@article{fdi:010083898,
  title = {{P}erformance evaluation of the {WOFOST} model for estimating evapotranspiration, soil water content, grain yield and total above-ground biomass of winter wheat in {T}ensift {A}l {H}aouz ({M}orocco) : application to yield gap estimation},
  author = {{D}ewenam, {L}. {E}. {F}. and {E}r-{R}aki, {S}. and {E}zzahar, {J}. and {C}hehbouni, {A}bdelghani},
  editor = {},
  language = {{ENG}},
  abstract = {{T}he main goal of this investigation was to evaluate the potential of the {WOFOST} model for estimating leaf area index ({LAI}), actual evapotranspiration ({ET}a), soil moisture content ({SM}), above-ground biomass levels ({TAGP}) and grain yield ({TWSO}) of winter wheat in the semi-arid region of {T}ensift {A}l {H}aouz, {M}arrakech (central {M}orocco). {A}n application for the estimation of the {Y}ield {G}ap is also provided. {T}he model was firstly calibrated based on three fields data during the 2002-2003 and 2003-2004 growing seasons, by using the {WOFOST} implementation in the {P}ython {C}rop simulation {E}nvironment ({PCSE}) to optimize the different parameters that provide the minimum difference between the measured and simulated {LAI}, {TAGP}, {TWSO}, {SM} and {ET}a. {T}hen, the model validation was performed based on the data from five other wheat fields. {T}he results obtained showed a good performance of the {WOFOST} model for the estimation of {LAI} during both growing seasons on all validation fields. {T}he average {R}-2, {RSME} and {NRMSE} were 91.4%, 0.57 m(2)/m(2), and 41.4%, respectively. {T}he simulated {ET}a dynamics also showed a good agreement with the observations by eddy covariance systems. {V}alues of 60% and 72% for {R}-2, 0.8 mm and 0.7 mm for {RMSE}, 54% and 31% for {NRMSE} are found for the two validation fields, respectively. {T}he model's ability to predict soil moisture content was also found to be satisfactory; the two validation fields gave {R}-2 values equal to 48% and 49%, {RMSE} values equal to 0.03 cm(3)/cm(3) and 0.05 cm(3)/cm(3), {NRMSE} values equal to 11% and 19%. {T}he calibrated model had a medium performance with respect to the simulation of {TWSO} ({R}-2 = 42%, {RSME} = 512 kg/ha, {NRMSE} = 19%) and {TAGP} ({R}-2 = 34% and {RSME} = 936 kg/ha, {NRMSE} = 16%). {A}fter accurate calibration and validation of the {WOFOST} model, it was used for analyzing the gap yield since this model is able to estimate the potential yield. {T}he {WOFOST} model allowed a good simulation of the potential yield (7.75 t/ha) which is close to the optimum value of 6.270 t/ha in the region. {Y}ield gap analysis reveals a difference of 5.35 t/ha on average between the observed yields and the potential yields calculated by {WOFOST}. {S}uch difference is ascribable to many factors such as the crop cycle management, agricultural practices such as water and fertilization supply levels, etc. {T}he various simulations (irrigation scenarios) showed that early sowing is more adequate than late sowing in saving water and obtaining adequate grain yield. {B}ased on various simulations, it has been shown that the early sowing (mid to late {D}ecember) is more adequate than late sowing with a total amount of water supply of about 430 mm and 322 kg (140 kg of {N}, 80 kg of {P} and 102 kg of {K}) of fertilization to achieve the potential yield. {C}onsequently, the {WOFOST} model can be considered as a suitable tool for quantitative monitoring of winter wheat growth in the arid and semi-arid regions.},
  keywords = {crop modelling ; {WOFOST} ; {T}ensift {M}orocco ; evapotranspiration ; crop yield ; estimation ; soil moisture ; leaf area index ; total biomass ; winter wheat ; gap yield ; {MAROC} ; {ZONE} {ARIDE} ; {ZONE} {SEMIARIDE} ; {TENSIFT} {AL} {HAOUZ}},
  booktitle = {},
  journal = {{A}gronomy},
  volume = {11},
  numero = {12},
  pages = {2480 [23 p.]},
  year = {2021},
  DOI = {10.3390/agronomy11122480},
  URL = {https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/fdi:010083898},
}