Development and implementation of the Virginia agronomic land use evaluation system (VALUES)

Abstract

There is currently a great deal of concern about the movement of nutrients from agricultural land to surface and ground water. This concern centers on nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P). These two nutrients greatly stimulate algal growth, ultimately causing a depletion of oxygen which adversely affects aquatic vegetation, and higher marine life. The Virginia Agronomic Land Use Evaluation System (VALUES) restructures and reorients soil test fertilizer recommendations to include the best currently available scientific technology on water quality oriented nutrient management. A data base has been developed for the major soil types in the mid‐Atlantic United States region with fertilizer rates to apply directly related to the particular soil being cultivated. This data base contains corn, soybean, and wheat yield information for over 550 soils. VALUES is being installed in the Virginia Tech Soil Testing Laboratory computer system for preparation of water quality oriented crop fertilizer recommendations.