REVIEW OF WHEAT YIELD ESTIMATING METHODS IN MOROCCO

Abstract

Context and background: Wheat is one of the oldest crops in the world and has always been one of the most important staple foods for millions of people around the world, especially in North Africa, where wheat is the most dominant crop. The importance of wheat yield estimation is well known in agricultural management and policy making at regional and national levels. In semi-arid areas such as the case of Morocco, an operational cereal yield estimating system that could assist decision makers in planning annual imports is needed. In some developed countries, several effective tools are now available to monitor crops and optimize farm-level decisions by combining crop simulation models with seasonal forecasts. However, few tools are used to effectively manage crops at the farm level to cope with climate variability and risk. Goal and objectives: The following article presents an overview of current methods used for wheat yield estimation in the world and in Morocco Methodology: Various sections describing traditional methods, simulation models, and remote sensing. Then a section is devoted to the estimation methods used in Morocco and their efficiencies. Results: This article is very useful for researchers working on this subject because it brings together all the methods of estimating wheat yields worldwide and classifies them into categories and then situates Morocco, which is a relevant example of a North African country that is a leader in the use of spatial techniques and in the monitoring of crops, and wheat in particular.

Keywords

• wheat yield
• review
• estimating wheat
• remote sensing
• crop modelling