Evaluation of AquaCrop model of cucumber under greenhouse cultivation

• Published in: The Journal of agricultural science 2020-12, Vol.158 (10), p.845-854
• Main Authors: Khafajeh, H., Banakar, A., Minaei, S., Delavar, M.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Agricultural production; Agriculture; Carbon dioxide; Climate change; Control systems; Control systems design; Crop growth; Crop management; Crop production; Crop yield; Crops; Crops and Soils Research Paper; Cucumbers; Environmental conditions; Environmental control; Environmental management; Evaluation; Evapotranspiration; Farm buildings; Fuzzy control; Fuzzy logic; Fuzzy sets; Fuzzy systems; Greenhouses; Growth models; Humidity; Hydroponics; Irrigation; Irrigation requirements; Leaf area; Leaf area index; Light intensity; Linguistics; Luminous intensity; Management decisions; Plant growth; Relative humidity; Sensors; Simulation; Soil water; Soils; Temperature requirements; Water consumption; Water management
• ISSN: 0021-8596; 1469-5146
• DOI: 10.1017/S0021859621000472

Water consumption in agriculture is impossible without considering relations between water, soil and plant. In this regard, there are various models and developed software in order to evaluate relation between soil, water and crop growth stages. These models can be used for irrigation planning if properly optimized and applied. AquaCrop is one of the known crop models, which was developed by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. In order to optimize this model for crop production and irrigation management, an experiment was developed in a hydroponic cucumber greenhouse. Various parameters including water consumption volume, crop yield and leaf area index were measured during a season. A fuzzy control system was utilized for controlling temperature, relative humidity, planting bed moisture, light intensity and carbon dioxide values. The main purpose of designing a control system in the greenhouse is to achieve the desired values of temperature and relative humidity. In this model, evapotranspiration, irrigation requirements and crop yield were simulated. The results show that the AquaCrop model can estimate evapotranspiration with the least error in the greenhouse environment, which is controlled by a fuzzy controller. Also the system has estimated the crop yield and biomass of the product with a good degree of precision and it may support crop production in a greenhouse, including crop management and environmental control.