Soil moisture dynamics in a hedgerow olive orchard under well-watered and deficit irrigation regimes: Assessment, prediction and scenario analysis

• Soil moisture dynamics were assessed and modelled in a hedgerow olive orchard.
• The HYDRUS 2D/3D model was slightly less accurate in the deficit irrigated treatments.
• Simulation outputs revealed that irrigation was correctly scheduled in the orchard.
• The convenience of using modelling tools for precision drip irrigation is shown.

A study was conducted in a hedgerow olive orchard (SW Spain) to assess the capability of the HYDRUS 2D/3D model in predicting seasonal soil water dynamics in a well-watered (full irrigation, FI) and two regulated deficit irrigated plots (60RDI and 30RDI) differing in the timing and level of water stress imposed. The simulated soil water balance components were used to assess the suitability of the irrigation management accomplished in the experimental orchard and that of the irrigation treatments for different soil types and management scenarios. Soil water content (θ) was measured in all four plots per irrigation treatment with two access tubes per plot installed at 0.1 m and 0.4 m away from the dripper. Comparison of simulated against observed θ showed mean absolute errors ranging from 0.03 to 0.045 cm3 cm−3, root mean square errors from 0.035 cm3 cm−3 to 0.056 cm3 cm−3 and Nash–Sutcliffe efficiency coefficients from 0.438 to 0.834 across all treatments and probe locations. The modelled soil water balance components showed that drainage water losses represented 9–12% only of the applied irrigation water across all irrigation treatments. Scenario analysis revealed that daytime irrigation led to higher drainage water losses in FI than nighttime irrigation. For the same irrigation volumes, rootzone soil pressure head decreased (i.e. became more negative) when the irrigation frequency of the RDI treatments increased, thus supporting the lower irrigation frequencies scheduled in RDI as compared to FI in the experimental orchard. Scenario analysis also revealed the importance of adjusting irrigation schedules to soil type, irrespective of whether FI or RDI treatments were to be implemented.