Kick Start: preliminary APSIM modelling for the SRFSI project

[摘要] APSIM is a powerful, highly reputable cropping systems model.It can be used to inform the design of field trials and to examine the effects of altered management practices and/or climate on a production system.APSIM is most useful and trustworthy when it has been fully parameterised, calibrated and validated for a location.This Kick Start project was developed to conduct initial “best guess” APSIM simulations for a range of likely cropping system options to identify those which are likely to be of greatest value for SRFSI project field trials and to inform the broader SRFSI project team about the value and potential uses of the APSIM model.The broad area of the Eastern Gangetic Plains which is covered by the SRFSI project was divided into three regions at which sufficient data were available for initial APSIM modelling.It will be a major focus of the modelling team’s work to collect data to meaningfully differentiate project locations and allow sensible modelling and analysis of challenges and opportunities at these locations.In this Kick Start project 16 experimental treatments were compared to a control for each of the three regions and for two soil types (a better and a poorer soil).These treatments largely examine different rabi season cropping and water management options.As a result of these preliminary analyses the following recommendations have been made: •Almost all the management interventions examined outperformed the control treatment in terms of water productivity•Replacing the traditional kharif rice with an improved variety was a uniformly valuable management option•At all sites the rabi season rice options examined presented smallest improvements in water productivity•Rabi wheat, maize and mustard options resulted in considerably improved water productivity across all sites and for both soil types.The relative water productivity of the rabi crop varied across sites; maize and mustard generally outperform wheat•Reduced irrigation events for both wheat (one to two irrigations) and maize (five to six irrigations) on better soils increases water productivity.This result does not hold on poorer soils•Earlier sowing of wheat and maize improved water productivity: these benefits were greater for maize •Triple cropped (rice-wheat-mungbean) systems achieved highest levels of water productivity•Direct seeding rice and retaining rice stubble did not generate observable increases in water productivity; however it is likely these options provide benefits which were not examined in this study but which will be the focus of subsequent, more extensive APSIM modelling in the SRFSI project.

[发布日期] 2015-11-27 [发布机构] CSIRO

[学科分类] 地球科学(综合)