The amount and How to distribute of chickpea and lentil yield gap in Iran

Yield gap analysis is a quantitative estimate of possible increase of the capacity to provide food for a specified area. It is an important component for designing strategies to supply food on a scale of regional, national, and global level. In this regard a study has been conducted to determine the extent and function of chickpea and lentil crop vacancy distribution at Gorgan University of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources during 2016-2018. Using SSM-iCrop2 model, the study simulates potential yield in chickpea and lentil producing regions in Iran. For this purpose, it employs the protocol of Atlas Gap Project, called GYGA protocol, to identify climatic zones and identify important meteorological stations, located in chickpea and lentil production areas in the country. After identifying the important stations, the performance potential for the station range is simulated and then the regional results are generalized to the whole country, based on the GYGA protocol. For dryland chickpeas in the country, the values of actual and potential yield as well as yield gap have been 0.43, 1.04, and 0.61 tons per hectare, respectively. In case of rainfed lentils in the country, the values of actual yield and potential along with yield gap have been 0.43, 1.10, and 0.67 tons per hectare, respectively. The present study can be used for better management in low-yield and high-yield areas of the country for these two products.