Evaluation of Aqua Crop Model for Deficit Irrigation Management in Garlic (Allium sativum) under SemiArid Conditions

Crop water productivity models are important tools in evaluating the effect of different irrigation regime on crop yield. Aqua Crop model is a crop water productivity model adopted by the Land and Water Division of FAO in the year 2009. It simulates yield response to water for herbaceous crops, and it is particularly suitable in addressing conditions where water is a key limiting factor in crop production such as semi arid region. The objective of this study was to calibrate the Aqua Crop model for different irrigation regimes for garlic (Allium satvium L.), to determine its effect on crop growth and yield parameters of the crop. A field experiment in a randomized block design with three replications was conducted during the rabi season of 2022-23 at Mahatma Phule Krishi Vidyapeeth, Rahuri, Maharashtra, to investigate the “Effect of deficit irrigation on growth parameters and water use efficiency on garlic”. The experiment included 27 treatment combinations applied at different growth stages of garlic: vegetative stage, bulb initiation, and bulb development stage. Results indicated that there was no significant variation in yield. The Aqua Crop model simulated satisfactorily the crop yield, and evapotranspiration water productivity of Garlic. Validation of Aqua Crop model using Nash-Sutcliffe efficiency (E), Root mean square errors (RMSE) and index of agreement (d) showed that, Aqua Crop model can be used to simulate CWR of bulb crops, such as garlic.