Core ICASA ontology for integrated description of agricultural field experiments and production
Ontology based on the ICASA version 2.0 data standard. The foundation of the standard is a master list of variables with major separations among descriptions of management practices or treatments, environmental conditions (soil and weather data), and measurements of crop responses as described in White et al (2013).
Complete description of management and initial conditions for a real or synthetic experiment (or very closely linked set of experiments). Data measured during or at the end of the experiment. The information presented should be sufficient to allow thorough interpretation or analysis of the results and for simulation of the experiment
Any publications or other media associated with the experiment, especially journal articles or project reports
Names, roles and contact information for institutions involved in the experiment
Information on constraints or complications affecting the usability of the dataset
Names, roles and contact information for persons involved in the experiment or preparation of the dataset
Information on the plot size and characteristics
Herbicide, pesticide, or growth regulator application details
Chemical application
Adjustments to weather variable such as those that could be made during growth chamber, CO2 enrichment, or rainout shelter studies
Environment modification level
Fertilizer amounts, types, and dates of applications
Fertilizer application
Field description including links to weather station and soil profile information
Crop and cultivar identifiers, names, and background
Harvest dates, components harvested, and percentages removed
Harvest event
Starting conditions including above- and below-ground residues, and water and nitrogen in the complete profile
Initial condition soil layer
Irrigation dates and amounts, flood and water table depths, thresholds for automatic applications
Irrigation application
Automaatic irrigation
Details of soil covers such as plastic sheeting or fabrics
Mulch addition
Mulch removal
Details of straw, manure and other organic material applications
Organic material application
Planting date, seed and initial plant populations, seeding depth, and plant distribution (row spacing, etc.)
Details of classical soil surface layer analyses
Soil anlaysis soil layer
Dates and types of tillage operations
Tillage event
Treatment names and level codes for crop rotations, crop components and experimental factors
Set of soil profile data for pedons from one or more sites in a region
Documents describing the source or applications of the soil data
Institutions involved in preparing the soil data
Persons involved in preparing the soil data
Background information on a single profile
Soil profile data for individual pedons
Soil profile layer
Daily weather data from one or more stations
Documents describing the source or applications of the weather data
Institutions involved in preparing the weather data
Persons involved in preparing the weather data
Daily weather data typically for a single experiment or season, but preferably for a complete year or longer
Daily weather data from a single weather station
Parameters for weather generators that are applicable to the station
Water table depth
Planting material
Organic materials application day
Soil calcium, exchangeable
Root exploration factor (0 to 1 scale, APSIM XF)
Sulphur in soil layer
Temperature of air, average during daylight hours
Digital_object_identifier according to international standard
Environmental modifications level, links to EM table
Date to begin automatic irrigation
Irrigation, total amount over season
Root growth factor, soil only (0 to 1 scale)
Nitrogen in applied fertilizer
Initial profile soil nitrate
Cultivar name
Irrigation application efficiency as fraction (0 to 1)
Spacing between individual plots, if any
Links to institutions
Harvest operations size category
Soil classification
Cultivar, line or genotype identifier
Month of year
Unique soil identifier linking to SOIL_PROFILES
Soil base saturation
Environmental modific.code, maximum temperature
Soil water, lower limit
Potassium in applied fertilizer
Environmental modifications date
Plot layout or experimental desin (e.g., "RCBD with four blocks")
Elevation of soil profile site
Field latitude
Soil CaCO3 content
Notes about data set
Whether managed by researchers, producers
Irrigation management, reference soil depth for automatic application
Mulch treatment level
Main factor, factors or interactions of interest in an experiment
Locally used ID for experiment
Plot width (gross) for single plot or treatment
Residue, above-ground, phosphorus concentration
Temperature average for whole year
Elevation of weather station
Rainfall, including moisture in snow, in one day
Tillage, name assigned to treatments over trial
Intermediate soil organic carbon by layer, fraction of total organic C
Organic material, identifying code
Simulation scenario, name
Temperature of air, maximum, averaged over time period (e.g., 5 days)
Drainage rate as fraction per day
Chemical, name experimentalist assigned to a given application level
Name of experiment
Psychrometer ventilation (ventilated or natural air flow)
Mulch level, name of treatment
Temperature maximum, wet days, monthly average
Objectives of the study
Names of participating institute
Field observed soil texture
Temperature, average air, daylight hours
Planting material weight
File version for ICASA standard
Environmental modification, CO2
Temperature maximum, yearly average
Reference height for windspeed measurement
Phosphorus isotherm A
unique id to link to weather data
Soil water, drained upper limit
Weather station name
Drain radius
Unit of measurement for a given variate
Temperature of air, minimum, averaged over time period (e.g., 5 days)
Soil denitrification factor
Environmental modific.code, dewpoint
Elevation of field site
Day of year for daily weather record
Residue above-ground weight, dry weight basis
Date for daily weather, field observations, etc.
Soil texture, sand (0.05 to 2.0 mm), weight percent of fine earth
Probability of a dry-wet sequence
Drainage rate as fraction per day, per layer
Locally used name for experiment
Temperature minimum, monthly average of all days
Soil color of moist soil using Munsell hue
Manganese
Relative maturity
Initial profile inorganic nitrogen amount
Mulch removal date as day of year
Fertilizer level in treatment structure
Role of researcher in experiment or dataset preparation
Row direction, degrees from N
Brief name of suite of experiments
Field name
Phosphorus iostherm B
Irrigation or water management year
Nitrate in soil based on KCl extraction, by layer
Second admin level for location of site for soil profile (usually state or province)
Electric conductivity
Fertilization date
Wind speed, daily
Drain, depth in field
Cation exchange capacity
Temperature of air, maximum
Soil temperature, 60-90 cm
Planting material sprout length
pH of soil in water, from in-field sample
Organic materials, extended comments on treatment(s)
Environmental modification, daylength
Daylength (twilight to twilight)
Name of site for experiment
Date the file was last modified
Soil temperature, 90-120 cm
Name or notes for this fertilizer application
Environmental modifications year
Genotype level, as listed in Treatments table under GE
CO2, ambient
Name and location of site for weather data
Expected minimum value of a given variate
Surface stones (cover)
Potassium determination method
Initial conditions level, link
Residue incorporation percentage
Total soil organic carbon by layer
Initial inorganic N amount, by layer
Document name in abbreviated form
Names of participating institutions
Solar radiation, wet days, monthly st de
Soil layer base depth
E-mail address of researcher
Harvest, height of cut
Cloudiness factor, relative
Irrigation threshold water content for automatic application
Solar radiation, dry days, monthly st de
Simulation start year
Master horizon
Relative humidity at maximum daily temperature (or minimum daily relative humidity)
Third admin level for location of site for soil profile (usually county or municipality)
Plots relative to drains
Soil analysis date
Soil water content (wilting point) at 15 atmosphere pressure
Total seasonal organic materials application amount, dry weight basis
Day of year, inital profile measurement
Stable organic carbon by layer
Plot harvest row number
Potassium, total amount over season
Tillage operations day
Field slope aspect, W, nW, etc.
Plot harvest width
Initial water concentration by layer
Soil evaporation, upper limit for stage 1
Field slope (from horizontal)
Mulch removal year
Angstrom A coefficient, monthly
Temperature, average daily air, growth
Soil bulk density when moist for layer
Crop (or weed) species identifier
Relative humidity, maximum daily value
Code associated with a specific variate
Crop component number
Option for crop in sequence
Harvest, growth stage of crop at date
Environmental modific.code, rain
Mulch application year
Environmental modific.code, wind
Root weight from previous crop
Solar radiation
Rhizobia nitrogen amount
Soil analysis name
Initial conditions measurement date
Field, short notes
Crop rotation indicator (=1 for continuous, multi-year simulation, =0 for single year simulations with multiple initializations)
Soil analysis year
Temperature, wet-bulb
Phosphorus applications, total number at end season
Total tillage operations, cumulative for season
Fertilizer material
Soil temperature, 150-180 cm
Name of site where soil profile data sampled
Type of participating institutions
Constraints known to affect crop performance
Day of year, residue measurement
Year (4 digits) for daily weather data
General type of experiment, e.g., varietal trial
Irrigation day
Soil water content at 1/10 atmospheric pressure
Soil water content at 1/3 atmosphere pressure
Irrigation level, links to IRRIGATIONS table
Rainfall
Genotype level number
Drainage orientation (from North)
Phosphorus, total amount over season
Potassium, exchangeable
Chemicals application day of year or DAP if year = -99
Temperature minimum, yearly average
Organic materials application depth
Mailing address of researcher
Fertile tiller number (sorghum)
Planting level, name of treatment
Nitrate applied fertilizer
Mulch type by codes for soild polythelene sheet, net, etc.
pH in buffer determination method
Environmental modification, minimum temperature
Transplant date
Angstrom B coefficient, yearly
Stable organic carbon by layer, fraction of total organic C
Chemicals application material
Organic materials application amount, dry weight basis
Plot row number for single plot or treatment
Soil temperature, 30-45 cm
Soil texture
Environmental modific.code, daylength
Rainfall distribution scale parameter,
Harvest operations level, links to HARVEST table
Day of planting
Psychrometric constant
Date the file was last revised
Surface soil color, moist, using Munsell hue
Angstrom A coefficient, yearly
Chemicals application date
Planting density in nursery seed bed
Potassium applications, total number at end season
Irrigation, ending % avail, automatic application
Full citation for soil data
Last name of researchers involved with the experiment(s) or data
Middle initial of researchers involved with the experiment(s) or data
Temperature, dry-bulb, daily average
Fertilizer level name
Treatment name
Notes describing reasons for the revision
Summer soil evaporation, upper limit for stage 1
Tillage operations, name of specific event
Soil temperature, 15-30 cm
Planting, level in treatment structure
Plot harvest method (eg.Hand, combine)
Planting distribution
Drain spacing
Experiment database key, links to ED table
Harvest area
Inert organic carbon by layer
Sequence number
Treatment number
Fertilizer, comments or explanations of a given treatment
Additional notes on persons involved with the experiment(s)
Field area
Temperature amplitude (peak to trough) of 12 monthly averages
Irrigation level name
Nitrogen, total soil, total
Environmental modification,rain
Total number of fertilizer applications over season
Distribution limitations for the data set
Latitude of soil profile site
PAR or photon flux density
Soil fertility effect on photosynthesis (0 to 1 scale)
Irrigation applications, total number at end season
Field length to width ratio
Mulch application date
Initial water table depth
Description of a given variate
Chemicals application target
Bund height (e.g., for flooded rice)
Phosphorus, extractable
Environmental modification,radiation
Saturated hydraulic conductivity
Ca in applied fertilizer
Environmental modifications, extended comments
Growing season duration
Tillage implement
Irrigation date
Temperature of air, minimum
Weather station identifier to link to site information
Irrigation, notes on irrigation application
Funding source(s) for this data set
NH4 in soil based on KCl extraction, by layer
Soil texture, coarse fraction (>2 mm), weight percent of fine earth
Soil anlysis method for pH in buffer solution
Soil analysis day of year or days after planting
Organic materials potasium concentration
Phosphorus determination method
Chemicals application year
Soil texture, clay (<0.002 mm), weight percent of fine earth
Harvest operations, crop harvested
Experimental factor combinations
File containing relevant soil profile description
Soil identifier
Rhizobia number (count)
Organic materials application date
Irrigation, growth stage, automatic appn
Nitrogen applications, total number at end season
Rainfall total
Harvest operations, percent economic product harvested
Solar radiation, all days, monthly avera
Soil family, NRCS system
Soil profile identifier
APSIM Evaporative diffusion slope
Mulch description, detailed comments
Irrigation amount, depth of water
Simulation end date
Phosphorus, total
Initial water content of entire profile, expressed as percent of available water
Tillage operation level
Chemicals application amount (active)
Soil water, residual
Soil layer top depth
Simulation start day of year
Harvest operations day, DAP if year = -99
Chemicals application method
Soil temperature, 5-15 cm
Ammonium in applied fertilizer
Soil classification system (e.g., FAO, USDA)
Plant population at planting
Residue, above-ground, nitrogen concentration
Year for date of emergence (growth stage)
Slope where soil profile characterized
Initial NH4 conc., as elemental N on dry wt. basis, by layer
Iron
Organic materials nitrogen concentration
Organic materials application name
Soil analysis method for P extraction
Initial soil temperature
Inert organic carbon by layer, fraction of total organic C
Suite identifiers
Cropping system descriptive name
Temperature maximum, wet days, standard deviation
Row spacing
Soil analysis, treatment level identifier linkage
Mulch color
Name of irrigation operation or specific notes about this application
Soil water content, air dry
Drainage, type in field
Replicate number
First name of researchers involved with the experiment(s) or data
Transplant age
Organic materials lignin concentration
Chemical notes, extensive comments on applications
Vapor pressure, average daily
Winter soil evaporation, upper limit for stage 1
Fertilizer code for other elements (e.g., Mg for magnesium)
Nodule weight from previous crop
Harvest operations level name
Source of the planting material
Environmental modific.code, CO2
Field level identifier
Magnesium
Temperature, dewpoint
Data license name and url
Planting depth
Organic matter or residue added, carbon concentration
Fertilizer application day
Keywords for dataset
Irrigation operation (e.g., furrow, sprinkler, drip…)
Harvest operations date, DAP if year = -99
Plot harvest length
Mulch type removed by codes for soild polythelene sheet, net, etc.
Name of country where field is located
Runoff curve no. (Soil Conservation Service)
Harvest operations, percent of by-product harvested
Flag to identify summary data with specific problems or significance
Thickness of topsoil
Soil texture, silt (0.05 to 0.002 mm), weight percent of fine earth
APSIM plant specific water uptake coefficient
Landscape class of location (e.g., coastal)
Irrigation application depth (e.g., for depth to drip line)
Simulation control database key for treatment levels
Chemicals application depth
Solar radiation, dry days, monthly avera
Organic materials C:N ratio
Organic materials application year
Temperature maximum, all days, monthly average
General notes on execution of experiment.
Daily sunshine duration, monthly average
APSIM Evaporative diffusion constant
Apsim Cona soil evaporation
Environmental modific.code, minimum temperature
Second political subdivision for field location (e.g, county)
Field slope length
Transplant nursery environment (mean temperature)
Harvest, extended comments on harvest procedures
Plant population at emergence
Soil bulk density, moist, determined on field sample
Tillage date
Initial NO3 conc., as elemental N on dry wt. basis, by layer
Plot area (gross) per rep
Distribution limitations for the soils data set
Mineralization factor (0 to 1 scale)
Van Genuchten alpha parameter
Fraction of surface covered by mulch
Rhizobia effectiveness on 0-1 scale
pH of soil measured in buffer solution, from in-field sample
Phosphorus, organic
Soil analysis method for exchangeable
Residue, above-ground, lignin concentration
Reference height for weather measurement
Organic matter or residue added, moisture concentration
First political subdivision for field location (e.g., state, province, department)
Tillage operations year
Mulch thickness
License associated with soil data
Latitude of station, degrees decimal with North as positive value
Description of methods used to obtain profile data
Notes describing soil dataset
Longitude of soil profile site
Harvest method
Nitrogen, total amount over season
Method for automatic applications
Field plow layer compaction (0 to 1 scale)
Nitrogen, total soil organic
Solar radiation, yearly average
Soil temperature, 180-210 cm
Day of year for date of emergence
Treatment, extended comments on treatments
Soil depth
Other elements in applied fertilizer
Date the file was first created
Planting material age (also used for dormancy adjustments)
Organic materials, percent ground covered by organic matter
First admin for location of site for soil profile (usually country)
Rainfall, yearly total
CO2 concentration, annual (yearly)
Weather dataset containing relevant data
Tillage notes, extensive comments on practices
Validation criteria notes, explanations
Mulch application date as day of year
Plants per hill
Irrigation water nitrogen concentration
Evaporation,pan
Organic materials phosphorus concentration
Source of field location data, indication of accuracy of FL_LAT and FL_LONG
CO2 concentration, annual increase
Tillage operations depth
Environmental modification,wind
Name of soil profile
Soil albedo, moist soil
Distribution limitations for the weather data set
Realtive humidity, average daily value
Residue, above-ground, potassium concentration
pH of soil measured in buffer solution, from profile description
Field plow layer depth
Duration of summarization period
Inital profile measurements year
Weather station identifier to link to site/field information
Soil water, saturated
Soil adsorption coefficient (0 to 1 scale)
Initial residues measurement year
Environmental modification, maximum temperature
Biologically active soil organic carbon by layer
Fertilizer application method
Temperature minimum, standard dev. for all days in a month
Soil aluminum concentration in profile described
Weather station temperature sensor height
Cultivar notes
Soil compaction factor by layer (0 to 1 scale)
Harvest operations year
Field, identifier usually consisting of institution+site+4 digit number
Treatment identifier, unique internal ID
Soil albedo, dry soil
Temperature maximum, dry days, monthly average
Tillage type
Planting material germination
Initial conditions name
Biologically active soil organic carbon by layer, fraction of total organic C
Daylength (3 deg basis)
Plot orientation (from North)
Van Genuchten N parameter
Organic carbon
Planting year
Role of participating institutions
Mulch removal date
Organic materials application method
Residue incorporation depth
Sodium in soil layer
Harvest operations, crop component harvested
Organic materials application, fraction incorporporated as %
Environmental modific.code, radiation
Residue, crop code for previous crop
Intermediate soil organic carbon by layer
Type of site, e.g., station, on-farm
CO2 concentration, atmospheric average over day
Temperature of air, average daily
Simulation start date
Fertilizer application year
Plot harvest area
Indicates whether or not the field was irrigated
Indicates whether or not fertilizer was applied (Y or N)
Tillage operations mixing effectiveness
Sunshine duration over 24 h period
Distance from weather station to field (m)
License associated with weather data
Soil temperature, 45-60 cm
Full citation for weather data
Phosphorus in applied fertilizer
Daylength (sunrise-sunset)
Environmental modifications level name
Temperature maximum, dry days, standard deviation
Complications arising during experiment
Planting or sowing date
Soil temperature, 120-150 cm
Initial residues measurement date
Growing season start day
Harvest, total amount removed as mass
Angstrom B coefficient, monthly
Organic materials application level, links to OM table
Source of daily weather data for calculated means or weather generator parameters
Soil profile file name
Designated special value to indicate missing data
Duration of experiment in years
Subset name for a single weather station
Rainy days
Flag to identify daily weather data with specific problems or significance
Fertilizer application depth
Expected maximum value of a given variate
Field longitude, E positive, W negative
Tillage operations order within a single day
pH of soil in water, from profile description
ORCId of researcher(s)
Moisture in initial above-ground residue
Initial profile soil ammonium
Obstruction to sun
Environmental modification, dewpoint
Genotype level database key
Start of summary period weather summary
Plot length (gross) for single plot or treatment
Initial water content of entire profile
Solar radiation, daily shortwave
Longitude of station, degrees decimals with East as positive value
Soil temperature, 0-5 cm
Irrigation amount, automatic application
Harvest, short notes
Date of emergence
Number of blocks or replicates
Solar radiation, wet days, monthly avera
Chemicals application level, liks to CHEMICALS table
General notes on the weather dataset