Zeitschriftenaufsatz

Assessing the Impact of Reference Evapotranspiration Models on Decision Support Systems for Irrigation


Details zur Publikation

AutorenlisteOlberz M., Kahlen K., Zinkernagel J.

Jahr der Veröffentlichung2018

QuelleHorticulturae

Bandnummer49

Heftnummer4

Erste Seite1

Letzte Seite14

VerlagMDPI

ISSN2311-7524

eISSN2311-7524

DOI10.3390/horticulturae4040049

URLwww.mdpi.com/2311-7524/4/4/49/pdf

SprachenEnglisch

Peer reviewed


Abstract

Reference evapotranspiration (ET0) is a major estimator for crop water requirements
predicted by decision support systems for irrigation. However, the impact of different ET0s on the
predicted amount of water supply and counts of irrigation events has not been evaluated. Simulations
of the Geisenheim Irrigation Scheduling (GS) for vegetable crops with two different ET0s, P2-ET0
and FAO56-ET0, were evaluated to assess exemplarily the impact of ET0s. The sensitivity of both
ET0s to local climate conditions was characterized through a random forest analysis, and a linear
regression model was used to adjust the original GS by adapting Kc-values to the exchange ET0.
For assessing the outcomes of GS irrigation decision, simulations of 173 individual cropping cycles
including six vegetable crops over eight years were conducted. After adjusting P2-ET0 Kc-values to
FAO56-ET0 Kc-values, there was no impact of the ET0-model on the practical irrigation scheduling
with GS. Finally, we discuss that any ET0-model, if adjusted accordingly, might have little impact on
similar irrigation systems and provide a method to exchange ET0s.