MR, performed in a typical Mediterranean area of Southern Italy in 2005 and 2007. The models were calibrated on data from a full irrigation treatment in 2007, and were validated on a full irrigation treatment in 2005 and several deficit irrigation (DI) treatments, including regulated deficit irrigation (RDI) and rain-fed (RF) conditions. Although AquaCrop required less input information than CropSyst and WOFOST, it performed similarly to them in simulating both biomass and yield at harvesting. The use of different numbers of parameters and crop growth modules by the tested models did not influence substantially the simulation results. Therefore, for management purposes and in conditions of limited input information, the use of simpler models should be encouraged.

Abbreviations: DI, deficit irrigation • ET_o, reference evapotranspiration • FI, full irrigation • HI, harvest index • LAI, leaf area index • RDI, regulated deficit irrigation • RF, rain fed • RUE, radiation use efficiency • VPD, vapor pressure deficit • WP, water productivity

All rights reserved. No part of this periodical may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.

Received for publication May 15, 2008.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				S. R. Evett and J. A. Tolk Introduction: Can Water Use Efficiency Be Modeled Well Enough to Impact Crop Management? Agron. J., April 3, 2009; 101(3): 423 - 425. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]