Project Title: Delivering to industry the benefits of cropping systems models.

Project Supervisor: Dr. M.P. Bange/Dr. P.S. Carberry

Funding Body: CRDC

Commencement Date: 01/07/98 Completion Date: 30/06/01

To utilise the modelling capabilities of the Cotton Research Unit (CRU) and the Agricultural Production Systems Research Unit (APSRU) to improve cotton agronomic management by:

• exploring the role for enhanced paddock monitoring and systems simulation in the commercial management of both irrigated and dryland cotton production systems;
• assisting in the analysis of results from the CRC Farming Systems trials and in the extension of their outcomes to all cotton production regions;
• undertake market research on the prospects for and progress of innovative approaches of delivering systems simulation to industry clients; and
• formally evaluating the impact of this project against its objectives.

• Value of models - Recent experience has demonstrated that farmers can appreciate and gain value from new tools such as simulation models when their development and application is done in the context of participatory on-farm research. Accordingly, this project will collaborate with a number of growers and their consultants in exploring the role for enhanced paddock monitoring and systems simulation in the management of dryland and irrigated cotton crops. Research strategies will include:

1. identification of management issues to be addressed through participatory on-farm research and the application of systems models;
2. expansion of the existing database of soil characterisation and climate records to cover a broader range of cotton production regions;
3. monitoring of soil water and nutrient status and crop management and performance within on-farm research trials;
4. analysis of on-farm trial results and the extension of insights to industry; and
5. utilising simulation models directly with growers and consultants to benchmark crop performance and to explore alternative management options.

These research strategies will enable growers to be become more confident with information derived from simulation models. Existing groups of growers and consultants established in CRDC project CSP67C will be used. Additional groups involving more irrigated growers will also be established. It is envisaged that the CRC development officers will play an integral role in forming and managing some of the new groups. This process will also enable researchers to continue refining integrative decision support packages, which include on-farm monitoring and modelling for the benefit of industry. Additionally, this process will assist researchers with the development and validation of the CERCOT model.

• Simulating farming systems trials - No thorough attempts at using models (APSIM and CERCOT) to interpret and extrapolate results collected from the CRC farming systems trials have been undertaken. Through collaboration with researchers and technical staff managing the trials, models will be used to simulate crop and soil performance in response to long-term climate records, providing a means of expanding the field research results in time and space, and assessing the possible long-term implications of alternative management strategies.
• Developing and evaluating two approaches for delivery of systems simulation:

1. the development and delivery of the CERCOT crop simulation model in a form for use directly by industry clients; and

(ii) the development and support of a simulation capability within the businesses of agribusiness and private consultants to enable provision of simulation services to their clients.

The former approach puts the model directly in the hands of growers, consultants and extension staff but lacks support mechanisms. The latter approach investigates the feasibility of a complete support service (ie. rigour in model inputs, simulation analyses and interpretation of outputs) via agribusiness and private consultants. This project in implementing these two approaches will undertake market research on the demand for simulation and on the appropriate delivery mechanisms.

• Formally evaluating the impact of this project against objectives - Similar to the methods employed in CRDC project CSP67C where data was collected on the perceived and real benefits attributed to the project by collaborating growers and their advisers. This activity will be undertaken for the duration of the project with the guidance from the Rural Extension Centre, Gatton, and by periodically employing the use of independent expert consultants.