Testing of a Danish growth model for barley, turnip rape and timothy in Finnish conditions

• Main Authors: Ari Ilola, Esko Elomaa, Seppo Pulli
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Scientific Agricultural Society of Finland 1988-12-01
• Series: Agricultural and Food Science
• Online Access: https://journal.fi/afs/article/view/72334

The biological and meteorological data were collected at Jokioinen in 1982—87. Potential and actual (water limited) production of dry matter were simulated using a Danish WATCROS model for spring barley, spring turnip rape and timothy grass. The most important data of the biological programme comprised weekly measurements of the crop surface (GAI), dry matter yield, root growth, soil water content and yield analyses of the harvest. All these measurements were performed for both irrigated and non-irrigated plots. The needed meteorological parameters for the daily simulation of the dry matter yield were global radiation, air temperature and precipitation. The simulated dry matter production results with the WATCROS model were generally higher than those measured. In order to obtain a better fit into the Finnish climatic and soil conditions, the Finnish model should take soil water conditions and efficient use of photosynthetically active radiation into consideration.