Calibration and testing of AquaCrop for selected sorghum genotypes

Abstract

High seasonal rainfall variability, delays in onset and irregular distribution of rainfall, and occasional dry spells within seasons negatively impact cereal yields and household livelihoods in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) (Fjelde and Von Uexkull, 2012). The impact is exacerbated under rainfed agriculture, where rainfall is the sole water input into the agriculture system. Variability in rainfall affects timing and location of planting, as onset, cessation and amount of rainfall affect farmers’ planting decisions. Cereal crops are a major contributor to food security and economy in arid and semi–arid regions. In SSA, a region where 95% of agriculture is rainfed (Singh et al., 2011), and arid and semi-arid areas account for 43% of total area (FAO, 2008), rainfall is a major limitation to cereal yields. Sorghum is predominantly grown in semi-arid and arid agro-ecologies of SSA, under rainfed conditions. This makes sorghum production highly susceptible to rainfall amount and distribution.

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