articleAgricultural Water ManagementJan 6, 2026GOLD OA

Modelling water - use and yield of selected irrigated subtropical crops using machine learning and hybrid models in north - eastern South Africa

University of Zimbabwe · Stellenbosch University · +7 more institutions

Indexed incrossrefdoaj

Abstract

The Inkomati-Usuthu Water Management Area in Mpumalanga, South Africa, is a main producer of subtropical crops. These crops are mainly produced under irrigation, yet water resources in this catchment are nearly fully allocated. This calls for improved irrigation efficiency in the region to save water needed for supporting agricultural expansion. Accurate derivation of crop coefficients ( K c ) and yield response factors ( K y ) is vital for irrigation management and yield prediction. In this study, transpiration ( T ) for the crops was measured using the heat ratio method of monitoring sap flow while evapotranspiration ( ET ) was quantified using eddy covariance and surface renewal techniques. Leaf area index…

Citation impact

4
total citations
FWCI
44.22
Percentile
99%
References
134
Citations per year

Authors

9

Topics & keywords

Keywords
  • Evapotranspiration
  • Crop coefficient
  • Gradient boosting
  • Irrigation scheduling
  • Boosting (machine learning)
  • Irrigation
  • Crop yield
  • Yield (engineering)
UN Sustainable Development Goals
  • Clean water and sanitation
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