Monitoring and Modelling Analysis of Maize (Zea mays L.) Yield Gap in Smallholder Farming in Ghana

Eric Owusu Danquah,Richard Stirzaker,Patricia Oteng-Darko,Stephen Yeboah,Christopher Smith,Yacob Beletse,Felix Frimpong,Stella Ama Ennin

doi:10.3390/agriculture10090420

Abstract

Modelling and multiple linear regression were used to explore the reason for low maize yield in the Atebubu-Amantin and West Mamprusi Districts of Ghana, West Africa. The study evaluated maize yields on twenty farms against measures of soil fertility, agronomic attributes and soil water availability. Correlations between yield, soil fertility, rain, crop density, and weed biomass, were low, and no single factor could explain the low yields. A 50-year virtual experiment was then set up using the Agricultural Production Systems Simulator (APSIM) to explore the interactions between climate, crop management (sowing date and nitrogen fertilization) and rooting depth on grain yield and nitrate (NO3-N) dynamics. The analysis showed that a lack of optimal sowing dates that synchronize radiation, rainfall events and nitrogen (N) management with critical growth stages explained the low farm yields.

Highlights

In the past 50 years, global wheat, maize and rice yields has increased as a result of crop intensification involving improved varieties, increased fertilizer inputs, production of two or more crops per year on the same piece of land, and irrigation [1,2,3,4]
43%, 55% for West Mamprusi, Atebubu-Amantin major, and Atebubu-Amantin minor seasons, Higher grain yield was simulated when maize is sown in April in Amantin-Atebubu major season (AAMajor) and August in Amantin-Atebubu minor season (AAMinor) respectively
Higher grain yield was simulated when maize is sown in April in AAMajor and August for the 75 kg N ha−1 treatment−1(Figure 6)

Summary

Introduction

In the past 50 years, global wheat, maize and rice yields has increased as a result of crop intensification involving improved varieties, increased fertilizer inputs, production of two or more crops per year on the same piece of land, and irrigation [1,2,3,4]. The yield gap is 20%–36% below potential yield [6,7,8,9]. In South-East Asia, achievable maize yield is still about 0.9 t ha−1 lower than potential yield, resulting from field management and climate change. Site-specific nutrient management and climate resilient germplasm has been observed to be a potential way forward for sustainable intensification of maize production by smallholder farmers [9,10,11].

Objectives

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Results

Conclusion