Evaluating APSIM-and-DSSAT-CERES-Maize Models under Rainfed Conditions Using Zambian Rainfed Maize Cultivars

• Published in: Nitrogen (Basel, Switzerland) Vol. 2; no. 4; pp. 392 - 414
• Main Authors: Chisanga, Charles B., Phiri, Elijah, Chinene, Vernon R. N.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Basel MDPI AG 01.12.2021
• Subjects: Agricultural production; APSIM-Maize; Biomass; Calibration; Cereal crops; CERES-Maize model; Climate change; Climate models; Corn; Crop growth; Crop yield; Cultivars; Decision making; Environmental conditions; Experiments; Farmers; Fertilizers; Grain; grain yield; maize; Maturity; Moisture content; Nitrogen; Physiochemistry; Plant growth; Precipitation; Radiation; Rain; Research centers; RMSE; Seasons; Simulation; Soil layers; Soil properties; Soil water; Soils; Water content; Zambia
• ISSN: 2504-3129; 2504-3129
• DOI: 10.3390/nitrogen2040027

Crop model calibration and validation is vital for establishing their credibility and ability in simulating crop growth and yield. A split–split plot design field experiment was carried out with sowing dates (SD1, SD2 and SD3); maize cultivars (ZMS606, PHB30G19 and PHB30B50) and nitrogen fertilizer rates (N1, N2 and N3) as the main plot, subplot and sub-subplot with three replicates, respectively. The experiment was carried out at Mount Makulu Central Research Station, Chilanga, Zambia in the 2016/2017 season. The study objective was to calibrate and validate APSIM-Maize and DSSAT-CERES-Maize models in simulating phenology, mLAI, soil water content, aboveground biomass and grain yield under rainfed and irrigated conditions. Days after planting to anthesis (APSIM-Maize, anthesis (DAP) RMSE = 1.91 days; DSSAT-CERES-Maize, anthesis (DAP) RMSE = 2.89 days) and maturity (APSIM-Maize, maturity (DAP) RMSE = 3.35 days; DSSAT-CERES-Maize, maturity (DAP) RMSE = 3.13 days) were adequately simulated, with RMSEn being <5%. The grain yield RMSE was 1.38 t ha−1 (APSIM-Maize) and 0.84 t ha−1 (DSSAT-CERES-Maize). The APSIM- and-DSSAT-CERES-Maize models accurately simulated the grain yield, grain number m−2, soil water content (soil layers 1–8, RMSEn ≤ 20%), biomass and grain yield, with RMSEn ≤ 30% under rainfed condition. Model validation showed acceptable performances under the irrigated condition. The models can be used in identifying management options provided climate and soil physiochemical properties are available.