Accuracy of Potential Evapotranspiration Models in Different Time Scales

Abstract Know the precision of potential evapotranspiration models in different agronomic and climatic conditions is useful for irrigated agriculture. Therefore, we aimed to compare 18 methods of estimation of ETP with the Penman-Monteith (FAO-56) method, at different time scales for the State of Mato Grosso do Sul. Time series of climatic data were used on a daily scale between 1983 and 2018 from 22 locations in the state of Mato Grosso do Sul. ETP estimation models tested were: Benevidez-Lopez, Blaney-Criddle, Camargo, Hamon, Hargreaves, Hargreaves-Samani, Jensen-Haise, Jobson, Kharrufa, Linacre, Makkink, Penman, Priestley-Taylor, Radiation, Romanenko, Tanner-Pelton, Thornthwaite, and Turc. These models were compared with Penman-Monteith in daily, weekly, and monthly scales. The comparison between the ETP estimation models and the Penman-Monteith model was performed by the statistical indices: accuracy (MAPE) and precision (R2aj). Estimation methods showed differences in efficiency over time scales. The best performances of the models were on the daily scale. For daily scale, methods of Priestley-Taylor, Hargreaves, Hamon, and Makkink present the best values of accuracy and precision for the State of Mato Grosso do Sul. In the weekly scale, the most accurate methods are Hamon and Makkink, while for monthly scale the best methods are Makkink and Priestley-Taylor.