MODELING WATER FLOW AND 

NITROGEN TRANSPORT IN PADDY FIELD 
UNDER THE SYSTEM OF RICE INTENSIFICATION
Rudiyanto1, Satyanto K. Saptomo2, Budi I. Setiawan3
Department of Agricultural Engineering, Bogor Agricultural University
Kampus IPB Darmaga Bogor 16680, Indonesia
e‐mail: 1lupusae@yahoo.com, 2saptomo@ipb.ac.id 3budindra@ipb.ac.id 

ABSTRACT
The System of Rice Intensification (SRI) in the eastern parts of Indonesia has been reported could increase the averaged yield of 84% compared with conventional method ranging from 3.92 t/ha to 7.23
t/ha. The applied Intermittent irrigation and fertigation have important portrays in the SRI. Herewith, water flow and solute transport models are developed to simulate the fate of nitrogen concentration
and its transformation. Richard’s equation coupled with the advection‐dispersion equation along with the first order transformation of NH4‐N to NO3‐N and the equilibrium nonlinear sorption condition
were applied by mean of the finite volume method. Those equations were solved using Picard iteration and Newton method, respectively. Soil hydraulic properties of Sadatani paddy field in Cidanau
watershed at Serang Regency, Banten Province were used as the studied materials. Two scenario of intermittent irrigation with 10 days wet followed by 5 days dry, and 5 days wet followed by 10 days dry
at vegetative stages were simulated. The model could give reasonable explanations of the water flow patterns as well as those for nitrogen behaviors in the soils. The first scenario gave leaching potential
of NO3‐N in shallow groundwater higher than the second scenario. However, these models need further elaborations taking into account such as effects of soil temperature in soil layers on solute
transport, etc.

Keywords: water flow, nitrogen transport, the system rice intensification.

Introduction • Schedule of Irrigation and Fertilizer

Cidanau watershed was covered by paddy field approximately 6,073 ha (28%) in total area of
22,072 ha (Tsuyuki and Baba, 2003) and average yield is 5.1 ton/Ha. The SRI which has high
yield (average of 7.2 ton / Ha) is potential to apply in this area. Furthermore, The SRI was also
known water saving due to applying intermittent irrigation during vegetative stages. We
suppose that the applying intermittent irrigation is not only water saving but also affected on
controlling nitrogen leaching in shallow groundwater. Thus, in this study we try to analysis
consequence of intermittent irrigation to nitrogen transport by simulating the temporal
dynamic of water flow and nitrogen transport in Cidanau paddy field if SRI is applied.

Materials and Method
Results and Discussion
• The Conceptual Model
Scenario 1 Scenario 2

• The Governing Equation of Water Flow and Nitrogen (NH4‐N and 
NO3‐N) Transport and Transformation

∂θ ∂ ⎛ ⎛ ∂h ⎞ ⎞
= K ( h ) ⎜ + 1⎟ ⎟ − E
∂t ∂z ⎜⎝ ⎝ ∂z ⎠ ⎠

∂ ∂ ⎛ ∂C ⎞ ∂
∂t
( )
θ C NH 4 − N + ρ S NH 4 − N = ⎜ De:NH 4 − N NH 4 − N ⎟ −
∂z ⎝ ∂z ⎠ ∂z
(
qCNH 4 − N )
− knit −cθ CNH 4 − N − knit − s ρ S NH 4 − N − SCNH − N
4

∂θ C N 03 − N ∂ ⎛ ∂C N 03 − N ⎞ ∂
∂t
= ⎜ De:N 03 − N
∂z ⎝ ∂z
⎟− ( )
qC N 03 − N
⎠ ∂z
+ knit −cθ C NH 4 − N + knit − s ρ S NH 4 − N − kdenCN 03 − N − SCN 0 −N
3

• Soil Hydraulic Properties and Nitrogen Transport Parameters
Comparison of Potential of  During vegetative stages, both scenarios have
pressure head profiles higher than air entry
Nitrate Leaching value (77 cm). Furthermore, both scenarios
also have the same profiles at the end of
maturity stages. Nitrate profile shows scenario
1 draw down faster then scenario 2. Thus,
scenario 1 have higher potential of nitrate
leaching.

Conclusion
The model could give reasonable
explanations of the water flow patterns as
well as those for nitrogen behaviors in the
soils. The first scenario gave leaching
potential of NO3‐N in shallow groundwater
higher than the second scenario. However,
these models need further elaborations
taking into account such as effects of soil
temperature in soil layers on solute transport,
etc.

JSPS-DGHE Core University Program in Applied Biosciences: "Towards Harmonization

between Development and Environmental Conservation in Biological
Production“ 1997/98~2007/08
The University of Tokyo