Gestione dell’irrigazione del vigneto attraverso l’uso di modelli di simulazione e misure di campo.

In the paper the applicability of a numerical model, i.e. SWAP (Soil Water Atmosphere Plant), and a functional model, i.e. FAO 56, for irrigation scheduling is assessed. Model validation was initially carried out through the comparison between simulated and measured water content of a soil profile. The two models were then used in order to verify the possibility to simulate the typical irrigation management of the study area. In particular, the attitude of the two models to simulate the number and the distribution of watering, as well as the seasonal water consumption found in the ordinary management irrigation was assessed. Different scenarios of irrigation management allowed the analysis of models’ performance. Both the models simulated satisfactorily the average soil water content trends, showing errors of estimate not higher than 2%. SWAP model simulated, with good approximation, the ordinary irrigation management, allowing to determine both the first irrigation, the number of watering as will as the seasonal water consumption, while the FAO 56 model, in the original form, resulted less reliable. In order to improve the FAO 56 model performance, a modification of the stress function is presented and discussed. Performance analysis evidenced that in dry seasons the number and the watering distribution obtained by both models are comparable.