Abstract
Leaching of NO 3N from agricultural lands often occurs in well-defined hot spot areas when viewed across geographical regions of hundreds or thousands of kM 2 and often appears as areas of high NO 3N concentrations in shallow underlying aquifers. Delineation of high-NO 3N zones can be achieved by combining models such the Nitrate Leaching and Economic Analysis Package (NLEAP) with Geographical Information System (GIS) technology to calculate the long-term potential mass of NO 3N leached from the crop root zone. Once identified, the hot spots can be further analyzed with the model to evaluate and rank appropriate alternative management techniques. A simulation analysis using the NLEAP model showed that long-term NO 3N leaching from corn ( Zea mays L.) grown under furrow irrigation on a coarse-textured soil could be reduced by 53% with N management alone, while an 84% reduction in leached NO 3N was achieved for combined N and water management (sprinkler irrigation). This type of modeling analysis can be completed after a few weeks of effort, while comparable field studies would take several years to finish.
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