Regional Crop Yield Estimation System (RCYES) using a crop simulation model DSSAT V4.7: concept, methods, development, and validation

The crop simulation model simulates the plants process and estimate the yield as function of weather conditions, soil, and crop management information. Global and reliable crop simulation model DSSAT (Decision Support System for Agrotechnology Transfer) is widely used in the modeling of agriculture system by the Research community. This crop model work satisfactorily at a homogeneous farm-scale and need to be incorporated into higher-order systems such as whole farm, catchment, or region. Regional Crop Yield Estimation System (RCYES) is a new approach to attempt the simulation of crop yield at a spatial level using DSSAT codes as basic framework. A framework developed here in Python to optimize the efficient use of the DSSAT crop model at a regional scale. The framework consist of different tools found necessary to prepare required crop model inputs, executing the crop simulation model, reading the crop simulation output, and analyzing the output result. Input data preparation and simulation for all the major crops incorporated in DSSAT can be done with this module. Python scripts were used to develop the tools which are a reliable scientific modeling approach, efficient, timely, and robust framework for the Research and modeling community.