Simulation of Influence on Date of Sowing and Irrigation Levels on Grain Yield of Wheat using DSSAT-Model in Different Agroclimatic Zones of Uttar Pradesh, India

Abstract

The CERES Wheat (V4.6) Simulation Model was calibrated and validated using experimental field data collected on phenology, yield and yield attributes of ruling cultivars of wheat under FASAL (Forecasting Agricultural output using Space, Agro meteorology and Land base observation) scheme during the winter (rabi) seasons of 2012-13 to 2015-16 at Faizabad, Modipuram, Kanpur, Allahabad and Varanasi AMFUs (Agrometeorological Field Units) of Uttar Pradesh under irrigated condition with the objective to study the growth and yield of wheat at different sowing dates and irrigation levels and to simulate trends of wheat production. The genetic coefficient derived from the calibration of the CERES-Wheat Model for both varieties PBW-343 and Malviya-234 were reasonably very close to observed yield. Therefore, the model as used for evaluation of sowing date and irrigation level in wheat crop. The model was run for six sowing dates on seven days interval i.e.30 October, 06, 13, 22 & 27 November and 5 December and increasing level of (five) irrigations. Simulation studies depicts that the model performance was good under three (I3) and four (I4) irrigation level , after five (I5) irrigation yields are same as I4 in most of the districts of different agro climatic zone while poor performance was observed under two (I2) and one (I1) irrigation level. Wheat yield was also simulated at different sowing dates, results shows that 22 November is the optimum sowing date for Bundelkhand, Central Plain, Eastern Plain, NE Plain and Vindhyan zone and 13 November for Mid western Plain, SW Plain, Bhabhara & Tarai and Western plain zone while less yield was observed in early and late sowing.