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How deeply should we be looking at yield data?
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lorenk
Posted 6/21/2007 02:00 (#165061 - in reply to #164832)
Subject: Re: How deeply should we be looking at yield data?


Grand Rapids, MI
Ok, lets start with the easy one. I assume that you are talking about tenths or hundreths of bushels in yield monitor data? Think about it this way....that truck scale that you probably used to calibrate that yield monitor probably has a min resolution of 20 lbs. Thats about 1/3 of a bushel, so that is not even accurate to 1/10 of a bushel. I always have laughed at the JD software reports I see that have bushels to the hundredths.

Now to give you some ideas on the tougher question. First there is always more that can be done to "optimize field performance", so you are on the right track to ask about diminishing marginal returns. Of course as an economist I am going to tell you to spend $ on precision ag up to the point where margnial cost exceeds marginal revenue...but you didn't ask the question to get economic theory lessons I am sure. The real answer...as I have been trained to give you as an economist....is....tada...."It depends"

What does it depend on you may ask? Well the underlying variability of your fields (if they were all uniform, you could just take field averages with the same result); the cost of the data collection, data processsing, decision making process, and finally implementation. These cost items are probably related to how many acres you can spread them across.

As for the software you specifically mention, the only one I have used somewhat is JD Map. I know it will not do much more data analysis and processing than printing you a pretty map of yield or as applied data. My understanding is that Ag Leader has a fairly robust GIS capability. I am not sure about Farm Works.
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