Xiao et al. (2026) Simulation of crop water use of drip-irrigated summer soybean using the SIMDual_Kc model: A case study from Southern Xinjiang, China

Identification

• Journal: Agricultural Water Management
• Year: 2026
• Date: 2026-07-14
• Authors: Yangsong Xiao, Qifeng Wu, Fuchang Jiang, Yi Li, Zhaoxu Han, Baoqin Jiao, Guodong Wang, Shoutian Ma, Xingpeng Wang
• DOI: 10.1016/j.agwat.2026.110627

Research Groups

• Key Laboratory of Comprehensive Utilization of Saline-Alkali Land, Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps, College of Hydraulic and Architectural Engineering, Tarim University
• Key Laboratory of Tarim Oasis Agriculture, Ministry of Education, Tarim University
• Key Laboratory of Northwest Oasis Water-Saving Agriculture, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs
• Institute of Farmland Water Conservancy and Soil-Fertilizer, Xinjiang Academy of Agricultural and Reclamation Science
• Institute of Farmland Irrigation, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences

Short Summary

This study evaluates the applicability and simulation performance of the SIMDualKc model in estimating soil water balance, soil evaporation (E), crop transpiration (T), and evapotranspiration (ETc) of drip-irrigated summer soybean in southern Xinjiang. The results show that the SIMDualKc model can accurately simulate soil water balance and evapotranspiration components of summer soybean.

Objective

• Evaluate the applicability and accuracy of the SIMDual_Kc model for simulating soil water balance, soil evaporation (E), crop transpiration (T), and evapotranspiration (ETc) of drip-irrigated summer soybean in southern Xinjiang.
• Characterize variations in crop coefficients and evapotranspiration components.

Study Configuration

• Spatial Scale: Southern Xinjiang region, China
• Temporal Scale: Two-year field experiment (2024–2025)

Methodology and Data

• Models used: SIMDual_Kc model
• Data sources: Field observations of meteorological, soil moisture, and crop growth data

Main Results

• The coefficients of determination (R2) between observed and simulated values ranged from 0.626 to 0.997 for soil evaporation, 0.857 to 0.997 for evapotranspiration, and 0.957 to 0.997 for transpiration.
• The index of agreement (d) ranged from 0.873 to 0.943 for soil moisture dynamics, 0.408 to 0.787 for soil evaporation, and 0.891 to 0.963 for evapotranspiration.
• The root mean square error (RMSE) ranged from 0.014 to 0.023 m3⋅m−3 for soil moisture content, 0.369 to 0.914 mm⋅d−1 for soil evaporation, and 3.549 to 17.478 mm for evapotranspiration.

Contributions

• This study provides a scientific basis for optimizing irrigation strategies and improving water use efficiency of summer soybean in arid regions.
• The SIMDual_Kc model can accurately simulate soil water balance and evapotranspiration components of summer soybean, exhibiting good applicability and stability.

Funding

• This research was funded by the Key Laboratory of Comprehensive Utilization of Saline-Alkali Land, Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps.

Citation

@article{Xiao2026Simulation,
  author = {Xiao, Yangsong and Wu, Qifeng and Jiang, Fuchang and Li, Yi and Han, Zhaoxu and Jiao, Baoqin and Wang, Guodong and Ma, Shoutian and Wang, Xingpeng},
  title = {Simulation of crop water use of drip-irrigated summer soybean using the SIMDual_Kc model: A case study from Southern Xinjiang, China},
  journal = {Agricultural Water Management},
  year = {2026},
  doi = {10.1016/j.agwat.2026.110627},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agwat.2026.110627}
}