Keating, BA, Carberry, P, Hammer, GL, Probert, ME, Robertson, MJ, Holzworth, D, Huth, NI, Hargreaves, JNG, Meinke, H, Hochman, Z, McLean, G, Verbur, K, Snow, V, Dimes, J, Silburn, M, Wang, E, Brown, S, Bristow, KL, Asseng, S, Chapman, S, McCown, RL, Freebairn, DM and Smith, CJ (2003). An overview of APSIM, a model designed for farming systems simulation. European Journal of Agronomy 18: 267-288.

has been cited by the following article:

• TITLE: Measuring and simulating maize (Zea mays L.) yield responses to reduced tillage and mulching under semi-arid conditions

  AUTHORS: Walter Mupangwa, John Dimes, Sue Walker, Stephen Twomlow

  KEYWORDS: Nitrogen-Modelling-Planting Basins-Semi Arid-Variable Rainfall-Zimbabwe

  JOURNAL NAME: Agricultural Sciences, Vol.2 No.3, August 12, 2011

  ABSTRACT: Rainfed smallholder agriculture in semi-arid environments of sub-Saharan Africa faces many challenges. Productivity of the smallholder agricultural systems has been on the decline in recent years. Conservation agriculture practices have a potential of steering the smallholder agricultural systems of sub-Saharan Africa to greater and more sustainable levels. This study was designed to calibrate the APSIM model so that it could be used as a tool for understanding the long term impact of conservation agriculture techniques (mulching, tine ripping and planting basins) on the productivity of smallholder systems under semi-arid conditions. The APSIM model predicted reasonably well the seasonal and mulching effects on maize production on sand and clay soils. Under these semi-arid conditions the use of 10 kg.N.ha–1 is preferable under both conventional and basin tillage systems. Planting basins offer a better chance of getting maize grain yield than the conventional system in southern Zimbabwe at N quantities ranging from 0 kg.ha–1 to 52 kg.ha–1. This modelling exercise suggested that smallholder farmers are still prone to complete crop failure in some years despite the use of available conservation agriculture systems.