2010 Training Program on DSSAT

Assessing Crop Production, Nutrient Management, Climatic Risk and
Environmental Sustainability with Simulation Models

May 10-May 19, 2010

Presented by the University of Georgia and the International Consortium
for Agricultural Systems Applications (ICASA)

Rationale
Today more than ever, increased food production depends on judicious use
of resources.  In addition, issues such as climate change, climate
variability, soil carbon sequestration, biofuels, long-term food
security and environmental sustainability have become important issues.
Computer simulation models of the soil/plant/atmosphere system can make
a valuable contribution to both furthering our understanding of the
processes that determine crop responses and predicting crop performance,
resource use and environmental impacts for different environments and
management scenarios. User-oriented simulation models greatly facilitate
the task of optimizing crop growth and deriving recommendations
concerning crop management.  They can also be used to determine the
potential impact of climate change on crop production and long-term soil
carbon sequestration, or provide management scenarios for adapting to
climate variability and climate change

Program Goal and Objectives
The overall goal of this training program is to familiarize participants
with a comprehensive computer model for the simulation of crop growth
and yield, soil and plant water, nutrient and carbon dynamics and their
application to real world problems.

Specifically the program will focus on:
• Operation of the windows-based Decision Support System for
Agrotechnology Transfer (DSSAT) Version 4.5 software (www.ICASA.net/DSSAT/)
• Description of the DSSAT-Cropping System Model, CSM and its modules,
such as CROPGRO, and CERES, and the science embedded in the models.
• Minimum data requirements and experimental data collection for systems
simulation.
• Integration of crop simulation models with data base management and
Geographical Information Systems.
• Application of the DSSAT-CSM model to improve management of cropping
systems.

PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS
The program will:
• Describe a practical approach for simulating effects of soil, weather,
management, and pest factors on crop production.
• Demonstrate how processes of crop growth and development, water use,
uptake of water and nutrients and carbon dynamics can be simulated.
• Make extensive use of 'hands on' sessions that apply the DSSAT-CSM
model to cropping systems in various regions of the world.
• Describe procedures for collecting and managing crop, weather and soil
data for model evaluation.
• Give participants the opportunity to work with their own data and
determine the accuracy of the models for application to specific problems.
•Analyze management alternatives for single seasons or over long-term
crop rotations.
• Concentrate on specific applications that include irrigation,
fertilizer and nutrient management, climate change, soil carbon
sequestration, climate variability, and precision management.
• Assess economic risks and environmental impacts associated with
agricultural production.

Cropping System Model & DSSAT
The program will make extensive use of the DSSAT-Cropping System Model
(CSM).  CSM is a general cropping system model for simulating crop
growth and development and soil and plant water, nitrogen and carbon
dynamics. CSM is comprised of the CROPGRO module for soybean, peanut,
common bean, chickpea, faba bean, cowpea, and other grain legumes, the
CERES module for maize, sorghum and millet, the CERES-Rice module for
rice, the SUBSTOR module for potato, the CROPSIM-CERES module for wheat
and barley, and the CROPGRO module for tomato, bahia, brachiaria and
cotton, the CANEGRO model for sugarcane, and CROPSIM for cassava. The
CENTURY model for the simulation of soil carbon and nitrogen has also
been incorporated in CSM. DSSAT v4.5 is Windows-based and includes the
CSM model as well as tools and utility programs for managing soil,
weather, genetic, crop, economic and pest data, and application and
analysis programs.

ABOUT THE TRAINING WORKSHOP
When the Workshop Begins
The program will start on May 10 and end May 19, 2010.  It will be held
on the Griffin Campus of The University of Georgia (UGA), located just
south of Atlanta, GA, USA. International participants should plan to
arrive two days before the program begins to adjust to time zone
differences and recover from travel fatigue.

Faculty
The following faculty will lecture in this training program:
• Dr. G. Hoogenboom, the University of Georgia
• Dr. K.J. Boote, the University of Florida
• Dr. L.A. Hunt, University of Guelph, Canada
• Dr. J.W. Jones, the University of Florida
• Dr. J. Lisazo, Universidad Politecnica de Madrid, Spain
• Dr. J.O. Paz, Mississippi State University
• Dr. U. Singh, IFDC
• Dr. J.W. White, USDA-ARS-ALARC
• Dr. P.W. Wilkens, IFDC
• ... and other experts from the International Consortium for
Agricultural Systems Applications (ICASA)

Co-sponsors
• The University of Georgia
• The University of Florida
• International Center for Soil Fertility and Agricultural Development
(IFDC)
• International Consortium for Agricultural Systems Applications (ICASA)

Registration Fee
The registration fee is $1500 if you register by April 10 and $1650 if
you register after April 10. It covers resource material including the
DSSAT v4.5 software and the book Understanding Options for Agricultural
Production. It also includes AM/PM breaks and lunch on training days,
and registration services. It does not cover breakfast, dinner, lodging,
health insurance, or transportation. Each participant is responsible for
these costs. If you register by April 10, you are assured of receiving a
confirmation package. Lodging is $45.00 per day plus taxes. Food should
average about $30 per day. Enrollment is limited to 40 participants.

How to Register: 5 Easy ways
• By mail: Mail your registration and payment to Office of Continuing
Education, The University of Georgia, Griffin Campus, 1109 Experiment
St., Griffin, GA 30223.
• In Person: Come to the Office of Continuing Education, which is
located in the Stuckey Conference Center, Room 125, on the Griffin
Campus. Business hours 8 am-5 pm, M-F.
• By telephone: Our telephone number is 1-770-229-3477. Payment is by
credit card only.
• By fax: Fill out your registration form and fax it to 1-770-233-6180.
Payment is by credit card only.
• Online: Go to our web site at www.ICASA.net. Payment is by credit card
only.

For Workshop Information Contact:
Art Cain or Mary Ellen Mount
The University of Georgia, Office of Continuing Education
1109 Experiment Street
Stuckey Conference Center, Room 125
Griffin, GA 30223, USA
Telephone: 1-770-229-3477; Fax: 1-770-233-6180
E-mail: [log in to unmask]

For Program Information Contact:
Dr. Gerrit Hoogenboom
Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering
The University of Georgia
Griffin, GA 30223, USA
Tel: 1-770-228-7216; Fax: 1-770-228-7218
E-mail: [log in to unmask]

www.ICASA.net/events/dssat2010.html