Development of a soil wetting pattern estimation model for drip irrigation

Abstract Accurately estimating the soil wetting pattern that closely reflects measured value can improve water use efficiency for drip irrigation. Ignoring effect of initial content on affects accuracy estimated results to a certain extent. This research aimed develop estimation model irrigation included four easily measurable parameters (i.e., content, saturated hydraulic conductivity, total volume applied water, and emitter discharge rate) based dimensional analysis theory. In this study, front advance data 12 typical textures were obtained in Hydrus-2D/3D. The values then compared with or simulated values. For different experiments, mean absolute error, root square relative error varied from 2.77 4.69 cm, 6.20 10.61 5.61% 10.51%, respectively. Compared existing models, proposed was more consistent between Therefore, study is efficient simple, which help accurately estimate variety textures.