For the first time in these regions, bias corrected statistically
downscaled climate data were employed to drive the Agricultural Production Systems Simulator (APSIM)
crop model that integrates the effects of soil, crop phenotype, and management options for a quantitative
comparison of crop yields and phenology under an historical and a plausible projected climate. The
dynamic APSIM simulation model explore the implications of climate change across multiple locations
and multiple time periods (1961–2010, 2030, 2060 and 2090) for multiple key crops (wheat, barley, lupin,
canola, field pea) grown in three different types of soil. On average, the ensemble of downscaled GCM
projections show a decrease in rainfall in the future at the four locations considered, with increased variability
at two locations. At all locations and for five crops, future changes in both crop biomass and grain
yield are strongly associated with changes in rainfall (P = 0.05 to P = 0.001).