An application of agrometeorology: irrigation water management in maize

Irrimanager is a model for simulation and evaluation of irrigation scheduling. The model performs the soil water balance and it is a multi-modal service because the irrigation advice can be in a internet (web page)or mobile way (txt). This thesis reports on the use and validation of the model using independent data sets relative to meteorological data and phenological observation in order to validate in particular the last information given by the model to help the farmers. Version 1.1 and version 1.2 were used in maize crop in the Veneto Region. Meteorological data's analysis demonstrated at local area the same climate change of the global area and in particular the anomalous trend of the precipitation during the summer season which made the crops more needed of water to avoid the losses caused by stress management. On the other hand the phenological observations, coming from a Network in the Veneto region, were used analyse the answer of the crops to the climate change In fact, starting from these both records available meteorological and phenological data, the validation of was carried out in 2006 and 2007, comparing simulated values of soil moisture and henological stages with the measured ones. The validation of the model was performed also using an arid scenario: maize crop in Victoria, West Australia, in 2007, comparing the output with that ones coming from a similar easy water balance model, created by the Department of Primary Industry of Kyabram. The results showed the good performances of the model in Legnaro in 2006 with both versions and also in Australia, not significant correlation was founded in Legnaro in 2007 with last version. These results support the importance how the agrometeorology science, multidisciplinary science, can play a fundamental role in the modern agriculture