https://ahundredyearsago.com/2011/10/14/us-crop-yields-and-production-1911-and-2011/
Crop Yields
Crop yields increased significantly for all the major cops between 1911 and 2011.
So what the heck happened to corn yields suddenly around 1950? They have more than quadrupled since then! Corn yields in the last 100 years are 7 times higher!!!
Seed genetics? Yes, that's helped.
Better farming technologies/equipment? That's helped
Atmospheric fertilization from increasing beneficial CO2? Yes, that's helped around 25%.
Climate change? Yes, that's helped..........only 1 widespread severe Cornbelt drought since 1988(in 2012). A record 24 years in between.
But those factors have also helped all other crops. Corn has 1 big element that is responsible for more than doubling its yields by itself. Without it, yields would still be under 100 bushels/acre.
Let's start by showing a chart of corn yields going back to the Civil War....al most 160 years ago.
Holy Cow!! After 80 years without much change, corn yields exploded to being 7 times higher than they were during the following 80 years.
The graph below shows the total amount globally of different fertilizers but for corn........it's all about nitrogen!
Corn requires numerous other nutrients but its the nitrogen(anhydrous ammonia) that really gives it the huge growth.
Even CNN knows what anhydrous ammonia is (-:
https://www.cnn.com/2013/04/17/us/anhydrous-ammonia-dangers/index.html
Graph below is nitrogen sold
