WRF-Chem/Crop modeling system for large-scale cultivation facilities in Korea

Abstract:

Particulate matter (PM) consisting of sulfates and nitrates acidifies soil and water, blocks the stomata of plants, and interferes with photosynthesis. This can inhibit the growth of crops and reduce crop yield and quality. If particulate matter is adsorbed in greenhouses, sunshine and temperature decreases, and an excess moisture condition is created, causing various diseases and deteriorating root vitality, which result in an increase in malformations and premature fruit drop. This study aims to establish a system that quantitatively simulates the occurrence of particulate matter centering on large-scale cultivation facilities in Korea using WRF-Chem, connect the results with crop growth models, and evaluate the damage and loss of crops. Last year, the latest WRF-Chem model (V4.0) was installed, and the model domain was set to East Asia. We carried out the simulation for high-concentration case in the country using the default emissions input data (likewise EDGAR-HTAP, MEGAN, etc.) to investigate the spatial behavior of the concentrations of particulate matter, such as PM10 and PM2.5. Now, model physical, gas-phase chemical and aerosol options appropriate for the study site are being tested through a series of numerical experiments. And then, a selected crop model will be coupled with the optimized WRF-Chem model, and be applied to yield and sugar content data of crop from cultivation facilities.

Acknowledgement

This study was carried out with the support of “Cooperative Reasearch Program for Agriculture Science and Technology Development (Project No. PJ01418903)” Rural Development Administration, Republic of Korea.