Theory
System Approach for representing soil-plant-atmospheric continuum, system boundaries, Crop models, concepts & techniques, types of crop models, data requirements, relational diagrams. Evaluation of crop responses to weather elements; Elementary crop growth models; calibration, validation, verification and sensitivity analysis. Potential and achievable crop production- concept and modelling techniques for their estimation. Crop production in moisture and nutrients limited conditions; components of soil water and nutrients balance. Weather forecasting, types, methods, tools & techniques, forecast verification; value added weather forecast, ITK for weather forecast and its validity; Crop-Weather Calendars; Preparation of agro-advisory bulletin based on weather forecast. Use of crop simulation model for preparation of Agro- advisory and its effective dissemination.