Yield & Soil PDF

YIELD & SOIL Henry Akwah PhD  What is yield in agriculture? ◦ Yield refers to the amount of a crop produced on a given piece of land during a single growing season. ◦ It is usually measured in units such as bushels, pounds, or tons per acre or hectare. ◦ Yield is a key indicator...

YIELD & SOIL Henry Akwah PhD  What is yield in agriculture? ◦ Yield refers to the amount of a crop produced on a given piece of land during a single growing season. ◦ It is usually measured in units such as bushels, pounds, or tons per acre or hectare. ◦ Yield is a key indicator of agricultural productivity and efficiency, reflecting the success of various farming practices and conditions in producing crops  What is potential yield? ◦ Is the maximum yield which can be reached by a crop in given environment.  What is yield potential? ◦ Yield potential is defined as the yield of a cultivar when grown in environments to which it is adapted, with nutrients and water non limiting and with pests, diseases, weeds, lodging, and other stresses and effectively controlled.  Factors affecting yield ◦ Crop variety ◦ Climate conditions ◦ Nutrient ◦ Pest  How can yields be increased in agriculture? ◦ Improve genetics and seed varieties ◦ Reduce stress-pest and insect management, fertilizer application, etc. ◦ Farmer education and training (Extension) ◦ Precision Agriculture  What is Soil? ◦ Soil is a natural resource that forms the earth surface and provides medium for plant growth and houses some micro living organisms. It can be categorized into three main types; o Sandy Soil: Sandy soil has larger particles and feels gritty to the touch. It drains quickly and is less fertile because water and nutrients move through it rapidly. o Clay Soil: Clay soil has very small particles and feels sticky when wet. It retains water and nutrients well but can become compacted and poorly drained. o Loamy Soil: Loamy soil is a balanced mixture of sand, silt, and clay. It has good drainage, retains moisture and nutrients, and is highly fertile. Loamy soil is often considered ideal for plant growth. ◦ In addition to these three main types, there are also soil subtypes and variations influenced by factors such as organic content, pH level, and geographical location.  USDA web soil survey ◦ https://websoilsurvey.nrcs.usda.gov/app/