Does conductivity correlate to yield?
The relationship between a soil EC map and yield data (or crop imagery) is one of the most powerful applications of either data set. Crops grow in soil, and because soil is the primary medium for crop development, a precise map of soil variability is helpful in explaining yield variability. The soil properties that vary on an EC map, such as soil texture, salinity, CEC, soil depth all have a direct impact on yield. As the EC and yield maps are compared, here are some concepts to consider: The relationship between EC and yield can be positive or inverse. Yields may be higher in high EC areas, or lower in high EC areas depending on the type of clay and the growing conditions for a given year. For example, yields in much of the northern cornbelt tend to increase in high EC areas of the field. While in the claypan soils of the southern cornbelt, the opposite is true. This is due to the fact that the high EC/clay loam soils in the northern cornbelt tend to be high producing (if properly dra
