Abstract
Windbreaks were originally promoted across the U.S. Great Plains to reduce wind erosion. A review paper published nearly 30 years ago showed yield increases for a variety of crops associated with windbreaks. However, with the widespread use of no-till cropping systems and advanced crop genetics, the question is “Do windbreaks still provide a yield benefit?” This study compared data from protected and unprotected fields over multiple years across Kansas and Nebraska looking at relative soybean (Glycine max L.) and winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) yield differences. Farmer’s pre-existing georeferenced data, generated by automated combine yield monitors, were analyzed with ArcGIS 10.3.1 to visualize windbreak interaction with crop yield. Statistics were conducted to determine if the yield in protected areas of the field was significantly different from the yield in unprotected areas. Also, yield loss was estimated from the windbreak footprint to assess if yield increases were enough to compensate for the area taken out of crop production. Results showed: soybeans (57 crop/years) presented the most positive response to windbreak effect with significant yield increases 46% of the time, with a 16% (283 kg ha−1) average yield increase. Wheat (44 crop/years) yield increases were significant 30% of the time, with a 10% (319 kg ha−1) average yield increase. Narrow windbreaks (1–2 tree rows, average width of 13 m) and those on the north edge of fields resulted in yield increases that compensated for the footprint of the windbreak more often (71%) than wider windbreaks on the south edges of fields (38%).
Highlights
Windbreaks were widely promoted and established across the Great Plains region of the U.S to reduce wind erosion, following the 1930s Dust Bowl that damaged the U.S and Canadian agricultural prairies (Hansen and Libecap 2004)
The main objective of this study was to develop a GIS approach using georeferenced combine-generated crop yield monitoring data to: (1) determine if windbreaks provide yield benefits for soybeans and wheat; and (2) assess if the yield increase was enough to compensate for the footprint of the windbreak
The rest of the significantly different crop field/years (22) showed significant yield decreases, indicating that the average yield in the protected area was less than the average yield in the unprotected area
Summary
Windbreaks were widely promoted and established across the Great Plains region of the U.S to reduce wind erosion, following the 1930s Dust Bowl that damaged the U.S and Canadian agricultural prairies (Hansen and Libecap 2004). A total of 250 million trees were planted in 30,000 windbreaks with a total length of 29,900 km from Texas to Canada, by 1942, in a 160-km wide zone Field windbreaks are considered to be part of a sustainable agricultural system consisting of single or multiple lines of trees and shrubs planted along the edge of agriculture lands mainly to reduce the wind erosion and provide protection to field crops (Brandle et al 2004). Only windbreaks in good conditions were considered, with most of the windbreaks (87%) being located in Kansas
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