Estimation of actual evapotranspiration for a drip-irrigated Merlot vineyard using a three-source model

A study was performed in order to evaluate the three-source model (Clumped model) for direct estimation of actual evapotranspiration (ETa) and latent heat flux (LE) over a drip-irrigated Merlot vineyard trained on a vertical shoot positioned system (VSP) under semi-arid conditions. The vineyard, with an average fractional cover of 30%, is located in the Talca Valley, Region del Maule, Chile. The performance of the Clumped model was evaluated using an eddy covariance system during the 2006/2007 and 2007/2008 growing seasons. Results indicate that the Clumped model was able to predict ETa with a root mean square error (RMSE), mean bias error (MBE), and model efficiency (EF) of 0.33, -0.15 mm day(-1) and 74%, respectively. Also, the Clumped model simulated the daytime variation of LE with a RMSE of 36 W m(-2), MBE of -8 W m(-2), and EF of 83%. Major disagreement (under-estimated values) between observed and estimated values of ETa was found for clear days after rainfall or foggy days, but underestimated values were less than 10% of the data analysis. The results obtained in this study indicate that the Clumped model could be used to directly estimate vine water requirements for a drip-irrigated vineyard trained on a VSP. However, application of the Clumped model requires a good characterization of the drip-irrigated vineyard architecture.