Analysis of the agro-environmental performances of legume-cereal in rotation cropping systems in the face of climate change: Calibration and validation of STICS and BROWSE models
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2024-09-09
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Abstract
Crop modeling is a powerful tool for assessing the effects of agricultural practices and cropping systems on agro-environmental indicators, providing valuable predictive insights into innovative cropping systems. This study investigates cropping systems in eastern Algeria, focusing on the agro-environmental performance of legume-cereal rotation systems in the context of climate change. It utilizes the STICS and BROWSE models for calibration and validation. The STICS model, which simulates durum wheat in monoculture using data from four agricultural campaigns for calibration, demonstrated moderate to strong predictive accuracy for key variables such as Leaf Area Index (LAI) with a model efficiency (EF) of 0.625
and dry biomass (Masec) with an EF of 0.738, indicating a need for further refinement, particularly for yield predictions. Additionally, a new parameterization of the BROWSE model, using data gathered from 26 farmers in three communes (Ain Abbasa, Beni Fouda, and Mezloug), was introduced to assess health risks from pesticide use. The study found significant human health risks, especially in rotation systems with conventional tillage, where the Human Health Risk Index (HR) often exceeded 7400% due to high dermal absorption. The results highlight the trade-off between higher yields in rotation systems and considerable health risks, emphasizing the need for cropping systems that balance agronomic performance
with environmental and health considerations.
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agro-environmental, legume-cereal, climate, Analysis