An Evaluation of Soil Test Information in Agricultural Decision Making

Bruce A. Babcock, Alicia L. Carriquiry and Hal S. Stern

No 18633, Hebrew University of Jerusalem Archive from Hebrew University of Jerusalem

Abstract: The value of soil-test information in planning fertilizer application levels is determined by using agricultural field-plot data to estimate the posterior distribution of mean soil-nitrate concentrations at a give location. Optimal decisions concerning fertilizer application levels are made with respect to this posterior distribution. Average reductions in fertilizer application rates range from 15 to 41 percent, depending on the form of prior information that is available. These reductions are achieved by increasing the variability of application rates over time. Disregarding the uncertainty that remains after the soil testing significantly overstates the expected benefits of soil testing.

Keywords: Farm; Management (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 25
Date: 1996
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:ags:hebarc:18633

DOI: 10.22004/ag.econ.18633

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