Agricultural sector faces the challenge to produce more food with less water by increasing crop water productivity. As such, the question of improving the present level of crop water productivity in general and for irrigation in particular assumes a great significance in perspective water resource planning. This study was undertaken to improve water productivity, i.e., 'more crop per drop.' In this study response of cabbage to different irrigation schedules under mulch and non-mulch condition using calibrated AquaCrop model was evaluated. AquaCrop is a crop model that simulates yield response to water developed by FAO and is appropriate to consider effects where water is the limiting factor for crop production. AquaCrop was calibrated for cabbage (Brassica oleracea var. capitata), a leafy vegetable. Simulations were carried out for the period November 27, 2013, to February 19, 2014 with T 1 , T 2 , T 3 (treatments irrigation scheduling at 50 % moisture depletion of available water capacity under black, silver, and no polyethylene mulch with drip irrigation) and T 4 , T 5 , T 6 (irrigation scheduling at 100 % evapotranspiration under black, silver, and no polyethylene mulch with drip irrigation). The model provided excellent simulation of canopy and yield. The harvest index was observed as 80 % for cabbage. Formulated Schedule with S 1 , S 2 , S 3 , S 4 , and S 5 (irrigation schedule at 110, 90, 80, 70, and 60 % ET c ) and S 6 , S 7 , S 8 , S 9 , and S 10 (mulch ? Irrigation schedule at 110, 90, 80, 70 and 60 % ET c ). S 8 saved 25.19 % water with only 4.63 % reduction in the yield of cabbage head compared to control and resulted in water use efficiency as 6.05 kg m -3 . Thus S 8 is recommended to be used for cabbage production, to water productivity.

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Climate change scenario badly affects the agriculture. The present study aimed to characterize the trend in maximum temperature and crop water requirement over a last decade at Akola station (Maharashtra State), because of changing trend in meteorological parameters. Study investigated the trends in temperature and reference evapotranspiration using various statistical parameters like mean, coefficient of variation, coefficient of skewness and coefficient of kurtosis. Monthly maximum air temperature showed slightly decreasing trend over summer season while increasing trend over monsoon and winter season. On the contrary, the monthly reference evapotranspiration showed decreasing linear trend over monsoon and winter season, while increasing trend over summer season. The study concluded that as the monthly reference evapotranspiration showed decreasing linear trend over cropping seasons (i.e. monsoon and winter), the crop water requirement at Akola station shall decrease in future.