Uncertainty Analysis and Visualization for Nitrogen Leaching with the Maize-N Model

Nitrogen (N) is an essential nutrient for many crops including corn and soybean. However, its leaching into groundwater is a serious cause of concern for environmental and public health. The amount of N leaching is closely linked to soil water drainage and rainfall. Prediction of N leaching in cropping systems is critical to the improvement of crop management. Maize-N is a model for maize yield and N rate recommendation. However, uncertainties in many parameters, such as weather predictions, soil properties, and information entered by users (e.g., applied N fertilizer), can incur uncertainties in N leaching simulation results. We have developed a platform to assist comprehending the relationship between various input parameters and N leaching. Our platform can reveal N leaching with uncertainty analysis and visualization of different parameters.