Assessment of agricultural efficiency and yield gap for soybean in the Brazilian Central Cerrado biome

Abstract

ABSTRACT Soybean is the main crop grown in Brazil and is important to quantify the capacity of increase in yield by crop production intensification and management. This study aims to quantify yield gap and agricultural efficiency (AE) for soybean in Central Cerrado biome, Brazil. Yield gap by management (YGMG) and water deficit (YGWD) and AE and climate efficiency (CE) were calculated based on potential (PoY), attainable (AtY) and actual (AcY) yields. Potential yields and AtY were simulated for the main sowing date, ranging from Oct 11 to Nov 01, using the agroecological zone crop model, from 1980/81 to 2016/17 growing seasons. The sites were Rio Verde (GO), Cristalina (GO), Barreiras (BA) and Peixe (TO). Actual yield was obtained from official statistics for each site. Agricultural efficiency rate for this period and its relationship with CE were analyzed. The YGMG were 4,345, 3,446, 4,531 and 2,649 kg·ha–1 for Rio Verde, Cristalina, Peixe and Barreiras, respectively. Barreiras had a higher YGWD when compared with other sites, reaching a mean of 6,526 kg·ha–1. However, Barreiras had a higher AE (51%), indicating that crop management applied in this region can explore the environmental conditions more than other sites. Agricultural efficiency showed an increasing rate from 0.70 to 1.21% per year, while the relation between AE and CE fitted an exponential negative function, by which higher water volume available reduced AE. Thus, it is possible to double soybean yield through improvements in management based on AtY (7,409 kg·ha–1) and AcY (3,260 kg·ha–1) in Central Cerrado biome, Brazil.