VK et al. (2026) Simulation of Soil Water Dynamics using the Hydrus-1d Model for Sweet Corn under Drip Irrigation

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Identification

• Journal: Madras Agricultural Journal
• Year: 2026
• Date: 2026-01-01
• Authors: Pavithra VK, Ganesh Babu R, Ravi Babu G, Latha M.
• DOI: 10.29321/maj.10.d01265

Research Groups

• Department of Soil and Water Conservation Engineering, Dr. N.T.R. College of Agricultural Engineering, Bapatla, Andhra Pradesh, India

Short Summary

This study calibrated, validated, and simulated soil moisture dynamics for drip-irrigated sweet corn using the HYDRUS-1D model, demonstrating its effectiveness in predicting water movement and confirming efficient water distribution with minimal percolation losses in the root zone.

Objective

• To calibrate, validate, and simulate soil moisture dynamics for a sweet corn crop under different drip irrigation scenarios using the HYDRUS-1D model.

Study Configuration

• Spatial Scale: Field-scale experiment conducted in plots (24 plots total) at a field irrigation laboratory, with soil moisture measurements up to 1.0 meter depth.
• Temporal Scale: Kharif 2022 crop-growing season, with model calibration at 25 days after sowing (DAS) and validation at 55 DAS, and soil moisture measurements taken at multiple intervals (before, immediately after, 3 hours, 6 hours, and 24 hours after irrigation).

Methodology and Data

• Models used: HYDRUS-1D model (for soil water movement simulation), CROPWAT 8.0 model (for crop water requirement estimation).
• Data sources: Field experiment observations, including soil moisture content measured using Frequency Domain Reflectometry (FDR) through access tubes installed in the field.

Main Results

• The HYDRUS-1D model, with calibrated hydraulic conductivity parameters, showed excellent agreement between observed and predicted soil moisture values during validation, indicated by high Nash-Sutcliffe Efficiency (NSE) values (0.9929 to 0.9939), high coefficients of determination (R²) (0.9968 to 0.9987), and low Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) values (0.083 to 0.122) and Relative Error (RE) values (0.0267 to 0.0295).
• Simulation results indicated that soil moisture content in the top 0.5 meters depth was well distributed and sufficient within the root zone when using a drip emitter with a flow rate of 5.56 × 10⁻⁷ m³/s (2 L/h).
• No percolation losses were observed below the active root zone during the application of water at this low rate through drip irrigation.
• The HYDRUS-1D model was found to be effective for studying soil moisture movement.

Contributions

• Provides a calibrated and validated HYDRUS-1D model for simulating soil moisture dynamics under drip irrigation for sweet corn in a specific agro-climatic region (Andhra Pradesh, India).
• Quantifies the efficiency of drip irrigation in terms of optimal soil moisture distribution and prevention of deep percolation losses in the root zone.
• Offers a practical tool for optimizing irrigation scheduling and water management strategies for sweet corn, contributing to water conservation efforts.

Funding

• Not specified in the provided text.

Citation

@article{VK2026Simulation,
  author = {VK, Pavithra and R, Ganesh Babu and G, Ravi Babu and M., Latha},
  title = {Simulation of Soil Water Dynamics using the Hydrus-1d Model for Sweet Corn under Drip Irrigation},
  journal = {Madras Agricultural Journal},
  year = {2026},
  doi = {10.29321/maj.10.d01265},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.29321/maj.10.d01265}
}