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Title: AUTOMATED SPATIAL ALLOCATION OF BMPS FOR WATERSHED-SCALE NITROGEN MANAGEMENT

Author
item SADEGHZADEH, KOUROSH - UNIV. OF MARYLAND
item SHIRMOHAMMADI, ADEL - UNIV. OF MARYLAND
item MONTAS, HUBERT - UNIV. OF MARYLAND
item Sadeghi, Ali

Submitted to: ASAE Annual International Meeting
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 7/28/2003
Publication Date: 7/28/2003
Citation: Sadeghzadeh, K., Shirmohammadi, A., Montas, H., Sadeghi, A.M. 2003. Automated spatial allocation of BMPs for watershed-scale nitrogen management. Proceedings of the ASAE Meetings. Paper No. 033036.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Nitrogen (N) is an essential plant nutrient that promotes crop yield and contributes greatly to the agricultural economy of crop producers. In case of improper N management, the nitrate form of N can leach to surface and ground waters and impair their qualities. In order to analyze the N management in watershed scale, a representative watershed was selected in the Eastern Shore Region of Maryland. A Decision Support System centered around the use of ERDAS IMAGINE, and the embedded subsurface flow model, Hydrosub, was used to identify critical areas from simulated spatial distributions of relative N export. Diagnosis and prescription Expert Systems were developed into a Predicate Calculus representation of the Universe of Discourse for N dynamics and control and then translated to decision trees for implementation in IMAGINE. These systems were then applied to the diagnosis of probable causes of excessive N export and prescription of appropriate BMPs for export control in critical areas. The analysis resulted in a spatially-distributed set of appropriate Best Management Practices (BMPs) that are feasible both economically and environmentally. For the study watershed, using catch crops and Rhizobium-Legume (instead of using conventional commercial fertilizers) was most often recommended as the most appropriate BMPs. The recommended BMPs are based upon the concept of total N management, which accounts for all forms of on-farm N in the development of crop management plans.