The Role of Radiation in the Modelling of Crop Evapotranspiration from Open Field to Indoor Crops

Abstract

The agricultural sector continues to be the largest consumer of useful water. Despite knowing the volume of water required by plants (evapotranspiration), methodologies must be adapted to current production systems. Based on the energy balance (radiation), it is feasible to establish models to estimate evapotranspiration depending on the production system: extensive crops, closed, and interior systems. The objective of this work was to present related research to measure and model the evapotranspiration of crops under current production techniques, based on the energy balance. The original FAO Penman–Monteith model is considered to be the model that best describes the evapotranspiration process, and with advances in instrumentation, there are sensors capable of measuring each of the variables it contains. From this model, procedures have been approximated for its use in extensive crops through remote sensing to calculate evapotranspiration, which jointly integrates the climatic variables and the type and age of the crop, with which real evapotranspiration is obtained. The same Penman–Monteith model has been adapted for use in greenhouse crops, where given the reduced root space and being in a closed environment, it is possible to know the variables specifically. Keeping the root container saturated, crop transpiration will basically depend on the physiology of the plant (LAI, stomatal resistance, etc.) and the characteristics of the air (radiation, VPD, wind speed, etc.). Models based on computational fluid dynamics (CFD) have been developed, which predict the real evapotranspiration of the crop by activating the discrete ordinate (DO) radiation sub-model. For indoor crops, in the absence of solar radiation, and replaced with artificial lights (LEDs)—although it is true that they are hydroponic crops and water can be estimated through a balance of levels—it would be possible to use CFD to estimate transpiration by transforming flux units (Mmol) into radiation (W m−2). The transpiration of indoor crops works as a cooling system and stabilizes the environment of the plant factory or vertical farm. In each crop production system (from open field to indoor crops) models have been developed to manage water and microclimate. The result is reports that more than 90% of the water is saved.