Simulating alfalfa and pasture yields at regional and national scales in Canada from 1981 to 2019

Zhaozhi Wang, J.Y. Yang, C.F. Drury and Rong Jiang

Agricultural Systems, 2021, vol. 191, issue C

Abstract: There has been a great deal of uncertainty in the reported alfalfa and pasture yields in the agricultural database as these commodities are typically used internally on farms and are not sold in the same way as other crops such as wheat, canola or corn. However, yields from alfalfa and pasture crops are important inputs (biological fixation) and outputs (feed) that can impact the estimates of agri-environmental indicators as the land area in Canada under these crops is very large. One of the indicators which uses this data is the residual soil nitrogen (RSN) which is the amount of inorganic N remaining in soils after harvest. High RSN levels can lead to impaired water quality (e.g., eutrophication) and global warming (N2O). Therefore, it is critical to obtain accurate alfalfa and pasture yield estimates. In previous versions of the Canadian Agricultural Nitrogen Budget Model (CANB), only provincial average yield values were used for alfalfa or pasture yields across all of the soils and landscapes. Soils, climates, and crop yields do vary within provinces, and a more accurate estimate of these yields over time and space is required.

Keywords: Yield; Alfalfa; Improved pasture; Unimproved pasture; EPIC; Soil landscapes of Canada (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:agisys:v:191:y:2021:i:c:s0308521x21001190

DOI: 10.1016/j.agsy.2021.103166

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