Development and Validation of a Crop and Nitrate Leaching Model for Potato Cropping Systems in a Temperate–Humid Region
The Root Zone Water Quality Model (RZWQM) is a one-dimensional process-based model used for simulating major physical, chemical, and biological processes in agricultural systems. To date, the model has not been applied to potato production systems for simulating nitrate leaching. In this study, 35 d...
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MDPI AG
2024-01-01
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| Series: | Water |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4441/16/3/475 |
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| author | Serban Danielescu Kerry T. B. MacQuarrie Judith Nyiraneza Bernie Zebarth Negar Sharifi-Mood Mark Grimmett Taylor Main Mona Levesque |
| author_facet | Serban Danielescu Kerry T. B. MacQuarrie Judith Nyiraneza Bernie Zebarth Negar Sharifi-Mood Mark Grimmett Taylor Main Mona Levesque |
| author_sort | Serban Danielescu |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The Root Zone Water Quality Model (RZWQM) is a one-dimensional process-based model used for simulating major physical, chemical, and biological processes in agricultural systems. To date, the model has not been applied to potato production systems for simulating nitrate leaching. In this study, 35 datasets collected between 2009 and 2016 at a field under a three-year potato (potato–barley–red clover) rotation in Prince Edward Island (PEI), Canada, have been employed for calibrating and validating the water, nitrogen (N) cycling, and plant growth routines of RZWQM and for subsequently estimating nitrate leaching. The model fitness, evaluated using univariate and bivariate indicators, was rated as high for most of the parameters tested. As a result of the combined influence of higher infiltration and reduced plant uptake, the model showed that the highest leaching at the rotation level occurred between September and December. A secondary leaching period occurred in spring, when residual soil nitrate was mobilized by increased percolation due to snowmelt. Most of the nitrate leaching occurred during the potato year (89.9 kg NO<sub>3</sub>–N ha<sup>−1</sup> y<sup>−1</sup>), while leaching for barley and red clover years had comparable values (28.6 and 29.7 kg NO<sub>3</sub>–N ha<sup>−1</sup> y<sup>−1</sup>, respectively). The low N use efficiency of the entire rotation (i.e., 30.2%), combined with the high NO<sub>3</sub>–N concentration in leachate (i.e., 34.9 mg NO<sub>3</sub>–N L<sup>−1</sup> for potato and 16.3 mg NO<sub>3</sub>–N L<sup>−1</sup> for the complete rotation), suggest that significant efforts are required for adapting management practices to ensure sustainability of potato production systems. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-08T03:47:05Z |
| format | Article |
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| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2073-4441 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-08T03:47:05Z |
| publishDate | 2024-01-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
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| series | Water |
| spelling | doaj.art-ac336b35d1fb4f4d8b9f83590baedc422024-02-09T15:24:52ZengMDPI AGWater2073-44412024-01-0116347510.3390/w16030475Development and Validation of a Crop and Nitrate Leaching Model for Potato Cropping Systems in a Temperate–Humid RegionSerban Danielescu0Kerry T. B. MacQuarrie1Judith Nyiraneza2Bernie Zebarth3Negar Sharifi-Mood4Mark Grimmett5Taylor Main6Mona Levesque7Fredericton Research and Development Centre, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, 95 Innovation Rd., Fredericton, NB E3B 4Z7, CanadaDepartment of Civil Engineering, University of New Brunswick, 17 Dineen Drive, Fredericton, NB E3B 5A3, CanadaCharlottetown Research and Development Centre, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, 440 University Avenue, Charlottetown, PE C1A 4N6, CanadaFredericton Research and Development Centre, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, 95 Innovation Rd., Fredericton, NB E3B 4Z7, CanadaDepartment of Bioresource Engineering, McGill University, Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue, QC H9X 3V9, CanadaCharlottetown Research and Development Centre, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, 440 University Avenue, Charlottetown, PE C1A 4N6, CanadaCharlottetown Research and Development Centre, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, 440 University Avenue, Charlottetown, PE C1A 4N6, CanadaFredericton Research and Development Centre, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, 95 Innovation Rd., Fredericton, NB E3B 4Z7, CanadaThe Root Zone Water Quality Model (RZWQM) is a one-dimensional process-based model used for simulating major physical, chemical, and biological processes in agricultural systems. To date, the model has not been applied to potato production systems for simulating nitrate leaching. In this study, 35 datasets collected between 2009 and 2016 at a field under a three-year potato (potato–barley–red clover) rotation in Prince Edward Island (PEI), Canada, have been employed for calibrating and validating the water, nitrogen (N) cycling, and plant growth routines of RZWQM and for subsequently estimating nitrate leaching. The model fitness, evaluated using univariate and bivariate indicators, was rated as high for most of the parameters tested. As a result of the combined influence of higher infiltration and reduced plant uptake, the model showed that the highest leaching at the rotation level occurred between September and December. A secondary leaching period occurred in spring, when residual soil nitrate was mobilized by increased percolation due to snowmelt. Most of the nitrate leaching occurred during the potato year (89.9 kg NO<sub>3</sub>–N ha<sup>−1</sup> y<sup>−1</sup>), while leaching for barley and red clover years had comparable values (28.6 and 29.7 kg NO<sub>3</sub>–N ha<sup>−1</sup> y<sup>−1</sup>, respectively). The low N use efficiency of the entire rotation (i.e., 30.2%), combined with the high NO<sub>3</sub>–N concentration in leachate (i.e., 34.9 mg NO<sub>3</sub>–N L<sup>−1</sup> for potato and 16.3 mg NO<sub>3</sub>–N L<sup>−1</sup> for the complete rotation), suggest that significant efforts are required for adapting management practices to ensure sustainability of potato production systems.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4441/16/3/475nitrate leachingcrop modellingRZWQMagricultural drainagesustainability of agricultural systemsgroundwater contamination |
| spellingShingle | Serban Danielescu Kerry T. B. MacQuarrie Judith Nyiraneza Bernie Zebarth Negar Sharifi-Mood Mark Grimmett Taylor Main Mona Levesque Development and Validation of a Crop and Nitrate Leaching Model for Potato Cropping Systems in a Temperate–Humid Region Water nitrate leaching crop modelling RZWQM agricultural drainage sustainability of agricultural systems groundwater contamination |
| title | Development and Validation of a Crop and Nitrate Leaching Model for Potato Cropping Systems in a Temperate–Humid Region |
| title_full | Development and Validation of a Crop and Nitrate Leaching Model for Potato Cropping Systems in a Temperate–Humid Region |
| title_fullStr | Development and Validation of a Crop and Nitrate Leaching Model for Potato Cropping Systems in a Temperate–Humid Region |
| title_full_unstemmed | Development and Validation of a Crop and Nitrate Leaching Model for Potato Cropping Systems in a Temperate–Humid Region |
| title_short | Development and Validation of a Crop and Nitrate Leaching Model for Potato Cropping Systems in a Temperate–Humid Region |
| title_sort | development and validation of a crop and nitrate leaching model for potato cropping systems in a temperate humid region |
| topic | nitrate leaching crop modelling RZWQM agricultural drainage sustainability of agricultural systems groundwater contamination |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4441/16/3/475 |
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