Climate change-induced irrigation water demand alteration in rain-fed cassava field

Abstract

Importance of the work: Climate change is anticipated to bring about a rise in temperature, which in turn could be expected to trigger an increase in irrigation water demand (IWD), especially in rain-fed plant cultivation (RPCs).
Objectives: To estimate the IWD of cassava fields in Dong Xuan district, Phu Yen Province, Vietnam under future scenarios.
Materials & Methods: The crop model CSM-MANIHOT was applied to estimate the IWD of cassava in rain-fed cultivation fields under current conditions and future climate scenarios.
Results: The IWD for the Vu Xuan crop showed a minor decrease across all stages (initial, development and maturity) compared to the current period, in the timeframes 2011–2040, 2041–2070 and 2071–2099 under both the RCP4.5 and RCP8.5 scenarios. Similarly, the Vu He crop experienced a slight decrease in IWD during the initial and development stages, while there was a significant reduction during all timeframes under the RCP4.5 and RCP8.5 scenarios compared to the current period.
Main finding: The findings highlighted the complex dynamics of IWD for different stages of cassava for both the Vu Xuan and Vu He crops under changing climatic conditions.