LINKING DSSAT V3 TO A RELATIONAL DATABASE - THE AGROSYS-DSSAT INTERFACE

This paper presents an information system that links the decision supp ort system DSSAT V3 to a relational database named AGROSYS. They are c oupled by a GUI (graphical user interface) which links crop simulation models in DSSAT and AGROSYS. This prototype runs on Microsoft Windows 95 with Access Version 7.0 or later. AGROSYS is a structured informat ion system, which gives the user access to both data and information o n many different agrobiological subjects. This information has been co llected from literature reviews (including DSSAT manuals), held experi mentation and the contributions of experts in many different areas. Si nce a relational database makes explicit and normalizes the system's d ataset, the information is free of any redundancy or ambiguity, being easily updated. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.