Researchers from the Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, Purdue University (United States) used a modelling approach to obtain a quantitative assessment of long-term water quality impacts of land management changes associated with increased demands for corn as a transport-biofuel feedstock in the United States. Results showed that fields practicing continuous-corn rotations had lower water quality levels, compared to those which practice continuous corn-soybean rotations. The nitrogen, fungicide and phosphorus levels in water from continuous-corn rotations were higher. According to Indrajeet Chaubey, co-researcher and associate professor of agricultural and biological engineering, a shift from corn-soybean rotations to continuous corn will result in higher sediment losses. This, in turn, will "allow more fungicide and phosphorous to get into the water because they move with sediment."  The modelling results also point to "the need for additional research to fully understand the water impacts of land management decisions associated with corn grain as a feedstock for biofuel production."  More details of the study can be obtained from their paper, published in the Journal of Environmental Engineering (URL above)..