Soil and weather based yield prediction model for rainfed areas

• Published in: The Indian journal of agricultural sciences 2019-05, Vol.89 (5)
• Main Authors: SHARMA, ANIL, ARORA, SANJAY, SHARMA, VIKAS, ARYA, VIVAK M, SHARMA, S K
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Maize; Rainfed agriculture; Relative Production Efficiency Index; Wheat; Yield prediction
• ISSN: 0019-5022; 2394-3319
• DOI: 10.56093/ijas.v89i5.89683

Yield Predictor for Rainfed Areas (YPRA) is a desktop based software application developed in VB.NET programming language using Microsoft Visual Studio 2008 IDE with user friendly and self defining menus. This YPRA is the positive modification and conversion of ‘RPEI (Relative Production Efficiency Index) based yield prediction concept’ into a ‘user-friendly software application’. The RPEI is governed by various easily determinable physiographic, soil physico-chemical, biological and climatic parameters. The yields predicted through YPRA will help in promoting climate resilient agriculture by scheming proper crop contingency planning to meet abrupt weather conditions. This software application can predict yield of one single location as well as multiple locations. The per cent contribution of each parameter can be depicted graphically also. The YPRA was calibrated and validated for four locations representing four states of north-west India. On comparing the predicted yield and observed yield, a prediction variation of 0.01 to 6.1% for maize and 3.0 to 9.61% for wheat crop was observed which is quite acceptable keeping in view the diverse physiographic, climatic and soil conditions in these locations.