Mapping of yield, economic return, soil electrical conductivity, and management zones of irrigated corn for silage

Abstract

Abstract: The objective of this work was to evaluate the spatial and temporal variability of the dry matter yield of irrigated corn for silage, as well as its economic return. The study was conducted in an irrigated silage corn field of 18.9 ha in the municipality of São Carlos, in the state of São Paulo, Brazil. The spatial variability of the yield of three crop seasons, normalized yield indexes, production cost, profit, and soil electrical conductivity (EC) were modeled using semivariograms. Yield maps were obtained by kriging, and management zones were mapped based on average yield, normalized index, and EC. The results showed a structured spatial variability of corn yield, production cost, profit, and soil EC within the irrigated area. The adopted precision agriculture tools were useful to indicate zones of higher yield and economic return. The sequences of yield maps and the analysis of spatial and temporal variability allow the definition of management zones, and soil EC is positively related to corn yield.

Keywords

• Zea mays
• economic return
• management zones
• soil electrical conductivity
• temporal stability
• yield maps