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ARS Home » Plains Area » Temple, Texas » Grassland Soil and Water Research Laboratory » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #407958
Research Project: Contributions of Climate, Soils, Species Diversity, and Management to Sustainable Crop, Grassland, and Livestock Production Systems

Location: Grassland Soil and Water Research Laboratory

Title: Yield stability zonation as a generic tool for precision conservation decisions in agriculture fields

Author
item Adhikari, Kabindra
item Smith, Douglas
item Hajda, Chad
item Kharel, Tulsi

Submitted to: ASA-CSSA-SSSA Annual Meeting Abstracts
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/8/2023
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary: Crop yield variations at sub-field level are determined by inherent variation in soil properties, differences in input and management, and changes in weather patterns. Identifying field areas that are constantly producing low or high yield in a number of years can assist farmers to change their management decisions, and potentially increase farm income. We applied yield stability zonation concept to identify such areas in the field and compared gross margin across zones in three corn field in Riesel, Texas. We then developed three management prescriptions and compared yield and gross margins before and after the prescription for potential economic and environmental benefits across fields.

Technical Abstract: Spatial-temporal crop yield variations at sub-field level are determined by inherent variation in soil properties, differences in input and management, and changes in weather patterns. As farmers prefer higher average yield with larger yield variance than lower yield with small yield variance, yield data from multiple years helps them to identify temporal yield stability using yield average and measures of variability. It can then be mapped by delineating field areas that constantly produce either low or high yield (stable zone) over the production period separating them from unstable zones where the yield is highly variable. Based on farm economic data and yield, gross margins can be calculated and mapped across these zones to assist in precision conservation decisions. We mapped yield stability across nine fields in Riesel, Texas using corn yield data from 2018, 2019, and 2020, and assessed gross margins across stability zones. We then developed three different management prescriptions(removing non-profit areas out of row crop production, reducing inputs by 80%,and by 60%) in 2022, and evaluated yield and gross margin across the zones for comparisons.