PE4.01 (SUPERSEDED) MetaData - NORTH CAROLINA TOBACCO

MetaData

The field used to represent tobacco (flue-cured) production in North Carolina is located in Pitt and Johnston Counties, in Eastern North Carolina. According to the 1997 Census of Agriculture, North Carolina is the major producer of tobacco (1st overall) in the U.S. Tobacco is grown on a wide variety of soils, however, maximum yields are typically seen on sandy loam soils with low organic matter content. In addition, tobacco roots do not tolerate "wet" soils for prolong periods of time. Approximately 90 percent of the crop is grown in two-year rotation. Row spacing is generally from 40 to 48 inches. Tobacco is transplanted from greenhouse or plastic-covered outdoor plant beds in early spring after frost pressures (mid-April). Flower heads are removed to induce growth of lateral shoots. Harvesting is done in stages from lowest to highest leaves on the plant as the leaves ripen. Nearly all (99 percent) of tobacco is grown with conventional tillage. No-till production is used mostly for burley tobacco grown in western North Carolina. The soil selected to simulate the field is a benchmark soil, Norfolk loamy sand. Norfolk loamy sand is a fine-loamy, kaolinitic, thermic, Typic Kandiudults. Most of these soils are under cultivation in corn, cotton, peanuts, tobacco and soybeans. Norfolk loamy sand is a very deep, well drained, moderately permeable soil with slow to medium runoff. These soils formed in loamy marine sediments of the Coastal Plain.. They are found on level to gently sloping uplands of the Coastal Plain. Slopes range from 0 to 10 percent. The series is of large extent throughout the Coastal Plan. Norfolk loamy sand is a Hydrologic Group B soil.

Table 1.
PRZM 3.12 Climate and Time Parameters for Pitt and Johnston Counties, North Carolina - Tobacco
Parameter Value Source
Starting Date January 1, 1948 Meteorological File - Montgomery, AL (W13895)
Ending Date December 31, 1983 Meteorological File - Montgomery, AL (W13895)
Pan Evaporation Factor (PFAC) 0.77 PRZM Manual Figure 5.1 (EPA, 1998)
Snowmelt Factor (SFAC) 0.36 cm C- 1 PRZM Manual Table 5.1 (EPA, 1998)
Minimum Depth of Evaporation (ANETD) 17.0 cm PRZM Manual Figure 5.2 (EPA, 1998)
Table 2.
PRZM 3.12 Erosion and Landscape Parameters for Pitt and Johnston Counties, North Carolina - Tobacco
Parameter Value Source
Method to Calculate Erosion (ERFLAG) 4 (MUSS) PRZM Manual (EPA, 1998)
USLE K Factor (USLEK) 0.17 tons EI-1* GLEAMS Table of Representative Soils (USDA, 1990)
USLE LS Factor (USLELS) 0.192 GLEAMS Table of Representative Soils (USDA, 1990)
USLE P Factor (USLEP) 0.5 PRZM Table 5.6 value for contour plowing on 5% slope (EPA, 1998)
Field Area (AFIELD) 172 ha Area of Shipman Reservoir watershed (EPA, 1999)
NRCS Hyetograph (IREG) 2 PRZM Manual Figure 5.12 (EPA, 1998)
Slope (SLP) 5% Value set to mid-point of range (EPA, 2001)
Hydraulic Length (HL) 600 m Shipman Reservoir (EPA, 1999)

* EI = 100 ft-tons * in/ acre*hr

Table 3.
PRZM 3.12 Crop Parameters for Pitt and Johnston Counties, North Carolina - Tobacco
Parameter Value Source
Initial Crop (INICRP) 1 Set to one for all crops (EPA, 2001)
Initial Surface Condition (ISCOND) 1 Set to fallow ground prior to years planting (bed preparation)
Number of Different Crops (NDC) 1 Set to crops in simulation - generally one
Number of Cropping Periods (NCPDS) 36 Set to weather data. Montgomery, AL (W13895)
Maximum rainfall interception storage of crop (CINTCP) 0.2 PRZM Table 5.4 (EPA, 1998)
Maximum Active Root Depth (AMXDR) 60 cm PRZM Table 5.9 (EPA, 1998)
Maximum Canopy Coverage (COVMAX) 80 NCSU Crop Profile Exithttps://ipm.ces.ncsu.edu/
Soil Surface Condition After Harvest (ICNAH) 3 Residue left until following year
Date of Crop Emergence
(EMD, EMM, IYREM)		 11/04 PRZM Table 5.9 and NCSU Crop Profile Exithttps://ipm.ces.ncsu.edu/
Date of Crop Maturity
(MAD, MAM, IYRMAT)		 07/07
Date of Crop Harvest
(HAD, HAM, IYRHAR)		 16/07
Maximum Dry Weight (WFMAX) 0.0 Set to "0" Not used in simulation
SCS Curve Number (CN) 84, 79, 83 Gleams Manual Table A.3, Fallow SR/CT/poor, Cropping and Residue = Row Crop SR/CT/poor; B soil (USDA, 1990)
Manning's N Value (MNGN) 0.014 RUSLE Project, PB6TBHGC; Tobacco, conventional tillage; Greensboro, NC (USDA, 2000)
USLE C Factor (USLEC) 0.071 - 0.500 RUSLE Project; PB6TBHGC; Tobacco, conventional tillage; Greensboro, NC (USDA, 2000)
Table 4.
PRZM 3.12 Norfolk Soil Parameters for Pitt and Johnston Counties, North Carolina - Tobacco
Parameter Value Verification Source
Total Soil Depth (CORED) 150 cm NRCS, National Soils Characterization Database (NRCS, 2001)
Number of Horizons (NHORIZ) 4 (Top horizon split in two)
  First, Second, Third, and Fourth and Soil Horizons (HORIZN = 1,2,3,4)  
Horizon Thickness (THKNS)
  • 10 cm (HORIZN = 1)
  • 35 cm (HORIZN = 2)
  • 55 cm (HORIZN = 3)
  • 50 cm (HORIZN = 4)
 NRCS, National Soils Characterization Database (NRCS, 2001) http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/site/soils/home/
Bulk Density (BD)
  • 1.55 g cm-3 (HORIZN = 1,2)
  • 1.3 g cm-3 (HORIZN = 3)
  • 1.1 g cm-3 (HORIZN = 4)
Initial Water Content (THETO)
  • 0.199 cm3-H2O cm3-soil (HORIZN =1,2)
  • 0.406 cm3-H2O cm3-soil (HORIZN =3)
  • 0.396 cm3-H2O cm3-soil (HORIZN =4)
Compartment Thickness (DPN)
  • 0.1 cm (HORIZN = 1)
  • 5.0 cm (HORIZN = 2,3,4)
Field Capacity (THEFC)
  • 0.199 cm3-H2O cm3-soil (HORIZN = 1,2)
  • 0.406cm3-H2O cm3-soil (HORIZN = 3)
  • 0.396 cm3-H2O cm3-soil (HORIZN = 4)
Wilting Point (THEWP)
  • 0.089 cm3-H2O cm3-soil (HORIZN = 1,2)
  • 0.206 cm3-H2O cm3-soil (HORIZN = 3)
  • 0.246 cm3-H2O cm3-soil (HORIZN = 4)
Organic Carbon Content (OC)
  • 0.29% (HORIZN = 1,2)
  • 0.116 (HORIZN = 3)
  • 0.058% (HORIZN = 4)

EPA. 1998. Carsel, R.F., J.C. Imhoff, P.R. Hummel, J.M. Cheplick, and A.S. Donigian, Jr. PRZM-3, A Model for Predicting Pesticide and Nitrogen Fate in the Crop Root and Unsaturated Soil Zones: Users Manual for Release 3.0. National Exposure Research Laboratory, Office of Research and Development, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Athens, GA.

EPA. 1999. Jones, R.D., J. Breithaupt, J. Carleton, L. Libelo, J. Lin, R. Matzner, and R. Parker. Guidance for Use of the Index Reservoir in Drinking Water Exposure Assessments. Environmental Fate and Effects Division, Office of Pesticide Programs, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington. D.C.

EPA. 2001. Abel, S.A. Procedure for Conducting Quality Assurance and Quality Control of Existing and New PRZM Field and Orchard Crop Standard Scenarios. Environmental Fate and Effects Division, Office of Pesticide Programs, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, D.C.

USDA. 1990. Davis, F.M., R.A. Leonard, W.G. Knisel. GLEAMS User Manual, Version 1.8.55. USDA-ARS Southeast Watershed Research Laboratory, Tifton GA. SEWRL-030190FMD.

USDA. 2000. Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE) EPA Pesticide Project. U.S. Department of Agriculture, National Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and Agricultural Research Service (ARS).

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