Efficacy of Nonlinear Root Water Uptake Model for a Multilayer Crop Root Zone
Publication: Journal of Irrigation and Drainage Engineering
Volume 139, Issue 11
Abstract
A root uptake model developed and validated for a uniform crop root zone in a semiarid agroclimate is tested for its efficacy in predicting moisture depletion in a multilayer crop root zone in a subtemperate, subhumid agroclimate. Evaluation of moisture uptake prediction efficiency of model in uniform, vis-à-vis multilayer crop root zone, done on the basis of secondary experimental data of three crops, indicates significant improvement in predicted moisture uptake when a multilayered crop root zone is considered. To validate the enhanced prediction efficiency of the model, in the case of a multilayer crop root zone, field experiments on two Indian crops, i.e., Indian mustard (Brassica Juncea) and Wheat (Triticum-aestivum), are conducted in the subtemperate, subhumid agroclimate of Solan, Himachal Pradesh, India. Model performance indicators exhibit good agreement between model-predicted soil-moisture parameters and experimental results. The results demonstrate the utility of the root water uptake model across semiarid, subtemperate, subhumid agroclimates and establish its efficacy for nonuniform soils having variations in soil moisture properties along depth in predicting soil moisture in the crop root zone.
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Acknowledgments
The authors are highly thankful to the Department of Civil Engineering, NIT, Hamirpur, and Department of Soil Science and Water Management, Dr. Y.S. Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni, Solan, for providing all facilities during conduct of this study.
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Published In
Journal of Irrigation and Drainage Engineering
Volume 139 • Issue 11 • November 2013
Pages: 898 - 910
Copyright
© 2013 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Oct 6, 2012
Accepted: Apr 17, 2013
Published online: Apr 19, 2013
Discussion open until: Sep 19, 2013
Published in print: Nov 1, 2013
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