Comments on a paper published by Ali Shabani et al. 2024: How accurate is the SALTMED model in simulating rapeseed yield and growth under different irrigation and salinity levels? Modeling Earth Systems and Environment. Published online 03 February 2024

The SALTMED model employs the well-known physically based equations. It is a comprehensive integrated management tool for water, crops, farmland and fertilizers. The model was initially developed in 2002 under the SALTMED EU Funded Project and has been subjected to further developments over four EU funded Projects until 2019. In 2020, Wiley dedicated a special issue to SALTMED, compiling 17 papers on SALTMED applications worldwide, as acknowledgement and testimony to SALTMED’s valuable contribution to improve water productivity (Ragab 2020). SALTMED users, and they are many across the world, reported good model results, and currently the model is adopted by many organizations across the world as a reliable management tool. This paper is focused on the only case of wrong application of the SALTMED model in Iran based on the misunderstanding of the model processes. This paper aims to clarify where the authors incorrectly applied the model and how it should have been applied.