Evaluation of Best Management Practices for N fertilisation in regional field vegetable production with a small-scale simulation model

Assessing the environmental impact of field vegetable production on a regional basis is a challenging task, since vegetable farms are often scattered. In order to use a soil-plant-environment-economics model as an assessment tool, a method is suggested that allows Best Management Practices (BMPs) for N-efficient field vegetable production to be tested and evaluated on different spatial entities. The model farm concept was exemplarily demonstrated on field vegetable production in the region of Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany. Two scenarios using different fertiliser strategies illustrate how the implementation of BMP can be evaluated at regional, sub-regional and farm level. Simulated results show how the area-wide enforcement of the N-min method in Baden-Wurttemberg, as the first step to implement BMP, would lower the N leaching potential of field vegetable production by 66%. At sub-regional level, the results reveal that current targets stipulated by German legislation may still not be achieved in smaller areas with intensive field vegetable production. (C) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.