Wheat Production under Western North Coast Conditions Using A Simulation Model

Abstract

This study was carried out at Marsa Matruh governorate - western north coast Egypt (31° 15´ 35ʺ N, 27° 9´ 43ʺ E) in the 2014/2015 growing season. The experiment was conducted to assess and validate the AquaCrop model under various factors [sowing dates, tillage operation and different Supplementary irrigation strategies] on biomass and grain yield production for winter wheat. Thus; the factor of sowing date comprise into three treatments (1^st Nov, 15^th Nov and 30^th Nov). Second factor is tillage with two treatments (no tillage and tillage 20cm) and the third factor is Supplementary irrigation with three treatments (0, 75 and 112.5mm). The AquaCrop model adequately simulated the biomass yield (BY), and grain yield (GY) for winter wheat under different treatments. The simulated (BY) agreed well with the measured (BY) across different treatments where (R²= 0.82 & E = 0.82 & RMSE = 6.7%) for winter wheat under different treatments of (sowing dates and supplementary irrigation strategies) with tillage process. measured and simulated (GY) were also closely related. The AquaCrop model calibrated the GY with the prediction statistics error by (R²= 0.69 & E = 0.7 & RMSE = 2.8%) with tillage process. Moreover; the (1 Ton.Fed^-1) for (BY)  needs for (635.9, 588.3 and 510.6) heat units (AGDD) as an average under different sowing dates ( 1^st Nov, 15^th Nov and 30^th Nov.) respectively. Further; the (1 Ton.Fed^-1) from grain yield needs for (1779.05) heat units if sowing on the (1^st Nov.), for (1641.85) heat units on (15th Nov.) and for (1468.7) heat units on (30^th Nov.). Notable; that the highest value for heat uses efficiency (HUE)  observed with (112.5mm) and tillage operation under sowing date 30^th Nov by (2.2 & 0.72 Kg. fed ^-1 C^-1day^-1) for both (BY) and (GY) respectively. Consequently; these results suggest that the AquaCrop model could be used to predict BY and GY of winter wheat with a high degree of reliability at western north coast conditions.

Keywords:  AquaCrop model; sowing date; Tillage; Supplementary irrigation and winter wheat production.