Data View, Branch: Catchments,
Category: Land Use, Tab: Crops. This screen is used in conjunction with the Plant Growth Model Method for catchment hydrology and crop water requirements. It is accessible via the drop-down menu on the data grid for the Crops variable under Land Use.
Each catchment branch represents a piece of land on which one or more crops or land cover types exist. For each branch, use the Crop Scheduling Wizard to specify which crop or land cover type (from the Crop Library) are planted.
At the top of the wizard, select the number of crops or cuttings per year. For example, if you had corn followed by winter wheat, you would enter 2; if you had an initial alfalfa crop with four subsequent cuttings, you would enter 5.
Choose the crop from the crop library.
The planting date can be specified in two ways.
If "Use Heat Units" is chosen then the crop will be planted once enough heat units have accumulated to pass the threshold heat unit value specified in the "Heat Units Required for Plant Maturity" field in the Crop Library. Heat units are accumulated using a base temperature of zero starting on the date specified in General – Basic Parameters – “Date to reset heat unit accumulation every year.”
If "Specify Exact Date" is chosen then the crop will be planted on the date specified.
The harvest date can be specified in three ways.
If "Use Heat Units" is chosen then the crop will be harvested once enough heat units have accumulated since planting to pass the threshold set in the "Heat Units Required For Plant Maturity" found in the Crop Library. These heat units accumulate based on a crop specific base temperature.
If "Days After Planting" is chosen then harvest will occur the specified number of days after planting. Note that plant development is governed by the accumulation of heat units. Specification of a particular date for harvest may result in harvest occurring prior to or after full maturity.
If "Specify Exact Date" is chosen then the harvest will occur on the specified day. Note that plant development is governed by the accumulation of heat units. Specification of a particular date for harvest may result in harvest occurring prior to or after full maturity.
See also: Plant Growth Model Algorithms
Entered on: Data View, Branch: Catchments,
Category: Land Use, Tab: Crops.