Simulation models may be helpful for assessing the impacts of irrigation water stress in crop yield. This research focuses on the assessment of the ability of the AquaCrop model to simulate yield of mango under full and deficit irrigation [regular deficit irrigation [(RDI) and partial root zone drying irrigation (PRD)] in the semi-arid regions of Egypt. The validation of simulation program was performed using the results of experiments mango field in 2019 and 2020 seasons. Results indicated that the yield increased significantly with increase in the total amount of irrigation water applied except PRD 75% treatment where yield increased in season 2019 and 2020. Treatment of PRD 75% gave the highest values of fruit yield 11.35 and 16.56 t/ha as compared with the control (full irrigation) in both seasons (2019-2020), respectively. Statistical comparisons of measured and simulated yield data showed that R2 ranged from 0.75 to 0.82, RMSE values were lower and ranged from 0.03 to 1.10 t/ha and index of agreement (D) for yield closer to 1 in the tow seasons (2019-2020). In conclusion, the AquaCrop software was able to simulate well mango yield under full and deficit irrigation in the semi-arid regions of Egypt.
Keywords: Simulation, Aquacrop, model, mango, yield.