There is a huge yield gap of various crops (both cereals and horticultural crops) between on-station and on-farm. If we can narrow down the the yield gap food, feed and nutritional security would be improved in developing countries.
Yield gaps owe to biophysical factors, socio-economic conditions, cultural practices, levels of technology transfer and linkages, and/or institutional and policy thrusts. It is one thing to define yield potential as the yield of a crop variety (or hybrid) grown under favorable conditions (and without limitations) and another to achieve that potential in the real world. Should research institutes be more conservative in their definitions of crop yields (or illustrate with achievable potential scenarios)? The article hyperlinked below may be of related interest.
Article Learning from Rice in Lao PDR
In my opinion, in most of the developing countries, timely non-availability of quality inputs particularly seeds of major crops (rice, pulses, oilseeds, vegetables), planting materials (horticultural crops), biofertilizers, fertilizers, technical support are some of the major reasons of yield gap.
For closing yield gaps, we need to implement various location specific agricultural input and management strategies.
https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0129487
The yield gaps are mainly caused by biological, socio-economic, climate and institutional/policy related factors. Different strategies, such as integrated crop management practices, timely supply of inputs including credit to farmers, research and extension collaboration to transfer the new technologies have been discussed as strategies to minimize yield gaps.
https://www.banglajol.info/index.php/BJAR/article/view/9274
You can also check:
https://www.fao.org/3/x6905e/x6905e0h.htm
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s13593-015-0341-y
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1175/EI-D-15-0032.1
Yield gap in any of the crop grown may be due to number of constraints starting from weather conditions to the socioeconomic status of the farmers... adopting climate smart agriculture keeping the food security, adaptation with prevailing adverse climate conditions while minimising GHGs emissions may become good strategy to avoid yield gaps..Use of all the inputs and responses precisely; adopting good agriculture practices (GAPs); management of nonmonetary inputs like timely sowing, timely application of all the inputs; efficient water management for satisfying moisture demand by crops; use of integrated crop management approach comprising integrated nutrient management, integrated pest and weed control strategies, application of nutrients,water and other inputs based on soil test values; use of organic manure for improvement soil physical chemical and biological properties owing to enhance production potential while maintaining soil fertility and productivity may give remunerative returns...
No one factor (nitrogen (N), disease, weeds or rainfall) is a cause of the yield gap — it is a combination of factors. Growing season rainfall, the previous crop or crop sequence, N application, levels of disease and weeds were all important factors that were associated with the yield gap. For closing yield gaps, we need to implement various location specific agricultural input and management strategies. Adequate application of nutrients alone can increase crop calorie production by almost 20% whereas improvement of soil quality alone with adequate fertilizer application can generate an additional 30%. The yield gap or yield ratio is the ratio of the dividend yield of equity and the yield of a long-term government bond. Typically equities have a higher yield (as a percentage of the market price of the equity) thus reflecting the higher risk of holding an equity. Yield gap is one thing to define yield potential as the yield of a crop variety grown under favorable conditions and another to achieve that potential globally.
For closing yield gaps, we need to implement various location specific agricultural input and management strategies. Adequate application of nutrients alone can increase crop calorie production by almost 20% whereas improvement of soil quality alone with adequate fertilizer application can generate an additional 30%.
Advanced sustainable agricultural technologies, linkage with quality input suppliers, conneting to market/value chain and policy support are the key.
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