Management → Properties › Biology

Organic farming → Yield

The studies disagree

33 %

of 9 studies with a clear result report a significant increase

-7 %

typical change (4 studies with numbers)

studies · 14 findings

Count each study by

9 studies · 14 findings

What the studies show

3 of 9 studies report a significant increase (33 %, 95 % confidence interval 12–65 %).

By the direction of each study’s results, significant or not: 3 of 6 studies with a direction point up (50 %, 95 % confidence interval 19–81 %; sign test p = 1).

↑ 3 increase
↓ 3 decrease
= 3 no effect

How large: typically -7 % (middle half -38 % to +18 %), from 4 studies with numbers
Basis: 9 studies, 14 findings; 0 entered by hand, 9 read by the library

Every study counts once, however many findings it reports: one with 40 sampling dates does not outvote ten others. A study with a significant increase and decrease (say at different depths) counts as "both". A first synthesis for orientation, not a substitute for a systematic review.

Where the studies are

goes up
stays the same
goes down
both ways

Through the soil profile

Each layer on its own: a study that reports the topsoil and the subsoil counts in both. Choose a layer to see what goes with it.

goes up
stays the same
goes down
both ways

In layers of unstated depth, yield goes up in 43 % of the studies under organic farming, stays the same in 29 % and goes down in 29 %.

What makes a difference

The conditions whose levels differ most clearly, each with the outcome that differs most between its levels of at least 10 study layers. Choose a layer in the profile to see them for that layer alone, or a level here to filter by it.

Testing every condition on every study layer…

Along the conditions

Testing every condition on every study layer…