Evaluation of AquaCrop model performance under mulched drip irrigation for maize in Northeast China

Establishing scientific management and grain production strategies through crop models is an important means to ensure stable and increased food production. To explore the performance of the AquaCrop model for simulating maize growth under mulched drip irrigation in Northeast China, the model was calibrated and verified locally based on three years of measured field data. The simulation effects of canopy cover (CC), total soil-water (TSW), aboveground biomass, crop evapotranspiration (ETC) and grain yield under mulched or nonmulched drip irrigation treatments with different water stress conditions were evaluated and compared. The study found the model had a good simulation effect on CC excluding the rainfed treatment, the root mean square error (RMSE) was