Performance and application of the APSIM Nwheat model in the Netherlands

APSIM Nwheat is a crop system simulation model, consisting of modules that incorporate aspects of soil water, nitrogen (N), crop residues, and crop growth and development. The model was applied to simulate aboveand belowground growth, grain yield, water and N uptake, and soil water and soil N of wheat crops in the Netherlands. Model outputs were compared with detailed measurements of field experiments from three locations with two different soil types. The experiments covered two seasons and a range of N-fertiliser applications. The overall APSIM Nwheat model simulations of soil mineral N, N uptake, shoot growth, phenology, kernels m−2, specific grain weight and grain N were acceptable. Grain yields (dry weight) and grain protein concentrations were well simulated with a root mean square deviation (RMSD) of 0.8 t ha−1 and 1.6 protein%, respectively. Additionally, the model simulations were compared with grain yields from a long-term winter wheat experiment with different N applications, two additional N experiments and regional grain yield records. The model reproduced the general effects of N treatments on yields. Simulations showed a good consistency with the higher yields of the long-term experiment, but overpredicted the lower yields. Simulations and earlier regional yields differed, but they showed uniformity for the last decade. In a simulation experiment, the APSIM Nwheat model was used with historical weather data to study the relationship between rate and timing of N fertiliser and grain yield, grain protein and soil residual N. A median grain yield of 4.5 t ha−1 was achieved without applying fertiliser, utilising mineral soil N from previous seasons, from mineralisation and N deposition. Application of N fertiliser in February to increase soil mineral N to 140 kg N ha−1 improved the median yield to 7.8 t ha−1 but had little effect on grain protein concentration with a range of 8–10%. Nitrogen applications at tillering and the beginning of stem elongation further increased grain yield and in particular grain protein, but did not affect soil residual N, except in a year with low rainfall during stem elongation. A late N application at flag leaf stage increased grain protein content by several per cent. This increase had only a small effect on grain yield and did not increase soil residual N with up to 40 kg N ha−1 applied, except when N uptake was limited by low rainfall in the period after the flag leaf stage. The economic and environmental optima in winter wheat were identified with up to 140 kg N ha−1 in February, 90 kg N ha−1 between tillering and beginning of stem elongation and 40 kg N ha−1 at flag leaf stage resulting in a median of 8.5 t ha−1 grain yield, 14.0% grain protein and 13 kg N ha−1 soil residual N after the harvest. The maximum simulated yield with maximum N input from two locations in the Netherlands was 9.9 t ha−1. © 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.