Estimation of onion crop evapotranspiration and crop coefficients using weighing lysimeters and machine learning models in semi-arid region
摘要
Water scarcity is a significant challenge in Iran’s agricultural sector, particularly for onion (Allium cepa L.) cultivation, which is a vital crop for the country’s economy and diet. However, there is a lack of standardized data on onion evapotranspiration (ETc) in semi-arid conditions, making precise irrigation management difficult. To address this gap, a two-year field experiment was conducted at the Kooshkak Agricultural Research Station, Shiraz University, Iran to measure ETc using digital weighing lysimeters based on the water balance method and to develop predictive models using machine learning algorithms. The ETc of onion in the first and second years were 447.1 mm and 432.2 mm, respectively. Soil evaporation accounted for 36.6% and 32.8% of the total ETc in the first and second years, respectively. The average of single crop coefficient values for the initial, mid, and late growth stages across both years were 0.41, 0.68, and 0.51, respectively. Additionally, the basal crop coefficient values for the initial, mid, and late growth stages were 0.10, 0.51, and 0.37, respectively. To estimate