Impact analysis of moisture stress on growth and yield of cotton using DSSAT-CROPGRO-cotton model under semi-arid climate

• Published in: PeerJ (San Francisco, CA) Vol. 11; p. e16329
• Main Authors: Kumar, Rotash, Mishra, Sudhir Kumar, Singh, Kulvir, Al-Ashkar, Ibrahim, Iqbal, Muhammad Aamir, Muzamil, Muhammad Noor, Habib ur Rahman, Muhammad, El Sabagh, Ayman
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: San Diego PeerJ. Ltd 09-11-2023; PeerJ, Inc; PeerJ Inc
• Subjects: Abiotic stress; Agricultural production; Aquatic resources; Biomass; Climate; Climatic conditions; Cotton; Cotton industry; Crop yield; Crops; DSSAT-CROPGRO-cotton model; India; Irrigation; Leaf area; Moisture stress; Osmoprotectants; Physiology; Post sowing irrigation; Precipitation; Productivity; Rain; Rice; Seed cotton yield; Simulation; Soil moisture; Temperature; Water regimes; Water shortages; Water stress; India
• ISSN: 2167-8359; 2167-8359
• DOI: 10.7717/peerj.16329

Adequate soil moisture around the root zone of the crops is essential for optimal plant growth and productivity throughout the crop season, whereas excessive as well as deficient moisture is usually detrimental. A field experiment was conducted on cotton (Gossipium hirsuttum) with three water regimes (viz. well-watered (control); rainfed after one post-sowing irrigation (1-POSI) and rainfed after two post-sowing irrigations (2-POSI)) in main plots and application of eight osmoprotectants in sub plots of Split plot design to quantify the loss of seed cotton yield (SCY) under high and mild moisture stress. The DSSAT-CROPGRO-cotton model was calibrated to validate the response of cotton crop to water stress. Results elucidated that in comparison of well watered (control) crop, 1-POSI and 2-POSI reduced plant height by 13.5-28.4% and lower leaf area index (LAI) by 21.6-37.6%. Pooled analysis revealed that SCY under control was higher by 1,127 kg ha.sup.-1 over 1-POSI and 597 kg ha.sup.-1 than 2-POSI. The DSSAT-CROPGRO-cotton model fairly simulated the cotton yield as evidenced by good accuracy (d-stat [greater than or equal to] 0.92) along with lower root mean square error (RMSE) of [less than or equal to]183.2 kg ha.sup.-1 ; mean absolute percent error (MAPE) [less than or equal to]6.5% under different irrigation levels. Similarly, simulated and observed biomass also exhibited good agreement with [greater than or equal to]0.98 d-stat; [less than or equal to]533.7 kg ha.sup.-1 RMSE; and [less than or equal to]4.6% MAPE. The model accurately simulated the periodical LAI, biomass and soil water dynamics as affected by varying water regimes in conformity with periodical observations. Both the experimental and the simulated results confirmed the decline of SCY with any degree of water stress. Thus, a well calibrated DSSAT-CROPGRO-cotton model may be successfully used for estimating the crop performance under varying hydro-climatic conditions.