Summary
This study describes the development of a phosphorus-cycling module integrated into the SPACSYS process-based crop model, calibrated and validated using winter wheat field experiments at Rothamsted Research. The model successfully simulated major phosphorus-cycling processes and their interactions with carbon, nitrogen, and water dynamics. However, model predictions of soil nitrogen dynamics showed substantial discrepancies in unfertilised fields, indicating that further refinement may be needed to accurately simulate phosphorus cycling under low soil phosphorus conditions.
UK applicability
As this research was conducted at Rothamsted Research in England using UK soil and climate conditions, the model framework and findings are directly applicable to UK winter wheat production systems. The model's variable performance under low-phosphorus conditions may be particularly relevant for UK farms seeking to optimise phosphorus management and reduce fertiliser inputs.
Key measures
Aboveground dry matter, phosphorus accumulation in crops, soil moisture dynamics, soil nitrate and ammonium concentrations
Outcomes reported
The study developed and validated a phosphorus-cycling module within the SPACSYS crop model, demonstrating its ability to simulate aboveground dry matter, phosphorus accumulation, and soil moisture dynamics in winter wheat. Model performance was reasonable for fertilised fields but showed larger discrepancies in fields without phosphorus fertiliser.
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