A COMPUTER-PROGRAM FOR GEOSTATISTICAL AND SPATIAL-ANALYSIS OF CROP MODEL OUTPUT

Well-tested computer simulation models of the growth, development, and yield of annual crops are being used for a wide range of purposes, in cluding the prediction of impacts of different management practices an d land use systems on Food production, farmers' profitability and the environment, Presentation and interpretation of simulation results fan be significantly enhanced through the linking of models with software that allows spatial visualization, Many users of crop simulation mode ls, however, are located in institution in developing countries where resources are particularly limited, Computer software to perform a var iety of spatial analyses was written, which can be run on modest hardw are without the need for costly third-party software. The software is an integral part of the Decision Support System far Agrotechnology Tra nsfer (DSSAT), a comprehensive crop simulation model and data system, but can also be run in a stand-alone mode Users can run spatial simula tion experiments and then analyze the results using (i) a geostatistic al module to interpolate maps and produce probability surfaces from a network of data points and (ii) a utility that calculates agronomic an d economic output statistics from model simulations and maps the resul ts as polygons, The suite of modules, which runs an an IBM-compatible personal computer, interfaces with some widely used third-party GIS so ftware, and the mapping facility enables users to export and import im ages to a number of common file formats.