Hybrid-Maize can run in one of the four modes:

• Single year (default)
• Single year with long-term runs
• Long-term runs
• Current season prediction (i.e., realtime forecast)

Single year: for analyzing past cropping seasons to gain understanding of factors that may have caused yield loss or to estimate the size of the exploitable yield gap by comparing simulated yield potential with actual measured yields.

Single year with long-term runs: for comparing a given year with the long-term site yield potential and understanding why yields in certain years were above or below normal and what climatic factors may have contributed to the observed results.

Long-term runs: for estimating the long-term yield potential or attainable water-limited yield at a given site, as affected by different choices of maize hybrid, planting date, and/or plant population. In other words, this mode can be used to explore how to exploit the available yield potential through management.

Current season prediction: for in-season (or real-time) simulation of maize growth and forecasting the final yield before the crop matures. Predictions are based on the up-to-date weather data for the current growing season, supplemented by the historical weather data for the rest of the season at the simulation location. To use this mode, the weather data file must contain at least five or preferably ten years of reliable weather data for the site, in addition to updated real-time weather data for the current growing season.