Searching for Sustainable-Irrigation Issues of Clementine Orchards in the Syrian Akkar Plain: Effects of Irrigation Method and Canopy Size on Crop Coefficients, Transpiration, and Water Use with SIMDualKc Model
Citrus is one of the most valuable crops in Syria, with the largest production areas in the Tartus and Latakia provinces. Water-saving policies have been adopted to modernize the irrigation systems and increase water productivity. Following dedicated research, this study aimed to evaluate the water...
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MDPI AG
2022-06-01
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| Series: | Water |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4441/14/13/2052 |
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| author | Hanaa Darouich Razan Karfoul Tiago B. Ramos Ali Moustafa Luis S. Pereira |
| author_facet | Hanaa Darouich Razan Karfoul Tiago B. Ramos Ali Moustafa Luis S. Pereira |
| author_sort | Hanaa Darouich |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Citrus is one of the most valuable crops in Syria, with the largest production areas in the Tartus and Latakia provinces. Water-saving policies have been adopted to modernize the irrigation systems and increase water productivity. Following dedicated research, this study aimed to evaluate the water balance in clementine trees irrigated with diverse methods and schedules using the SIMDualKc software model. Two experiments are reported: one with 10–14 years old trees irrigated with different methods (2007−2011) and the other with the same trees but now 18−20 years old, irrigated with different schedules (2015−2019). The SIMDualKc model successfully simulated the soil water contents measured in the various field plots, with root mean square error values lower than 0.004 m<sup>3</sup> m<sup>−3</sup> and modeling efficiencies up to 0.83. The model-calibrated standard basal crop coefficients (K<sub>cb</sub>) were approximately constant throughout all growing stages, assuming values of 0.54−0.55 for the mature trees having smaller height (h) and fraction of ground cover (f<sub>c</sub>), and 0.64 for older trees with larger canopies, i.e., larger h and f<sub>c</sub>. With drip irrigation, single K<sub>c</sub> had a higher value (1.14) at the end, non-growing, and initial stages, and a lower value (0.75–0.76) during mid-season (K<sub>c mid</sub>), because precipitation was lesser then, contributing less to soil evaporation. On the other hand, K<sub>c</sub> values were nearly constant with micro-sprinkler and surface irrigation techniques because the ground was fully wetted. The K<sub>cb</sub> values derived from the fraction of ground cover and height (A&P approach) were similar to those obtained from the model, thus showing that the A&P approach represents a practical alternative to estimate K<sub>cb</sub> in the practice of irrigation management. The soil water balance further revealed a large weight of the terms corresponding to the non-beneficial water consumption and non-consumptive water use when the fraction wetted was large and the application efficiencies were low. These terms were reduced, namely, evaporation losses when drip irrigation was used. This study, thus, provides a valuable tool for improving the irrigation management, water saving, and water productivity of Syrian citrus production systems. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T10:23:48Z |
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| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T10:23:48Z |
| publishDate | 2022-06-01 |
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| spelling | doaj.art-0dd6f8d7c29d4fe591c72257d7c1e5ee2023-12-01T21:46:18ZengMDPI AGWater2073-44412022-06-011413205210.3390/w14132052Searching for Sustainable-Irrigation Issues of Clementine Orchards in the Syrian Akkar Plain: Effects of Irrigation Method and Canopy Size on Crop Coefficients, Transpiration, and Water Use with SIMDualKc ModelHanaa Darouich0Razan Karfoul1Tiago B. Ramos2Ali Moustafa3Luis S. Pereira4LEAF—Linking Landscape, Environment, Agriculture and Food Research Center, Associated Laboratory TERRA, Instituto Superior de Agronomia, Universidade de Lisboa, Tapada da Ajuda, 1349-017 Lisboa, PortugalGeneral Commission for Scientific Agriculture Research (GCSAR), Hejaz Station, Damascus P.O. Box 113, SyriaCentro de Ciência e Tecnologia do Ambiente e do Mar (MARETEC-LARSyS), Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Rovisco Pais, 1, 1049-001 Lisboa, PortugalGeneral Commission for Scientific Agriculture Research (GCSAR), Hejaz Station, Damascus P.O. Box 113, SyriaLEAF—Linking Landscape, Environment, Agriculture and Food Research Center, Associated Laboratory TERRA, Instituto Superior de Agronomia, Universidade de Lisboa, Tapada da Ajuda, 1349-017 Lisboa, PortugalCitrus is one of the most valuable crops in Syria, with the largest production areas in the Tartus and Latakia provinces. Water-saving policies have been adopted to modernize the irrigation systems and increase water productivity. Following dedicated research, this study aimed to evaluate the water balance in clementine trees irrigated with diverse methods and schedules using the SIMDualKc software model. Two experiments are reported: one with 10–14 years old trees irrigated with different methods (2007−2011) and the other with the same trees but now 18−20 years old, irrigated with different schedules (2015−2019). The SIMDualKc model successfully simulated the soil water contents measured in the various field plots, with root mean square error values lower than 0.004 m<sup>3</sup> m<sup>−3</sup> and modeling efficiencies up to 0.83. The model-calibrated standard basal crop coefficients (K<sub>cb</sub>) were approximately constant throughout all growing stages, assuming values of 0.54−0.55 for the mature trees having smaller height (h) and fraction of ground cover (f<sub>c</sub>), and 0.64 for older trees with larger canopies, i.e., larger h and f<sub>c</sub>. With drip irrigation, single K<sub>c</sub> had a higher value (1.14) at the end, non-growing, and initial stages, and a lower value (0.75–0.76) during mid-season (K<sub>c mid</sub>), because precipitation was lesser then, contributing less to soil evaporation. On the other hand, K<sub>c</sub> values were nearly constant with micro-sprinkler and surface irrigation techniques because the ground was fully wetted. The K<sub>cb</sub> values derived from the fraction of ground cover and height (A&P approach) were similar to those obtained from the model, thus showing that the A&P approach represents a practical alternative to estimate K<sub>cb</sub> in the practice of irrigation management. The soil water balance further revealed a large weight of the terms corresponding to the non-beneficial water consumption and non-consumptive water use when the fraction wetted was large and the application efficiencies were low. These terms were reduced, namely, evaporation losses when drip irrigation was used. This study, thus, provides a valuable tool for improving the irrigation management, water saving, and water productivity of Syrian citrus production systems.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4441/14/13/2052FAO dual K<sub>c</sub> approachirrigation methodsirrigation schedulingnon-beneficial water consumptionnon-consumptive water use |
| spellingShingle | Hanaa Darouich Razan Karfoul Tiago B. Ramos Ali Moustafa Luis S. Pereira Searching for Sustainable-Irrigation Issues of Clementine Orchards in the Syrian Akkar Plain: Effects of Irrigation Method and Canopy Size on Crop Coefficients, Transpiration, and Water Use with SIMDualKc Model Water FAO dual K<sub>c</sub> approach irrigation methods irrigation scheduling non-beneficial water consumption non-consumptive water use |
| title | Searching for Sustainable-Irrigation Issues of Clementine Orchards in the Syrian Akkar Plain: Effects of Irrigation Method and Canopy Size on Crop Coefficients, Transpiration, and Water Use with SIMDualKc Model |
| title_full | Searching for Sustainable-Irrigation Issues of Clementine Orchards in the Syrian Akkar Plain: Effects of Irrigation Method and Canopy Size on Crop Coefficients, Transpiration, and Water Use with SIMDualKc Model |
| title_fullStr | Searching for Sustainable-Irrigation Issues of Clementine Orchards in the Syrian Akkar Plain: Effects of Irrigation Method and Canopy Size on Crop Coefficients, Transpiration, and Water Use with SIMDualKc Model |
| title_full_unstemmed | Searching for Sustainable-Irrigation Issues of Clementine Orchards in the Syrian Akkar Plain: Effects of Irrigation Method and Canopy Size on Crop Coefficients, Transpiration, and Water Use with SIMDualKc Model |
| title_short | Searching for Sustainable-Irrigation Issues of Clementine Orchards in the Syrian Akkar Plain: Effects of Irrigation Method and Canopy Size on Crop Coefficients, Transpiration, and Water Use with SIMDualKc Model |
| title_sort | searching for sustainable irrigation issues of clementine orchards in the syrian akkar plain effects of irrigation method and canopy size on crop coefficients transpiration and water use with simdualkc model |
| topic | FAO dual K<sub>c</sub> approach irrigation methods irrigation scheduling non-beneficial water consumption non-consumptive water use |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4441/14/13/2052 |
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