Evaluation of Hydroclimatic Variability and Prospective Irrigation Strategies in the US Corn Belt

Changes in climate, land use, and population growth has put immense pressure on the use of water resources in agriculture. Non-irrigated fields suffer from variable water stress, leading to an increase in the implementation of irrigation technologies, thus stressing the need to analyze diverse irrigation practices. An evaluation of 17 sites in the U.S. Corn Belt for two temporal climatic conditions was carried out. It consisted of the analysis of critical hydroclimatic parameters, and the evaluation of seven diverse irrigation strategies using the Deficit Irrigation Toolbox. The strategies included rainfed, full irrigation, and several optimizations of deficit irrigation. The results show a significant change in the hydroclimatic parameters mainly by increased temperature and potential evapotranspiration, and a decrease in precipitation with an increase in intense short rainfall events. Consequently, the simulations indicated the potential of deficit irrigation optimization strategies to increase water productivity above full irrigation and rainfed conditions. In particular, GET-OPTIS for wet soil conditions and the Decision Tables for dry soil conditions seasons. The present study highlights the contributions of atypical weather to crop production and the implications for future management options, and allows specialized regionalization studies with the optimal irrigation strategy.