Analysis of 2012 Nebraska County-level Yields of Irrigated and Dryland Corn and Soybean
(Figures 1-4)
June 2013
Patricio Grassini1, James Specht1, Haishun Yang1, Keith Glewen2, and Jenny Rees2
1 UNL Department of Agronomy and Horticulture2 UNL Extension Educator
Figure 1. Irrigated vs. dryland corn yield by county in Nebraska in 2012
Corn area < 4000 ac or not reported in white counties
NASS-USDA (2012)Data complied and mapped by Patricio Grassini
Dryland average = 59 bu ac-1
(-74 bu ac-1 than 2011 yield of 132 bu/ac)(-68 bu ac-1 than past 7-y average yield of 126 bu/ac)
Irrigated average = 190 bu ac-1
(+10 bu ac-1 than 2011 yield of 180 bu/ac)(+5 bu ac-1 than past 7-y average yield of 185 bu/ac)
Soybean area < 3500 ac or not reported in white counties
NASS-USDA (2012)Data complied and mapped by Patricio Grassini
Figure 2. Irrigated vs. dryland soybean yield by county in Nebraska in 2012
Dryland state average = 25 bu ac-1
(-23 bu ac-1 than 2011 yield of 48 bu/ac)(-20 bu ac-1 than past 7-y average yield of 45 bu/ac)
Irrigated average = 60.7 bu ac-1
(-0.4 bu ac-1 than 2011 yield of 61.1 bu/ac )(+2 bu ac-1 than past 7-y average yield of 59 bu/ac)
Figure 3. Trends in state-average Nebraska irrigated and dryland corn and soybean yields
Average irrigated corn and soybean yields in Nebraska in 2012 were the second highest in history.
Average dryland yields of corn and soybeans were the lowest since 1983 (corn) and 1984 (soybean).
RAINFED CORN (○)y = 1.57 bu/ac-yr
R2 = 0.47
IRRIGATED CORN (●)slope = 2.07 bu/ac-yr
R2 = 0.860
50
100
150
200
1970 1980 1990 2000 2010Year
Co
rn g
rain
yie
ld (
bu
/ac
)
0
50
100
150
2002012 irrigated corn yield = 190 bu/ac
2012 rainfed corn yield = 59 bu/ac
RAINFED SOYBEAN (○)y = 0.39 bu/ac-yr
R2 = 0.40
IRRIGATED SOYBEAN (●)slope = 0.64 bu/ac-yr
R2 = 0.90
0
20
40
60
1970 1980 1990 2000 2010Year
So
yb
ea
n s
ee
d y
ield
(b
u/a
c)
0
20
40
602012 irrigated soybean yield = 61 bu/ac
2012 rainfed soybean yield = 25 bu/ac
SOURCE: NASS-USDA (1970-2012)
SOURCE: SOURCE: NASS-USDA NASS-USDA
(1970-2012(1970-2012))
Figure 4. Trends in state-average irrigated and dryland corn-to-soy yield ratio in Nebraska.
1.0
2.0
3.0
4.0
1970 1980 1990 2000 2010
Year
Co
rn-t
o-s
oy
be
an
yie
ld r
ati
o .
1.0
2.0
3.0
4.0Irrigated corn-to-soybean yield ratio = 3.2
Rainfed corn-to-soybean yield ratio = 2.8
2012 ratioIrrigated: 3.1Dryland: 2.3
Relatively stable average irrigated and dryland corn-to-soybean ratios of 3.2 and 2.8, respectively, since 1970 (irrigated crops) and 1985 (dryland crops). In 2012 the corn-to-soybean ratio was 3.1 for irrigated and 2.3 for dryland crops.
UNL UNL CropWatch.unl.edu
For more information see the June 28, 2013 For more information see the June 28, 2013 companion article on on CropWatch.unl.edu, a , a comprehensive University of Nebraska-Lincoln comprehensive University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension crop production and pest management crop production and pest management resource. resource.
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