AquaCrop Model Evaluation for Winter Wheat under Different Irrigation Management Strategies: A Case Study on the North China Plain

The North China Plain (NCP) produces about half of the winter wheat yield in China; therefore, it is essential to improve grain yield, biomass, and water productivity (WP) under current shortage conditions this area. In study, AquaCrop model was used for calibrating validating crop canopy cover, soil content, evapotranspiration (ETC), WP an irrigation scheduling 50%, 60%, 70% field capacities with sprinkler irrigation, drip flood methods crop. calibrated employing experimental data 2016–2017 season and, subsequently, validated using from 2017–2018. performance analyzed root-mean-square error (RMSE), normalized (NRMSE), coefficient determination (R2), Willmott’s index agreement (d). prediction between simulated observed values ETC, were minimum at a 60% capacity maximum 50% scheduling. simulation satisfactory scheduling, while relatively low Irrigation 4–5 times 30 mm depth (total 120–150 mm) by most effective schedule obtain optimum on NCP. Our findings suggest that could be feasible tool precisely simulating different schedules NCP higher certainty than practices.