Modelling Soil Moisture Content with Hydrus 2D in a Continental Climate for Effective Maize Irrigation Planning
Year: 2024
Type: article
Abstract: In light of climate change and limited water resources, optimizing water usage in agriculture is crucial. This study models water productivity to help regional planners address these challenges. We integrate CROPWAT-based reference evapotranspiration (ETo) with Sentinel 2 data to calculate daily evapotranspiration and water needs for maize using soil and climate data from 2021 to 2023. The HYDRUS model predicted volumetric soil moisture content, validated against observed data. A 2D hydrodynamic model within HYDRUS simulated temporal and spatial variations in soil water distribution for maize at a non-irrigated site in Hungary. The model used soil physical properties and crop evapotranspiration rates as inputs, covering crop development stages from planting to harvest. The model showed good performance, with R² values of 0.65 (10 cm) and 0.81 (60 cm) in 2021, 0.51 (10 cm) and 0.50 (60 cm) in 2022, and 0.38 (10 cm) and 0.72 (60 cm) in 2023. RMSE and NRMSE values indicated reliability. The model revealed water deficits and proposed optimal irrigation schedules to maintain soil moisture between 32.2 and 17.51 V/V%. This integrated approach offers a reliable tool for monitoring soil moisture and developing efficient irrigation systems, aiding maize production’s adaptation to climate change.
Source: Agriculture
Institution: University of Debrecen
Language: English
Topic: Soil and Unsaturated Flow
Subfield: Civil and Structural Engineering
Field: Engineering
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $2,955
OpenAlex ID: W4401522191