The objectives of this paper are twofold: (i) to calibrate and validate the PILOTEN crop model for tomato ( Solanum lycopersicum L.), and (ii) to use the model to examine the response of tomato yield to different irrigation and fertilization scheduling scenarios under varying climatic conditions in order to draw up management recommendations for smallholder farms. The calibration and validation were performed by using data col...

A new optimization framework is presented which is able to identify optimal solutions for maximum profit design of subsurface drip irrigation (SDI) systems under limited supply. To solve this complex optimization problem, decomposition is used which splits the problem into three sub‐problems: (i) optimal irrigation control, which maximizes water distribution uniformity and minimizes percolation losses; (ii) optimal irrigation...

Models simulating the effects of water stress on crop growth can be valuable tools for improving water management. PILOTE, an operative crop model, and CropSyst, a more sophisticated one, are compared on the basis of the simulation of silage maize ( Zea maize L.) growth for 2 years (2009–2010) under different water supply regimes in the semi‐arid climate of Tadla (Morocco). Both based on Beer's law via the intercepted potentia...

The precise estimation of water demand at large‐scale irrigation perimeters is a key requirement for water management. Most methods for estimating water demand use biophysical models and cropping patterns but do not account for the wide range of actual farming practices. As a result, these methods only allow estimation of theoretical water demand. The objective of this study was to analyze different methods for evaluating irri...

Direct seeding into mulch (DSM) is a cropping system that is increasingly used in the world. The major concern among producers is the possible yield penalties associated with DSM compared to conventional tillage (CT). The aim of our study was to assess the effects of DSM on the yields of corn, sorghum and durum wheat, as well as water use efficiency (WUE) and nitrogen dynamics. An experimental study was carried out at the Lava...