Ortiz, B. V., Hoogenboom, G., Vellidis, G., Boote, K., Davis, R. F., and Perry, C.
Cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) yield losses by southern root-knot nematode (RKN; Meloidogyne incognita (Kofoid & White) Chitwood) are usually assessed after significant damage has been caused. However, estimation of potential yield reduction before planting is possible by using crop simulation. The main goal of this study was to adapt the Cropping System Model (CSM)-CROPGRO-Cotton for simulating growth and yield of cotton plants infected with RKN. Two hypotheses were evaluated to simulate RKN damage: (1) RKN acting as a sink for soluble assimilate, and (2) RKN inducing a reduction of root length per root mass and root density. The model was calibrated and adapted using data collected in an experiment that was conducted in 2007 and was part of a long-term crop rotation study. The experiment had a split-plot design, replicated six times, with drought stress levels assigned to the main plots and fumigation levels assigned to the subplots. The model was evaluated with seed cotton weight data collected in an experiment that was conducted in 2001 and was part of the same long-term crop rotation experiment. The fumigation treatments created various levels of RKN population densities. The model was adapted by coupling the RKN population to the removal of daily assimilates and decreasing root length per unit mass. The assimilate consumption rate was obtained after minimizing the error between simulated and observed biomass and yield components for the limited drought stress, non-fumigated treatment. Different values of root length per unit root weight (RFAC1) were used to account for early symptoms of RKN damage on leaf area index (LAI) and vegetative biomass under the non-fumigated, drought stress conditions. After model adaptation, the simulations indicated that lAI, total biomass, boll weight, and seed cotton decreased with elevated RKN population. The impact of RKN was more pronounced under severe drought stress. The lowest RMSE of LAI simulations occurred for the non-fumigated treatments under medium and severe drought stress (0. 71 and 0.65 m² m-2, respectively). Biomass was simulated with a prediction error within a range of 6% to 18. 4% and seed cotton within a range of-11.2% to 2. 7%. Seed cotton weight losses associated with RKN infection increased with the level of drought stress (9%, 20%, and 18% for the low, medium, and severe drought stress). Model evaluation showed that seed cotton weight was slightly more overpredicted for the fumigated than for the non-fumigated treatments, with prediction errors of 28.2%, 15.8%, and 2.0% for the low, medium, and severe drought stress, respectively. Similar to the calibration of the model, the yield losses increased with the combination of RKN and drought stress (20% and 29% for the low and severe drought stress). The results showed the potential for using the CSM-CROPGRO-Cotton model to account for RKN damage as well as to simulate yield reduction. However, further model evaluation might be needed to evaluate the values of assimilate consumption and root length per unit weight for different environmental conditions and management practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]