Investigating DSSAT: Bermudagrass Response to Nitrogen as Influenced by Soil and Climate
Academic Article
Overview
Research
Identity
Additional Document Info
Other
View All
Overview
abstract
2019 The author(s). The perennial forage model in the Decision Support System for Agrotechnology Transfer (DSSAT) suite is a newly developed model. Studies involving the use of the forage model for predicting biomass production for a perennial grass such as bermudagrass [Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers.] are few. By conducting a series of simulation investigations, we examined the DSSAT forage model for simulating 'Coastal' bermudagrass biomass response to N as affected by soil and climate variability in the southern United States. The simulation results indicated that the DSSAT forage model predicted the biomass response to N reasonably well. However, the accuracy of simulations was linked primarily to the water holding capacity (WHC) of the soil used. A seemingly small difference in WHC, such as 0.03 mm mm1, made a significant difference in the biomass response to N rate by a margin of about 3 Mg ha1. These results indicated that providing more leverage to WHC than to the soil name, texture, or type being used for simulations could provide more accurate results. The simulations further indicated that bermudagrass production in the southern United States could be impacted by El Nio-Southern Oscillation (ENSO), with the La Nia and El Nio phases providing above-normal and below-normal production, respectively. The rate of increase in biomass with an increase in N rate was higher under La Nia than under El Nio. The impact of ENSO was greater on a soil with a coarser texture.
