01-intro.Rmd

# Introduction {#intro}

```{r setup, include=FALSE}
knitr::opts_chunk$set(echo = FALSE, message = FALSE, warning = FALSE)
```


**The whole project is based on [@Sim2014] PhD work. Without his hard-work, I will have no data to do the masters.** 


The eventual goal is to have an APSUMX-Lucerne model to simulate lucerne yield
under dryland conditions. Then we can use it to do _what if_ scenario experiments
_in silico_. [@Teixeira2020] developed the concept of using APSIMX models and 
[Rshiny](https://shiny.rstudio.com/) to explore effects of management on crop
performance and potential environmental outcomes. Figure \@ref(fig:nice-fig) 
demonstrates an example of lucerne yield map under optimal conditions. A robust 
lucerne model is essential to achieve this goal. The master project is set up to
start the journey of having such model. However, I only scratched the surface of
APSIMX model development for incoporating water deficit mechanism and the model
is still far from production ready. 

```{r nice-fig, fig.cap='A demonstration yield map generated by robust Lucerne model.', out.width='50%', fig.asp=.75, fig.align='center', echo=FALSE}
knitr::include_graphics(path = "pictures/NZYIELDMAP.png" )
```