AgWise / Approaches for Planting dates and varieties
Crop models used
AgWise determines optimal planting dates and crop varieties for cropping systems by integrating crop models with spatial soil data and weather forecasts, accounting for soil and climate variability.
APSIM
AgWise uses the apsimx R package, which enables seamless spatialization of the APSIM model simulations.
WOFOST
Accessed through the R package, Rwofost, which was utilized to spatialize WOFOST.
ORYZA
Specialized for rice production. The ORYZA R package enables linkages to gridded databases and to run the model at scale.
DSSAT
The DSSAT R package facilitates the automation of large-scale simulations, especially related to weather and soil,
Crop models workflow
The assimilation of data into crop models in AgWise follows a standardized workflow, enabling easy integration and comparison of different models.
1.
Sourcing geospatial data
The weather data required include daily rainfall, solar radiation, and minimum and maximum temperatures. Geospatial weather datasets are downloaded via APIs into CGLabs, the server where all data is stored and simulations are conducted.
2.
Processing data into model input format
3.
Crop model calibration and validation
Before using crop models, robust calibration and validation are essential. Countries vary in data availability for model calibration—some have ample data, others have average or no data. To address this, AgWise has developed methods for reliable model calibration and validation under different data conditions.
4.
Simulation process
5.
Post-processing of crop model outputs
Outputs processing
The simulation outputs are used to determine the optimal sowing date and variety for different rainfall seasons based on the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO). The Oceanic Niño Index (ONI) classifies ENSO phases as El Niño (ONI > 0.5°C), La Niña (ONI < -0.5°C), or Neutral (ONI between -0.5°C and 0.5°C).
The planting date and variety with the highest yield for each location are defined as the optimum (see figure: Optimum soybean planting dates across different varieties and ENSO phases in Malawi.
Demo scripts for optimal planting dates are available on GitHub