Decision Support Systems in Potato Production : Bringing Models to Practice

Preface 13; 1. Role of decision support systems in potato production 17; A.J. Haverkort and D.K.L. MacKerron; Types of decisions 17; Use of DSS to increase sustainability in potato chains 19; DSS in supply chain management 22; Future developments in decision support 23; References 26; 2. Potato-zoning: a decision support system on expanding the potato industry through agro-ecological zoning using the LINTUL simulation approach 28; A.J. Haverkort, A. Verhagen, C. Grashoff and P.W.J. Uithol; Introduction 29; Approach 33; Zoning explorations 36; Conclusions and perspectives for future development 41; References 43; 3. Crop-reflection-based DSS for supplemental nitrogen dressings in potato production 46; R. Booij and D. Uenk; Introduction 47; The system 48; Conclusion 52; References 53; 4. Development of a decision support system for nitrogen management on potatoes 58; C. Chambenoit, F. Laurent, J.M. Machet and H. Boizard; Introduction 55; Evaluation of a potato crop's nitrogen requirement 56; Evaluation of soil nitrogen supply for potato crops 60; Validation of the results 63; Decision support systems developed in France for potato growers 64; Conclusions 66; Acknowledgements 67; References 67. 5. Management of N-fertilization of the potato crop using total N-advice software and in-season chlorophyll-meter measurements 68; J.P. Goffart and M. Olivier; Introduction 69; Quantitative basis of the balance-sheet method as developed in the Azobil software 71; Detailed descriptions 73; Description of the decision support system in practice 75; Experiences with the strategy developed 80; Prospects 81; References 82; 6. Implementation and testing of the Potato Calculator, a decision support system for nitrogen and irrigation management 88; P.D. Jamieson, P.J. Stone, R.F. Zyskowski, S. Sinton and R.J. Martin; Introduction 85; The model 86; Experimental validation 89; Results and discussion 91; Afterword 97; Acknowledgements 97; References 98; 7. Automated on-farm assessment of tuber size distribution 100; Bruce Marshall and Mark W. Young; Background 101; System development 102; Evaluation 106; Summary and future development 115; Acknowledgements 116; References 116; 8. MAPP, the Management Advisory Package for Potatoes: decision support means giving informed options not making decisions 118; D.K.L. MacKerron, B. Marshall and J.W. McNicol; Introduction and background 119; Description 120; Design phase 123; Primary inputs 124; Possible motives for using MAPP 126; Interaction with users 138; Conclusions 140; References 140. 9. Projecting PCN population changes and potato yields in infested soils 142; Martin J. Elliott, David L. Trudgill, James W. McNicol and Mark S. Phillips; Introduction 143; Development of the models 145; The Decision Support System (DSS) 146; Example 148; Future developments 150; User base 150; Benefits of this program 151; References 151; 10. A geo-referenced Decision Support System for nematodes in potatoes 154; T.H. Been and C.H. Schomaker; Introduction 155; Outline 157; Focus model 160; Geo information and monitoring 164; Experience 165; Prospects 167; References 167; 11. PLANT-Plus: Turn-key solution for disease forecasting and irrigation management 168; P. Raatjes, J. Hadders, D. Martin and H. Hinds; Introduction 169; Disease forecasting models & principles 170; Principles for irrigation scheduling 176; Quality of weather forecasts 176; Experiences and results 177; Commercial evaluation of P. infestans model 179; Field trials and commercial evaluations of the A. solani model 181; Field trials and commercial evaluations of the irrigation management model 182; Future developments and constraints 183; References 183; 12. MLHD, a decision support system for rational use of herbicides: developments in potatoes 186; C. Kempenaar and R. van den Boogaard; Introduction 187; The MLHD concept 188; The MLHD model 189; The PS1 sensing technique 190; On farm research 191. Potato haulm killing and MLHD 192; MLHD online 193; Prospects 195; References 196; 13. IDEOTYPING-POTATO a modelling approach to genotype performance 198; A.J. Haverkort and C. Grashoff; Introduction 199; The science behind the DSS 201; Description of the target area 202; Ideotyping runs 204; Results of model runs 206; Future developments 210; Acknowledgements 211; References 211; 14. Necessity and sufficiency or the balance between accuracy and practicality 213; D.K.L. MacKerron; Introduction 213; The problem of accuracy, and uncertainty. (Modellers aim for precision and forget errors) 214; What is necessary and what is sufficient? Cases drawn from some of the DSS described in this book 217; Other particular examples of features of DSS 221; Conclusions 222; References 223; Authors 225; Index 229.