Investigation of water requirement of barberry in Iran using Aqua crop model

Iran is a country with an average rainfall of about one third of the world's average rainfall, and is severely under water due to water resources. Therefore, improvement of water use efficiency based on production in agricultural sector is very important. In this regard, the simulation of plant growth stages and, as a result of the need for forecasting, will result in better planning and more efficient management in the production process.Nowadays, tools are needed to help irrigation system designers to optimize irrigation water management in agriculture; Therefore, the FAO, with the development of the Aqua Crop model, provides these essential management tools for the various agricultural sectors necessary; In this research, Aqua Crop plant model was used for water requirement of barberry cultivars. For this purpose, inputs to the model include meteorological, vegetation data, irrigation management, farm management, soil characteristics, simulation time period, and initial conditions in the field. The survey of water requirement zonation map indicates that, considering the climatic conditions, the climate of the northern regions of the country, despite the fact that it is not recommended for the cultivation of barberry, is the least water requirement in comparison with other regions of the country. The provinces of Khorasan Razavi, North and South, which are the best places to grow barberry at the moment, and the major production of barberry in these areas, are higher than other areas in need of water. The northern parts of the country also have a moderate water requirement.