Assessment of performance of crop model and meteorological indicators in forecasting potato yield in Western Uttar Pradesh

Abstract

This paper presents a new Integrated Farming System (IFS) ver. 1.1 model and data that could meet the needs of growing community of end-users exemplified by set of potato crop growers. This farm simulation model was used to analyse the effects of nutrient amendment, pond soil on yield of potato and effect of climatic parameters like sunshine and rainfall on crop performance which was then used to calibrate the model for experimental field of institute’s experimental site. Using data the model was validated over next year crop cycle at the farm scale. This study also deals with the discussion that how the integrated farming system (IFS) ver. 1.1 model is developed simulating the situations faced by farmers of western Uttar Pradesh with desired technological modifications needed to boost the farmers’ productivity and profitability on sustainable basis. By management practices which are in control and practically feasible by farmers for example: like date of sowing and application of non-chemical nutrient amendments, farmers can earn better net profitability with lesser annual cost of cultivation with overall holistic benefit- cost ratio. The results reveal that technological interventions on the basis of land use planning; the system can fetch better gains and livelihood through their farms. This model can act as an innovative tool to transform less remunerative farm production systems into highly remunerative systems using available farm resources to generate better farm gains on sustainable basis. Suggested model can also be useful in teaching processes involved in the system and its behaviour in response input variables.