Maize Grain Research Articles

Economics of maize cultivation at selected intensive areas of Bangladesh

The study was undertaken to assess the input used pattern and profitability of maize in selected intensive maize-growing areas of Bangladesh from February to July 2019. The present study was conducted in four districts viz. Chuadanga, Jhenaidah, Meherpur and Kushtia were located at AEZ-11, an intensive maize-growing area. In this study, 160 farmers were selected, of which 40 from each district were randomly selected for data collection. The average farm size was 0.64 ha, whereas the maize cultivated area was 0.34 ha. It was observed that maize was cultivated from November to December in the study area. The average per hectare seed required was 20 kg ha-1 and the fertilizer requirement was 1532 kg ha-1. The average labor required was 275 man-days in a season due to less use of technology. Total production cost was Tk. 162047 ha-1, in which variable cost was Tk. 101066 ha-1 (62%) and the fixed cost was Tk. 60980 ha-1 (38%). The price of the main maize grain at Farmgate was Tk. 18 kg-1. The gross margin was Tk.1 91962 ha-1 and the net margin was Tk. 40515 ha-1 average. The benefit-cost ratio on a cash-cost basis was 1.90 and on a total-cost basis was 1.18, meaning maize cultivation was profitable. Land preparation, seed, organic manure, TSP, Urea, MoP, DAP, Gypsum, Zinc and Boron had a positive influence on maize production. The high price of fertilizer and seed was the main problem farmers faced and due to high demand, there were no marketing problems. Though it had some problems, maize cultivation overall was a profitable crop. Int. J. Agril. Res. Innov. Tech. 13(2): 70-78, Dec 2023

Passivation remediation of weakly alkaline Cd-contaminated soils using combined treatments of biochar and sepiolite

BackgroundCadmium (Cd) pollution in agricultural soils has become a priority environmental concern globally. A reasonable application of passivators is critical to address the problem. In this study, we examined the remediation effects of rice husk biochar (rBC) and sepiolite (Sep) as single and combined (rBC + Sep) treatments on Cd pollution in a weakly alkaline soil using three maize cultivars (Liyu 16, Zhengdan 958, and Sanbei 218) as test crops. We also explained the mechanisms involved in the remediation effects.ResultsThe pseudo-second-order kinetic equation and Langmuir model could well describe the adsorption process of rBC + Sep for Cd2+. Compared with the control treatment (CK), soil available Cd concentration decreased by 29.51–36.34% under rBC + Sep treatment (p< 0.05) and the Cd concentrations in maize grains of Liyu 16, Zhengdan 958, and Sanbei 218 decreased by 38.08–47.85%, 37.25–45.61%, and 33.96–46.15%, respectively (p< 0.05). Following passivation treatment, soil available Cd concentration decreased and gradually changed from the exchangeable and carbonate binding forms to the Fe/Mn oxide and residual forms. The bioconcentration factors of Liyu 16 (0.05–0.09) and Sanbei 218 (0.05–0.09) were lower than those of Zhengdan 958 (0.07–0.13). In addition, rBC +Sep treatment increased soil pH and soil electrical conductivity, but the differences were not significant (p> 0.05).ConclusionsThe application of 0.2% rBC + 0.5% Sep composite passivation material to weakly alkaline Cd-contaminated soil can effectively reduce the Cd concentration of soil and maize.

Maize yield and grain quality response to foliar-applied phosphorus in a soil testing high in P

Aim of study: To test the effect of foliar and granular P fertilizer application on maize performance planted under permanent beds from 2012 to 2019 in a soil testing high in P. Area of study: This field experiment was located in the eastern region of the trans-Mexican volcanic belt. Material and methods: Three P treatments, foliar and granular (band and broadcast), and a control (0P) plot were allocated in an randomized complete block design in six replications. Main results: Year-P treatment interaction was significant for yield, agronomic efficiency (AE), and recovery efficiency (RE). Contrastingly, grain quality parameters measured as bulk density and thousand grain weight were only affected by year’s main effect. Yield, AE, and RE were generally more responsive to the foliar than the granular P application. These parameters varied in each treatment according to precipitation accumulated in 40 days during the bracketing-silking period (40d PP) and heat units during the grain filling stage [GDD(t-m)]. As 40d PP increased, yield and AE improved, while RE decreased; as GDD(t-m) increased, yield and grain quality improved. Initial soil available P (46 mg/kg) decreased 26% due to foliar P application. Research highlights: Results suggest that replacing the granular P with foliar P fertilization is an option to mine soil to an acceptable P level without adverse effects on maize performance.

Strip-Till Farming: Combining Controlled-Release Blended Fertilizer to Enhance Rainfed Maize Yield While Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions

The two major concerns of sustainable agriculture are safeguarding food security and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Studies on the performance of strip-till with controlled-release blended fertilizer on rainfed maize grain yield, greenhouse gas emissions, and net ecosystem economic budget are scarce in the hilly region of northeast China. In this study, the differences between strip-till (RST) and conventional ridge cropping (CP), straw off-field no-tillage (NT), and no-tillage with straw mulching (RNT) were comparatively investigated in the conventional fertilizer (Sd) mode. And meanwhile, four fertilization modes were also set up under strip-till (RST): conventional fertilization (Sd), controlled-release nitrogen fertilizer blended with normal urea 3:7 (30%Cr), controlled-release nitrogen fertilizer blended with normal urea 5:5 (50%Cr), and no-nitrogen fertilization. We analyzed maize yield, greenhouse gas emissions (GHG), greenhouse gas intensity (GHGI), net income and net ecosystem economic budget (NEEB) for different treatments. The results showed that, under conventional fertilizer (Sd) mode, the maize yield of RST increased by 4.2%, 6.0% and 7.2% compared with NT, CP and RNT and the net income increased by 7.0%, 9.7% and 10.0%, respectively. Compared with CP and NT, although RST increased CO2 and N2O emissions, the GHGI of RST was not significantly different from CP and NT, and was 8.0% lower than that of RNT. The NEEB of RST increased by 6.8%, 9.7% and 11.0%, respectively, compared with NT, CP and RNT. Under strip-till, compared with 30%Cr and Sd, the yield of 50%Cr increased by 4.0% and 9.2% and the net income increased by 3.5% and 6.9%, respectively. There was no significant difference in GHGI between 50%Cr and 30%Cr, and 50%Cr decreased by 10.4% compared with Sd. The NEEB of 50%Cr increased by 3.8% and 7.4% compared to 30%Cr and Sd. Strip-till combines controlled-release nitrogen fertilizer blended with normal urea 5:5 (50%Cr) and can be applied as a sustainable strategy to improve the economic efficiency of maize and reduce environmental costs in the hilly region of northeast China.

Genetic Variability for the Yield and Yield-Related Traits in Some Maize (Zea mays L.) Inbred Lines in the Central Highland of Ethiopia

After rice and wheat, maize (Zea mays L.) is the third most significant and valuable crop in terms of industrial production in the world. The experiment was conducted to determine the nature and magnitude of genetic variability for various traits of maize inbred lines at the Ambo Plant Protection Research Center experimental field during 2013/2014, the major cropping season. The experiment’s design was described in 5 × 5 triple lattice designs. The results of the analysis of variance revealed that genotypic mean squares were significant for all traits, indicating that the inbred lines under study had a higher level of genetic diversity. In terms of genotypic and phenotypic variation, the largest coefficient was found in grain yield per hectare (28.49 and 35.43) followed by the number of tassel branches (23.14 and 24.92), respectively. Both days to 50% silking (91.57) and days to 50% tasseling (86.56) showed a high magnitude of broad-sense heritability. The results of the phenotypic and genotypic correlation analyses showed that grain yield per plant significantly correlated positively with five traits at both the phenotypic and genotypic levels. The number of kernels per row, aboveground biomass production per plant, harvest index, and grain yield per hectare might all be employed as selection criteria to increase the maize grain yield, according to path coefficient analysis at the phenotypic and genotypic levels. The grain yield and other significant yield components were found to be superior with inbred lines AMH169-55 and AMH169-86. Therefore, it is advised that these lines be used to further enhance the maize crop.

Protection of Stored Common Bean and Maize Grains Using Optimally Synthesized Biosilica from Rice Husk Ash

Losses provoked by insect pests on stored cereals and legumes contribute immensely to reduce food security, especially in rural communities in Sub‐Saharan Africa. The application of integrated control strategies, involving the use of synthetic pesticides, is often expensive and hazardous to humans and the environment. This study was conducted to optimize the production and use of biosilica from rice husk ashes, for the control of Sitophilus zeamais and Acanthoscelides obtectus, major insect pests of stored maize and common bean grains. The amorphous nature of the derived silica molecules coupled with the silanol and siloxane groups on their surfaces seemed to account for silica’s insecticidal effects on the pests, which were more on A. obtectus on common beans than S. zeamais on maize grains, with full mortalities obtained at doses of about 1.25 g per 50 g bean seeds and about 2.25 g per 50 g maize seeds, within 3 and 12 days, respectively. Similarly, the daily lethal dose (LD50) of silica powder required to obtain the mortality of half of the insects was lower on common beans than on maize seeds. The reduced phytotoxic activity of the biosilica on the stored common bean and maize grains indicates therefore that it could make an ecofriendly alternative to conventional protectants for small quantities of stored grains. However, large‐scale studies are needed in order to evaluate its potential use in grain storage systems.

Impact of the fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) infestation on maize growth characteristics and yield loss.

The fall armyworm [FAW; Spodoptera frugiperda (J.E Smith, 1797)] is an invasive and polyphagous insect that infests cereal crops, causing economic losses, and may be led to pose a threat to future the global maize crop in the future. Field trials were conducted to study the negative impacts of S. frugiperda on vegetative growth measurements, yield, and the components of the maize cultivar (Single-Hybrid 168 Yellow) in Luxor Governorate, Egypt. S. frugiperda larvae infestation to maize plants was observed in the 3rd week of June and so continued till the harvest in both 2021 and 2022 seasons. S. frugiperda had three peaks of the seasonal activity/season in the untreated (pesticide-free, control) and in the treated main plots by pesticides. Maize vegetative growth attributes (averages of plant height, stem diameter, and the number of green leaves per plant) displayed higher rates of the treated maize plants by insecticides against S. frugiperda. Maize grain, straw, and biological yield (kg/ha) were decreased in the untreated maize plants (insecticides free) than in the treated by insecticides. Concerning maize yield components, the treated plants were to outperform in the average length of a plant stem (cm), stem diameter (cm), and weight of cob (g), as well as, number of rows/cob, number of grains/ cob, number of grains/cob, maize cob grain weight (g) and weight of 1000-grains (g)], in comparison with the untreated plants. Also, the FAW infestation to untreated maize plants was decreased well in all calculated maize growth attributes, i.e., grain yield, and components. Regarding the relationship between variations in a given variable and the changes in S. frugiperda larvae numbers and plant damage percentage, the simple correlation and regression coefficient revealed a highly significant negative relationship in all the parameters tested. The obtained information may help farmers and decision-makers in the management of FAW populations based on an effective plan related to control measures that should be implemented.

Insect Pests and Diseases in Stored Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L.) and Maize (Zea mays L.) in West Hararghe, Ethiopia

The presence of major insect pests and microflora in stored sorghum and maize in West Hararghe, Ethiopia, poses a significant threat to food security and agricultural productivity, leading to postharvest losses and economic hardship for local farmers. This study aimed to evaluate and identify the main grain insect pests and diseases of stored maize and sorghum in West Hararghe, Ethiopia. The survey was carried out in five major sorghum and maize‐producing districts of the surveyed areas, namely, Mieso, Gemechis, Tullo, Anchar, and Oda Bultum. The results revealed that maize and sorghum grains stored in sacks, ground pits, markets, and hanging (maize cob) storage containers were infested with insect species: maize weevil (S. zeamais), Angoumois grain moth (S. cerealella), rice weevil (S. oryzae), Red flour beetle (T. castaneum), confused flour beetle (T. confusum), and Lesser grain borer (R. dominica). The mean levels of major insect pest infestations and associated percentages of grain damage, weight loss, and germination loss were recorded across all traditional storage systems, including sacking, marketing, hanging or maize cob, and ground pit storage methods. The highest absolute frequency and relative frequency of F. oxysporum (14.53%), followed by A. flavus (13.08%), on maize seeds were recorded in the agar plate test. A total of eight species of fungi, including Fusarium species, A. parasiticus, and A. niger, were identified using the blotter and agar plate method. The incidence of fungal diseases was markedly high (98.33%) in maize grain stored in the Anchar district, followed closely by grain stored in the market in the same district, recording 98.33%. Therefore, it is recommended that further confirmatory identification using molecular tools be conducted to develop novel management strategies for these insect pests and diseases.

Nitrogen fertilizer application rate affects the dynamic metabolism of nitrogen and carbohydrates in kernels of waxy maize.

Nitrogen (N) plays a pivotal role in the growth, development, and yield of maize. An optimal N application rate is crucial for enhancing N and carbohydrate (C) accumulation in waxy maize grains, which in turn synergistically improves grain weight. A 2-year field experiment was conducted to evaluate the impact of different N application rates on two waxy maize varieties, Jinnuo20 (JN20) and Jindannuo41 (JDN41), during various grain filling stages. The applied N rates were 0 (N0), 120 (N1), 240 (N2), and 360 (N3) kg N ha-1. The study revealed that N application significantly influenced nitrogen accumulation, protein components (gliadin, albumin, globulin, and glutelin), carbohydrate contents (soluble sugars, amylose, and amylopectin), and activities of enzymes related to N and C metabolism in waxy maize grains. Notable varietal differences in these parameters were observed. In both varieties, the N2 treatment consistently resulted in the highest values for almost all measured traits compared to the other N treatments. Specifically, the N2 treatment yielded an average increase in grain dry matter of 21.78% for JN20 and 17.11% for JDN41 compared to N0. The application of N positively influenced the activities of enzymes involved in C and N metabolism, enhancing the biosynthesis of grain protein, amylose, and amylopectin while decreasing the accumulation of soluble sugars. This modulation of the C/N ratio in the grains directly contributed to an increase in grain dry weight. Collectively, our findings underscore the critical role of N in regulating kernel N and C metabolism, thereby influencing dry matter accumulation in waxy maize grains during the grain filling stage.

Epidemiology and Genetic Relationship of Toxigenic Fungi in Maize Grains From North Central Nigerian States.

Contamination of maize adversely affects maize quality, yield, and export creating a gap in the attainment of food security, which is a millenium development goal in Nigeria. The study determined fungal abundance, genetic variability, and prevalence of toxigenic fungi in maize grains consumed in North Central, Nigeria. Sixty composite stored maize samples were collected and fungi were isolated and identified after which a multiplex polymerase chain reaction was used to confirm the presence of mycotoxin regulatory genes in suspected toxigenic fungi. The genetic relationship among the toxigenic fungi was determined and the genetic correlation between Aspergillus isolates was established through Restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis. About 389 (64.83%) of the total maize samples collected had fungal species belonging to the genera Aspergillus, Mucor, Penicillium, Fusarium, Trichophyton, and Talaromyces associated with them. Among the regions surveyed, Kogi State exhibited the highest maize contamination rate at 89 samples, accounting for 22.9% of the total samples collected. In Benue and Kogi, the genus Aspergillus exhibited the highest relative abundance, with percentages of 76.6% and 76.3%, respectively. Among its species, Aspergillus flavus and A. niger were the most predominant. Kwara State had the highest fungal diversity with a value of 1.711 (P < .05). Benue State had 11 isolates (4.6%) with genes encoding for mycotoxin production, the highest recorded. Conversely, Nasarawa and Niger States each had the lowest count, with 4 isolates possessing such genes. Out of the 238 fungi suspected to be mycotoxigenic that were isolated, 39 have genes that encode for mycotoxin synthesis. Low divergence existed between toxigenic fungal species using the alpha diversity index. This study confirmed that the grains were contaminated with closely related fungal strains, and concluded that maize grains consumed in North Central Nigeria showed high association with fungal microbiota, including species capable of contaminating the grains with mycotoxins.

Evaluating agronomic traits and selection of low N-tolerant maize hybrids in Indonesia

&lt;p&gt;Nitrogen is one of the macro elements that maize needs. Nitrogen deficiency will affect maize's growth and grain yield. This study aimed to determine hybrid maize's growth, grain yield, and tolerance to low N conditions. This research was conducted at the Indonesian Cereal Testing Instrument Standard Institute in Maros, South Sulawesi, Indonesia, from July to November 2022. A nested design was applied with eleven hybrid maize genotypes and three N fertilization levels (N0 = 0 kg N ha&lt;sup&gt;-1&lt;/sup&gt;, N1 = 100 kg N ha&lt;sup&gt;-1&lt;/sup&gt;, and N2 = 200 kg N ha&lt;sup&gt;-1&lt;/sup&gt;) as treatments, replicated three times. Growth and grain yield traits were measured. An analysis of variance was used to determine the effect of fertilization level on growth. Eberhart and Russell stability analysis and the Stress Tolerance Index (STI) were used to determine hybrid maize tolerance and yield stability across the three fertilization levels. The findings indicated that the reduction in nitrogen fertilizer level affected maize agronomic performance and yield reduction. HLN 09 exhibited a mean yield of 7.68 t ha&lt;sup&gt;-1&lt;/sup&gt;, surpassing the overall hybrid mean of 7.21 t ha&lt;sup&gt;-1&lt;/sup&gt;. HLN 09 also demonstrated moderate stress tolerance at N2-N1, N2-N0, and N1-N0 and was characterized as a stable hybrid with regression coefficient (bi) = 0.99 and deviation from regression (s&lt;sup&gt;2&lt;/sup&gt;di) = -0.22. The HLN 09 maize hybrid was a hybrid maize with good tolerance to low N conditions and high stability and yield.&lt;/p&gt;

Integrating multi-modal remote sensing, deep learning, and attention mechanisms for yield prediction in plant breeding experiments.

In both plant breeding and crop management, interpretability plays a crucial role in instilling trust in AI-driven approaches and enabling the provision of actionable insights. The primary objective of this research is to explore and evaluate the potential contributions of deep learning network architectures that employ stacked LSTM for end-of-season maize grain yield prediction. A secondary aim is to expand the capabilities of these networks by adapting them to better accommodate and leverage the multi-modality properties of remote sensing data. In this study, a multi-modal deep learning architecture that assimilates inputs from heterogeneous data streams, including high-resolution hyperspectral imagery, LiDAR point clouds, and environmental data, is proposed to forecast maize crop yields. The architecture includes attention mechanisms that assign varying levels of importance to different modalities and temporal features that, reflect the dynamics of plant growth and environmental interactions. The interpretability of the attention weights is investigated in multi-modal networks that seek to both improve predictions and attribute crop yield outcomes to genetic and environmental variables. This approach also contributes to increased interpretability of the model's predictions. The temporal attention weight distributions highlighted relevant factors and critical growth stages that contribute to the predictions. The results of this study affirm that the attention weights are consistent with recognized biological growth stages, thereby substantiating the network's capability to learn biologically interpretable features. Accuracies of the model's predictions of yield ranged from 0.82-0.93 R2 ref in this genetics-focused study, further highlighting the potential of attention-based models. Further, this research facilitates understanding of how multi-modality remote sensing aligns with the physiological stages of maize. The proposed architecture shows promise in improving predictions and offering interpretable insights into the factors affecting maize crop yields, while demonstrating the impact of data collection by different modalities through the growing season. By identifying relevant factors and critical growth stages, the model's attention weights provide valuable information that can be used in both plant breeding and crop management. The consistency of attention weights with biological growth stages reinforces the potential of deep learning networks in agricultural applications, particularly in leveraging remote sensing data for yield prediction. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study that investigates the use of hyperspectral and LiDAR UAV time series data for explaining/interpreting plant growth stages within deep learning networks and forecasting plot-level maize grain yield using late fusion modalities with attention mechanisms.

Genetic architecture of kernel-related traits in sweet and waxy maize revealed by genome-wide association analysis.

Maize (Zea mays L.) is one of the most important crops worldwide, the kernel size-related traits are the major components of maize grain yield. To dissect the genetic architecture of four kernel-related traits of 100-kernel weight, kernel length, kernel width, and kernel diameter, a genome-wide association study (GWAS) was conducted in the waxy and sweet maize panel comprising of 447 maize inbred lines re-sequenced at the 5× coverage depth. GWAS analysis was carried out with the mixed linear model using 1,684,029 high-quality SNP markers. In total, 49 SNPs significantly associated with the four kernel-related traits were identified, including 46 SNPs on chromosome 3, two SNPs on chromosome 4, and one SNP on chromosome 7. Haplotype regression analysis identified 338 haplotypes that significantly affected these four kernel-related traits. Genomic selection (GS) results revealed that a set of 10,000 SNPs and a training population size of 30% are sufficient for the application of GS in waxy and sweet maize breeding for kernel weight and kernel size. Forty candidate genes associated with the four kernel-related traits were identified, including both Zm00001d000707 and Zm00001d044139 expressed in the kernel development tissues and stages with unknown functions. These significant SNPs and important haplotypes provide valuable information for developing functional markers for the implementation of marker-assisted selection in breeding. The molecular mechanism of Zm00001d000707 and Zm00001d044139 regulating these kernel-related traits needs to be investigated further.

Content of heavy metals in maize grain under conditions of cultivation in Polissya of Ukraine

Content of heavy metals in maize grain under conditions of cultivation in Polissya of Ukraine

Influence of climatic variables on maize grain yield and its components by adjusting the sowing date.

Yield and its components are greatly affected by climate change. Adjusting the sowing date is an effective way to alleviate adverse effects and adapt to climate change. Aiming to determine the optimal sowing date of summer maize and clarify the contribution of climatic variables to grain yield and its components, a consecutive 4-year field experiment was conducted from 2016 to 2019 with four sowing dates at 10-day intervals from 5 June to 5 July. Analysis of historical meteorological data showed that more solar radiation (SR) was distributed from early June to mid-August, and the maximum temperature (Tmax) > 32°C appeared from early July to late August, which advanced and lasted longer in 1991-2020 relative to 1981-1990. Additionally, the precipitation was mainly distributed from early June to late July. The climate change in the growing season of summer maize resulted in optimal sowing dates ranging from 5 June to 15 June, with higher yields and yield stability, mainly because of the higher kernel number per ear and 1,000-grain weight. The average contribution of kernel number per ear to grain yield was 58.7%, higher than that of 1,000-grain weight (41.3%). Variance partitioning analysis showed that SR in 15 days pre-silking to 15 days post-silking (SS) and silking to harvest (SH) stages significantly contributed to grain yield by 63.1% and 86.4%. The extreme growing degree days (EDD) > 32°C, SR, precipitation, and diurnal temperature range (DTR) contributed 20.6%, 22.9%, 14.5%, and 42.0% to kernel number per ear in the SS stage, respectively. Therefore, we concluded that the early sowing dates could gain high yield and yield stability due to the higher SR in the growing season. Meanwhile, due to the decreasing trend in SR and increasing Tmax trend in this region, in the future, new maize varieties with high-temperature resistance, high light efficiency, shade tolerance, and medium-season traits need to be bred to adapt to climate change and increased grain yield.

Dependence of the uniformity of feed mixing in the feed mixing device of the granulation line on the number of paddle shaft revolutions and mixing time

Today, 87 percent of the number of cattle, as well as 90 percent of the number of sheep and goats in Uzbekistan are cared for by farmers. 85-90 percent of the number of livestock in our Republic belongs to peasant farms, and the preparation of feed for the livestock kept in these peasant farms should be implemented using best practices and modern technologies in developed countries, increasing the competitiveness and economic efficiency of the livestock sector is important. Based on the aforementioned information, a small-sized granulation line and a feed mixing device were created that are comparable to large-sized devices in terms of work quality and meet small livestock and poultry farms in terms of size, productivity, and energy consumption. The homogeneity of the feed mixing ratio in relation to the device’s paddle shaft rotation count and mixing duration was investigated through experimentation. The results of the trials showed that when the feed mixer paddle rotor was turning at a speed of 50 revolutions per minute and the mixing period was set for five minutes, the optimal mixing quality of ground wheat grain, ground maize grain, ground rice, and wheat bran for the manufacturing of granular feed was reached.

Displacement of toxigenic Fusarium species by atoxigenic Aspergillus flavus (Aflasafe KE01) application in maize fields in lower Eastern Kenya

Maize is grown in areas with environmental conditions that are ideal for growth of most cereal pathogens such as Fusarium fungi. However, there is lack of effective fungicides to control fumonisin producing Fusarium. This study was conducted to determine the efficacy of atoxigenic Aspergillus flavus (Aflasafe KE01) on the population of Fusarium species in maize fields. The study was carried out in four sub counties in lower Eastern Kenya (Kaiti, Kathiani, Nzambani and Wote). Twenty-four maize fields were selected in each sub county where 12 fields were treated with Aflasafe KE01, while 12 fields comprised the untreated controls. Aflasafe KE01 was applied by hand broadcasting in the maize fields two to three weeks before tasselling of maize. Maize grain samples were collected from each field at harvest and ground using a Bunn coffee mill grinder. Fusarium species were isolated from the ground maize using pour plate method following serial dilution on low strength potato dextrose agar (PDA)and Spezieller Nahrstoffarmer. The results showed that application of Aflasafe KE01 effectively displaced toxigenic Fusarium species in maize fields. Maize samples from Aflasafe KE01 treated maize fields recorded significantly lower incidence (41%) of the Fusarium species compared to untreated maize fields (60%) (p≤0.01). These results indicate that Aflasafe KE01 is a potential biopesticide for the biocontrol of Fusarium species in maize. Key words: Aflasafe KE01, atoxigenic Aspergillus sp, Fusarium species, maize.

Changes in chemical composition and fermentation profile in silages from rehydrated grains of maize hybrids during prolonged air exposure

Most studies investigated the effects of air exposure during the ensiling of whole maize silage and high-moisture maize grains on the chemical composition and fermentation profile, but not of rehydrated grain. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of the hybrid and the duration of air exposure on the pH and the content of moisture, main nutrients, fermentation products and nitrogen fractions in silages from three commercial maize hybrids. The grains were rehydrated to 32 % of moisture and ensiled for 63 days with the addition of an inoculant (BIO-SIL®, Dr Pieper Technologie und Produktentwicklung GmbH). After opening, the silages were stored at room temperature for 10 days and samples were taken after 0, 1, 3, 5 and 10 days of air exposure. With increasing duration of air exposure, the content of moisture, lactic and acetic acid and ethanol decreased, while the pH value and the content of water-soluble carbohydrates and ammonia increased. The hybrid affected all the determined properties of the silages except the pH and the ethanol content. There were distinct differences in the contents of moisture, total sugars, water-soluble carbohydrates, lactic, acetic, propionic and isobutyric acids, methanol and ammonia, suggesting that some hybrids may be more susceptible to aerobic spoilage. The majority of the properties remained similar until the fifth day of air exposure, suggesting that the silages of all three hybrids were stable during this period. The only property that increased immediately after air exposure was the content of nitrogen fractions suggesting that proteolysis was occurring, even though pH and lactic acid content remained unchanged. Overall, the results of the study indicate that the behaviour of rehydrated maize silage after exposure to air should be taken into account when selecting maize hybrids.

Biotechnological for improving maize grain storage tolerance: progress and prospects

Abstract Multi-omics technology integrates gene, protein, and metabolic information to construct comprehensive gene regulatory networks. This approach aligns with the complex nature of maize storage, characterized by its multi-component, multi-target, and multi-pathway processes. This technology offers a holistic view for exploring nutritional changes during maize storage, addressing the challenges of high costs and inefficiency in grain storage. Despite the potential of multi-omics, current research primarily focuses on the fundamental physical and chemical changes during storage, with limited application of omics technologies to understand the underlying quality change mechanisms. This paper reviews advancements in genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, and metabolomics, and their application to maize storage. It highlights the challenges in maize storage research and underscores the potential of multi-omics to revolutionize this field. By leveraging existing research, we propose a feasible technical route for applying multi-omics to maize storage, aiming to innovate and stimulate omics research in grain storage and establish effective, green, and safe storage strategies.

Improvement of rodent pest control strategy: I - selection of an adequate preservative for bait base longevity under unfavourable environmental conditions

Preservation of the appearance, structure and most importantly the attractiveness of baits targeting harmful rodents over extended periods of their exposure is one of the main tasks in the process of bait formulation. The impact of several preservatives, different methods of homogenization of main bait components, and base-paraffin ratios on the extension of longevity of bait base was examined under controlled laboratory conditions. Baits based on ground maize grain were exposed to unfavourable environmental conditions, such as high temperature (30?C-35?C) and air humidity (90%-95%). The exposure period was 9 days, and potential mold development was monitored over the same period of time. Sodium benzoate was found deficient in providing a satisfactory effect on bait longevity (&lt;5 days), in contrast to potassium sorbate (&gt;7 days) and sorbic acid, which provided the longest extension in bait sustainability (&gt;9 days). Preservative application can significantly extend bait longevity under unfavourable environmental conditions. Extended bait functionality is important for rodent pest control procedures in habitats where unfavourable environmental conditions prevail, such as sewers and water supply grids (collectors and pumping stations), public areas, housing facilities (boiler rooms, moist sellers, etc.).