Harvest Index

HI = \frac{Y_{\text{grain}}}{Y_{\text{total biomass}}}

Fraction of total crop biomass that becomes economically harvestable yield.

By Donald

Agricultural Sciences

Harvest Index

1962 · Donald

Why it matters: Guided Green Revolution breeding for short-stem, high-grain cereals.

Discoverers: Donald (1962)

What does it mean?

Fraction of total crop biomass that becomes economically harvestable yield.

Guided Green Revolution breeding for short-stem, high-grain cereals.

Symbol	Name	Unit	Meaning
$HI$	Harvest index	—	0–1
$Y_grain$	Grain yield	—	Mass
$Y_total$	Total biomass	—	Mass

Modern wheat HI ≈ 0.45–0.50 vs wild grasses near 0.2.

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Equation Universe

HI = \frac{Y_{\text{grain}}}{Y_{\text{total biomass}}}

Real-world impact

Precision agriculture

Equations optimize food production for billions.

Photo: Unsplash — precision farming

Fraction of total crop biomass that becomes economically harvestable yield.

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