START: A data preparation tool for crop simulation models using web-based soil databases

Soil profile data that characterize the physical and chemical properties of a soil are among the required set of inputs for ecological, crop and other dynamic simulation models. A web-based soil information system often provides the site-specific soil data of which formats are not readily compatible to crop models. The Soil daTA Retrieval Tool (START) was developed to automate a series of procedures for preparation of soil input data that includes the retrieval of soil profile data from the information system, reorganization of data, estimation of soil parameters, and creation of input files foi simulation models. In a case study, the START was implemented to support the SoilGrids database operated by the International Soil Reference and Information Center. It took about 0.33% of time for the START to create soil input files compared with manual preparation. These results suggest that the START could provide an efficient approach for preparation of soil input files especially for sites where little soil information is available.