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ILLINOIS CORN

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The field used to represent corn production in Illinois is located in McLean County, although the crop is grown extensively throughout the state. According to the 1997 Census of Agriculture, Illinois is ranked 2nd among the major corn producing states in the U.S. The crop is generally planted the early Spring (April) in the south, early May in the north and harvested beginning in August. Continuous corn is practice is much of the region (approximately 30 percent is continuous), however, rotation with other crops such as soybean, wheat, sorghum, and alfalfa is the dominant practice. Most of the corn is planted for feed grain, but may also be planted for oil, sweetener, and for export. Planting depth and row spacing (generally 30 inches) follows general practices for the U.S. Conservation tillage practices are regularly used for field corn with no-till practiced on about 20 percent of the corn acreage annually. About 50 percent of the acreage is cultivated with a row cultivator and an estimated 40 percent is rotary hoed annually. The crop is rarely grown under irrigation. The soil selected to simulate the field is an Adair clan loam. Adair clay loam is a fine, smectitic, mesic Aquertic Argiudolls. More than 50 percent of the soil is used for the production of grains with the balance in meadow and pasture. Adair clay loam is a deep, somewhat poorly drained, medium to rapid runoff, slowly permeable soil formed on uplands in a thin mantle of loess or loess and pedisediments and a paleosol formed in glacial till. They are on convex summits of narrow interfluves and on convex side slopes at slightly lower elevations. Slopes are generally between 2 to 18 percent, but may range to 30 percent. The soils are extensive in MLRA 108 and found in many MLRA in the region. Adair clay loam is a Hydrologic Group C soil.

Table 1.
PRZM 3.12 Climate and Time Parameters for McLean County, Illinois - Corn
ParameterValueSource
Starting Date January 1, 1948Meteorological File - Burlington, IA (W14931)
Ending Date December 31, 1983Meteorological File - Burlington, IA (W14931)
Pan Evaporation Factor (PFAC) 0.77PRZM Manual Figure 5.1 (EPA, 1998)
Snowmelt Factor (SFAC) 0.36 cm C- 1PRZM Manual Table 5.1 (EPA, 1998)
Minimum Depth of Evaporation (ANETD) 16.0 cmPRZM Manual Figure 5.2 (EPA, 1998)

Table 2.
PRZM 3.12 Erosion and Landscape Parameters for McLean County, Illinois - Corn
ParameterValueSource
Method to Calculate Erosion (ERFLAG) 4 (MUSS)PRZM Manual (EPA, 1998)
USLE K Factor (USLEK) 0.32 tons EI-1*GLEAMS Table of Representative Soils (USDA, 1990)
USLE LS Factor (USLELS) 1.126GLEAMS Table of Representative Soils (USDA, 1990)
USLE P Factor(USLEP) 1.00PRZM Manual (EPA, 1998)
Field Area (AFIELD) 172 haArea of Shipman Reservoir watershed (EPA, 1999)
NRCS Hyetograph (IREG) 3PRZM Manual Figure 5.12 (EPA, 1998)
Slope (SLP) 6%Selected according to QA/QC Guidance (EPA, 2001)
Hydraulic Length (HL) 600 mShipman Reservoir (EPA, 1999)

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


Table 3.
PRZM 3.12 Crop Parameters for McLean County, Illinois - Corn
ParameterValueSource
Initial Crop (INICRP) 1Set to one for all crops (EPA, 2001)
Initial Surface Condition (ISCOND) 3 PRZM Input Collator (Burns, 1992); Lyle Paul of U of Illinois indicates residues are typically chiseled in
Number of Different Crops (NDC) 1Set to crops in simulation - generally one
Number of Cropping Periods (NCPDS) 36Set to weather data. Meteorological File - Burlington, IA (W14931)
Maximum rainfall interception storage of crop (CINTCP) 0.25Maximum recommended value for grass
Maximum Active Root Depth (AMXDR) 90 cmPRZM Input Collator (Burns, 1992)
Maximum Canopy Coverage (COVMAX) 100PRZM Input Collator (Burns, 1992); Lyle Paul of U of Illinois
Soil Surface Condition After Harvest (ICNAH) 3PRZM Input Collator (Burns, 1992); Lyle Paul of U of Illinois
Date of Crop Emergence
(EMD, EMM, IYREM)
01/05 Usual Planting and Harvest Dates for US Field Crops (USDA, 1984) & Updated Crop Stage Information from HED (Bernard Schneider)
Date of Crop Maturity
(MAD, MAM, IYRMAT)
21/09
Date of Crop Harvest
(HAD, HAM, IYRHAR)
20/10
Maximum Dry Weight (WFMAX) 0.0Set to "0" Not used in simulation
SCS Curve Number (CN) 91, 87, 88 Gleams Manual Table A.3, Fallow = SR/poor; Cropping and Residue = Row Crop, SR/poor condition (USDA, 1990)
Manning's N Value (MNGN) 0.014 RUSLE Project, MA3CGSBC; Corn, grain, Conventional tillage, Springfield, IL (USDA, 2000)
USLE C Factor (USLEC) 0.017 - 0.638 RUSLE Project; MA3CGSBC; Corn, grain, Conventional tillage, Springfield, IL, variable with date (USDA, 2000)

Table 4.
PRZM 3.12 Adair Soil Parameters for McLean County, Illinois - Corn
ParameterValue Verification Source
Total Soil Depth (CORED) 100 cm PIC (Burns, 1992) Confirmed with: NRCS, National Soils Characterization Database (NRCS, 2001)
Number of Horizons (NHORIZ) 4 (Top horizon split in two)
First, Second, Third and Fourth Soil Horizons (HORIZN = 1,2,3,4)
Horizon Thickness (THKNS)
  • 10 cm (HORIZN = 1)
  • 34 cm (HORIZN = 2)
  • 44 cm (HORIZN = 3)
  • 12 cm (HORIZN = 4)
PIC (Burns, 1992) Confirmed with: NRCS, National Soils Characterization Database (NRCS, 2001) http://soils.usda.gov/survey/nscd/ Exit EPA Disclaimer
Bulk Density (BD)
  • 1.5 g cm-3 (HORIZN = 1, 2)
  • 1.6 g cm-3 (HORIZN = 3)
  • 1.7 g cm-3 (HORIZN = 4)
Initial Water Content (THETO)
  • 0.355 cm3-H2O cm3-soil (HORIZN =1, 2)
  • 0.338 cm3-H2O cm3-soil (HORIZN =3)
  • 0.307 cm3-H2O cm3-soil (HORIZN =4)
Compartment Thickness (DPN)
  • 0.1 cm (HORIZN = 1)
  • 6.8 cm (HORIZN = 2)
  • 11 cm (HORIZN = 3)
  • 12 cm (HORIZN = 4)
Field Capacity (THEFC)
  • 0.355 cm3-H2O cm3-soil (HORIZN = 1, 2)
  • 0.338 cm3-H2O cm3-soil (HORIZN = 3)
  • 0.307 cm3-H2O cm3-soil (HORIZN = 4)
Wilting Point (THEWP)
  • 0.185 cm3-H2O cm3-soil (HORIZN = 1,2)
  • 0.208 cm3-H2O cm3-soil (HORIZN = 3)
  • 0.167 cm3-H2O cm3-soil (HORIZN = 4)
Organic Carbon Content (OC)
  • 2.32% (HORIZN = 1,2)
  • 0.174% (HORIZN = 3)
  • 0.116% (HORIZN = 4)

Burns. 1992. Burns, L.A., (Coordinator), B.W. Allen, Jr., M.C. Barber, S.L. Bird, J.M. Cheplick, M.J. Fendley, D.R. Hartel, C.A. Kittner, F.L. Mayer, Jr., L.A. Suarez, and S.E. Wooten. Pesticide and Industrial Chemical Risk Analysis and Hazard Assessment, Version 3.0. (PIRANHA) Environmental Research Laboratory, Office of Research and Development, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Athens, GA. 1992.

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. 1984. Usual Planting and Harvesting Dates for U.S. Field Crops, Statistical Reporting Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agriculture Handbook #628, pp.78.

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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