Input data set: Crop calendar

GGCMI crop calendar for Phase 3.

The crop calendar dataset should be used to calibrate heat unit requirements (ie, PHU) for each crop model (as they differ for their thermal time implementation) and each climate scenario. Then the sowing dates and heat requirements are used as input datasets for the same crop models.

This is a composite product merging various observational data sources.

It provides in each 0.5° land grid cell the planting day and maturity day for 18 different crops, separating rainfed and irrigated systems.

Grid cells outside of currently cultivated areas are spatially extrapolated and original data gap-filled. This crop calendar version only provide static growing periods, i.e., the multi-year average estimates. Only a single growing season per crop and grid cell is specified, and no crop rotations are considered. However, for wheat and rice, data for a second season with separate crop calendars for winter and spring wheat, and two separate main rice growing seasons are also provided.

Additional details on gap-filling, spatial extrapolation, and data source selection are provided in the original publication: Jägermeyr et al. 2021, Climate impacts on global agriculture emerge earlier in new generation of climate and crop, Nature Food, 2, pp. 873–885, https://www.nature.com/articles/s43016-021-00400-y

Model implemented in R and publicly available on github: https://github.com/AgMIP-GGCMI/cropCalendars. Specific scripts that were used to run the model and create the time series of sowing and harvest dates are stored internally at PIK.

Jägermeyr et al. 2021, Climate impacts on global agriculture emerge earlier in new generation of climate and crop, Nature Food, 2, pp. 873–885, https://www.nature.com/articles/s43016-021-00400-y

Jonas Jägermeyr, Christoph Müller, Sara Minoli, Deepak Ray, & Stefan Siebert. (2021). GGCMI Phase 3 crop calendar [Data set]. Zenodo. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.5062513

Minoli, S., Jägermeyr, J., Asseng, S. et al. Global crop yields can be lifted by timely adaptation of growing periods to climate change. Nat Commun 13, 7079 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-022-34411-5