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Estimating Soil Productivity And Energy Efficiency Using Websoil Survey, Soil Productivity Index Calculator, And Biofuel Energy Systems Simulator
K. D. Reitsma, T. E. Schumacher
South Dakota State University

Soils have varying production capacities for a specific plant or sequence of plants under defined management strategies. The production capacity or “productivity” can be quantified as a mathematical function of a soils ability to sufficiently sustain plant growth and development. The result of this function is a productivity index value that can be used to estimate crop yield and develop management strategies. This paper demonstrates a simulation of how erosion and loss of soil organic carbon can impact productivity, profitability, and energy efficiency for a typical corn production field in South Dakota. Energy and productivity values are calculated in an MS Excel workbook using data sourced from an online soil survey and a biofuel systems model. These data used with spatial soils data to demonstrate the spatial variation of these parameters within a field.

Keyword: Precision farming, productivity index, erosion, soil carbon