<s>
The	O
Decision	B-Application
Support	I-Application
System	I-Application
for	O
Agrotechnology	O
Transfer	O
(	O
DSSAT	B-Application
)	O
is	O
a	O
set	O
of	O
computer	O
programs	O
for	O
simulating	O
agricultural	O
crop	O
growth	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
DSSAT	B-Application
is	O
built	O
with	O
a	O
modular	O
approach	O
,	O
with	O
different	O
options	O
available	O
to	O
represent	O
such	O
processes	O
as	O
evapotranspiration	O
and	O
soil	O
organic	O
matter	O
accumulation	O
,	O
which	O
facilitates	O
testing	O
different	O
representations	O
of	O
processes	O
important	O
in	O
crop	O
growth	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
functionality	O
of	O
DSSAT	B-Application
has	O
also	O
been	O
extended	O
through	O
interfaces	O
with	O
other	O
software	O
such	O
as	O
GIS	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
DSSAT	B-Application
typically	O
requires	O
input	O
parameters	O
related	O
to	O
soil	O
condition	O
,	O
weather	O
,	O
any	O
management	O
practices	O
such	O
as	O
fertilizer	O
use	O
and	O
irrigation	O
,	O
and	O
characteristics	O
of	O
the	O
crop	O
variety	O
being	O
grown	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Many	O
common	O
crops	O
have	O
their	O
characteristics	O
already	O
implemented	O
as	O
DSSAT	B-Application
modules	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
DSSAT	B-Application
grew	O
out	O
of	O
the	O
International	O
Benchmark	O
Sites	O
Network	O
for	O
Agrotechnological	O
Transfer	O
(	O
IBSNAT	O
)	O
in	O
the	O
1980s	O
,	O
with	O
the	O
first	O
official	O
release	O
in	O
1989	O
.	O
</s>
