Trends in Productivity of U.S. Crops and Long‐term Selection

Tracy, William F.; Goldman, Irwin L.; Tiefenthaler, Allison E.; Schaber, Margaret A.

doi:10.1002/9780470650288.ch3

Cited by 9 publications

(10 citation statements)

References 21 publications

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“…2) approximately in the middle of the 20th century as agriculture in the U.S. Corn Belt began a dramatic shift from a low‐ to a high‐input production system that included new cultivars produced by hybridization and selection. This transformation was not limited to corn production in the United States, it occurred at approximately at the same time in many other crops and countries with the same results [e.g., wheat in Australia (Fischer, 1999) and England (Johnston, 1994); oat, rye, barley, cotton, and potato in the United States (Tracy et al, 2004); and faba bean and pea in England (Heath and Hebblethwaite, 1985)].…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 83%

“…Corn and soybean yields have been trending steadily upward for nearly three quarters of a century; however, the long‐term record for corn (Fig. 1 and 2) and many other crops (Heath and Hebblethwaite, 1985; Johnston, 1994; Ellis and Wang, 1997; Fischer, 1999; Tracy et al, 2004) clearly shows that rapidly increasing yields are a phenomenon of high‐input agriculture in the 20th century. Will these increases in yield end as suddenly as they once began or will they continue for the foreseeable future?…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Comparison of Corn and Soybean Yields in the United States: Historical Trends and Future Prospects

Egli

2008

Agronomy Journal

111

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Developing successful strategies to ensure future increases in crop yield depends, in part, on a better understanding of the basis for past increases. To this end, I compared historical yield trends of two dissimilar crops—corn (Zea mays L.), a high yielding C4 grass, and soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.], a moderate yielding C3 legume—in high (Iowa, Illinois, Indiana) and low (Kentucky, Missouri, Tennessee) yield environments. Average state corn yield changed very little from 1866 to 1930, an era of low‐input agriculture, but it increased rapidly from 1950 to 2005 in all states as the low‐input system gave way to a high‐input system that utilized commercial hybrids, manufactured N fertilizer, herbicides, and higher plant populations. Soybean yield, first available in 1924, increased steadily from the beginning until 2005. Corn yield increased faster than soybean yield in the early decades of the high‐input era (mean growth rates of corn were 3.3 vs. 1.5% per year for soybean with a slight advantage for both crops in high yield states) in all six states, but for the rest of the era (up to 40 yr), corn and soybean yields grew at nearly the same rate (1.8% per year for corn, 1.4% per year for soybean with a slight advantage for the low‐yield states). Thus, the efforts to improve the plant (plant breeding) and production environment (better management practices) had essentially the same affect on these two very dissimilar crops.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 83%

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Comparison of Corn and Soybean Yields in the United States: Historical Trends and Future Prospects

Egli

2008

Agronomy Journal

111

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“…N ational and international government data sets, industry research, and extension trials show that corn ( Zea mays L.) yields have increased in the United States over the past 20 years at a rate of 1 to 2% per year on a per‐acre basis (FAOSTAT, 2014; Tracy et al, 2004; USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service, 2014). From 2001 to 2010, the average corn yield in the United States was 161 bu acre −1 , a 16% increase from the average of 138 bu acre −1 for the period of 1991 to 2000 (FAOSTAT, 2014).…”

Section: Useful Conversionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Updating North Carolina Corn Yields and Nitrogen Recommendations to Match Current Production Practices and New Hybrids

Rajkovich

Crozier

Smyth

et al. 2015

Crop Forage & Turfgrass Mgmt

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Corn (Zea mays L.) nitrogen (N) rate trials conducted in North Carolina over a recent 10‐year time frame (2001–2011) were reviewed to potentially adjust yield goals (realistic yield expectations [RYE]) and their associated N rate recommendations in the North Carolina RYE database. The analyzed trial data provided evidence that corn yields increased by 15, 18, and 31% in the Coastal Plain, Piedmont, and Mountain regions, respectively. To reflect these increases, realistic yield expectations in the database were adjusted upward by 20%. However, linear‐plateau regressions confirmed that the current N rate recommendations in the RYE database were appropriate for obtaining optimum agronomic yields and therefore were not adjusted. While our approach does not permit direct statistical comparison of different tillage methods or crop rotations, long‐term no‐till (>10 years) was the only tillage category with higher measured optimum yields and significantly lower calculated N factors (amount of N applied per unit of yield [lb N bu−1] at the optimum N rate) than the standard RYE database values. However, measured yields and optimum N rates between conventional and no‐till (>10 years) were similar. For corn following soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] rotations (but not corn following corn), mean optimum yield was higher and the value of the N factor was lower than the standard values.

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“…For example, in the United States, the major selection criterion for maize is increased grain yield (Tracy and others 2004), and strong selection pressure for increased grain yield leads to increased starch content and decreased protein content (Dudley and others 2007). Critics focus on such changes as evidence that the quality of our food supply has been “damaged” by modern plant breeding and agricultural practices.…”

Section: Evolution Of the Production‐to‐consumption Food Systemmentioning

confidence: 99%

Feeding the World Today and Tomorrow: The Importance of Food Science and Technology

Floros¹,

Newsome²,

Fisher³

et al. 2010

Comp Rev Food Sci Food Safe

Self Cite

307

146

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Just as society has evolved over time, our food system has also evolved over centuries into a global system of immense size and complexity. food needs and those involved in public education and outreach. It is IFT's hope that the reader will gain a better understanding of the goals or purposes for various applications of science and technology in the food system, and an appreciation for the complexity of the modern food supply.Abstract: This Institute of Food Technologists scientific review describes the scientific and technological achievements that made possible the modern production-to-consumption food system capable of feeding nearly 7 billion people, and it also discusses the promising potential of ongoing technological advancements to enhance the food supply even further and to increase the health and wellness of the growing global population. This review begins with a historical perspective that summarizes the parallel developments of agriculture and food technology, from the beginnings of modern society to the present. A section on food manufacturing explains why food is processed and details various food processing methods that ensure food safety and preserve the quality of products. A section about potential solutions to future challenges briefly discusses ways in which scientists, the food industry, and policy makers are striving to improve the food supply for a healthier population and feed the future. Applications of science and technology within the food system have allowed production of foods in adequate quantities to meet the needs of society, as it has evolved. Today, our production-toconsumption food system is complex, and our food is largely safe, tasty, nutritious, abundant, diverse, convenient, and less costly and more readily accessible than ever before. Scientific and technological advancements must be accelerated and applied in developed and developing nations alike, if we are to feed a growing world population.

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Trends in Productivity of U.S. Crops and Long‐term Selection

Cited by 9 publications

References 21 publications

Comparison of Corn and Soybean Yields in the United States: Historical Trends and Future Prospects

Comparison of Corn and Soybean Yields in the United States: Historical Trends and Future Prospects

Updating North Carolina Corn Yields and Nitrogen Recommendations to Match Current Production Practices and New Hybrids

Feeding the World Today and Tomorrow: The Importance of Food Science and Technology

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