GPSF: a generic and object-oriented framework for crop simulation

In this paper we present the result of an effort to reengineer an existing plant growth and development simulation program and model (TOMGRO) originally written in FORTRAN. The program was completely redesigned in terms of the OO paradigm and implemented in the Smalltalk OO programming system. Much thought and effort was put into the design and implementation of a conceptual framework that the authors believe has potential as a generic toolbox and specification for the construction of a whole family of plant growth and development simulation models. A relatively detailed description of the OO framework and of the OO implementation of TOMGRO is given. The objective is to provide neophyte readers with a practical example of an OO implementation of a non-trivial model and to interest readers who are more familiar with software engineering issues in general through the presentation and discussion of the various software constructs.