Summary
This study describes the development and validation of a phosphorus-cycling module integrated into the SPACSYS process-based model, using winter wheat field experiments at Rothamsted Research. The model demonstrated reasonable predictive capability for phosphorus accumulation, dry matter production, and soil moisture dynamics. However, model performance was substantially weaker in fields without phosphorus fertiliser application, indicating limitations in simulating phosphorus supply from native soil reserves.
UK applicability
As the study was conducted at Rothamsted Research in Harpenden, findings directly apply to UK cereal production conditions. The SPACSYS model may assist UK farmers and advisors in predicting phosphorus dynamics and optimising fertiliser management, though the noted discrepancies in low-phosphorus scenarios suggest caution when applying the model to unfertilised or phosphorus-deficient soils.
Key measures
Aboveground dry matter accumulation, crop phosphorus content, soil phosphorus dynamics, soil moisture content, soil nitrate and ammonium concentrations
Outcomes reported
The study evaluated a process-based phosphorus module added to the SPACSYS model, assessing its ability to simulate phosphorus content dynamics in winter wheat crops and the impact of soil phosphorus status on crop growth. Model performance was assessed against field observations from Rothamsted Research including aboveground dry matter, phosphorus accumulation, soil moisture, and nitrogen dynamics.
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