Dimes, J and Malherbe, J (2006). Climate variability and simulation modeling – challenges and opportunities. In: Mgonja, MA, Waddington, S, Rollin, D, Masenya, M (eds.), Livelihoods in the Limpopo: CGIAR Challenge Program on Water and Food Project No 1. Increased Food Security and Income in the Limpopo basin through integrated crops, soil fertility and water management options and links to markets. Proceedings of the CPWFPN 1 Inception workshop, 25-27 January 2005. Polokwane, South Africa,

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.