Abstract

Crop simulation models have been used historically to predict average field crop development and yield under alternative management and weather scenarios. The objective of this paper was to evaluate and test a new version of the CERES-Maize model that was modified to improve the simulation of site-specific crop development and yield. Seven sites within a field located in central Missouri were selected based on landscape position, elevation, depth to the claypan horizon, and past yield history. Detailed monitoring of crop development and soil moisture during the 1997 season provided data for calibration and evaluation of the model performance at each site. Mid-season water stress caused a large variation in measured yield with values ranging from 3.0 Mg ha^-1 in the eroded side-slope areas to 11.7 Mg ha^-1 in the deeper soils located in the low areas of the field. The results obtained demonstrated that the modifications improved the ability of the model to simulate site-specific crop development. Areas of potential model improvement and further investigation were discussed.

Copyright © 1999. . Copyright © 1999 American Society of Agronomy, Inc., Crop Science Society of America, Inc., Soil Science Society of America Inc., 5585 Guilford Rd., Madison, WI 53711 USA