951331 Cropping systems analysis

Type
Lecture and seminar
Semester hours
3
Lecturer (assistant)
Manschadi, Ahmad M. , Bodner, Gernot , Kaul, Hans-Peter
Organisation
Offered in
Wintersemester 2023/24
Languages of instruction
Englisch
Content

This course will cover quantitative aspects of cropping systems responses to climatic conditions, soil properties, and management practices. The focus will be on presenting state-of-the-art predictive tools and models for improving the productivity, sustainability, and resilience of cropping systems in the face of climate change and increased climate variability. Following an introduction into principals of agronomic field experimentation, the scientific structure and user interface of the cropping systems models APSIM and iCrop will be presented. A series of hands-on exercises with these simulation models will be conducted. The value of crop models as predictive tools in the context of smart farming will be discussed. As a case study, the application of crop models linked with weather forecasts and spectral sensors for improving nitrogen fertilisation will be presented and experiences from using this approach on farmers’ fields will be discussed. Another component of this course is quantification of soil organic carbon (SOC) and modelling soil humus balance for climate change mitigation.
Previous knowledge expected

Basic knowledge in agronomy and crop physiology.
Objective (expected results of study and acquired competences)

After successful completion of the course on ‘Cropping Systems Analysis’, the students will:
Design and conduct agronomic field experiments
Perform plant and soil data collection and analysis for crop modelling
Describe the key processes governing crop responses to the environment (climate, soil, management)
Design and set up virtual experiments in cropping systems models APSIM and iCrop
Apply crop and soil models as predictive tools for improved management of cropping systems
You can find more details like the schedule or information about exams on the course-page in BOKUonline.