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ARS Home » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #91348
Title: AN OBJECT-ORIENTED AND INTERNET-BASED SIMULATION MODEL FOR PLANT GROWTH

Author
item PAN, X - CROP SCIENCES UOFI URBANA
item Hesketh, John
item Huck, Morris

Submitted to: Computers in Agriculture International Conference Proceedings
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 10/15/1998
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary: Crop management models are mostly for one species and are not always readily available to the public. Effects of environment on stages of growth such as flowering and maturity are unique to each crop or crop cultivar. We developed a research-based model that can be used for a range of crops (including horticultural) and weeds, and the model can be run from a web site available to the public at no charge. Ultimately, a user will be able to input a soil type name, weather station data, a crop cultivar and weed species, and can search for cultural practices leading to an optimal combination of timely yields and profits.

Technical Abstract: Many farmers now have access to personal computers and large data bases (weather station data, field soil and yield maps); methods are needed for analyzing such data for crop management purposes. A computer model for predicting plant growth has been made available to the public on a web page. An interested user with access to the World Wide Web can run the model for a range of crops and/or weeds, soil and weather conditions. The model had to be programmed in a special new language (Java) to make it available at a Web site; it also is being modified over time to improve it's predictability and user-accessability. The data base provided for different crops and weeds is unique; most (non-Web models are specific for one crop only.