Corn has the highest area under cultivation in Iran and more than 70% of livestock and poultry diets are based on corn grain and silage. However, in corn cultivation, water limitations and extreme temperatures are among the most challenging factors that impair the development and functioning of corn yield in most regions of the country. What are the best management strategies (affordable- farmer-friendly - eco-friendly) to mitigate drought stress impacts on corn yield? Using early maturity cultivars? plant growth promoting bacteria and microorganisms? special technologies?
Hi Maryam Rahimi Jahangirlou .
“Despite the relatively high water use efficiency (3,3 g Dry Matter/ 1 kg water), the water demand of maize is considerably on the basis of the high output” (attached paper).
Soil and crop water management could reduce water stress on maize growth; however, for some areas and for some years, a high corn yield can only be achieved through full irrigation, especially in the flowering phase.
Water stress can reduce yield and also increase mycotoxin contamination; therefore, livestock can suffer even more from poor feed quality than from quantity of feed.
Under such conditions, other crops and feed sources should be explored.
I think other crops such as sorghum should be tried, especially drought resistant and quick-maturing varieties.
Dear Mahgoub, I am grateful for your useful suggestion. Sure, we are going to recommend replacing sorghum with corn in some areas in the country, however, sorghum is not well received by farmers and livestock industries, unfortunately.
Please let me know what strategies you adopt to make farmers more interested in growing sorghum instead of corn?
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