APPLICATION OF AQUACROP MODEL FOR YIELD AND IRRIGATIONREQUIREMENT ESTIMATION OF SUGAR BEET UNDER CLIMATECHANGE CONDITIONS IN SERBIA

Climate change impact on field production may play a great role in strategicplanning on soil and water resources management. Therefore, the aim of this workwas to find out the impact of climate change on sugar beet yield, irrigation depthvariation and water saving practices. AquaCrop model v.4.0 was used for yield andirrigation requirement estimation. Input data for future climatic parameters wereobtained from EBU-POM for four scenarios A1B, A2, A1B* and A* (* CO2), andperiods of observation were first (2010–2039); second (2040–2069), and third(2070–2099). Undoubtedly, yield will not be reduced in the first period by anyscenario, on the contrary, it might be increased. In the second period, yieldreduction was observed in A1B i A2 scenarios, hence without the increment of CO2in the Vojvodina region, whereas in Central Serbia, yield reduction might beexpected even in scenarios of A1B and A2*. Irrigation could ensure yieldincrement in both regions, provided that an increase is more considerable inCentral Serbia, due to lower soil water capacity. Application of optimal irrigationdepth yield could be increased by up to 57–97% in Vojvodina and 77–285% inCentral Serbia. Lower values are obtained in the first period and the highest in thethird period. Applying deficit irrigation, water saving would reduce yield inscenario A2, otherwise to obtain high yield, irrigation depth of 300–500 mm shouldbe ensured in Central Srbia. In the same scenario, 300–420 mm of water forirrigation is needed in Vojvodina, but its water savings could be 80–120 mm, or20%. In scenario A1B, to obtain high yield, 80 mm could be saved in both regions.