Maize/Annual forage legumes mixed cropping systems: Characterizing water and Nitrogen dynamics in maize/vetch pure and mixed stands. II. Criteria for model selection and minimum data sets requirements for model use and verification

This paper looks at the applicability of three management oriented simulation models that are being evaluated by the environmental Sciences Division at ILCA. Basically the three models (CERES-maize NITROSIM and SCUAF) have been designed to simulate crop growth and development and crop yields, as well as to predict the fate and transport of applied fertilizer materials (organic and inorganic) given a combination of climate, crop, soil and management practices. In the future, attention will be focussed on the use of geographic informaiton systems and other knowledge-based expert systems as essential tools in the maintainance of soil productivity in mixed crop-livestock systems.