The Analysis of Wheat Yield Variability Based on Experimental Data from 2008–2018 to Understand the Yield Gap

Elżbieta Wójcik-Gront, Marzena Iwańska, Agnieszka Wnuk and Tadeusz Oleksiak
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Elżbieta Wójcik-Gront: Department of Biometry, Institute of Agriculture, Warsaw University of Life Science-SGGW, Nowoursynowska 159, 02-787 Warszawa, Poland
Marzena Iwańska: Department of Biometry, Institute of Agriculture, Warsaw University of Life Science-SGGW, Nowoursynowska 159, 02-787 Warszawa, Poland
Agnieszka Wnuk: Department of Biometry, Institute of Agriculture, Warsaw University of Life Science-SGGW, Nowoursynowska 159, 02-787 Warszawa, Poland
Tadeusz Oleksiak: Plant Breeding and Acclimatization Institute-National Research Institute (IHAR-PIB), Radzików, 05-870 Błonie, Poland

Agriculture, 2021, vol. 12, issue 1, 1-13

Abstract: Among European countries, Poland has the largest gap in the grain yield of winter wheat, and thus the greatest potential to reduce this yield gap. This paper aims to recognize the main reasons for winter wheat yield variability and shed the light on possible reasons for this gap. We used long-term datasets (2008–2018) from individual commercial farms obtained by the Laboratory of Economics of Seed and Plant Breeding of Plant Breeding and Acclimatization Institute (IHAR)-National Research Institute (Poland) and the experimental fields with high, close to potential yield, in the Polish Post-Registration Variety Testing System in multi-environmental trials. We took into account environment, management and genetic variables. Environment was considered through soil class representing soil fertility. For the crop management, the rates of mineral fertilization, the use of pesticides and the type of pre-crop were considered. Genotype was represented by the independent variable year of cultivar registration or year of starting its cultivation in Poland. The analysis was performed using the CART (Classification and Regression Trees). The winter wheat yield variability was mostly dependent on the amount of nitrogen fertilization applied, soil quality, and type of pre-crop. Genetic variable was also important, which means that plant breeding has successfully increased genetic yield potential especially during the last several years. In general, changes to management practices are needed to lower the variability of winter wheat yield and possibly to close the yield gap in Poland.

Keywords: wheat; yield potential; nitrogen; crop modelling; regression trees (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q1 Q10 Q11 Q12 Q13 Q14 Q15 Q16 Q17 Q18 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
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