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Site-Specific Analysis & Management

Soil Management Zone Determination by Yield Stability Analysis and Classification

^a Department of Plant and Soil Sciences, Mississippi State University, Box 9555 Mississippi State, MS 39762
^b Experimental Statistics Unit, Mississippi State University, Mississippi State, MS 39762

^* Corresponding author (mcox{at}pss.msstate.edu)

Multiyear yield data may lead to more accurate determination of yield–soil relationships. This study was conducted to determine if stable yield classification zones could be found, if soil and/or topographical properties differed among yield classifications, and if soil and/or topographical properties could be used to classify field locations into yield classes. Soybean (Glycine max L.) yields over 4 yr in three fields were classified into four zones: consistent-high, consistent-average, consistent-low, and inconsistent. Soil samples from all zones except the inconsistent zone were analyzed for pH, extractable nutrients, total C and N, texture, and elevation. Slope, plan curvature, and profile curvature at each sampling point were determined from elevation. Although differences existed, there were no consistently different soil or topographical properties among yield classes in each of the three fields. Linear discriminant analysis found unique yield-affecting factors in each field. In the North field, sand, K, and pH influenced yield classification. In the South field, clay, sand, slope, Mg, and plan curvature predicted yield classification. In the East field, pH and clay significantly influenced yield classification. For individual yield classes, the derived functions classified sampling locations into appropriate yield classes 60 to 100% of the time. The most accurate prediction rate came when classifying the soil sampling points into the high yield zone in the East field. The highest error rate occurred in this field when attempting to predict which points fell into the average classification. The combination of yield classification and linear discriminant analysis seems to be promising for determining soil-topography-yield relationships and hence soil management zones.

Abbreviations: DGPS, differentially corrected Geographical Positioning System • GIS, Geographical Information System

Approved for publication as Journal Article No. J-11071 of the Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station, Mississippi State University.