Assessing HYDRUS-2D model to simulate water content and salt accumulation in a soil irrigated with a subsurface drip system: Application in a semiarid area of central Tunisia

In this paper, the suitability of HYDRUS-2D model to predict the average soil water content in the root zone of potato crop irrigated with subsurface drip irrigation plant, is initially assessed on the basis of a field study. Then, the model is tested to predict the salt distribution around a buried emitter, when two different water qualities (i.e. electrical conductivity of 1.0 dS m-1 and 4.0 dS m-1), are used during the growing season (treatments T1 and T2). Finally, the soil volume in which salts accumulates, as well as the effects on crop yield is recognized for both the considered treatments.The results evidenced that predicted values of average soil water content in the root zone were…