Modeling Crop Production Systems: Principles and Application

Philosophy, Role and Terminology of System Science: History of System Science; General Topology and Terminology of Systems; Three ProblemsDevelopment of Model Structure: Variables and their Classification; Relationship between Variables; Structural (Black Box) Model; Refinement in Structural ModelsSpecification of Component Behavior: Algebraic Form; Use of Matrix Algebra in Principal Component Analysis; Use of Matrix Algebra in Linear Programming for Optimization of the System; Use of Matrix Algebra for Distance Measurements; Integral-Differential Form; Parameter Estimation; Non-statistical Procedure for Estimating the Parameters (Physical Approach) Computer Implementation: Model Software Requirement; Generalized Model; Software Specification; Data SystemsModel Testing and Validation: Sensitivity Analysis; Stability Analysis; ValidationBiological Application of Models: Prey-Predator System; Plant Competition Studies; Environmental ManagementAppendix: A. Exercises on Modeling Crop Production Systems; B. Discussion and Solutions of Exercises