Yield Stability Predicts Reactive Nitrogen Losses in the U.S. Midwest
Abstract
Reactive nitrogen loss to the environment is one of the most widespread and recalcitrant environmental problems in major crop-producing regions of the world today. For the period 2010-2017 we used high resolution satellite imagery, field boundaries, N application rates and crop data layers to assess the stability of corn (Zea mays) and soybean (Glycine max) yields on 108 U.S. Midwest fields to show that ~50% of 108 subfield areas can be characterized as stable high productivity, ~25% stable low productivity, and the remainder unstable. Nitrogen use efficiency varies from 48% in low and stable zones to 88% in high and stable zones. Geospatial modeling shows that matching nitrogen use to crop yield stability class could reduce reactive nitrogen losses in the Midwest U.S. through the use of precision agriculture technologies to better match fertilizer rates to crop needs, thereby enhancing the sustainability of corn-based cropping systems.
- Publication:
-
AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts
- Pub Date:
- December 2019
- Bibcode:
- 2019AGUFMGC54D..12B
- Keywords:
-
- 0402 Agricultural systems;
- BIOGEOSCIENCES;
- 0470 Nutrients and nutrient cycling;
- BIOGEOSCIENCES;
- 1615 Biogeochemical cycles;
- processes;
- and modeling;
- GLOBAL CHANGE;
- 1630 Impacts of global change;
- GLOBAL CHANGE