permaculture

["Lawrence F. London, Jr." <lflj@bellsouth.net>]

-------- Original Message --------
Subject: [SANET-MG] seeking vegetable yield by soil type studies
Date: Wed, 27 Feb 2013 08:50:27 -0500
From: David Conner <97dconne@UVM.EDU>
To: SANET-MG@LISTS.IFAS.UFL.EDU

Hello colleagues

Perhaps some of you may have resources or ideas which may help me.

I am working on a project to calculate the ability of a given
municipality to feed itself. I used USDA consumption data, My Plate
recommendations and Vermont Extension yield data to compare supply with
demand.

One project stakeholder insists that that soil type is the major
determinant of yield and profit. While soil type is important, I believe
that management skill is much more important. He is asking for a
breakdown of yields for common vegetables by soil type. I do not know if
this information exists: how do vegetable yields differ by major soil
type (the soil scientist on our team uses the classifications Prime and
Statewide)? Has any such study been done?

My experience is that management is much more important than soil type:
a good manager on marginal soil will do better (yield and profit) than a
poor manager on optimal soil.

Any and all thoughts , resources, ideas are welcome

Thanks in advance
David Conner



--
David Conner
Assistant Professor
Department of Community Development and Applied Economics
University of Vermont