Sensitivity analysis of cultivar parameters to simulate wheat crop growth and yield under moisture and temperature stress conditions

Sensitivity of cultivar input parameters were characterised on the outputs of yield and growth variables using a web based crop simulation model Web InfoCrop Wheat. The crop model was assessed for each combination of seventeen input cultivar parameters tested under moisture and temperatures stress conditions in four different ecological regions. Three model outputs, total dry matter at harvest, grain yield at harvest and duration of the crop were chosen for subsequent evaluation. The most dominant cultivar parameters were identified to be TPOPT (Optimum Temp), TTVG (Thermal time for germination to 50% Flowering), KDFMAX (Extinction coefficient of leaves at flowering), GNOCF (Slope of storage organ number/m(2) to dry matter during storage organ formation), POTGWT (Potential storage organ weight) and PHOTOSENS (Photoperiod sensitivity) which were associated with growth, thermal time accumulation, leaf area index, grain number and photosensitivity. Comparison of crop simulations with all the cultivar parameters incorporated from the experimental observations and those with only the most sensitive cultivar parameters incorporated was performed. Outputs of the crop simulation were significantly correlated with results from the field experiments. The present study could save time and effort in generating all the cultivar parameters required to perform the crop simulation under moisture and temperature stress conditions. The most significant cultivar parameters (TPOPT, TTVG, KDFMAX, GNOCF, POTGWT and PHOTOSENS) identified through the sensitivity analysis conducted in this study could significantly simulate the crop growth and yield of wheat.