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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 …