Testing the water balance model criteria using TDR measurements, micrometeorological data and satellite-based information

The model was implemented by varying the evapotranspiration rates (ET) as input; ET fluxes were estimated by using satellite-based approach and the Penman-Monteith expression for reference rates, or were directly measured by the eddy covariance technique and the sap flow heat pulse method for transpiration. Model outputs, in term of soil moisture, were validated with direct measures of volumetric soil water content obtained by time domain reflectrometry (TDR) probes. Results of the study proved the reliability of CRITERIA to reproduce the soil moisture profile at the experimental site. The model performance was significantly high when direct measurements of crop water demand were included as input for model application. The satellite-based approach provided reliable crop evapotranspiration estimates, confirming the utility of the remote sensing techniques as support for water management in agriculture.