Winter School
on
Multiple Crop Modelling to Improve Resource use
efficiency in Agriculture under Changing Climatic Conditions
03rd – 23rd September, 2015
Course Director
Dr. G. Sreenivas
Course Co-ordinators
B. Balaji Naik
Dr. R. Sunitha Devi
S.G. Mahadevappa
Sponsored by
Indian Council of Agricultural Research, New Delhi
Organized by
Agro Climate Research Centre,
Agricultural Research Institute,
Professor Jayashankar Telangana State Agricultural University,
Rajendranagar, Hyderabad, Telangana 500030 – India
www.pjtsau.ac.in
Multiple crop modelling to improve resource use efficiency in
agriculture under changing climatic conditions
Indian Agriculture is known for its multi-functionalities of providing food, employment,
nutritional and ecological securities. Crop yield is the culmination of a diversified range of
factors such as soil, seed, pest and diseases, fertilizers and agronomic practices.
Efficient management of available resources with variable weather conditions is
essential to increase productivity of agriculture. In addition to this, the focus on agricultural
production is changing from quantity to towards quality in recent years in the context of climate
change, soil carbon sequestration, long-term food security and environmental sustainability
have become important issues. To arrive suitable solution for these new challenges, require
consideration of numerous components those interact with plant growth and development.
Traditionally, agronomic experiments are conducted at particular point in time and space,
making results site and season-specific, time consuming and expensive. Field experiments to
capture all the multi year and multi location variability are nearly impossible. Under these
circumstances, crop simulation models have been emerged as an important tool for agronomic
management strategy, where these models not only allow researchers to explore crop
response to numerous alternative management practices under specific environmental
conditions, without really doing it in the field, but at the same time provide the researchers with
an opportunity to understand and evaluate the multi-dimensional relationship between
simulations and field observations. Agricultural system models have untapped potential to help
agricultural research and technology transfer in 21st century. This can also be applied to
determine the potential impact of climate change on crop production and long-term soil carbon
sequestration and provide management scenarios for adapting to climate change and
variability.
This necessitated to understand the processes involved in various crop simulation
models and hands on training to improve the skills of scientific community involved in various
agriculture research and extension activities of the country. In this context, a winter school on
“Multiple crop modelling to improve resource use efficiency in agriculture under changing
climatic conditions” is proposed with the following objectives
Objectives
v To acquaint with calibration of various models.
v To acquaint with validation of experimental data under a given set of environmental
conditions to evaluate the accuracy of previously calibrated model.
v To understand the sensitivity of the model under a given set of environmental conditions.
v To acquaint with model application to make strategic and tactical decisions on irrigation,
nutrient management.
v To understand the impacts of climate change on agriculture
Course Outline
1.
2.
3.
4.
Problems and prospects of crop simulation models. Applications of crop simulation
models in agriculture
Statistical models and their applications in agriculture
Cropping system models - Overview of DSSAT, APSIM and InfoCrop
Minimum data set concept in cropping system models
5.
Calibration and validation of crop simulation models-DSSAT, APSIM and InfoCrop
6.
Simulation of crop growth, development and potential yield and sensitivity analysis
7.
Simulation of nitrogen limited and water limited production
8.
Simulation of soil water dynamics
9.
Simulation of soil N dynamics and crop responses to N
10. Seasonal analysis for different crops
11. Simulation of climate change impacts on agriculture
12. Forecasting of crop yields using crop simulation models
13. Agro climatic analysis using Weather Cock software
14. RS & GIS in simulation modelling and sustainable agriculture
15. Pest and disease forewarning models and decision support systems
Course Overview
The program will describe a practical approach for simulating effects of soil, weather,
management and genetic factors on crop production. Instructors will explain how crop growth
and development, water use, uptake of water and nutrients and carbon dynamics are
simulated. It will cover procedures for collecting and managing crop, weather and soil data for
application of models for various purposes in agriculture. Participants will identify constraints
and suggest alternate management strategies to improve the yields. Applications of models for
studying water and nutrient management and adaptation to climate change will be
emphasized. Lectures will alternate with hands-on assignments using the DSSAT, APSIM and
INFOCROP models and software package. Sufficient time will be used to discuss capabilities
and limitations of the models and appropriate methods for their use.
Eligibility
Participants from SAU’s/ICAR Institute/Agricultural faculty of AMU, BHU, Vishwa
Bharati and Nagaland University in the cadre of Assistant Professors or equivalent and above
from Agronomy/Soil Science/ Agrometeorology/Crop Physiology/Agril. Entomology/Plant
Pathology /Plant Breeding are eligible. The number of participants for the program will be
limited to 25.
Venue
Agro Climate Research Centre
Agricultural Research Institute
Professor Jayashankar Telangana State Agricultural University
Rajendranagar, Hyderabad, Telangana – 500 030, India
Travel
The participants will be paid for the journey, to and fro, restricted to AC-II-tier train fare or
bus. Actual TA will be paid on production of tickets by the participants. TA will be paid from the
place of duty to the course location and back by the shortest route. Participants are requested
not to bring any family members along with them. They are expected to make their own
arrangements to reach the university guest house. Hyderabad is well connected by air, rail and
road. City transport service is available to reach the university. Participants are advised to
make their return journey reservations at their end before leaving for Hyderabad.
Accommodation
Boarding and lodging will be arranged for the participants in the university guest house.
Local participants are not eligible for boarding and lodging, however, local hospitality i.e.
working lunch, tea, etc. will be provided.
Location
ACRC is located 19 km from RGI airport, Shamshabad and 19.6 km from Secunderabad
railway station and 14 km from Hyderabad railway station.
Bus services are frequently
available from all these places to reach Agro Climate Research Centre (ACRC), PJTSAU,
Rajendranagar, Hyderabad.
Course duration
The duration of training programme will be for 21 days from 3rd to 23rd Sep, 2015.
Participants should attend the training programme with their own laptops and data set of
(weather, soil and crop) 25 to 30 years for hands on training. All the participants are expected to
arrive latest by the evening of 2nd Sep, 2015 and can leave after 4.30pm on 23rd Sep, 2015.
Application and Selection
As per the ICAR instructions, the interested candidates should register and apply online
through ‘Capacity Building Programme’ (CBP) vortal as follows:
1.
Visit the website http://www.iasri.res.in/cbp/ or click on Capacity Building Programme link
under http://www.icar.org.in/
2.
Login using your user ID and Password. To create user ID use “Create New Account”
link.
3.
After login, click on “Participate in Training” link and fill the Proforma.
Take a printout of the application and get it approved by the competent authority of the
institute/SAU. Upload the scanned copy of application through the above portal or send duly
signed copy through proper channel to the Course Director of Winter School by post along with
registration fee.
The last date for receiving the nomination is 5th July, 2015. The advance scanned copy of
the nomination may be sent by email.
Note: Candidates will be informed of their selection before 25th July, 2015.
Registration fee
The participants are required to pay the sum of Rs.50/- (Rupees fifty only) towards
registration fee (Non-refundable) in favour of “Director, Agro Climate Research Centre, A.R.I.,
Rajendranagar” payable at Andhra Bank, Rajendranagar, Hyderabad.
All correspondence should be addressed to
Dr. G. Sreenivas
Director & Course Director,
Agro Climate Research Centre (ACRC),
Agricultural Research Institute (ARI),
Professor Jayashankar Telangana State Agricultural University (PJTSAU)
Rajendranagar, Hyderabad, Telangana – 500 030, India.
Telephone: 040-24016901 Fax: 040-24016901
Mobile: +91 9000407408, +91 9989625231
E-mail: swshyd2015@gmail.com, swshyd2015@yahoo.com