ARS | Publication request: Simulation of Nitrogen Dynamics in Potato Systems in the Pacific Northwest

Submitted to: Agronomy Society Of America, Crop Science Society Of America, Soil Science Society Of America Meeting
Publication Acceptance Date: July 23, 2004
Publication Date: October 25, 2004
Citation: Marcos, J., Stockle, C., Alva, A.K., Timlin, D.J., Reddy, V. 2004. Simulation Of Nitrogen Dynamics In Potato Systems In The Pacific Northwest. Agronomy Society Of America, Crop Science Society Of America, Soil Science Society Of America Meeting.

Technical Abstract: In the irrigated agricultural production region of the Pacific Northwest, potato is grown predominantly with center pivot systems and most of it on coarse, low organic matter, sandy soils subject to nitrogen (N) leaching if water and N are applied in excess. The CROPSYST-SIMPOTATO model was used to predict the fate and transport of water and nitrogen of potato systems under different nitrogen management practices. CROPSYST-SIMPOTATO is the integration of the growth and phenology components of the SIMPOTATO potato model (Hodges et al., 1992) into the multi-year and multi-crop simulation model CROPSYST (Stockle et al., 1994). Predicted and measured growth of potatoes and water and nitrogen dynamics were compared. Experimental data were taken from a three years field study of potato grown with different rates of pre plant N in a sandy soil in the Columbia basin region. The model predicted growth and nitrogen uptake of potato reasonably well. Model simulations showed no significant yield increase with the different rates of pre plant N. Simulations also showed that N leaching increased with higher N pre plant rates. N leaching was related to the applied water, the timing of nitrogen applications and crop uptake.