Maize Crop Research Articles

The Carbon Footprint and Influencing Factors of the Main Grain Crops in the North China Plain

The North China Plain (NCP) serves as a critical grain-producing region in China, playing a pivotal role in ensuring the nation’s food security. A comprehensive analysis of the carbon footprint (CF) related to the cultivation of major grain crops within this region and the proposal of strategies to reduce emissions through low-carbon production methods are crucial for advancing sustainable agricultural practices in China. This study employed the lifecycle assessment (LCA) method to estimate the CF of wheat, maize, and rice crops over a period from 2013 to 2022, based on statistical data collected from five key provinces and cities in the NCP: Beijing, Tianjin, Hebei, Shandong, and Henan. Additionally, the Logarithmic Mean Divisia Index (LMDI) model was utilized to analyze the influencing factors. The results indicated that the carbon footprints per unit area (CFA) of maize, wheat, and rice increased between 2013 and 2022. Rice had the highest carbon footprint per unit yield (CFY), averaging 1.1 kg CO2-eq kg−1, with significant fluctuations over time. In contrast, the CFY of wheat and maize remained relatively stable from 2013 to 2022. Fertilizers contributed the most to CF composition, accounting for 48.8%, 48.0%, and 25.9% of the total carbon inputs for wheat, maize, and rice, respectively. The electricity used for irrigation in rice production was 31.8%, which was much higher than that of wheat (6.8%) and maize (7.1%). The LMDI model showed that the labor effect was a common suppressing factor for the carbon emissions of maize, wheat, and rice in the NCP, while the agricultural structure effect and the economic development effect were common driving factors. By improving the efficiency of fertilizer and pesticide utilization, cultivating new varieties, increasing the mechanical operation efficiency, the irrigation efficiency, and policy support, the CF of grain crop production in the NCP can be effectively reduced. These efforts will contribute to the sustainable development of agricultural practices in the NCP and support China’s efforts to achieve its “double carbon” target.

Comprehensive compositional analysis of liquid organic product prepared by industrialized hydrothermal cracking of biomass waste and its potential application as fertilizer

Hydrothermal cracking involves the conversion of organic waste into efficient fertilizer through hydrolysis at temperatures ranging from 180 to 220 °C and pressures of 1.5 to 2.45 MPa, which offers significant advantages in shortening the production cycle, enhancing efficiency, and decomposing antibiotics. As a result, it holds immense practical value for promoting organic fertilizer manufacturing processes globally. The products derived from hydrothermal cracking can be categorized into solid and liquid components. Extensive research has focused on the composition and use of solids, while studies on liquids have mainly examined basic characteristics. The study aimed to comprehensively analyze the components in liquid products prepared through hydrothermal cracking and evaluate their suitability as liquid fertilizers. Specifically, we employed rigorous analytical techniques to accurately identify and quantify medium and trace elements, organic acids, amino acids, and plant growth regulators. Furthermore, we carried out a planting experiment to assess the yield and soil changes following the application of liquid products in maize cultivation. The experimental data revealed that the liquid product contained abundant medium and trace elements, along with 6.22 g/L free amino acids and 9.22 g/L organic acids. It is noteworthy that this liquid product contained 1.22 × 105 pg/mL ABA, 6.26 × 103 pg/mL IAA, 1.07 × 102 pg/mL IBA, and 3.60 × 10−2 pg/mL GA3. The utilization of this liquid product has the potential to enhance the disease resistance of maize crops and promote the accumulation of nitrate nitrogen in the soil. By understanding the composition of liquid products via hydrothermal cracking, valuable insights can be gained into their potential benefits for agricultural and ecological applications.

Impact of Crop Bio-Intensification and Nutrient Management on Production and Productivity of Maize Crop under North West Himalayan Region of Jammu -Kashmir

A field experiment was conducted during for two years (2015 and 2016) at the Research Farm, FSR center, Main Campus, Chatha of SKUAST–Jammu, during rabi, zayad and kharif seasons on clay loam soil to study the effect of crop bio-intensification and nutrient management on productivity and sustainability of various cropping. The experiment was laid out in Factorial Randomized Block Design with three replications. Under different treatments (crop bio-intensification and nutrient management) the grain yield, straw yield and total bio-mass (q/ha) of maize was found varying. The grain yield, straw yield and total bio-mass of maize was observed more in second year kharif 2015 than first year kharif 2016. Among crop bio-intensification, maize crop sown under Lentil (BB) + Mustard (B) – Summer Moongbean –Maize (BB) + Sorghum (F) practice produced higher grain yield ( 30.16 q/ha and 31.50 q/ha ) than the crop sown under wheat + mustard (6:1) –Summer moongbean – maize (bed) + Cowpea (B) (26.03 q/ha and 26.78 q/ha ) during both of the years of experimentations. The same trend was observed with straw yield and total bio-mass. Among nutrient management, application of 100% in- organic showed higher grain yield, straw yield and total bio-mass than 100% organic (FYM) and INM (50:50) during 1st and 2nd years of experimentations.

Comprehensive identification of genomic and environmental determinants of phenotypic plasticity in maize.

Maize phenotypes are plastic, determined by the complex interplay of genetics and environmental variables. Uncovering the genes responsible and understanding how their effects change across a large geographic region are challenging. In this study, we conducted systematic analysis to identify environmental indices that strongly influence 19 traits (including flowering time, plant architecture, and yield component traits) measured in the maize nested association mapping (NAM) population grown in 11 environments. Identified environmental indices based on day length, temperature, moisture, and combinations of these are biologically meaningful. Next, we leveraged a total of more than 20 million SNP and SV markers derived from recent de novo sequencing of the NAM founders for trait prediction and dissection. When combined with identified environmental indices, genomic prediction enables accurate performance predictions. Genome-wide association studies (GWASs) detected genetic loci associated with the plastic response to the identified environmental indices for all examined traits. By systematically uncovering the major environmental and genomic factors underlying phenotypic plasticity in a wide variety of traits and depositing our results as a track on the MaizeGDB genome browser, we provide a community resource as well as a comprehensive analytical framework to facilitate continuing complex trait dissection and prediction in maize and other crops. Our findings also provide a conceptual framework for the genetic architecture of phenotypic plasticity by accommodating two alternative models, regulatory gene model and allelic sensitivity model, as special cases of a continuum.

EVALUASI KESESUAIAN LAHAN TANAMAN JAGUNG (Zea Mays L) DI KECAMATAN MALUA KABUPATEN ENREKANG

This study aims to determine the actual and potential land suitability of maize crops and its limiting factors in Malua District. The method used in this research is survey method and descriptive data analysis and determination of land suitability class based on FAO method. The results showed that the actual land suitability of maize crops in Malua District, Enrekang Regency, land units 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11 and 12 are marginally suitable (S3) with nutrient availability factor (P2O5). While the potential land suitability is quite suitable (S2) with the limiting actor of rooting media (soil texture).

Conversion of farmland to forest or grassland improves soil carbon, nitrogen, and ecosystem multi-functionality in a subtropical karst region of southwest China

The conversion of farmland to forest in China has been recognized for its positive impact on above-ground vegetation and carbon sequestration. However, the impact on soil quality during land conversion, particularly in vulnerable karst areas, has received less attention. In this study conducted in a karst area of southwest China, eight different farmland conversion strategies were investigated to assess improvements in surface soil carbon, nitrogen, and ecosystem multi-functionality (EMF). Our results showed that farmland converted to afforestation areas or farmland that was abandoned contained higher amounts of carbon (total, organic, active) and ammonium nitrogen (NH4+-N) in the soil compared to farmland converted to grassland or maize crop. Soluble organic carbon levels were higher in afforestation and grassland areas compared to maize crop controls. By contrast, soil from grassland and abandoned land exhibited higher levels of nitrate nitrogen (NO3--N) compared to afforestation land or maize crop controls. There were no differences in NH4+-N content between any condition, except for afforestation land that specifically contained the Zenia insignis plant species. Afforestation land consistently exhibited higher EMF values than grassland. Pearson correlation analysis revealed positive relationships between soil indices and EMF scores, except for NO3--N.Random forest analysis explained 95% of the variation in soil EMF and identified specific soil factors: total carbon, organic carbon, active labile organic carbon, total nitrogen, and ammonium nitrogen, as the main drivers of soil multi-functionality. Our studies show how various reforestation strategies can enhance soil nutrient sequestration and improve soil multi-functionality of farmland in the karst areas.These findings provide insight into sustainable soil management practices for converting farmland into natural areas.

Maize Downy Mildew (Peronosclerospora neglecta) in Cambodia, Lao PDR, and Thailand

Peronosclerospora species cause downy mildew diseases on maize (Zea mays) worldwide. Maize leaves with symptoms of downy mildew were collected from field crops in Cambodia, Lao PDR, and Thailand, during surveys between 2018 and 2022. Initial determination of the presence of downy mildew on specimens was determined microscopically by the presence of conidiophores and/or oospores in leaf tissue. Phylogenetic analyses of the cytochrome c oxidase subunit II (cox2) gene sequences showed that all specimens were Peronosclerospora neglecta. Reference specimens from Thailand were deposited at the Thai Plant Pathology Herbarium, Bangkok, Thailand, while those from Cambodia and Lao PDR were deposited at the Queensland Plant Pathology Herbarium, Australia. Peronosclerospora neglecta was widespread in field crops of maize in Cambodia, Lao PDR, and Thailand during the survey period. This is the first time that P. neglecta has been reported in Cambodia and Lao PDR.

Straw incorporation and nitrogen fertilization regulate soil quality, enzyme activities and maize crop productivity in dual maize cropping system

BackgroundStraw incorporation serves as an effective strategy to enhance soil fertility and soil microbial biomass carbon (SMBC), which in turn improves maize yield and agricultural sustainability. However, our understanding of nitrogen (N) fertilization and straw incorporation into soil microenvironment is still evolving. This study explored the impact of six N fertilization rates (N0, N100, N150, N200, N250, and N300) with and without straw incorporation on soil fertility, SMBC, enzyme activities, and maize yield.ResultsResults showed that both straw management and N fertilization significantly affected soil organic carbon (SOC), total N, SMBC, soil enzyme activities, and maize yield. Specifically, the N250 treatment combined with straw incorporation significantly increased SOC, total N, and SMBC compared to lower fertilization rates. Additionally, enzyme activities such as urease, cellulase, sucrose, catalase, and acid phosphatase reached their peak during the V6 growth stage in the N200 treatment under for both straw management conditions. Compared to N250 and N300 treatments of traditional planting, the N200 treatment with residue incorporation significantly increased yield by 8.30 and 4.22%, respectively. All measured parameters, except for cellulase activity, were significantly higher in spring than in the autumn across both study years, with notable increases observed in 2021.ConclusionsThese findings suggest that optimal levels of SOC, soil total N (STN), and SMBC, along with increased soil enzyme activities, is crucial for sustaining soil fertility and enhancing maize grain yield under straw incorporation and N200 treatments.

PlanteSaine: An Artificial Intelligent Empowered Mobile Application for Pests and Disease Management for Maize, Tomato, and Onion Farmers in Burkina Faso

This study presents PlanteSaine, a novel mobile application powered by Artificial Intelligence (AI) models explicitly designed for maize, tomato, and onion farmers in Burkina Faso. Agriculture in Burkina Faso, like many developing nations, faces substantial challenges from plant pests and diseases, posing threats to both food security and economic stability. PlanteSaine addresses these challenges by offering a comprehensive solution that provides farmers with real-time identification of pests and diseases. Farmers capture images of affected plants with their smartphones, and PlanteSaine’s AI system analyzes these images to provide accurate diagnoses. The application’s offline functionality ensures accessibility even in remote areas with limited Internet connectivity, while its messaging feature facilitates communication with agricultural authorities for guidance and support. Additionally, PlanteSaine includes an emergency alert mechanism to notify farmers about pest and disease outbreaks, enhancing their preparedness to deal with these threats. An AI-driven framework, featuring an image feature extraction phase with EfficientNetB3 and an artificial neural network (ANN) classifier, was developed and integrated into PlanteSaine. The evaluation of PlanteSaine demonstrates its superior performance compared to baseline models, showcasing its effectiveness in accurately detecting diseases and pests across maize, tomato, and onion crops. Overall, this study highlights the potential of PlanteSaine to revolutionize agricultural technology in Burkina Faso and beyond. Leveraging AI and mobile computing, PlanteSaine provides farmers with accessible and reliable pest and disease management tools, ultimately contributing to sustainable farming practices and enhancing food security. The success of PlanteSaine underscores the importance of interdisciplinary approaches in addressing pressing challenges in global agriculture

Application of the METRIC model to estimate Maize crop evapotranspiration at field scale with Google Earth Engine

Application of the METRIC model to estimate Maize crop evapotranspiration at field scale with Google Earth Engine

Inspecting the Occurrence of Fungi In Rhizospheric Soil From Irrigated And Non-Irrigated Maize Crop Fields In Sillod Taluka

Inspecting the Occurrence of Fungi In Rhizospheric Soil From Irrigated And Non-Irrigated Maize Crop Fields In Sillod Taluka

Effect of Combined Application of Treated Sewage Sludge and Inorganic Fertilizers on Yield and Yield Attributes of Maize Crop (Zea mays L.)

Effect of Combined Application of Treated Sewage Sludge and Inorganic Fertilizers on Yield and Yield Attributes of Maize Crop (Zea mays L.)

Tracking maize colonization and growth promotion by Azospirillum reveals strain-specific behavior and the influence of inoculation method

Inoculation of Azospirillum in maize has become a standard practice in Latin America. However, information on the behavior and population survival of the Azospirillum post-inoculation is scarce, making standardization difficult and generating variations in inoculation efficiency across assays. In this study, we tracked the colonization of three agriculturally relevant Azospirillum strains (Ab-V5, Az39, and the ammonium excreting HM053) after different inoculation methods in maize crops by qPCR. Besides, we assessed their ability to promote maize growth by measuring biometric parameters after conducting a greenhouse essay over 42 days. Inoculated plants exhibited Azospirillum population ranging from 103 to 107 cells plant−1 throughout the experiment. While all strains efficiently colonized roots, only A. argentinense Az39 demonstrated bidirectional translocation between roots and shoots, which characterizes a systemic behavior. Optimal inoculation methods for plant growth promotion varied among strains: soil inoculation promoted the best maize growth for the Ab-V5 and Az39 strains, while seed inoculation proved most effective for HM053. The findings of this study demonstrate that the inoculation method affects the behavior of Azospirillum strains and their effectiveness in promoting maize growth, thereby guiding practices to enhance crop yield.

The Biotechnological Potential of Plant Growth-Promoting Rhizobacteria Isolated from Maize (Zea mays L.) Cultivations in the San Martin Region, Peru.

Maize (Zea mays L.) is an essential commodity for global food security and the agricultural economy, particularly in regions such as San Martin, Peru. This study investigated the plant growth-promoting characteristics of native rhizobacteria isolated from maize crops in the San Martin region of Peru with the aim of identifying microorganisms with biotechnological potential. Soil and root samples were collected from maize plants in four productive zones in the region: Lamas, El Dorado, Picota, and Bellavista. The potential of twelve bacterial isolates was evaluated through traits, such as biological nitrogen fixation, indole acetic acid (IAA) production, phosphate solubilization, and siderophore production, and a completely randomized design was used for these assays. A completely randomized block design was employed to assess the effects of bacterial strains and nitrogen doses on maize seedlings. The B3, B5, and NSM3 strains, as well as maize seeds of the yellow hard 'Advanta 9139' variety, were used in this experiment. Two of these isolates, B5 and NSM3, exhibited outstanding characteristics as plant growth promoters; these strains were capable of nitrogen fixation, IAA production (35.65 and 26.94 µg mL-1, respectively), phosphate solubilization (233.91 and 193.31 µg mL-1, respectively), and siderophore production (34.05 and 89.19%, respectively). Furthermore, molecular sequencing identified the NSM3 isolate as belonging to Sporosarcina sp. NSM3 OP861656, while the B5 isolate was identified as Peribacillus sp. B5 OP861655. These strains show promising potential for future use as biofertilizers, which could promote more sustainable agricultural practices in the region.

Fertilizer use and agricultural practices in the paradox of maize crop production and environmental sustainability

The enduring existence of pollution presents a substantial danger to human health, natural systems, and social welfare. Human activities mostly generate greenhouse gas emissions, namely carbon dioxide, which negatively impacts the environment. This study used annual datasets to examine the association between maize crop production, maize yield, fertilizer consumption, agricultural land use, and environmental quality in China. In order to identify the positive and negative shocks with the assessment of short- and long-run dynamics, the study used an asymmetric Nonlinear Autoregressive Distributed Lag (NARDL) approach. A Robust Least Squares method was also used to locate the parameters nexus in order to assess the series' robustness. Results from the long-run interaction indicate that the maize crop production and agricultural land use has a positive impact on CO2 emissions with probability values of (0.000), (0.000), and (0.001), (0.780), respectively, via both positive and negative interruptions. Additionally, maize yield exposed a detrimental effect on environmental quality. Results of the robust least squares analysis showed that maize crop production, fertilizer consumption, and agricultural land use had a positive influence on environmental quality, with probability values of (0.000), (0.004), and (0.949), respectively. However, there is an unfavourable relationship between variable maize yields and CO2 emissions. China should play a significant role in seeking to reduce carbon dioxide emissions and adopt the beneficial policies necessary to ensure the environment's long-term sustainability, since these emissions are now a rising issue around the world.

Determination of threshold crop water stress index for sub-surface drip irrigated maize-wheat cropping sequence in semi-arid region of Punjab

A thorough understanding of how crops respond to water stress is essential for effective irrigation management under changing climate conditions and declining water resources. Amongst the various methods of irrigation, crop water stress index (CWSI)-based irrigation is popular due to its non-invasive techniques that require less data and can precisely indicate the severity of crop water deficiency. The present study focuses on establishing the upper- and lower-baselines of canopy-air temperature difference (Tc-Ta) for the estimation of the CWSI and to determine the CWSI threshold for maize and wheat crops. The upper- and lower-baseline of (Tc-Ta) was established using the relationship between (Tc-Ta) and vapor pressure deficit (VPD) for different irrigation treatments such as 60 %ETc, 70 %ETc, 80 %ETc, 90 %ETc, and 100 %ETc with irrigation interval of 1-day, 2-days, and 3-days. The study showed that the baselines varied with the growth stages of the crop and with irrigation treatments and reached the maximum in Anthesis and Silking growth stage for wheat and maize, respectively. The threshold of CWSI was estimated by developing a relationship between the normalized values of grain yield (GY) and irrigation water productivity (WPI). For the Rabi wheat, a quadratic correlation was identified between CWSI and WPI (r2 = 0.89), and GY (r2 = 0.93). Similarly, for Kharif maize, a quadratic relationship was noted between CWSI and both WPI (r2 = 0.75) and GY (r2 = 0.85). From the study, it was found that the CWSI thresholds of Rabi wheat and Kharif maize are 0.29 and 0.31, respectively. Based on the study, it can be concluded that by utilizing the thresholds for a winter wheat-summer maize cropping system, high GY and WPI can be achieved.

Real Time Nitrogen Management of Maize using CCM 200 Plus During Dry Season in Eastern Coastal Plains of India

Despite the increasing availability of chlorophyll meters in the market, their adoption remains limited due to the absence of region-specific thresholds. One such meter, the CCM 200 plus produced by Opti-Sciences Inc., stands out for its non-destructive nature, cost-effectiveness and reliability. However, specific thresholds for this meter in the eastern coastal plains of India, particularly for maize crops, are lacking. The current study was carried out at the P.G. Research Farm, MSSSoA during summer season of 2022-23 encompassing three chlorophyll content indices (CCI less than 35, CCI less than 40, CCI less than 45) with and without basal nitrogen applications, alongside fixed-time nitrogen management (FTNM) and Absolute N Control (no nitrogen) which were allocated in randomized block design with three replications. The findings indicated that both CCI less than 45 with basal nitrogen application and CCI less than 40 with basal nitrogen application demonstrated statistically similar maize grain yields, surpassing FTNM by 18.1% and 12.4%, respectively. However, adopting CCI less than 40 with basal nitrogen application resulted in savings of 30 kg N/ha compared to CCI less than 45 with basal nitrogen application for maize cultivation in the Eastern Coastal Plains of India.

Determinants of Maize Production: Intercropping Maize and Beans in South Western Uganda

Background: Intercropping is the practice of growing two or more crops nearby: in the same row or bed, or rows or strips near enough to allow biological interactions. Advantages of inter cropping include: improving soil’s nutrients to better support crops' growth and development thus improving yields; it improves soil-water retention and diversifies the farmers' incomes in case of failure for one crop. It is one of the natural methods for management of crop pests and diseases. Inter cropping maize and beans is one of the climate-smart agricultural approaches used to boost crop production across the globe. However, some smallholder farmers have a negative attitude toward it due to limited knowledge regarding its benefits. The study aimed at establishment of the effect of intercropping maize and beans on the maize yields in Isingiro District, South Western Uganda. Methods: The experiment was conducted in two seasons (March-May 2020 and August- November 2021). Standard agronomical practices were followed from planting to harvesting, after which the dry weight of maize was measured and recorded. Data analysis was done using ONEWAY ANOVA in R Software Version 4.2.2. Result: Results show that intercropping maize and beans in season one significantly increased maize yields (p less than 0.001) more than it did in season two (p=0.0211). The main effect of Season is statistically significant and large (p less than .001). The main effect of Treatment is statistically significant and large (p less than .001). The study concluded that reduced rainfall negatively affects maize yields and intercropping Longe5 with NABE16 increases maize yields. Early planting and good agronomic practices were recommended to improve maize productivity.

Chromosome-level genome assembly and sex chromosome identification of the pink stem borer, Sesamia inferens (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)

The pink stem borer, Sesamia inferens Walker (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), is one of the most notorious pest insects of rice and maize crops in the world. Here, we generated a high-quality chromosome-level genome assembly of S. inferens, using a combination of Illumina, PacBio HiFi and Hi-C technologies. The total assembly size was 973.18 Mb with a contig N50 of 33.39 Mb, anchored to 31 chromosomes, revealing a karyotype of 30 + Z. The BUSCO analysis indicated a high completeness of 98.90% (n = 5286), including 5172 (97.8%) single-copy BUSCOs and 58 (1.1%) duplicated BUSCOs. The genome contains 58.59% (564.58 Mb) repeat elements and 26628 predicted protein-coding genes. The chromosome-level genome assembly of S. inferens provides in-depth knowledge and will be a helpful resource for the Lepidoptera and pest control research communities.

Closing the Water: Ethnography of a Nahua Ritual

“Closing the water” is a ritual connected to the agrarian cycle and belongs to a set of rituals which are performed for the purpose of securing an abundant harvest of maize and other crops. This case study is based on fieldwork conducted by the author in Hueyapan, a Nahua community situated in the Highlands of Morelos on the southern slopes of the Popocatepetl volcano in Central Mexico. It consists of two parts: the first provides a description of the ritual; that is, it presents the ritual itself and the sequence of its parts. The second represents an analysis and explanation of the ritual from an anthropological point of view. Since the ritual of “Closing the water” belongs to a millennial tradition of Mesoamerica related to a ritual landscape, sacred mountains and agrarian cycle, the paper shows how this tradition and this ritual were incorporated into Catholicism in a process of religious syncretism.