The effect of salinity on corn yield using the CERES-maize model.

The effect of salinity on corn yield using the CERES-maize model

A man named Beltrao published this paper in the Irrigation and Drainage Systems journal. He continued with the idea that when calculating the amount of water available in the soil, the salinity of the soil also needs to be considered. He used the CERES-maize model for his experiment. The CERES-maize model is a model used to predict the corn yields while relating them to the soil's salinity.

He used many calculations that are above and beyond my abilities of comprehension. But, the idea is clear. He wanted the CERES-maize model to sufficiently measure the amount of water available in the soil. Beltrao felt that measuring the water without taking into account the salinity level of the soil would be pointless.

He took into account three different soil types and simulated the affects of salinity on each soil and measured them.

Dawn at Ceres - Ion Engine Firing

CERES

Water balance factors in the topsoil

Then he compared that to the results that had been received from the field studies for comparison. This comparison did reveal that it was necessary to take into account the salinity of the soil when attempting to predict the amount of water that would be available from the soil.