Comparative study of two crop yield simulation models

Abstract

The SWATRER-SUCROS and CERES-MAIZE models were compared in terms of their performance in predicting biomass yield, leaf area index and soil water content during the growing season of 1988 at the Rogers farm (University of Nebraska, Lincoln, Nebraska, USA). Five statistics often used to compare the quality of simulation results were used in the comparison. The comparison was performed based on the prediction of moisture content during the growing season in soil layer depths of 0–30 cm, 30–60 cm, 60–90 cm, and 90–120 cm in addition to the prediction of above ground biomass and leaf area index. Within the limits of experimental error both models predicted the moisture content, leaf area index, and above ground biomass reasonably well. Large deviations in moisture content variation were observed in the early part of the growth period where irrigation did not start yet. Based on the statistics the CERES-MAIZE model predicted soil moisture content better than SWATRER-SUCROS while the opposite was true for leaf area index and above ground biomass.