Behgol Moazami

.Simulation models of crops are referred as efficient complement for the experimental study. Also crop simulation models can be useful for making appropriate decisions on agricultural systems. So this study aimed to simulate the growth of maize under restricted irrigation with different planting dates, using the Decision Support System for Agrotechnology Transfer (DSSAT) model in 2013. This study was conducted in May 2013 in the research field of Islamic Azad University of Karaj. The experiment was designed in a split-block with 4 replications. Treatments included four planting dates of April 30 (S1), May 20 (S2), June 10 (S3), and June 27 (S4) in the main plots and three irrigation levels of 40% available water depletion (W1), 60% available water depletion (W2), and 80% available water depletion in the sub-plots. Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) of grain yield for all four planting dates on three levels of irrigation in Karaj region varied from 581.43 to 1990.81 kg per hectare. It was also calculated the model efficiency coefficient (d) ranged 0.87-0.98 for the trait. The RMSE of the total dry matter was determined 861.88-2173.66 kg per hectare; that was while R2 (1:1) of total dry weight varied 0.89-0.98. The results indicate that the model’s ability to predict dry matter yield of maize is good enough.

Maize; CERES-Maize model; Yield; Simulation