EaSiCroM (Easy Simulation Crop Model): A Simplified Modelling Framework for Sustainable Irrigation Management and Crop Water Productivity

Crop simulation models and irrigation decision support systems (IDSS) are essen-tial tools for improving water-use efficiency in agriculture, particularly in Mediterra-nean and semi-arid regions where water scarcity is a major constraint. However, many operational platforms are either too complex and data-demanding for widespread adoption or too simplified to adequately simulate crop responses to the combined ef-fects of temperature, water stress, and elevated CO2. This paper presents the Easy Sim-ulator Crop Model (EaSiCroM), a modular, low-parameterisation decision support system designed to simulate daily crop growth, soil water dynamics, and irrigation requirements. EaSiCroM simulates canopy development through a be-ta-function-derived leaf area index (LAI) trajectory and Beer–Lambert canopy cover (CC), with growth progressively constrained by temperature (Tlim) and water stress (Kstress and KScc). Biomass accumulation is estimated through a water-productivity (WP) approach, optionally complemented by a radiation-use efficiency (RUE) path-way. A Michaelis–Menten sub-model accounts for the CO2 fertilisation effect on WP and RUE. The soil water balance includes a two-stage bare-soil evaporation formula-tion and supports multiple irrigation triggering strategies. EaSiCroM is implemented as a Docker-containerised web application supporting single-crop, multi-plot, and near-real-time irrigation modes. The model requires a limited parameter set, operates at daily time steps, and integrates user-provided canopy observations (field or remote sensing) for adaptive irrigation scheduling. Its modular architecture and accessible in-terface make it suitable for both research and operational irrigation management in water-scarce agricultural systems.