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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Maricopa, Arizona » U.S. Arid Land Agricultural Research Center » Plant Physiology and Genetics Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #177486
Title: DECISION SUPPORT SYSTEMS FOR AGROTECHNOLOGY TRANSFER VERSION 4.0

Author
item HOOGENBOOM, G - UNIV OF GEORGIA
item JONES, J - UNIV OF FLORIDA
item WILKENS, P - IFDC MUSCLE SHOALS AL
item PORTER, C - UNIV OF FLORIDA
item BATCHELOR, W - MISSISSIPPI STATE UNIV
item HUNT, L - UNIV OF GUELPH CANADA
item BOOTE, K - UNIV OF FLORIDA
item SINGH, U - IFDC MUSCLE SHOALS AL
item URYASWV, O - UNIV OF FLORICA
item BOWEN, W - IFDC MUSCLE SHOALS AL
item GIJSMAN, A - CIAT CALI COLOMBIA
item DU TOIT, A - UNIV OF HAWAII
item White, Jeffrey
item TSUJI, G - UNIV OF HAWAII

Submitted to: Computer Model: Decision Support System
Publication Type: Other
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/15/2004
Publication Date: 7/15/2004
Citation: Hoogenboom, G., Jones, J.W., Wilkens, P.W., Porter, C.H., Batchelor, W.D., Hunt, L.A., Boote, K.J., Singh, U., Uryaswv, O., Bowen, W.T., Gijsman, A., Du Toit, A., White, J.W., Tsuji, G.Y. 2004. Decision support systems for agrotechnology transfer version 4.0. Computer Model: Decision Support System. CD-ROM.

Interpretive Summary: Many problems in agriculture require estimating complex effects of weather, soils and management. Computer models and associated software tools are often used to allow researchers, farm advisors and even producers, to examine likely effects of management decisions on productivity and the natural resource base. The Decision Support System for Agrotechnology Transfer (DSSAT) has been in use for more than 15 years in over 100 countries worldwide. DSSAT is a software program combining crop soil and weather data bases and programs to manage them, with crop models and application programs, to simulate multi-year outcomes of crop management strategies. Integrating the effects of soil, crops, weather and management options, DSSAT allows users to ask "what if" questions and simulate results by conducting, in minutes on a desktop computer, experiments which would consume a significant part of an agronomist's career. DSSAT also provides for evaluating the reliability of model outputs, allowing users to compare simulated outcomes with real world results. Crop model validation is accomplished by inputting the user's minimum data, running the model, and comparing outputs. By simulating probable outcomes of crop management strategies, DSSAT offers users information with which to rapidly appraise new crops, products, and management practices. Improved decision making can both ehance farm-level profitability and help conserve the natural resource base.

Technical Abstract: The Decision Support System for Agrotechnology Transfer (DSSAT) has been in use for more than 15 years by researchers in over 100 countries worldwide. DSSAT is a microcomputer software program combining crop soil and weather data bases and programs to manage them, with crop models and application programs, to simulate multi-year outcomes of crop management strategies. As a software package integrating the effects of soil, crop phenotype, weather and management options, DSSAT allows users to ask "what if" questions and simulate results by conducting, in minutes on a desktop computer, experiments which would consume a significant part of an agronomist's career. DSSAT also provides for validation of crop model outputs; thus allowing users to compare simulated outcomes with observed results. Crop model validation is accomplished by inputting the user's minimum data, running the model, and comparing outputs. By simulating probable outcomes of crop management strategies, DSSAT offers users information with which to rapidly appraise new crops, products, and practives for adoption. DSSAT4 is the first software release of the DSSAT system for the MS Windows (tm) operating system.