> The current DSSAT v3.0 or DSSAT v3.5 do not allow you to specify the end of
> simulation option.  In your case it might be much better to set your case up
> as a crop rotation or sequence. For the first part of the rotation you would
> specify the crop and possibly harvest date, you then let the "fallow model"
> pick up after harvest to look at changes in soil water and nitrogen.
 
Gerrit - thanks for the information. I have actually just solved the problem (after my query) by altering the line in the Simulation Controls section of the
X-file to include a couple of extra parameters - FINSH which is a character that defines the mode of finishing (i.e. H=harvest, S=specified date, etc.) and
FDATE which is the specified date if FINSH = S. The modified line looks like:
 
@N GENERAL     NYERS NREPS START YRDAY FINSH FDATE RSEED SNAME....................
 1 GE              1     1     I     0     S 94197     0
 
Of course, then there has to be some modification in the source code (READ statements, and a bit of logic in the main program to implement the
options), but it is not a lot of effort and what I have seems to work pretty well now. Could I suggest that you incorporate something like this in the next
release?
 
Robin.
 
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Dr Robin Matthews
Department of Natural Resources Management
Cranfield University, Silsoe, Bedfordshire MK45 4DT, UK.
Tel: +44 (0)1525 863008; Fax: +44 (0)1525 863384
Email: [log in to unmask]
WWW: www.silsoe.cranfield.ac.uk/agricsystems/people/RobinMatthews.htm
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