Articles
Recalibration and validation of VegSyst model for soil-grown greenhouse tomato cultivated in Uruguay
Article number
1425_9
Pages
63 – 70
Language
English
Abstract
The VegSyst simulation model has been developed for use in an on-farm decision support system (DSS) to estimate crop nitrogen (N) and irrigation requirements of different vegetable crops in the Mediterranean Basin.
VegSyst simulates dry matter production (DMP), crop N uptake and crop evapotranspiration (ETc). Then it was adapted to simulate also daily uptake of K, P, Ca and Mg.
The only inputs are readily available daily climatic data of air temperature, solar radiation and roof transmissivity, plus the dates of the crop.
In this study, VegSyst V3 was calibrated and validated for greenhouse tomato cultivated on soil in Uruguay (South America) in autumn and spring seasons.
Five tomato crops, three autumn and two spring crops grown in seasons 2019, 2020 and 2021, were used for model calibration (Spring-19 and Autumn-20) and validation (Autumn-19, Autumn-21 and Spring-21). Even though the model is driven by thermal time, different calibration was necessary for the autumn and spring growing seasons due to differences in solar radiation and relationship between cumulative thermal time (CTT) and cumulative solar radiation for a given CTT. The major change introduced into the existing VegSyst model was the substitution of Penman-Monteith equation adapted for Mediterranean-type greenhouses and the Almeria Radiation equation calibrated for southeastern Spain by Hargreaves equation adapted to plastic greenhouses.
Recalibrated VegSyst accurately simulated crop biomass production, ETc, crop N and K uptake over time for both, autumn and spring cycles according to statistical indices.
The performance of the model to simulate ETc was very good, even better than DMP and nutrient uptake.
A decision support system based on recalibrated VegSyst model will be developed to assist farmers and advisers in daily calculation of irrigation and nutrient concentration; aiming to improve crop yield, water and nutrient use efficiency and reduce environmental burden.
VegSyst simulates dry matter production (DMP), crop N uptake and crop evapotranspiration (ETc). Then it was adapted to simulate also daily uptake of K, P, Ca and Mg.
The only inputs are readily available daily climatic data of air temperature, solar radiation and roof transmissivity, plus the dates of the crop.
In this study, VegSyst V3 was calibrated and validated for greenhouse tomato cultivated on soil in Uruguay (South America) in autumn and spring seasons.
Five tomato crops, three autumn and two spring crops grown in seasons 2019, 2020 and 2021, were used for model calibration (Spring-19 and Autumn-20) and validation (Autumn-19, Autumn-21 and Spring-21). Even though the model is driven by thermal time, different calibration was necessary for the autumn and spring growing seasons due to differences in solar radiation and relationship between cumulative thermal time (CTT) and cumulative solar radiation for a given CTT. The major change introduced into the existing VegSyst model was the substitution of Penman-Monteith equation adapted for Mediterranean-type greenhouses and the Almeria Radiation equation calibrated for southeastern Spain by Hargreaves equation adapted to plastic greenhouses.
Recalibrated VegSyst accurately simulated crop biomass production, ETc, crop N and K uptake over time for both, autumn and spring cycles according to statistical indices.
The performance of the model to simulate ETc was very good, even better than DMP and nutrient uptake.
A decision support system based on recalibrated VegSyst model will be developed to assist farmers and advisers in daily calculation of irrigation and nutrient concentration; aiming to improve crop yield, water and nutrient use efficiency and reduce environmental burden.
Authors
C. Berrueta, R. Grasso, C. García, M. Gallardo
Keywords
Solanum lycopersicum, nitrogen uptake, potassium uptake, crop evapotranspiration, modeling
Groups involved
- Division Plant-Environment Interactions in Field Systems
- Division Precision Horticulture and Engineering
- Working Group Modelling in Fruit Research and Orchard Management
- Working Group Modelling Plant Growth, Environmental Control, Greenhouse Environment
- Division Greenhouse and Indoor Production Horticulture
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