Nebraska Leads Project Identifying Causes of Yield Gaps in Soybeans

A new paper published in Agricultural and Forest Meteorology details the University of Nebraska–Lincoln’s efforts to identify causes for yield gaps in soybean production systems in the north central region of the United States.

Average soybean yield in the north central region from 2010-2014 was 43 bushels per acre, yet some producers reached soybean yields over 80 bushels per acre.

The three-year study, led by Patricio Grassini, assistant professor in the Department of Agronomy and Horticulture, and Shawn Conley, associate professor in the Department of Agronomy at the University of Wisconsin, sought to identify causes of yield gaps over large agricultural areas and diverse in climate and soils. Faculty from 10 land-grant universities looked at rainfed and irrigated soybean in the north central U.S., which accounts for roughly one-third of worldwide soybean production.

Grassini and his colleagues explored the use of producer survey data as an alternative approach to traditional field research to identify management practices that explain highest soybean yields for different combinations of climates and soils.

To obtain real-world producer data, the team relied on Nebraska’s Natural Resources Districts and 20 Nebraska Extension educators. In total, 3,568 soybean fields across 10 states were surveyed for this study, covering approximately 300,000 acres.

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