Validation of Aquacrop Model for various deficit irrigation schedules in Maize hybrid

Field experiments were conducted at Agricultural College and Research Institute, TNAU, Madurai during summer 2017 and 2018 with different deficit irrigation treatments. The experiment was laid out in randomized block design, and replicated thrice under sandy clay loam soil. Experiments consisted of eleven treatments through drip system based on PE and ETc approach viz., regulated deficit irrigation (RDI) at 80 and 60 percent (T2 to T5), alternate deficit irrigations (ADI) at 80 and 60 per cent (T6 and T7), critical stage-based deficits (T8 to T11) and conventional drip irrigation (CDI) at IW/CPE of 0.75 (T1) for comparison. The test crop of CO(M)H-6, maize hybrid was used. Aquacrop model simulated and observed grain and biomass yield with water use efficiency (WUE). The validation efficiency of Aquacrop was tested by the statistical measures such as root mean square error (RMSE), normalised mean square error (NRMSE), Bias (BIAS), coefficient of determination (R2) and index of agreement (D)