{{Short description|Computer program group}} '''The Decision Support System for Agrotechnology Transfer (DSSAT)''' is a suite of computer programs designed to simulate agricultural crop growth.<ref name=jones03a>{{Cite journal | last1 = Jones | first1 = J. W. | last2 = Hoogenboom | first2 = G. | last3 = Porter | first3 = C. H. | last4 = Boote | first4 = K. J. | last5 = Batchelor | first5 = W. D. | last6 = Hunt | first6 = L. A. | last7 = Wilkens | first7 = P. W. | last8 = Singh | first8 = U. | last9 = Gijsman | first9 = A. J. | last10 = Ritchie | first10 = J. T. | doi = 10.1016/S1161-0301(02)00107-7 | title = The DSSAT cropping system model | journal = European Journal of Agronomy | volume = 18 | issue = 3–4 | pages = 235 | year = 2003 }}</ref> It has been used in more than 100 countries by agronomists to evaluate farming practices.<ref name=thorp08>{{Cite journal| doi = 10.1016/j.compag.2008.05.022| title = Methodology for the use of DSSAT models for precision agriculture decision support| year = 2008| last1 = Thorp| first1 = Kelly R.| last2 = Dejonge| first2 = Kendall C.| last3 = Kaleita| first3 = Amy L.| last4 = Batchelor| first4 = William D.| last5 = Paz| first5 = Joel O.| journal = Computers and Electronics in Agriculture| volume = 64| issue = 2| pages = 276| url = https://naldc-legacy.nal.usda.gov/naldc/download.xhtml?id=32442&content=PDF}}{{dead link|date=June 2025|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref><ref name=baselala12>{{cite news | last = Baselala | first = Elenoa | title = Agro tech | newspaper = Fiji Times | date = July 5, 2012 | url = http://www.fijitimes.com/story.aspx?id=205688 | access-date = January 23, 2014 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140201212201/http://www.fijitimes.com/story.aspx?id=205688 | archive-date = February 1, 2014 | url-status = dead }}</ref> One application has been assessing the possible impacts on agriculture of climate change and testing adaptation methods.<ref name=unfccc>{{cite web | title = Decision Support System for Agrotechnology Transfer (DSSAT) developed under the International Consortium for Agricultural Systems Applications (ICASA) | work = Compendium on methods and tools to evaluate impacts of, and vulnerability and adaptation to, climate change | publisher = UNFCCC Nairobi Work Programme on impacts, vulnerability and adaptation to climate change | url = https://unfccc.int/adaptation/nairobi_work_programme/knowledge_resources_and_publications/items/5453.php | access-date = January 23, 2014}}</ref>
DSSAT is built with a modular approach, with different options available to represent such processes as evapotranspiration and soil organic matter accumulation, which facilitates testing different representations of processes important in crop growth.<ref name=gijsman03>{{Cite journal | doi = 10.1016/S1161-0301(02)00098-9| title = Wading through a swamp of complete confusion: How to choose a method for estimating soil water retention parameters for crop models| year = 2002| last1 = Gijsman| first1 = A.J| last2 = Jagtap| first2 = S.S| last3 = Jones| first3 = J.W| journal = European Journal of Agronomy| volume = 18| issue = 1–2| pages = 77–106}}</ref><ref name=meng08>{{Cite journal | doi = 10.1175/2008JHM916.1| title = A Comparison of Soil Moisture Models Using Soil Climate Analysis Network Observations| year = 2008| last1 = Meng| first1 = Lei| last2 = Quiring| first2 = Steven M.| journal = Journal of Hydrometeorology| volume = 9| issue = 4| pages = 641| doi-access = free}}</ref><ref name=porter10>{{Cite journal | doi = 10.1007/s12351-009-0059-1| title = Modeling organic carbon and carbon-mediated soil processes in DSSAT v4.5| year = 2009| last1 = Porter| first1 = Cheryl H.| last2 = Jones| first2 = J. W.| last3 = Adiku| first3 = S.| last4 = Gijsman| first4 = A. J.| last5 = Gargiulo| first5 = O.| last6 = Naab| first6 = J. B.| journal = Operational Research| volume = 10| issue = 3| pages = 247}}</ref> The functionality of DSSAT has also been extended through interfaces with other software such as GIS.<ref name=thorp08/><ref name=thorp13>{{Cite journal | doi = 10.1016/j.envsoft.2013.09.002| title = A model-independent open-source geospatial tool for managing point-based environmental model simulations at multiple spatial locations| year = 2013| last1 = Thorp| first1 = K.R.| last2 = Bronson| first2 = K.F.| journal = Environmental Modelling & Software| volume = 50| pages = 25–36}}</ref> DSSAT typically requires input parameters related to soil condition, weather, any management practices such as fertilizer use and irrigation, and characteristics of the crop variety being grown.<ref name=wu13>{{Cite journal | doi = 10.5539/jas.v5n5p198| title = Application of the DSSAT Model to Simulate Wheat Growth in Eastern China| year = 2013| last1 = Wu| first1 = Chunlei| last2 = Anlauf| first2 = Ruediger| last3 = Ma| first3 = Youhua| journal = Journal of Agricultural Science| volume = 5| issue = 5| doi-access = free}}</ref> Many common crops have their characteristics already implemented as DSSAT modules.<ref name=jones03a/>
DSSAT grew out of the International Benchmark Sites Network for Agrotechnological Transfer (IBSNAT) in the 1980s, with the first official release in 1989.<ref name=jones03a/> Version 4, released in 2003, introduced a more modular structure and added tools for agricultural economic analysis and risk assessment.<ref name=jones03a/> Development has continued in affiliation with the International Consortium for Agricultural Systems Applications (ICASA).<ref name=white13>{{Cite journal | doi = 10.1016/j.compag.2013.04.003| title = Integrated description of agricultural field experiments and production: The ICASA Version 2.0 data standards| year = 2013| last1 = White | first1 = J. W.| last2 = Hunt | first2 = L. A.| last3 = Boote | first3 = K. J.| last4 = Jones | first4 = J. W.| last5 = Koo | first5 = J.| last6 = Kim | first6 = S.| last7 = Porter | first7 = C. H.| last8 = Wilkens | first8 = P. W.| last9 = Hoogenboom | first9 = G. | journal = Computers and Electronics in Agriculture| volume = 96| pages = 1–12}}</ref>
==Notes== {{reflist}}
==External links== * [http://dssat.net/ DSSAT website]
Category:Agronomy Category:Environmental science software