Advances in Agricultural Systems Modeling
Transdisciplinary Research, Synthesis, and Applications
Volume 5
Lajpat R. Ahuja, Series Editor
Practical Applications
of Agricultural System Models to
Optimize the Use of Limited Water
Lajpat R. Ahuja, Liwang Ma, and Robert J. Lascano, Editors
Book and Multimedia Publishing Committee
April Ulery, Chair
Warren Dick, ASA Editor-in-Chief
E. Charles Brummer, CSSA Editor-in-Chief
Andrew Sharpley, SSSA Editor-in-Chief
Lajpat R. Ahuja
Sangamesh Angadi
Kimberly Cook
David Fang
Girisha Ganjegunte
Robert Graham
Zhongqi He
Srirama Krishna Reddy
Limei Liu
Shuyu Liu
Sally Logsdon
Trenton Roberts
Nooreldeen Shawqi Ali
Gurpal Toor
Director of Publications: Bill Cook
Books Aquisitions Editor: Nicole Sandler
Managing Editor: Lisa Al-Amoodi
Copyright © 2014 by American Society of Agronomy, Inc.
Crop Science Society of America, Inc.
Soil Science Society of America, Inc.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by
any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or any information storage and
retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.
The views expressed in this publication represent those of the individual Editors and Authors. These
views do not necessarily reflect endorsement by the Publisher(s). In addition, trade names are sometimes
mentioned in this publication. No endorsement of these products by the Publisher(s) is intended, nor is any
criticism implied of similar products not mentioned.
American Society of Agronomy, Inc.
Crop Science Society of America, Inc.
Soil Science Society of America, Inc.
5585 Guilford Road, Madison, WI 53711-5801 USA
agronomy.org | soils.org | crops.org
dl.sciencesocieties.org
SocietyStore.org
ISBN: 978-0-89118-343-3 (print)
ISBN: 978-0-89118-344-0 (digital)
doi:10.2134/advagricsystmodel5
Library of Congress Control Number: 2014956736
Advances in Agricultural Systems Modeling
ISSN: 2163-2790 (online)
ISSN: 2163-2774 (print)
Cover design: Patricia Scullion
Cover photo: “Knowledge rise.” Thomas Trout, USDA-ARS.
Many of the photos in this volume were taken by Dr. Thomas J. Trout of USDA-ARS, Water Management
Research Unit, on the Limited Irrigation Research Farm, near Greeley, Colorado from 2008 to 2014.
Printed in the United States of America.
Contents
Forewordvii
Prefaceix
Contributorsxi
Quantifying Corn Yield and Water Use Efficiency under Growth Stage–Based
Deficit Irrigation Conditions
Quan X. Fang, L. Ma, David C. Nielsen, Thomas J. Trout, and L.R. Ahuja
1
Modeling for Best Management of the Effects of Irrigation Frequencies, Initial
Water, and Nitrogen on Corn
S.A. Saseendran, L.R. Ahuja, L. Ma, and T.J. Trout
25
A Mobile Irrigation Water Management System Using a Collaborative GIS and
Weather Station Networks
A.A. Andales, T.A. Bauder, and M. Arabi
53
Circular Planting to Enhance Rainfall Capture in Dryland Cropping Systems at
a Landscape Scale: Measurement and Simulation
Robert J. Lascano and J. Randall Nelson
85
Quantifying and Managing Corn Water Use Efficiencies under Irrigated and
Rainfed Conditions in Nebraska Using the Hybrid-Maize Simulation Model
Haishun Yang and Patricio Grassini
113
Modeling to Evaluate and Manage Water and Environmental Sustainability of
Bioenergy Crops in the United States
James R. Kiniry, Manyowa N. Meki, Thomas E. Schumacher, Cody J. Zilverberg,
Felix B. Fritschi, and Vijaya G. Kakani
139
Using a Model and Forecasted Weather to Predict Forage and Livestock
Production for Making Stocking Decisions in the Coming Growing Season
Quan X. Fang, L.R. Ahuja, Allan A. Andales, and Justin D. Derner
161
Providing User-Oriented Uncertainty Information with a Vineyard Model
Used for Irrigation Decisions
Sébastien Roux, Xavier Delpuech, Gabriel Daudin, François Brun, Jacques Wery,
and Daniel Wallach
183
Determination of Irrigation Depths Using a Numerical Model and Quantitative
Weather Forecasts and Comparison with an Experiment
H. Fujimaki, I. Tokumoto, T. Saito, M. Inoue, M. Shibata, M. Okazaki, K. Nagaz,
and Fathia El-Mokh
209
Modeling to Evaluate and Manage Climate Change Effects on Water Use in
Mediterranean Olive Orchards with Respect to Cover Crops and Tillage Management
J.A. Gómez, M.T. Rodríguez-Carretero, I.J. Lorite, and E. Fereres
237
Modeling Water Management and Food Security in India under Climate Change
Adlul Islam, Paresh Bhaskar Shirsath, Soora Naresh Kumar, Nataraja Subash,
Alok K. Sikka, and Pramod K. Aggarwal
v
267
Irrigation and Water Management Decisions Involving Sugarcane in Southern Africa
Neil Louis Lecler
317
A Modeling Approach to Explore Water Management Strategies for Late-Sown Maize
and Double-Cropped Wheat–Maize in the Rainfed Pampas Region of Argentina
Jorge L. Mercau and Maria E. Otegui
351
Model Applications for Sustainable Intensification of Maize-Based Smallholder
Cropping in a Changing World
Mary Ollenburger and Sieglinde Snapp
379
Syntheses of the Current Model Applications for Managing Water and Needs
for Experimental Data and Model Improvements to Enhance these Applications
L.R. Ahuja, Liwang Ma, Robert J. Lascano, S.A. Saseendran, Q.X. Fang,
David C. Nielsen, Enli Wang, and Paul D. Colaizzi
399
About the Series
439
Foreword
Throughout the drier regions of the world, the competition for water
between urban, industrial, and agricultural uses is becoming intense.
Increasing population and changing weather and climate will continue to
increase the pressure on water resources, demanding that all water use
become more efficient. Agriculture will always remain a target as water
resources are prioritized, since agriculture uses the largest fraction of available water in water limited regions. In addition to being more efficient in
using water supplies developed for irrigated agriculture, there is a great
need for research seeking ways for crops to be more efficient in the use of
soil-stored water derived from precipitation. We remind the audience that
globally about 80% of agriculture is rainfed agriculture; therefore, meeting
future agricultural production water needs will be largely dependent on
using existing water supplies more efficiently.
This book examines a number of different approaches to enhancing water
use for a number of important crops, including cultural practices such as
circular planting to enhance rainfall capture, tillage, and cover crops, in a
range of different cropping systems, climates, and production systems. The
title Practical Applications of Agricultural System Models to Optimize the
Use of Limited Water is very descriptive of the range of subjects covered.
This book connects models and modeling to the real world, addressing
many of the tools available to conserve and enhance water use, while utilizing experimental data where available.
This volume represents a significant effort in the development of tested,
process-based models to enhance our understanding and ability to manage this key, limited resource.
David B. Mengel, 2014 ASA President
David D. Baltensperger, 2014 CSSA President
Jan W. Hopmans, 2014 SSSA President
vii
Preface
Semiarid to arid regions of the world are major producers of food and fiber.
Water is becoming a major limiting factor for agriculture in these regions
because of increased urban and industrial use, more frequent droughts, climate warming, and limits to this precious natural resource. At the same
time, there is a need to produce even more food for the growing population, which requires more water. To obtain the most production from
available water, while maintaining natural resources, we need whole
system–based quantitative knowledge and tools to help select appropriate crops and manage water and associated inputs at different locations
on a site-specific basis under variable and changing climate. These tools
should help guide decisions on appropriate crop sequences and optimal
use of limited rainfall and irrigation water with respect to the amounts and
timings of rainfall, critical crop growth stages, and weather conditions, as
well as optimum use of nitrogen. Information is also needed to help determine potential alternative crops that would be suitable during periods of
droughts and help producers determine when to plant them. There is currently great excitement about growing bioenergy crops, including oil seed
crops and irrigated corn or other biomass crops. Effective decision support
tools should also be able to evaluate the long-term economics of bioenergy crops and provide estimates and guidance to ensure that enough crop
residues remain on the soil surface to minimize erosion and maintain soil
organic matter and productivity.
Site-specific experimental information is available for limited locations,
limited periods of time, and limited management options. Well-tested
process models of cropping systems can extend field research results to
long-term weather conditions, other climates and soils, and potential new
management options and thus provide the whole system–based knowledge and management guides for different locations over variable weather
and climate. The contributions to this volume present the applications of
crop system models to help optimize the use of limited water and associated nutrients and explore adaptations and mitigations for climate change
under a variety of conditions.
Previous volumes of the ASA, SSSA, CSSA Advances in Agricultural Systems
Modeling have been devoted to the transdisciplinary knowledge-gap areas
of science, conceptual synthesis, and parameterization for agricultural system models. We will further address these areas in future volumes. Volume
5 is completely devoted to application of models to help optimize the use
of limited water and associated management practices under various climates. Case studies of applications presented in this volume will inspire
further useful applications of models in the above areas, as well as in
numerous other areas.
Beginning with this volume, we have also placed greater emphasis on originality and quality of contributions by requiring that each contribution
should include new useful applications of models, a description of applications thus far with new synthesis of knowledge and experience, new or
ix
improved concepts emerging from this synthesis, and/or new directions
for model applications and research. Each submission has been reviewed
anonymously by two to three reviewers and an editor and accepted on the
basis of originality and the final contribution addressing any comments of
the reviewers. This rigorous peer review is done to ensure contributors will
get credit for their articles like a journal article. An attractive feature of this
series compared with journals is that all articles in a volume are focused on
one subject area. We openly solicited original contributions for this volume
with the above-noted criteria via a call for contributions in the CSA News
and via emails to several ASA Communities.
Lajpat R. Ahuja, Liwang Ma, and Robert J. Lascano, Editors
Contributors
Aggarwal, Pramod K. Climate Change Agriculture and Food Security - South Asia, International
Water Management Institute, NASC Complex, Pusa, New Delhi 110 012, India
([email protected])
Ahuja, Lajpat R.
USDA-ARS, Agricultural Systems Research Unit, 2150 Centre Ave., Bldg. D, Ste.
200 Fort Collins, CO 80526 ([email protected])
Andales, A.A.
Dep. of Soil and Crop Sciences, Colorado State University, 1170 Campus
Delivery, Fort Collins, CO 80523-1170 ([email protected]).
Brun, François
ACTA, INRA, UMR 1248 AGIR, 24 Chemin de Borde Rouge - Auzeville, CS 52627,
31326 Castanet Tolosan, Cedex, France ([email protected])
Colaizzi, Paul D.
USDA-ARS, Conservation and Production Research Lab., P.O. Drawer 10, 2300
Experiment Station Rd., Bushland, TX 79012-0010 ([email protected]).
Daudin, Gabriel
Vita Consult, ZA du Pré Neuf, 19 rue du Pré Neuf, 44190 Gorges, France
([email protected])
Delpuech, Xavier
Inst. Français de la Vigne et du Vin, Pôle Rhône-Méditerranée, Domaine de
Donadille, 30230 Rodilhan, France ([email protected])
Derner, J.D.
USDA-ARS, High Plains Grasslands Research Station, 8408 Hildreth Rd.,
Cheyenne, WY 82009-8899 ([email protected])
El-Mokh, F.
Institut des Régions Arides, 4119 Médenine, Tunisia ([email protected])
Fang, Quan X.
Agronomy College, Qingdao Agricultural University, Changcheng Rd. 700,
Chengyang District, Qingdao, Shandong, China, 266108 ([email protected])
Fritschi, F.B.
Division of Plant Sciences, University of Missouri, 1-33 Agriculture Building,
Columbia, MO 65211 ([email protected])
Fujimaki, H.
Arid Land Research Ctr., Tottori University, 1390 Hamasaka, 680-0001 Tottori,
Japan ([email protected])
Grassini, P.
Dep. of Agronomy and Horticulture, Univ. of Nebraska, 377M, PLSH, 202 Keim
Hall, Lincoln, NE 68583 ([email protected])
Inoue, M.
Arid Land Research Ctr., Tottori University, 1390 Hamasaka, 680-0001 Tottori,
Japan ([email protected])
Islam, Adlul
NRM Division, Indian Council of Agricultural Research, KAB-II, IARI Campus,
Pusa, New Delhi 110 012, India ([email protected])
Kakani, V.G.
Dep. of Plant and Soil Sciences, 368 Agricultural Hall, Oklahoma State
University, Stillwater, OK 74078-6028 ([email protected])
Kiniry, J.R.
USDA-ARS, Grassland, Soil and Water Research Lab., 808 E. Blackland Rd.,
Temple, TX 76502 ([email protected])
Kumar, Soora
Centre For Environment Science and Climate Resilient Agriculture, Indian
Naresh
Agricultural Research Institute, Pusa, New Delhi 100 012, India (nareshkumar.
[email protected])
Lascano, R.J.
USDA-ARS, Wind Erosion and Water Conservation Research Unit, Cropping
Systems Research Lab., 3810 4th St., Lubbock, TX 79415 (robert.lascano@ars.
usda.gov)
Lecler, N.L.
N.L. Lecler, Zimbabwe Sugar Association Experiment Station, P/Bag 7006,
Trinagle Ngundu Rd., Chiredzi, Zimbabwe; also, Bioresources Engineering,
University of KwaZulu-Natal, P/Bag X01, Scottsville 3209, South Africa
([email protected])
Ma, L.
USDA-ARS, Agricultural Systems Research Unit, 2150 Centre Ave., Bldg. D, Ste.
200 Fort Collins, CO 80526 ([email protected])
Meki, M.N.
Blackland Research Lab., Texas Agrilife., 720 E. Blackland Rd., Temple, TX 76502
([email protected])
xi
Mercau, J.L.
Nagaz, K.
Nelson, J.R.
Nielsen, David C.
Ollenburger, M.
Otegui, M.E.
Okazaki, M.
Roux, Sébastien
Saito, T.
Saseendran, S.A.
Schumacher, T.E.
Shibata, M.
Shirsath, Paresh
Bhaskar
Sikka, Alok K.
Snapp, S.
Subash, Nataraja
Tokumoto, I.
Trout, Thomas J.
Wallach, Daniel
Wang, Enli
Wery, Jacques
Yang, H.
Zilverberg, C.J.
Grupo de Estudios Ambientales del Instituto de Matemática Aplicada,
Universidad Nacional de San Luis (GEA-IMASL) and Consejo Nacional de
Investigaciones Científicas y Tecnológicas (CONICET), San Luis, Argentina
([email protected])
Inst. des Régions Arides, 4119 Médenine, Tunisia ([email protected])
North Central Kansas Experiment Field, Dep. of Agronomy, Kansas State
University, 1300 60 Rd., Courtland, KS 66939
USDA-ARS, Central Plains Resources Management Research Unit, 40335
County Rd. GG, Akron, CO, 80720-0400 ([email protected])
Plant Production Systems Group, P.O. Box 430, 6700 AK
Wageningen,Wageningen University, Wageningen, the Netherlands
([email protected])
Inst. de Investigaciones Fisiológicas y Ecológicas Vinculadas a la Agricultura
(IFEVA-CONICET) and Departamento de Producción Vegetal, Facultad de
Agronomía, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Av. San Martin 4453 (C1417DSE),
Buenos Aires, Argentina ([email protected])
Arid Land Research Ctr., Tottori University, 1390 Hamasaka, 680-0001 Tottori,
Japan ([email protected])
INRA, UMR System, 2 Place Pierre Viala, 34060 Montpellier Cedex 2, France
([email protected])
Faculty of Agriculture, Tottori University, 4-101 Koyamacho-Minami, Tottori
680-8550, Japan ([email protected])
USDA-ARS, Agricultural Systems Research Unit, 2150 Centre Ave., Bldg. D, Ste.
200 Fort Collins, CO 80526 ([email protected])
Plant Science, South Dakota State University, Box 2207A, Agricultural Hall–SAG
004, Brookings, SD 57007 ([email protected])
Arid Land Research Ctr., Tottori University, 1390 Hamasaka, 680-0001 Tottori,
Japan ([email protected])
Climate Change Agriculture and Food Security - South Asia, International
Water Management Institute, NASC Complex, Pusa, New Delhi 110 012, India
([email protected])
NRM Division, Indian Council of Agricultural Research, KAB-II, IARI Campus,
Pusa, New Delhi 110 012, India ([email protected])
Dep. of Plant Soil and Microbial Sciences, Michigan State University, 1066
Bogue St., East Lansing, MI 48824 ([email protected])
Project Directorate for Farming Systems Research, Modipuram, Meerut 250
110, Meerut, Uttar Pradesh, India ([email protected])
Faculty of Agriculture, Saga University, 1 Honjo-machi, Saga 840-8502, Japan
([email protected])
USDA-ARS Water Management Research Unit, 2150 Centre Ave., Bldg. D, Ste.
320 Fort Collins, CO 80526 ([email protected])
INRA, UMR 1248 AGIR, 24 Chemin de Borde Rouge–Auzeville, CS 52627, 31326
Castanet Tolosan, Cedex, France ([email protected])
CSIRO Land and Water, Christian Lab., Clunies Ross St., Black Mountain ACT
2601, Australia ([email protected])
Montpellier SupAgro, UMR System, 2 Place Pierre Viala, 34060 Montpellier
Cedex 2, France ([email protected])
Dep. of Agronomy and Horticulture, Univ. of Nebraska, 377M, PLSH,, 202 Keim
Hall, Lincoln, NE 68583 ([email protected])
Dep. of Natural Resource Management, South Dakota State University,
Northern Plains Biostress Lab. (SNP), Box 2140B, Brookings, SD 57007
([email protected])