Crop simulation models for digital farming applications in Austria
Abstract
Crop simulation models are digital farming tools which provide means to optimize farmer's activities. They capture crop growth and development responses to weather, soil, genetic, and management factors and allow nitrogen (N) fertilizer recommendations, yield forecasting, and climate change impact assessment, provided a sound model parameterization and evaluation using quality data sets. Unfortunately, those are scarce in Austria. Additionally, simulations of leaf canopy development are usually poor, although they are crucial for simulated crop N status. This project aims at (1) investigating the structural differences in leaf canopy simulation of two crop models, (2) parameterizing and evaluating one model for eastern Austria for use in a web-based digital farming tool for improved N fertilizer management, (3) a regional yield forecasting tool for wheat, maize, potato, and sugar beet, and (4) identifying the influence of different model structures on climate change simulations. This project is the first study using detailed scientific field data sets of Austrian crop cultivars and environmental conditions to parameterize two crop simulation models. Data sets for wheat and maize using N fertilizer and sowing date variations are available, further data will be acquired from experiments with different crops. The two contrasting crop models APSIM and SSM are used in this study. SSM is well documented model and easy to parameterize, while APSIM is comparably more complex. First simulations of wheat phenology and yield agreed well with observations. We improved both models' inaccuracy in predicting in-season LAI and N concentrations by detailed model parameterization and implementing new functions. Future work includes the parameterization of other wheat, maize, potato, and sugar beet cultivars for eastern Austria, with focus on leaf canopy development, N fertilizer requirement, and crop yield. All parameterizations will be evaluated using new and independent data sets. Furthermore, a simulation study using different climate change weather data will be conducted. The implications of variation in accuracy of leaf canopy development simulation on adaptation of wheat and maize to future climatic conditions will be discussed.
Project staff
Hans-Peter Kaul
Univ.Prof. Dipl.-Ing.Dr.nat.techn. Hans-Peter Kaul
hans-peter.kaul@boku.ac.at
Tel: +43 1 47654-95111
Project Leader
19.10.2018 - 31.03.2021