web-based data exchange system for crop model applications

Development, evaluation and, application of cropping system models (CSMs) require multiple types of data. Cropping system data sets can often be used multiple times by different groups of modelers and experimentalists around the globe. However, for various reasons, data sets are often underutilized while at the same time, lack of data creates a bottleneck for many modeling efforts. In an effort to increase utilization of cropping system data, the International Consortium for Agricultural Systems Applications (ICASA) has developed an internet-based system, the ICASA Data Exchange (ICASA DE; www. icasa.net; verified 15 Feb. 2004), that provides a convenient forum for documenting, archiving, and exchanging cropping system experiment and/or weather data sets. Users of the ICASA DE can enter metadata that describe their data sets, upload their data set files, edit their entries, search for data using specific criteria, browse metadata of data sets in the system, and download data sets from the system. The purpose of this paper is to present the functional design and implementation of this system.