Field-level factors for closing yield gaps in high-yielding rice systems of Uruguay

Abstract

Yield gap assessments at the field-level are key for developing management practices to increase crop production in a sustainable manner. Although rice is an important food crop worldwide, yield gaps remain less investigated in Latin American rice systems. In this study, we evaluated field-level factors for closing yield gaps (based on attainable farm yield, defined as the mean of top 10 % of farmers) for rice production in Uruguay using crop management and yield records from 2012 to 2017, covering approximately 70,000 ha per year (40 % of total rice area). The mean annual attainable yield gap ranged from 16 % to 22 % in fields with non-hybrid cultivars (90 % of planted area) and from 14 % to 22 % in fields with hybrid rice (10 % of planted area). Early seeding was identified as the most influential factor for reducing yield gaps in both systems, followed by N rate. Stand establishment was also important for closing yield gap in non-hybrid fields, while rotation with improved pasture was important in hybrid fields. When variables were categorized as input-related, manageable, or non-manageable, on average manageable factors (e.g. early planting and stand establishment) were more important than input-related factors (e.g. seed or fertilizer rate). This study highlights a simple, self-contained method using large field-level datasets to quantify yield gaps and develop strategies for improving agricultural productivity.