2020
North Carolina Soybean Yield Gap Survey
Category:
Sustainable Production
Keywords:
DiseaseField management Pest
Parent Project:
This is the first year of this project.
Lead Principal Investigator:
Rachel Vann, North Carolina State University
Co-Principal Investigators:
Project Code:
20-082
Contributing Organization (Checkoff):
Institution Funded:
Brief Project Summary:

The project seeks to provide both localized and regional information to soybean producers across North Carolina on management practices that contribute to the yield gap defined as the difference between maximum yield potential and realized soybean yield. A comprehensive survey gathers production information across the southern U.S. and applies a biophysical spatial framework. These survey results can identify causes of yield gaps. The intent is to identify key soybean management practices that explain soybean yield gaps in North Carolina, collaborate with other states to explain regional yield gaps and the largest contributing management factors, and further understand and explain drivers for observed management by environment interactions.

Key Benefactors:
farmers, agronomists, extension agents

Information And Results
Project Deliverables

Final Project Results

Limited information has been collected in North Carolina and throughout the Southern USA to explain why growers are not reaching the maximum soybean yield potential of their fields. Recent work out of the North Central USA focused on identifying causes for yield gaps in the region (Conley et al, Key Management Practices that Explain Soybean Yields Gaps Across the North Central US) using producer data and a spatial framework. This work identified that the yield gap for rainfed soybean production was 22% of the maximum yield potential and that the major contributing management factors to that yield gap included planting data, tillage, and inseason fungicide and insecticide applications. This research seeks to quantify the yield gap in North Carolina and throughout the Southern USA and to determine the largest contributing management practices to that yield gap. Survey development and distribution have been delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, however we intend to move forward with the originally proposed plan in the latter part of 2021 and moving into 2022.

The United Soybean Research Retention policy will display final reports with the project once completed but working files will be purged after three years. And financial information after seven years. All pertinent information is in the final report or if you want more information, please contact the project lead at your state soybean organization or principal investigator listed on the project.