Block estimating of spatial yield data and its uncertainty

On-the-go yield monitors have been available for both grain and bulk crops. Most of the yield monitors today provide yield measurement at a fixed time interval. Conversion of these point yield data into raster yield maps for further analysis is necessary. In this study, a data-blocking procedure is proposed to create raster yield maps from point yield data. The blocking procedure includes: (1) converting the fixed-time-interval data into fixed-distance-interval data; (2) using a moving average algorithm to estimate a cell value when there are sufficient data points within the cell; (3) using a geostatistical algorithm to estimate a cell value when there are not enough data points within the cell but values of its neighboring cells are known; and (4) calculating an uncertainty index for each cell value estimation. An example application of the yield-blocking procedure with potato harvest data in 1996 was given.