WhopperCropper
WhopperCropper is a computer program that simulates the effects of your resources (e.g. soil and water) and farm management inputs (e.g. crop type and fertiliser) on yield and economic outcomes by using modelling and climate forecasting.
- Who this tool is for
- Questions this tool answers
- What this tool does
- Inputs
- Outputs
- Reliability
- History
- Support available
- Where to get it
- Cost
Read about our selection process for including tools on Climate Kelpie
Who this tool is for
Wheat and canola growers in southern Australia and all major winter and summer crops in northern Australia.
Questions this tool answers
At farm-scale to locality/shire scale:
- how much nitrogen do my cereal crops need and what yields am I likely to get this season?
- given farm inputs and forecasts based on the Southern Oscillation Index [link to Queensland – weather and climate drivers page], what yields and gross margins am I likely to get this season?
What this tool does
WhopperCropper is a computer program designed to be used in farmer workshops where you explore crop management options for the coming season by assessing your exposure to climate and market risk.
You can compare different inputs and it simulates outcomes (in terms of gross margins).
WhopperCropper uses:
• APSIM
• 100 years of historical climate records
Inputs
You can enter:
- crop type
- maturity length
- sowing density
- soil water-holding capacity
- stored soil water at sowing
- sowing date
- soil nitrogen content
- nitrogen fertility rate
- Southern Oscillation Index phase
Outputs
WhopperCropper calculates 50 different outputs including:
- yield
- soil water
- soil nitrogen
- phenology
- leaf area index
- crop temperatures
- water use efficiency
- costs
- returns
- gross margin
You can choose to see the results as graphs over time or probability graphs.
Figures 1 and 2 are examples.
Reliability
WhopperCropper is restricted to a number of commodities and varieties.
It works best at the locality/district scale.
Accuracy will diminish as our climate changes because the outputs are based on historical climate data.
History
WhopperCropper was developed by the Agricultural Production Systems Research Unit and has drawn on the skills of many research and extension officers.
Support available
For support and information about the research, contact Howard Cox, Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (Queensland)
Email: howard.cox@daff.qld.gov.au
Phone: 07 4688 1381 or 0418 708 278
Where to get it
Contact Howard Cox, Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (Queensland)
Email: howard.cox@daff.qld.gov.au
Phone: 07 4688 1381 or 0418 708 278
Cost
Free