Site-specific management: Balancing production and environmental requirements at farm level

Autor: Arianne P. Verhagen, J. Bouma, H. W. G. Booltink
Rok vydání: 1995
Předmět:
Zdroj: Agricultural Systems 49 (1995)
Agricultural Systems, 49, 396-384
ISSN: 0308-521X
DOI: 10.1016/0308-521x(95)00031-y
Popis: Spatial variability of soil conditions and potato growth were studied in a 6 ha field in a Dutch polder. Potato yields, measured in 65 small plots, varied between 30 and 45 tons/ha, while yields of commercially attractive large potatoes varied between 3 and 15 tons/ha. Such differences are economically significant for a farmer. A system for site-specific management is discussed, including site-specific sampling for soil fertility and use of dynamic simulation modeling to characterize soil water regimes and nutrient fluxes (e.g. of nitrate). Total N in the early part of the growing season varied between 21 and 53 kg/ha. Site-specific fertilization rates can be based on such values. When compared with recommended rates obtained from one mixed sample for the entire field, local over- and under-fertilization can be demonstrated. These are bound to lead to groundwater pollution and inefficient production. Modeling can be used to balance production and environmental aspects in a quantitative manner, as is demonstrated in this paper. Data needs of the WAVE model, used to simulate yields and nitrate fluxes, are discussed including distinction of four functional layers for the field, which define all variability in basic hydraulic characteristics. Technical developments in site-specific technology are briefly reviewed. Finely-tuned management practices, including fertilization, appear to be attractive and practical procedures for more efficient natural resources use.
Databáze: OpenAIRE
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