Soil and Sustainable Development

Soil and Sustainable Development

Irrigation scheduling for forage maize using the CROPWAT 8.0 model and climatic data: A novel approach to Sustainable Water and Soil Resource Management in Agriculture

Document Type : Original Article

Author
Iman Hajirad
Ph.D. Candidate, Department of Irrigation and Reclamation Engineering, College of Agricultural and Natural Resources, University of Tehran, Karaj, IRAN
10.22034/ssd.2025.532170.1010
Abstract
Due to the excessive and unsustainable exploitation of available water resources, making informed decisions regarding the planning, development, and management of water resources has become increasingly essential. One effective approach in this regard is the use of simulation models to estimate crop water requirements. The aim of this study was to determine the water needs and irrigation scheduling of forage maize in the arid and semi-arid climate of Varamin using the CROPWAT 8.0 model. Developed by the FAO, this model estimates crop water requirements based on climatic data, soil characteristics, and crop parameters. The simulation results demonstrated that CROPWAT 8.0 is a suitable tool for irrigation planning of maize in the study region. The model estimated the crop evapotranspiration (ETc) and crop water requirement (CWR) for forage maize to be 416.4 mm and 404.3 mm, respectively. Additionally, the gross irrigation depth for full irrigation and deficit irrigation at 80% and 60% levels was calculated to be 403 mm, 386 mm, and 376 mm, respectively. These findings indicate that the model can accurately estimate crop water requirements and serve as an effective tool for optimizing irrigation practices. Given the growing limitations in water availability, it is recommended that further studies explore the integration of simulation models with various soil types, the impact of climate change, and the combined use of hydrological and soil models for comprehensive natural resource management.
Keywords
Crop irrigation requirement
FAO-Penman-Monteith
Irrigation management
Irrigation scheduling
Subjects
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Soil and Sustainable Development
Volume 1, Issue 2
Autumn 2025
Pages 157-173

  • Receive Date 01 July 2025
  • Revise Date 11 August 2025
  • Accept Date 19 August 2025
  • Publish Date 23 September 2025