IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/agiwat/v312y2025ics037837742500157x.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Optimizing sowing date, fertilization, and irrigation strategies for winter wheat in Tensift Al Haouz (Morocco) using the DSSAT-CERES-wheat model

Author

Listed:
  • Ech-chatir, Lahoucine
  • Er-Raki, Salah
  • Rodriguez, Julio Cesar
  • Meddich, Abdelilah
  • Chehbouni, Abdelghani

Abstract

Countering poor wheat management holds tremendous potential for yield improvement. An increasing number of researchers are combining field experiments and crop models for management investigation. This study aimed to evaluate the performance of the DSSAT-CERES-Wheat model in simulating phenological stages, yield, biomass, evapotranspiration (ETa), and total soil water (TSW) and to identify the best sowing date (SD), irrigation, and fertilization scenarios for flood-irrigated winter wheat. The model was first calibrated on two wheat fields and then validated on four other fields using observed data from a flood-irrigated semi-arid area over two consecutive growing seasons (2002/2003 and 2003/2004). The model performed well during calibration and provided acceptable results during validation, with a root mean square error (RMSE) and index of agreement (d) of 4.74 days (0.69) for anthesis date, 2.12 days (0.98) for maturity date, 878 kg/ha (0.52) for yield, 1.17 mm/day (0.71) for ETa and 29.91 mm (0.71) for TSW respectively in validation. Mean Absolute Error (MAE) also showed acceptable performance of the model. Simulation of SD, irrigation, and fertilization scenarios over 30 years revealed that maximum yield was obtained with late sowing, irrigation when soil moisture was kept over 50 % of available water capacity (4.6 t/ha for irrigated wheat) and when sowing occurred on December 15 for rainfed wheat. The application of 300 kg N/ha resulted in the highest yield (11.6 t/ha) and the highest water use efficiency (WUE) (2.04 kg/m3). A comparison of the simulated yield and WUE with the experimental values revealed a significant increase, confirming the importance of irrigation scheduling based on soil moisture depletion and the adjustment of SD and nitrogen rate in maximizing yield and WUE in semi-arid regions. Once validated through field experiments, model simulations could serve as a basis for efficient management of crops and resources.

Suggested Citation

  • Ech-chatir, Lahoucine & Er-Raki, Salah & Rodriguez, Julio Cesar & Meddich, Abdelilah & Chehbouni, Abdelghani, 2025. "Optimizing sowing date, fertilization, and irrigation strategies for winter wheat in Tensift Al Haouz (Morocco) using the DSSAT-CERES-wheat model," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 312(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:agiwat:v:312:y:2025:i:c:s037837742500157x
    DOI: 10.1016/j.agwat.2025.109443
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S037837742500157X
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.agwat.2025.109443?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to

    for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Aboudrare, A. & Debaeke, P. & Bouaziz, A. & Chekli, H., 2006. "Effects of soil tillage and fallow management on soil water storage and sunflower production in a semi-arid Mediterranean climate," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 83(3), pages 183-196, June.
    2. Duchemin, B. & Hadria, R. & Erraki, S. & Boulet, G. & Maisongrande, P. & Chehbouni, A. & Escadafal, R. & Ezzahar, J. & Hoedjes, J.C.B. & Kharrou, M.H. & Khabba, S. & Mougenot, B. & Olioso, A. & Rodrig, 2006. "Monitoring wheat phenology and irrigation in Central Morocco: On the use of relationships between evapotranspiration, crops coefficients, leaf area index and remotely-sensed vegetation indices," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 79(1), pages 1-27, January.
    3. Er-Raki, S. & Ezzahar, J. & Merlin, O. & Amazirh, A. & Hssaine, B. Ait & Kharrou, M.H. & Khabba, S. & Chehbouni, A., 2021. "Performance of the HYDRUS-1D model for water balance components assessment of irrigated winter wheat under different water managements in semi-arid region of Morocco," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 244(C).
    4. Si, Zhuanyun & Zain, Muhammad & Li, Shuang & Liu, Junming & Liang, Yueping & Gao, Yang & Duan, Aiwang, 2021. "Optimizing nitrogen application for drip-irrigated winter wheat using the DSSAT-CERES-Wheat model," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 244(C).
    5. Yingnan Wei & Han Ru & Xiaolan Leng & Zhijian He & Olusola O. Ayantobo & Tehseen Javed & Ning Yao, 2022. "Better Performance of the Modified CERES-Wheat Model in Simulating Evapotranspiration and Wheat Growth under Water Stress Conditions," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 12(11), pages 1-15, November.
    6. Yao, Ning & Wei, Yingnan & Jiang, Kunhao & Liu, Jian & Li, Yi & Ran, Hui & Javed, Tehseen & Feng, Hao & Yu, Qiang & He, Jianqiang, 2025. "Nonlinear water stress response functions can improve the performance of the DSSAT-CERES-Wheat model under water deficit conditions," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 307(C).
    7. Yang, Cuiping & Liu, Changhong & Liu, Yanxin & Gao, Yunhe & Xing, Xuguang & Ma, Xiaoyi, 2024. "Prediction of drought trigger thresholds for future winter wheat yield losses in China based on the DSSAT-CERES-Wheat model and Copula conditional probabilities," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 299(C).
    8. Wang, Yue & Jiang, Kongtao & Shen, Hongzheng & Wang, Nan & Liu, Ruizhe & Wu, Jiujiang & Ma, Xiaoyi, 2023. "Decision-making method for maize irrigation in supplementary irrigation areas based on the DSSAT model and a genetic algorithm," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 280(C).
    9. Toumi, J. & Er-Raki, S. & Ezzahar, J. & Khabba, S. & Jarlan, L. & Chehbouni, A., 2016. "Performance assessment of AquaCrop model for estimating evapotranspiration, soil water content and grain yield of winter wheat in Tensift Al Haouz (Morocco): Application to irrigation management," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 163(C), pages 219-235.
    10. Malik, Wafa & Dechmi, Farida, 2019. "DSSAT modelling for best irrigation management practices assessment under Mediterranean conditions," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 216(C), pages 27-43.
    11. Ishaque, Wajid & Osman, Raheel & Hafiza, Barira Shoukat & Malghani, Saadatullah & Zhao, Ben & Xu, Ming & Ata-Ul-Karim, Syed Tahir, 2023. "Quantifying the impacts of climate change on wheat phenology, yield, and evapotranspiration under irrigated and rainfed conditions," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 275(C).
    12. Kang, Shaozhong & Zhang, Lu & Liang, Yinli & Hu, Xiaotao & Cai, Huanjie & Gu, Binjie, 2002. "Effects of limited irrigation on yield and water use efficiency of winter wheat in the Loess Plateau of China," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 55(3), pages 203-216, June.
    13. Jiang, Yiwen & Zhang, Lanhui & Zhang, Baoqing & He, Chansheng & Jin, Xin & Bai, Xiao, 2016. "Modeling irrigation management for water conservation by DSSAT-maize model in arid northwestern China," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 177(C), pages 37-45.
    14. Jing, Qi & McConkey, Brian & Qian, Budong & Smith, Ward & Grant, Brian & Shang, Jiali & Liu, Jiangui & Bindraban, Prem & Luce, Mervin St., 2021. "Assessing water management effects on spring wheat yield in the Canadian Prairies using DSSAT wheat models," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 244(C).
    15. Er-Raki, S. & Chehbouni, A. & Guemouria, N. & Duchemin, B. & Ezzahar, J. & Hadria, R., 2007. "Combining FAO-56 model and ground-based remote sensing to estimate water consumptions of wheat crops in a semi-arid region," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 87(1), pages 41-54, January.
    16. Ahmed, Mukhtar & Bilal, Muhammad & Ahmad, Shakeel, 2024. "Simulation of source sink partitioning in wheat under varying nitrogen regimes using DSSAT-CERES-wheat model," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 303(C).
    17. Ding, Zheli & Ali, Esmat F. & Elmahdy, Ahmed M. & Ragab, Khaled E. & Seleiman, Mahmoud F. & Kheir, Ahmed M.S., 2021. "Modeling the combined impacts of deficit irrigation, rising temperature and compost application on wheat yield and water productivity," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 244(C).
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Bouswir, Zaineb & Er-Raki, Salah & Khabba, Saïd & Ezzahar, Jamal & Ait Ben ahmed, Hiba & Rafi, Zoubair & Chehbouni, Abdelghani, 2025. "Assessment of SIMDualKc model for irrigation scheduling of winter wheat in the Haouz plain, Morocco," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 312(C).
    2. Aouade, G. & Ezzahar, J. & Amenzou, N. & Er-Raki, S. & Benkaddour, A. & Khabba, S. & Jarlan, L., 2016. "Combining stable isotopes, Eddy Covariance system and meteorological measurements for partitioning evapotranspiration, of winter wheat, into soil evaporation and plant transpiration in a semi-arid reg," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 177(C), pages 181-192.
    3. Er-Raki, S. & Ezzahar, J. & Merlin, O. & Amazirh, A. & Hssaine, B. Ait & Kharrou, M.H. & Khabba, S. & Chehbouni, A., 2021. "Performance of the HYDRUS-1D model for water balance components assessment of irrigated winter wheat under different water managements in semi-arid region of Morocco," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 244(C).
    4. Hadria, R. & Duchemin, B. & Baup, F. & Le Toan, T. & Bouvet, A. & Dedieu, G. & Le Page, M., 2009. "Combined use of optical and radar satellite data for the detection of tillage and irrigation operations: Case study in Central Morocco," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 96(7), pages 1120-1127, July.
    5. Diarra, A. & Jarlan, L. & Er-Raki, S. & Le Page, M. & Aouade, G. & Tavernier, A. & Boulet, G. & Ezzahar, J. & Merlin, O. & Khabba, S., 2017. "Performance of the two-source energy budget (TSEB) model for the monitoring of evapotranspiration over irrigated annual crops in North Africa," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 193(C), pages 71-88.
    6. Yao, Ning & Wei, Yingnan & Jiang, Kunhao & Liu, Jian & Li, Yi & Ran, Hui & Javed, Tehseen & Feng, Hao & Yu, Qiang & He, Jianqiang, 2025. "Nonlinear water stress response functions can improve the performance of the DSSAT-CERES-Wheat model under water deficit conditions," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 307(C).
    7. Olivera-Guerra, Luis & Merlin, Olivier & Er-Raki, Salah & Khabba, Saïd & Escorihuela, Maria Jose, 2018. "Estimating the water budget components of irrigated crops: Combining the FAO-56 dual crop coefficient with surface temperature and vegetation index data," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 208(C), pages 120-131.
    8. Elfarkh, Jamal & Simonneaux, Vincent & Jarlan, Lionel & Ezzahar, Jamal & Boulet, Gilles & Chakir, Adnane & Er-Raki, Salah, 2022. "Evapotranspiration estimates in a traditional irrigated area in semi-arid Mediterranean. Comparison of four remote sensing-based models," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 270(C).
    9. He, Gang & Wang, Zhaohui & Li, Fucui & Dai, Jian & Li, Qiang & Xue, Cheng & Cao, Hanbing & Wang, Sen & Malhi, Sukhdev S., 2016. "Soil water storage and winter wheat productivity affected by soil surface management and precipitation in dryland of the Loess Plateau, China," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 171(C), pages 1-9.
    10. Mohamed Kharrou & Michel Le Page & Ahmed Chehbouni & Vincent Simonneaux & Salah Er-Raki & Lionel Jarlan & Lahcen Ouzine & Said Khabba & Ghani Chehbouni, 2013. "Assessment of Equity and Adequacy of Water Delivery in Irrigation Systems Using Remote Sensing-Based Indicators in Semi-Arid Region, Morocco," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 27(13), pages 4697-4714, October.
    11. Pereira, L.S. & Paredes, P. & Hunsaker, D.J. & López-Urrea, R. & Mohammadi Shad, Z., 2021. "Standard single and basal crop coefficients for field crops. Updates and advances to the FAO56 crop water requirements method," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 243(C).
    12. Sara, Ourrai & Bouchra, Aithssaine & Abdelhakim, Amazirh & Salah, Er-RAKI & Lhoussaine, Bouchaou & Frederic, Jacob & Abdelghani, Chehbouni, 2024. "Assessment of the modified two-source energy balance (TSEB) model for estimating evapotranspiration and its components over an irrigated olive orchard in Morocco," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 298(C).
    13. Ouaadi, Nadia & Jarlan, Lionel & Khabba, Saïd & Le Page, Michel & Chakir, Adnane & Er-Raki, Salah & Frison, Pierre-Louis, 2023. "Are the C-band backscattering coefficient and interferometric coherence suitable substitutes of NDVI for the monitoring of the FAO-56 crop coefficient?," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 282(C).
    14. Toumi, J. & Er-Raki, S. & Ezzahar, J. & Khabba, S. & Jarlan, L. & Chehbouni, A., 2016. "Performance assessment of AquaCrop model for estimating evapotranspiration, soil water content and grain yield of winter wheat in Tensift Al Haouz (Morocco): Application to irrigation management," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 163(C), pages 219-235.
    15. Campos, Isidro & Neale, Christopher M.U. & Calera, Alfonso & Balbontín, Claudio & González-Piqueras, Jose, 2010. "Assessing satellite-based basal crop coefficients for irrigated grapes (Vitis vinifera L.)," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 98(1), pages 45-54, December.
    16. Shoukat, Muhammad Rizwan & Wang, Jingjing & Habib-ur-Rahman, Muhammad & Hui, Xin & Hoogenboom, Gerrit & Yan, Haijun, 2024. "Adaptation strategies for winter wheat production at farmer fields under a changing climate: Employing crop and multiple global climate models," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 220(C).
    17. Zhang, Chao & Liu, Jiangui & Shang, Jiali & Dong, Taifeng & Tang, Min & Feng, Shaoyuan & Cai, Huanjie, 2021. "Improving winter wheat biomass and evapotranspiration simulation by assimilating leaf area index from spectral information into a crop growth model," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 255(C).
    18. Carpintero, E. & Mateos, L. & Andreu, A. & González-Dugo, M.P., 2020. "Effect of the differences in spectral response of Mediterranean tree canopies on the estimation of evapotranspiration using vegetation index-based crop coefficients," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 238(C).
    19. Campos, Isidro & Neale, Christopher M.U. & Suyker, Andrew E. & Arkebauer, Timothy J. & Gonçalves, Ivo Z., 2017. "Reflectance-based crop coefficients REDUX: For operational evapotranspiration estimates in the age of high producing hybrid varieties," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 187(C), pages 140-153.
    20. Kheir, Ahmed M.S. & Alrajhi, Abdullah A. & Ghoneim, Adel M. & Ali, Esmat F. & Magrashi, Ali & Zoghdan, Medhat G. & Abdelkhalik, Sedhom A.M. & Fahmy, Ahmed E. & Elnashar, Abdelrazek, 2021. "Modeling deficit irrigation-based evapotranspiration optimizes wheat yield and water productivity in arid regions," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 256(C).

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:agiwat:v:312:y:2025:i:c:s037837742500157x. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/locate/agwat .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.