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OHIO CORN

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The field used to represent corn production in Ohio is located in Darke and/or Pickaway Counties, although the crop is grown extensively throughout the state. According to the 1997 Census of Agriculture, Ohio is ranked 6th among the major corn producing states in the U.S. and Darke and Pickaway are ranked among the highest in Ohio. The crop is generally planted in early Spring (April 15 to May 10) in the north and from April 10 to May 10 in the south. Corn is harvested beginning in September depending on kernel moisture and may extend into late November. Continuous corn is practice in the region (approximately 30 percent is continuous), however, rotation with mainly soybean is the most common. Rotation promotes weed control and has been shown to increase yields as much as 10 percent over continuous corn operations. Most of the corn is planted for feed grain, but may also be planted for oil, sweetener, and for export. Planting depth (1 - 1.5 inches) and row spacing (generally 30 inches, but may be as narrow as 15 to 22 inches) follows general practices for the U.S. Seeding rates in Ohio range from 20,000 to 30,000 plants/acre for corn grown for grain and 22,000 to 34,000 plants/acre for corn grown for silage. Conservation tillage practices are regularly used for field corn with no-till practiced on a small percentage of the corn acreage annually. Corn is generally cultivated with a row cultivator or rotary hoed. The crop is rarely grown under irrigation. The soil selected to simulate the field is a Cardington silt loam. Cardington silt loam is a fine, illitic, mesic Aquic Haplaudalfs. Most of the area is planted in row crops including production of grains with the balance in pasture and woodland. Cardington silt loam is a very deep, moderately well drained, negligible to very high runoff, slowly permeable soil with an intermittent perched water table at 1-2 feet between November and April. These soils formed in loamy till of medium calcium carbonate content. These soils are on summits, shoulders, and backslopes on Wisconsin Age ground moraines and end moraines. Slopes are generally between 0 to 25 percent. The soils are extensive in MLRA 111 and 139. Cardington silt loam is a Hydrologic Group C soil.

Table 1.
PRZM 3.12 Climate and Time Parameters for Darke and Pickaway Counties, Ohio - Corn
ParameterValueSource
Starting Date January 1, 1948Meteorological File - Vandalia, OH (W93815)
Ending Date December 31, 1983Meteorological File - Vandalia, OH (W93815)
Pan Evaporation Factor (PFAC) 0.77PRZM Manual Figure 5.1 (EPA, 1998)
Snowmelt Factor (SFAC) 0.30 cm C- 1PRZM Manual Table 5.1 (EPA, 1998)
Minimum Depth of Evaporation (ANETD) 17.0 cmPRZM Manual Figure 5.2 (EPA, 1998)

Table 2.
PRZM 3.12 Erosion and Landscape Parameters for Darke and Pickaway Counties, Ohio - Corn
ParameterValueSource
Method to Calculate Erosion (ERFLAG) 4 (MUSS)PRZM Manual (EPA, 1998)
USLE K Factor (USLEK) 0.37 tons EI-1*PIC; verified w/ FARM Manual Table 3.1
USLE LS Factor (USLELS) 1.57Haan and Barfield, 1979
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%Set to maximum according to guidance. Series range: up 25%; http://soils.usda.gov/technical/classification/osd/index.html Exit EPA Disclaimer
Hydraulic Length (HL) 600 mShipman Reservoir (EPA, 1999)

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


Table 3.
PRZM 3.12 Crop Parameters for Darke and Pickaway Counties, Ohio - Corn
ParameterValueSource
Initial Crop (INICRP) 1Set to one for all crops (EPA, 2001)
Initial Surface Condition (ISCOND) 3PRZM 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 - Vandalia, OH (W93815)
Maximum rainfall interception storage of crop (CINTCP) 0.25PIC (confirmed using Table 5.4 from PRZM Manual)
Maximum Active Root Depth (AMXDR) 100 cm http://www.wacd.org/ Exit EPA Disclaimer set to soil profile depth
Maximum Canopy Coverage (COVMAX) 100 Set to default according to guidance; Consistent with information from: Lyle Paul of U of Illinois
Soil Surface Condition After Harvest (ICNAH) 3 PIC (Lyle Paul of U of Illinois indicates residues are typically chiseled in, practice similar in Ohio)
Date of Crop Emergence
(EMD, EMM, IYREM)
01/05 Usual Planting and Harvest Dates for US Field Crops (USDA, 1984)
Date of Crop Maturity
(MAD, MAM, IYRMAT)
26/09
Date of Crop Harvest
(HAD, HAM, IYRHAR)
25/10
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 Cardington Soil Parameters for Darke and Pickaway Counties, Ohio - 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) 3 (Top horizon split in two)
First, Second, and Third Soil Horizons (HORIZN = 1,2,3)
Horizon Thickness (THKNS)
  • 10 cm (HORIZN = 1)
  • 12 cm (HORIZN = 2)
  • 78 cm (HORIZN = 3)
PIC (Burns, 1992) Confirmed with: NRCS, National Soils Characterization Database (NRCS, 2001) http://soils.usda.gov/survey/nscd/ Exit EPA Disclaimer
Bulk Density (BD)
  • 1.6 g cm-3 (HORIZN = 1, 2)
  • 1.65 g cm-3 (HORIZN = 3)
Initial Water Content (THETO)
  • 0.294 cm3-H2O cm3-soil (HORIZN =1, 2)
  • 0.147 cm3-H2O cm3-soil (HORIZN =3)
Compartment Thickness (DPN)
  • 0.1 cm (HORIZN = 1)
  • 2 cm (HORIZN = 2)
  • 6 cm (HORIZN = 3)
Field Capacity (THEFC)
  • 0.294 cm3-H2O cm3-soil (HORIZN = 1, 2)
  • 0.147 cm3-H2O cm3-soil (HORIZN = 3)
Wilting Point (THEWP)
  • 0.086 cm3-H2O cm3-soil (HORIZN = 1,2)
  • 0.087 cm3-H2O cm3-soil (HORIZN = 3)
Organic Carbon Content (OC)
  • 1.16% (HORIZN = 1,2)
  • 0.174% (HORIZN = 3)

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.

Haan, C.T. and B.J. Barfield. 1978. Hydrology and Sedimentology of Surface Mined Lands. Office of Continuing Education and Extension, College of Engineering, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky 40506. pp. 286.

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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