Biological yield
This is the total dry matter accumulation of a crop, including both grain and vegetative parts, produced in a field before harvest.
Также говорят: total biomass, potential yield, biological productivity
Biological yield represents the total biomass produced by a plant through photosynthesis. It is a critical metric for agronomists to evaluate the performance of cultivars and the influence of environmental stress factors throughout the growing season.
To estimate this, farmers sample specific areas of the field to measure total above-ground plant material. It is essential to distinguish this value from economic yield, which focuses solely on the marketable portion of the crop.
A common mistake is failing to calculate the harvest index, which is the ratio of economic yield to biological yield. Relying solely on total biomass can lead to poor management decisions, as high vegetative growth does not always guarantee high grain quality or final output.