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Factors Influencing Wheat Yield and Variability: Evidence from Manitoba, Canada

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  26 January 2015

Richard Carew ,
Elwin G. Smith  and
Cynthia Grant
Richard Carew
Affiliation:
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Summerland, British Columbia, Canada
Elwin G. Smith
Affiliation:
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada
Cynthia Grant
Affiliation:
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Brandon, Manitoba
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Abstract

Production functions to explain regional wheat yields have not been studied extensively in the Canadian prairies. The objective of this study is to employ a Just-Pope production function to examine the relationship between fertilizer inputs, soil quality, biodiversity indicators, cultivars qualifying for Plant Breeders' Rights (PBR), and climatic conditions on the mean and variance of spring wheat yields. Using regional-level wheat data from Manitoba, Canada, model results show nitrogen fertilizer, temporal diversity, and PBR wheat cultivars are associated with increased yield variance. Mean wheat yield is reduced by the proportion of land in wheat, the interaction of growing temperature and precipitation, and spatial diversity. By contrast, higher soil quality and PBR wheat cultivars increase mean yield. The wheat yield increases attributed to PBR range from 37.2 (1.4%) to 54.5 kg/ha (2.0%). Plant Breeders' Rights may have enhanced royalties from increased certified seed sales, but the benefits in terms of higher wheat yield or lower yield variability are limited. Future research is required to understand the interactive effects of fertilization practices, genetic diversity, and environmental conditions on regional wheat yield stability.

Keywords

climatefertilizerManitobaPlant Breeders' Rightsproduction riskwheatyieldO18Q16
Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of Agricultural and Applied Economics , Volume 41 , Issue 3 , December 2009 , pp. 625 - 639
Copyright
Copyright © Southern Agricultural Economics Association 2009

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