It is the talk of the coffee shop….….how well did my crop yield? What better way to prove that you raised 250 bushel corn than a pretty yield map that you can show off to everyone.
However, your yield map can give you so much more than bragging rights.
A yield map can help you figure out problem areas in your field and can help you to plan for an even better crop next year.
For example, by comparing your yield map to a soils map, you may be able to see that some fluctuations in yield come from the different types of soil on your farm. If you completed soil tests, by doing some comparison, you may see where you need to amend your soil for next year.
Other factors to compare your yield maps to:
- Crop hybrids
- Topographical maps (low/high areas)
- Old land use (i.e. woodlands, fencerows, etc.)
- Residue thickness when planting/planter difficulties
- Weather
It may take a few years for you to decide to make a large management decision based on your findings from your analysis of your fields. Take a look at where the most loss can come from, and what would be the most economical things to change. For instance: lack of precision application of fertilizer, chemicals, seed, etc., soil runoff running away with your nutrients, or even a hybrid variety not suited for your soils/weather patterns.