Sensitivity analysis of performance of crop growth simulation models to daily solar radiation estimation methods in Iran

Solar radiation is the single most important environmental factor driving canopy photosynthesis and transpiration. This weather characteristic is measured only in a limited number of weather stations. Hence, in many situations it has to be estimated from other weather characteristics such as sunshine duration and temperature using empirical relations. In this study, the Ångstrom and Hargreaves formulas have been used for solar radiation estimation, based on monthly and annual weather data for three weather stations in Esfahan province, Iran. Deviations of estimated solar radiation from measured values (both absolute and relative) varied with month of the year and with estimation method. Estimated and measured radiation values were used in a crop growth simulation model to explore sensitivity of simulated production with respect to radiation estimation method. Maximum deviation for winter barley and silage maize was around 9