Decision Support System for Agrotechnology Transfer (DSSAT)

Category: Other Technologies

Reference Number:

Description

DSSAT (pronounced "dee'-sat") is microcomputer software program combining crop, soil, and weather data bases and programs to manage them, with crop models and application programs, to simulate multi-year outcomes of crop management strategies. DSSAT also provides for validation of the crop models; thus allowing users to compare simulated outcomes with observed results. Crop model validation is accomplished by inputting the user's minimum data set, 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 practives for adoption.

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

System Requirements
Any 486 or better IBM Personal Computer or compatible microcomputer with:

• 640K of random access memory (RAM); minimum free RAM required is 590K
• a hard disk (required); complete installation requires 25 MB disk space
• DOS version 3.3 or later
• an VGA graphic adapter or better
• a math coprocessor (recommended)

Applications

• 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.

Main Advantages

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.

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