Decision Support System for Agrotechnology Transfer (DSSAT)

Category: Agriculture

Reference Number:

Description

The Decision Support System for Agrotechnology Transfer (DSSAT) is a software package integrating the effects of soil, crop phenotype, weather and management options that allows users to ask "what if" questions and simulate results by conducting, in minutes on a desktop computer, experiments which would consume a significant part of an agronomist's career. It has been in use for more than 15 years by researchers in over 100 countries.

DSSAT is a microcomputer software product that combines crop, soil and weather data bases into standard formats for access by crop models and application programs. The user can then simulate multi-year outcomes of crop management strategies for different crops at any location in the world.
DSSAT also provides for validation of crop model outputs; thus allowing users to compare simulated outcomes with observed results. Crop model validation is accomplished by inputting the user's minimum data, running the model, and comparing outputs. By simulating probable outcomes of crop management strategies, DSSAT offers users information with which to rapidly appraise new crops, products, and practices for adoption.

DSSAT Version 4.0 has been released! For info, please visit the ICASA Website.

System Requirements:

• Personal Computer running MS-Windows
• Pentium2 with 128MB RAM minimal
• Pentium4 with 512MB RAM recommended
• CD-Rom Drive
• Hard Disk Space requirement 300MB of free space

Applications

As a software package integrating the effects of soil, crop phenotype, weather and management options, DSSAT allows users to ask "what if" questions and simulate results by conducting, in hours on a desktop computer, experiments which would consume a significant part of an agronomist's career.

Main Advantages

• As a teaching and training tool by providing interactive responses to "what if" questions related to improved understanding of the influence of season (weather), location (site and soil) and management on growth processes plants.
• As a research tool, to derive recommendations concerning crop management and to investigate environmental and sustainability issues
• As a business tool, to enhance profitability and improve input marketing
• As a policy tool, for yield and area forecasting and land use planning.

Inventor(s)

International Consortium for Agricultural Systems Applications

Contact Information

To get more info about DSSAT, including instructions for ordering the software, see DSSAT Info


For more information about the International Consortium for Agricultural Systems Applications, please send email to icasa@icasa.net