Jump to main content.


MINNESOTA SUGAR BEETS

MetaData

The field used to represent sugar beet production in Minnesota is located in Polk County, in the Red River Valley. According to the 1997 Census of Agriculture, Minnesota ranked 1st in production and acreage of sugar beets in the U.S. The crop is generally planted the late Spring and harvested beginning in October. Row spacing is generally 30-inches. Row canopies tend to be very close to 100 percent, while the canopy between rows is much less. The crop may be grown under irrigation by furrow, canal, or center pivot systems. 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 soils 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 Polk County, Minnesota - Sugar Beets
ParameterValueSource
Starting Date January 1, 1948Meteorological File - Burlington, IA (W14931)
Ending Date December 31, 1983Meteorological File - Burlington, IA (W14931)
Pan Evaporation Factor (PFAC) 0.75PRZM Manual Figure 5.1 (EPA, 1998)
Snowmelt Factor (SFAC) 0.56 cm C- 1PRZM Manual Table 5.1 (EPA, 1998)
Minimum Depth of Evaporation (ANETD) 12.0 cmPRZM Manual Figure 5.2 (EPA, 1998)

Table 2.
PRZM 3.12 Erosion and Landscape Parameters for Polk County, Minnesota - Sugar Beets
ParameterValueSource
Method to Calculate Erosion (ERFLAG) 4 (MUSS)PRZM Manual (EPA, 1998)
USLE K Factor (USLEK) 0.28 tons EI-1*GLEAMS Table of Representative Soils (USDA, 1990)
USLE LS Factor (USLELS) 0.17GLEAMS Table of Representative Soils (USDA, 1990)
USLE P Factor (USLEP) 0.5PRZM 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) 1.5%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 Polk County, Minnesota - Sugar Beets
ParameterValueSource
Initial Crop (INICRP) 1Set to one for all crops (EPA, 2001)
Initial Surface Condition (ISCOND) 1PRZM Input Collator (Burns, 1992)
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) 0.2PRZM Table 5.4 (EPA, 1998)
Maximum Active Root Depth (AMXDR) 100 cm Set to soil profile depth. Roots can be as much as 8 feet deep. Dr. Mohamed Kahn; NDSU (701) 231-8596; Larry Smith U of MN (218) 281-8602.
Maximum Canopy Coverage (COVMAX) 100 PRZM Input Collator (Burns, 1992); Dr. Mohamed Kahn; NDSU (701) 231-8596; Larry Smith U of MN (218) 281-8602.
Soil Surface Condition After Harvest (ICNAH) 3PRZM Input Collator, PIC (Burns, 1992)
Date of Crop Emergence
(EMD, EMM, IYREM)
11/05 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)
01/10
Date of Crop Harvest
(HAD, HAM, IYRHAR)
15/10
Maximum Dry Weight (WFMAX) 0.0Set to "0" Not used in simulation
SCS Curve Number (CN) 91, 85, 87 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, F86SUSUC); Sugar beets, Conventional tillage, Fargo, ND (USDA, 2000)
USLE C Factor (USLEC) 0.017 - 0.638 RUSLE Project; F86SUSUC); Sugar beets, Conventional tillage, Fargo, ND (USDA, 2000)

Table 4.
PRZM 3.12 Adair Soil Parameters for Polk County, Minnesota - Sugar Beets
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 (3 Base, Top horizon split in two)
First, Second, Third and Fourth Soil Horizons (HORIZN = 1,2,3,4)
Horizon Thickness (THKNS)
  • 10 cm (HORIZN = 1)
  • 8 cm (HORIZN = 2)
  • 54 cm (HORIZN = 3)
  • 28 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)
  • 1.4 g cm-3 (HORIZN = 1, 2)
  • 1.5 g cm-3 (HORIZN = 3)
  • 1.8 g cm-3 (HORIZN = 4)
Initial Water Content (THETO)
  • 0.377 cm3-H2O cm3-soil (HORIZN =1, 2)
  • 0.292 cm3-H2O cm3-soil (HORIZN =3)
  • 0.285 cm3-H2O cm3-soil (HORIZN =4)
Compartment Thickness (DPN)
  • 0.1 cm (HORIZN = 1)
  • 2.0 cm (HORIZN = 2,3,4)
Field Capacity (THEFC)
  • 0.377 cm3-H2O cm3-soil (HORIZN = 1, 2)
  • 0.292 cm3-H2O cm3-soil (HORIZN = 3)
  • 0.285 cm3-H2O cm3-soil (HORIZN = 4)
Wilting Point (THEWP)
  • 0.207 cm3-H2O cm3-soil (HORIZN = 1,2)
  • 0.132 cm3-H2O cm3-soil (HORIZN = 3)
  • 0.125 cm3-H2O cm3-soil (HORIZN = 4)
Organic Carbon Content (OC)
  • 1.74% (HORIZN = 1,2)
  • 0.116% (HORIZN = 3)
  • 0.058% (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).

Top of page


Publications | Glossary | A-Z Index | Jobs


Local Navigation


Jump to main content.