PE4.01 (SUPERSEDED) MetaData - PENNSYLVANIA CORN

MetaData

The field used to represent corn production in Pennsylvania is located in Lancaster County in the south-east portion of the state. According to the 1997 Census of Agriculture, Pennsylvania is ranked 15th among major producers of corn in the U.S. The crop is generally planted the Spring (April) and harvested beginning in September. Continuous corn is practice is much of the region. However, rotation with other crops such as soybeans is also practiced. Most of the corn is planted for feed grain. Planting depth and row spacing (generally 30 inches) follows general practices for the U.S. Conventional tillage dominates management practices, followed by no-tillage. However, conservation tillage is continuing to grow. The soil selected to simulate the field is a benchmark soil, Hagerstown silt loam. Hagerstown silt loam, is a fine, mixed, semiactive, mesic Typic Hapludalfs. These soils are used fro general crops, pastures, orchards and truck crops. Large portions are in non-farm uses. Hagerstown silt loam is a very deep, well drained, moderately permeable soil with moderate to rapid runoff. These soils formed in materials weathered from hard grey limestone of rather high purity. They are found on valley floors and the adjacent hills. In some areas rock outcrops are common surface features. Slopes are generally less than 15 percent, but may range up to 45 percent. Hagerstown silt loam is a Hydrologic Group C soil.

Table 1.
PRZM 3.12 Climate and Time Parameters for Lancaster County, Pennsylvania - Corn
Parameter Value Source
Starting Date January 1, 1948 Meteorological File - Allentown, PA (W14737)
Ending Date December 31, 1983 Meteorological File - Allentown, PA (W14737)
Pan Evaporation Factor (PFAC) 0.76 PRZM Manual Figure 5.1 (EPA, 1998.)
Snowmelt Factor (SFAC) 0.20m 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 Lancaster County, Pennsylvania - Corn
Parameter Value Source
Method to Calculate Erosion (ERFLAG) 4 (MUSS) PRZM Manual (EPA, 1998)
USLE K Factor (USLEK) 0.32 tons EI-1* GLEAMS Manual, table of Representative Soils (USDA, 1990)
USLE LS Factor (USLELS) 1.042 GLEAMS Manual, table of Representative Soils (USDA, 1990)
USLE P Factor (USLEP) 0.5 Set according to guidance (EPA, 2001)
Field Area (AFIELD) 172 ha Area of Shipman Reservoir watershed (EPA, 1999)
NRCS Hyetograph (IREG) 3 PRZM Manual Figure 5.12 (EPA, 1998)
Slope (SLP) 6% Maximum value for row crop. (EPA, 2001). Most slopes for soil series are around 2 percent.
Hydraulic Length (HL) 600 m Shipman Reservoir (EPA, 1999)

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

Table 3.
PRZM 3.12 Crop Parameters for Lancaster County, Pennsylvania - Corn
Parameter Value Source
Initial Crop (INICRP) 1 Set to one for all crops (EPA, 2001)
Initial Surface Condition (ISCOND) 1 Set fallow prior to new crop planting
Number of Different Crops (NDC) 1 Set to crops in simulation - generally one
Number of Cropping Periods (NCPDS) 36 Set to weather data. Allentown, PA (W14737)
Maximum rainfall interception storage of crop (CINTCP) 0.17 PRZM, Table 5.4 (EPA, 1998)
Maximum Active Root Depth (AMXDR) 90 cm PRZM Manual, Table 5.9 (EPA, 1998)
Maximum Canopy Coverage (COVMAX) 100 QA/QC Guidance (EPA, 2001)
Soil Surface Condition After Harvest (ICNAH) 3 Winter cover crop planted in most areas.
Date of Crop Emergence
(EMD, EMM, IYREM)		 20/04 Usual Planting and Harvesting Dates for U.S. Field Crops and Penn. State Coop. Extension
Date of Crop Maturity
(MAD, MAM, IYRMAT)		 04/07
Date of Crop Harvest
(HAD, HAM, IYRHAR)		 01/10
Maximum Dry Weight (WFMAX) 0.0 Set to "0" Not used in simulation
SCS Curve Number (CN) 89, 83, 85 Gleams Manual Table A.3, Fallow SR/CT; Cropping and Residue = Row crop, Conservation tillage, Contour plowing (USDA, 1990)
Manning's N Value (MNGN) 0.014 RUSLE Project, SB5CGSBC, Corn, grain, conventional tillage, York, PA (USDA, 2000)
USLE C Factor (USLEC) 0.025 - 0.701 RUSLE Project; SB5CGSBC, Corn, grain, conventional tillage, York, PA (USDA, 2000)
Table 4.
PRZM 3.12 Hagerstown Soil Parameters for Lancaster County, Pennsylvania - Corn
Parameter Value Verification Source
Total Soil Depth (CORED) 100 cm NRCS, National Soils Characterization Database (NRCS, 2001)
Number of Horizons (NHORIZ) 3
  First, Second, and Third Soil Horizons (HORIZN = 1,2,3)  
Horizon Thickness (THKNS)
  • 10 cm (HORIZN = 1)
  • 40 cm (HORIZN = 2)
  • 50 cm (HORIZN = 3)
 NRCS, National Soils Characterization Database (NRCS, 2001) http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/site/soils/home/
Bulk Density (BD)
  • 1.6 g cm-3 (HORIZN = 1)
  • 1.7 g cm-3 (HORIZN = 2)
  • 1.8 g cm-3 (HORIZN = 3)
Initial Water Content (THETO)
  • 0.282 cm3-H2O cm3-soil (HORIZN =1)
  • 0.2942cm3-H2O cm3-soil (HORIZN =2)
  • 0.245 cm3-H2O cm3-soil (HORIZN =3)
Compartment Thickness (DPN)
  • 0.1 cm (HORIZN = 1)
  • 5.0 cm (HORIZN = 2,3)
Field Capacity (THEFC)
  • 0.282 cm3-H2O cm3-soil (HORIZN = 1)
  • 0.242cm3-H2O cm3-soil (HORIZN = 2)
  • 0.245 cm3-H2O cm3-soil (HORIZN = 3)
Wilting Point (THEWP)
  • 0.122 cm3-H2O cm3-soil (HORIZN = 1)
  • 0.142 cm3-H2O cm3-soil (HORIZN = 2)
  • 0.145 cm3-H2O cm3-soil (HORIZN = 3)
Organic Carbon Content (OC)
  • 2.9% (HORIZN = 1)
  • 0.174% (HORIZN = 2)
  • 0.116% (HORIZN = 3)

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).

Top of Page