LAUSR

Agricultural losses of dissolved reactive phosphorus (DRP) emanate from both "old P" from historic P applications, "old P", and recently applied fertilizer, "new P", and understanding the relative contributions of these sources is important for mitigating DRP losses from agriculture. This study provides a proof-of-concept for resolving new versus old P source contributions to DRP losses in subsurface tile drainage using edge-of-field water quality data and management records from eight fields in Ohio. Weighted regressions on discharge and season (WRDS) were fitted using data from periods without P fertilizer applications, then employed to predict DRP losses in tile drainage during new P loss risk periods (default length of 90 d) following fertilizer applications. Differences between observed and predicted DRP concentrations during the new P loss risk period were attributed to the new P source. Remaining losses were attributed to the old soil P source. The WRDS model performance was modest (modified Kling-Gupta efficiency ranged from -0.074 to 0.484). New P sources contributed between 0 and 17% of overall DRP losses (average of 7%), with old soil P contributing 83 to 100%. Individual P fertilizer applications were associated with new DRP losses up to 192 g P ha-1 . Increasing the length of the risk period for new P losses up to 180 d after fertilizer application marginally increased the estimated contribution of the new P source. The WRDS-based analysis provides a novel approach for resolving the contributions of new and old sources to edge-of-field DRP losses. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.