Towards the explanation of within-field variability of yield of winter barley: soil series differences

In a trial over three successive seasons, the yields of winter barley crops were mapped on a 6 ha held, the soils of which had been mapped according t o a system of simple units corresponding to soil series as defined by the S oil Survey of England and Wales. Significant yield variation was explained by differences between soil map units, and the interaction with differences between seasons. The physical properties of the soil series and the potent ial soil moisture deficits in the three seasons suggested that moisture dif ferences between the soils accounted for much of the observed differences i n yield. The implications of these results for crop management in response to within-held variability are discussed.