ICASA Forum at the 4th International Crop Science Congress
Brisbane, Australia
September 28, 2004

An information exchange forum was held during the Fourth International Crop
Science Congress in Brisbane, Australia on September 28, 2004. The purposes
of this two-hour meeting were to introduce ICASA to participants of this
congress, to have different groups report on recent advances in models,
data, and other systems application tools, and to encourage participation
in ICASA. Forty-eight people attended the meeting, including 3 Board
members (Brian Keating, Claudio Stockle, and Jim Jones). A list of
attendees is attached.

Jim Jones presented an overview of ICASA to the attendees (attached
powerpoint file) and encouraged them to visit the ICASA home page
(icasa.net) to learn more about it and how to join. Following this
overview, several reports were given.

Jim Hansen of the IRI in New York announced the availability of daily
weather data from thousands of weather stations worldwide, in ICASA format,
from his institution. This will also be announced on the ICASA web site,
with a link to the IRI site where the data can be downloaded in ICASA
format. This format is described at the icasa.net website. Jim Jones
pointed out that there are also efforts to develop soil data files for crop
model use in Africa that could be made available. Gerrit Hoogenboom and
Phil Thornton are contacts for this work.

Brian Keating and Michael Robertson of APSRU in Australia described recent
advances in their APSIM model development and emphasized their support for
ICASA as a forum for information exchange and cooperation. They also
emphasized the applications of APSIM in Australia, including a new effort
in which farmers can operate this model, and internationally, which is
about 20% of their effort.

Claudio Stockle reported on new developments in the CROPSYST cropping
system model, emphasizing the importance of object-oriented design for
flexibility and applications. He also indicated that the CROPGRO model from
DSSAT had been incorporated into a new version of CROPSYST, via cooperation
with the Florida DSSAT group.

Tom Gerik of Texas A&M University reported on recent applications of the
EPIC and associated models from Temple, Texas group. Their work is
increasingly emphasizing spatial applications at farm and watershed scales.

Ken Boote of the University of Florida reported that DSSAT version 4.0 has
been released and has already been used in several training programs. He
also pointed out that the cropping system model in DSSAT, with the CERES
and CROPGRO models, was being enhanced by a number of different researchers
to include other crops (e.g. cotton, bahia grass pastures), tillage, and
phosphorus. Updates on these developments will be made available via the
ICASA web site.

In a discussion that followed, Colin Birch pointed out the need for
graduates trained in the use of cropping system models and wondered if
there were any education programs addressing this need at undergraduate as
well as graduate levels. No one in attendance knew of any undergraduate
initiative to introduce crop modeling and model applications into their
curricula. Jim Jones pointed out that the Dutch systems scientists from
Wageningen Agricultural University have been leaders in educating students
and postgraduates on models and systems analysis methods. Unfortunately, no
one from Wageningen attended the meeting. Other groups, like the University
of Florida, have been training graduate students. However, the success of
various programs worldwide seems to be creating an increased demand for
graduates knowledgeable in this field, and our educational institutions
seem to be lagging behind in providing graduates.

After a general discussion, Jim Jones announced that an ICASA meeting will
be held in Seattle at the American Society of Agronomy meeting in November
and adjourned the meeting.