Modeling crop yield using a modified harvest index-based approach: application in chickpea

The linearity of harvest index (HI) increase has been used as a simple means to analyze and predict crop yield in experimental and simulation studies. It has been shown that this approach may introduce significant error in grain yield predictions when applied to diverse environments. This error has been ascribed to variability in the rate of linear increase in HI with time (dHI/dt). Data from two field experiments indicated in chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) that dHI/dt varied among sowing dates. This variation was related to the length of pre-seed growth phase and vegetative growth (dry matter production) during this phase and could be described by the mean daily temperature from sowing to beginning seed growth. dHI/dt increased linearly with increase in the temperature up to 17 °C when it reached to its maximum value and remained constant. Simulation of these field experiments using a chickpea crop model including a constant dHI/dt resulted in yield over-prediction for some sowing dates. However, a modified HI-based approach greatly improved model predictions. In this approach, potential seed growth rate (SGR) is calculated using the linear HI concept, but actual SGR is limited to current biomass production and the remobilisation of dry matter accumulated in vegetative organs before the seed growth period. This modification well accounted for temperature and drought effects on HI and resulted in better yield predictions under conditions of major chickpea producing areas of Iran. Therefore, we recommend that the modification to be applied in the other HI-based models.