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Journal of Integrative Agriculture  2017, Vol. 16 Issue (10): 2300-2307    DOI: 10.1016/S2095-3119(17)61678-2
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Using the DSSAT model to simulate wheat yield and soil organic carbon under a wheat-maize cropping system in the North China Plain
LIU Hai-long1, LIU Hong-bin2, LEI Qiu-liang2, ZHAI Li-mei2, WANG Hong-yuan2, ZHANG Ji-zong2, ZHU Ye-ping1, LIU Sheng-ping1, LI Shi-juan1, ZHANG Jing-suo3, LIU Xiao-xia3
1 Institute of Agricultural information, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences/Key Laboratory of Agri-information Service Technology, Ministry of Agriculture, Beijing 100081, P.R.China
2 Institute of Agricultural Resources and Regional Planning, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences/Key Laboratory of Nonpoint Source Pollution Control, Ministry of Agriculture, Beijing 100081, P.R.China
3 Beijing Municipal Station of Agro-environmental Monitoring, Beijing 100029, P.R.Chi
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Abstract  Crop modelling can facilitate researchers’ ability to understand and interpret experimental results, and to diagnose yield gaps. In this paper, the Decision Support Systems for Agrotechnology Transfer 4.6 (DSSAT) model together with the CENTURT soil model were employed to investigate the effect of low nitrogen (N) input on wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) yield, grain N concentration and soil organic carbon (SOC) in a long-term experiment (19 years) under a wheat-maize (Zea mays L.) rotation at Changping, Beijing, China.  There were two treatments including N0 (no N application) and N150 (150 kg N ha–1) before wheat and maize planting, with phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) basal fertilizers applied as 75 kg P2O5 ha–1 and 37.5 kg K2O ha–1, respectively.  The DSSAT-CENTURY model was able to satisfactorily simulate measured wheat grain yield and grain N concentration at N0, but could not simulate these parameters at N150, or SOC in either N treatment.  Model simulation and field measurement showed that N application (N150) increased wheat yield compared to no N application (N0).  The results indicated that inorganic fertilizer application at the rates used did not maintain crop yield and SOC levels.  It is suggested that if the DSSAT is calibrated carefully, it can be a useful tool for assessing and predicting wheat yield, grain N concentration, and SOC trends under wheat-maize cropping systems.
Keywords:  DSSAT        wheat-maize rotation        model evaluation        long-term experiment        yield        soil organic carbon  
Received: 23 November 2016   Accepted:
Fund: 

The study was funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (41471285), the Agricultural Science and Technology Innovation Program (ASTIP) of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS-ASTIP-2016-AII), the Key Laboratory of Nonpoint Source Pollution Control, Ministry of Agriculture, China (2014-37), the Newton Fund, United Kingdom (BB/N013484/1), and the National Key Research and Development Program of China (2016YFD0200601).

Corresponding Authors:  Correspondence LIU Hong-bin, E-mail: liuhongbin@caas.cn   
About author:  LIU Hai-long, E-mail: liuhailong@caas.cn

Cite this article: 

LIU Hai-long, LIU Hong-bin,LEI Qiu-liang, ZHAI Li-mei, WANG Hong-yuan, ZHANG Ji-zong, ZHU Yeping, LIU Sheng-ping, LI Shi-juan, ZHANG Jing-suo, LIU Xiao-xia. 2017. Using the DSSAT model to simulate wheat yield and soil organic carbon under a wheat-maize cropping system in the North China Plain. Journal of Integrative Agriculture, 16(10): 2300-2307.

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