Comparison of simulated nitrogen management strategies using DRAINMOD-DSSAT and RZWQM2

Agroecosystem models provide valuable insights into agricultural management decisions and can serve as a useful tool to quantify the effects of practices under varying conditions where field experimentations are impractical. We evaluated newly integrated comprehensive model, DRAINMOD-DSSAT, for hydrology, nitrogen (N) dynamics, crop yield using eight years (1993–2000) measured data from no-tilled subsurface-drained, corn-soybean system near Danville, Illinois. The model satisfactorily predicted drainage flow NO3-N losses with Nash-Sutcliffe efficiency (NSE), ratio root mean squared error standard deviation (RSR), percent bias (PBIAS) 0.68 0.60, 0.56 0.63, − 11.6% 2.2%, respectively, nRMSE, PBIAS index agreement (d) 8.4%, 0.6%, 1, respectively. For same experimental dataset, performance comparison DRAINMOD-DSSAT Root Zone Water Quality Model (RZWQM2) demonstrated that two were most different in their simulation N loss through seepage denitrification. Further, we used simulate (N application rates timings) on compared them RZWQM2 simulated results. results showed both provided conclusion strategy yield, but they differ quantity. This study supports being cautious only one conclude quantification effectiveness particular practices.