Documenting the pesticide processes module of the ARS RZWQM agroecosystem model

Abstract

We describe the theory and current development state of the pesticide process module of the USDA-Agricultural Research Service Root Zone Water Quality Model, or RZWQM. Several processes which are significant in determining the fate of a pesticide application are included together in this module for the first time, including application technique, root uptake, ionic dissociation, soil depth dependence of persistence, volatilization, wicking upward in soil and aging of residues. The pesticide module requires a large number of parameters to run (as does the RZWQM model as a whole) and it is becoming clear that RZWQM will find most interest and use as part of a 'scenario' in which all data requirements are supplied and the predictions of the system compared with a real (usually partial) data set. Such a scenario may then be modified to examine the response of the system to changes in inputs. It also has significant potential as a technology transfer or teaching tool, providing detailed understanding of a specific agronomic system and its potential impacts on the environment.