Agro-economic simulation for day by day irrigation scheduling optimisation

• Published in: Agricultural water management 2021-04, Vol.248, p.106761, Article 106761
• Main Authors: Galioto, Francesco, Battilani, Adriano
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Agro-economic crop simulation models; Dynamic optimization; Irrigation scheduling
• ISSN: 0378-3774; 1873-2283
• DOI: 10.1016/j.agwat.2021.106761

In this paper, we develop an agro-economic model to plan irrigation interventions. Specifically, we set up an economic optimization model that incorporates typical crop-soil-water physical relationships. The approach described in the paper offers a straightforward estimating procedure that allows to shift from the conventional maximum yield paradigm to drive the irrigation advice to a gross income maximization paradigm. The paper focuses on analyzing the very first implication of such approach at the crop level, explaining the way how irrigation costs contribute influencing the irrigation advice. An empirical example is provided to show the procedure used to nest the developed method into an existing crop-water model and to show its practical implication on the irrigation advise. A discussion follows on what the described approach differs from other recent approaches developed in the field of irrigation scheduling and on how the scope of application of the method can be extended beyond the farm level. The paper concludes highlighting pitfall and suggesting possible solution to further improve the quality of the irrigation advise. •In this paper, we develop an agro-economic model to plan irrigation interventions.•The model drives the irrigation advice on the basis of profit maximization paradigm.•The paper focus on explaining the way how irrigation costs contribute influencing the irrigation advice.•A simulation example is provided to show the procedure used and its practical implication on the irrigation advise.•A discussion follows on how the scope of application of the method can be extended beyond the farm level.