Simulation for alfalfa cultivation

[Isaac Cesen]

Hello every one, my name is Isaac

I´m conducting research on forage crops. I have already obtained favorable results for ryegrass and clover (I calibrated the results) however, I´m having a problem with alfalfa yield; the plants aren´t growing withim the model. I´ve made modifications to crop management. nutrition, and climate, but the problem persists. I would like to know if this is a general issue or which aspect I´m failing at. 

I´m using the APEX v.1501 model. 

Thank you for your attention. 

[Luca Doro]

Dear Isaac,

It sounds like this is not a general issue and could be due to several specific factors. My first questions are:

• Is alfalfa actually being planted in the simulation?
• Is it germinating?

If it is germinating, the alfalfa may be suffering from competition with the other species and consequently not growing enough.

To confirm if alfalfa is growing and germinating, you can check the .OUT output file. The actual operations simulated each year are reported there, following the general information, soil, and management data at the beginning of the file.

If you still don't see the necessary information, you may need to edit the APEXCONT.DAT file and change the variable IPD to 3. (Please refer to the user manual for more details on this setting).

Cheers,

Luca