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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Florence, South Carolina » Coastal Plain Soil, Water and Plant Conservation Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #139310
Title: SPATIAL VARIATION IN CROP YIELD: II. IMPLICATIONS FOR WATER AND NITROGEN MANAGEMENT

Author
item Camp Jr, Carl
item Lu, Yao
item Sadler, Edward

Submitted to: Irrigation Associations Exposition and Technical Conference Proceedings
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 9/10/2002
Publication Date: 9/10/2002
Citation: Camp Jr, C.R., Lu, Y.C., Sadler, E.J. 2002. Spatial variation in crop yield: II. Implications for water and nitrogen management. In: Proceedings of the Irrigation Association Exposition and Technical Conference, October 24-26, 2002, New Orleans, Louisiana. 2002 CDROM

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: For agricultural fields with considerable spatial variation, it is almost impossible to manage water and fertilizer inputs in an optimum manner using conventional equipment with uniform applications. Site-specific applications can be made to zones as small as 83 square meters (9.1 m by 9.1 m.) using modified center pivot systems. Two modified center pivot irrigation systems in Florence, SC, were used to apply variable water and N-fertilizer amounts to corn during a three-year period. Corn grain yields varied for a range of water and N fertilizer inputs during the period, but yield responses were not equal for all years. Yield response to these inputs also varied with soil map unit, demonstrating that yields increased more with increased input for some soils than for others. The differential response to variable input was analyzed to determine economic response. With these data, it should be possible to ultimately develop a management tool to maximum profit and/or optimize resource allocation or utilization.