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An integrated tool for cost-effectively applying nutrient management practices for corn, soybeans, and wheat
Yaoze Liu1, Siyu Li1, Anh H Nguyen1
1Department of Environmental and Sustainable Engineering, University at Albany, State University of New York, 1400 Washington Avenue, Albany, NY 12222, USA.
The Science of the Total Environment
|October 31, 2024
Summary
Implementing nutrient management practices for corn, soybeans, and wheat can reduce phosphorus and nitrogen losses in watersheds. An integrated tool helps evaluate these practices for cost-effective nutrient management, balancing costs, yields, and environmental impacts.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Science
- Agricultural Science
- Water Resource Management
Background:
- Harmful algal blooms (HABs) in Lake Erie are exacerbated by phosphorus runoff from agricultural lands, particularly the Maumee River watershed.
- Effective nutrient management is essential to mitigate nutrient loading from major crops like corn, soybeans, and wheat.
- Existing tools lack integration for watershed-scale, cost-effective nutrient management considering the 4Rs (Right source, rate, time, place).
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop an integrated watershed-scale tool, SWAT-COST-NM, combining nutrient management (SWAT-NM) and economic evaluation (BMP-COST-NM) for corn, soybeans, and wheat.
- To evaluate the impacts of single and combined nutrient management practices on crop yields, costs, and nutrient losses (TP, DRP, TN).
- To assist decision-makers in cost-effectively implementing nutrient management strategies aligned with the 4Rs.
Main Methods:
- Developed SWAT-COST-NM by integrating an improved Soil and Water Assessment Tool for nutrient management (SWAT-NM) with an improved BMP Cost Evaluation Tool (BMP-COST-NM).
- Demonstrated the tool in the AXL watershed, a representative agricultural area within the Maumee River watershed.
- Assessed impacts of single nutrient management practices (altering rate, place, time, or source) and combined practices on key performance indicators.
Main Results:
- Evaluated tradeoffs between costs, crop yields, and nutrient losses (March-July/yearly TP, DRP, TN).
- Nutrient management did not always yield sufficient revenue to offset increased costs compared to existing practices.
- One combined nutrient management practice reduced March-July TP, DRP, and TN losses by 5.89%, 8.19%, and 8.23% respectively, while increasing crop yields and generating a small net income.
Conclusions:
- The integrated SWAT-COST-NM tool effectively quantifies factors and tradeoffs in nutrient management for major crops.
- It aids in cost-effective decision-making for implementing nutrient management practices based on the 4Rs.
- Optimized nutrient management strategies can simultaneously improve water quality and maintain crop profitability.
