Assessment of AquaCrop, WOFOST and CropSyst models for Estimating Sugar Beet Yield under Water Deficit Conditions

Sugar beet is one of the most important agricultural crops and its yield depends on irrigation water. Due to the impossibility of assessing the effect of all water amount strategies on sugar beet yield, it is necessary to use crop models such as WOFOST, AquaCrop and Cropsyst. In order to achieve this goal, a set of data collected from Shahrekord’s Agricultural Research Station were used. Treatments consisted of irrigation water amount (in five levels: E0: 100%, E1: 85%, E2: 70%, E3: 55%, and E4: 30%) based on crop evapotranspiration in different growth stages (T1: initial, T2: T2: mid-season, and T3: late season). The values of RMSE statistical criteria for the results of AquaCrop, WOFOST and CropSyst simulation were equal to 0.57, 0.68, and 0.26 ton.ha-1, respectively. NRMSE results were also obtained to be 0.11, 0.13, and 0.05 ton.ha-1 for the mentioned crop mpdels, respectively. The results of the EF criteria revealed that CropSyst (0.91) had better efficiency, as compared to AquaCrop (0.62) and WOFOST (0.47). Regarding the results, it is suggested to use CropSyst to simulate sugar beet yield in similar conditions.