Generation of technologies in the cultivation of corn in Ibero-America

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• Gabriela Alban, José Velásquez, Francisco Carvajal, Mario Caviedes

  Study of the productive efficiency of (Zea mays L.) amylaceous and hard corn in Ecuador

  In Ecuador, corn production is mainly concentrated in the tropical and Andean regions, with variations in grain texture, color, production levels, and productivity. The objective of this study was to estimate the efficiency of corn production and productivity, as well as seed production in the two most important geographic regions of Ecuador. To make these estimates, a simple regression analysis (p ≤ 0.05) was used, considering the crop cycle as independent variables and production, grain productivity, and seed production as dependent variables. It is estimated that the planted area for 2023 was 362,196 hectares, with hard yellow and amylaceous corn. In the coastal region, the main producing provinces are Los Ríos and Manabí, which contribute 73 % of the total production of hard yellow corn; and in the Andean region, production is mainly located in the provinces of Bolívar, Chimborazo, and Cotopaxi, which account for 82 % of the national production of amylaceous corn. The productivity of the two types of corn varies. Hard yellow corn had an average of 4.17 ha-1 from 2018 to 2023, while amylaceous corn had an average of 1.31 ha-1 from 2018 to 2022. Over the next five years, an annual increase of 8.8 % in amylaceous corn productivity is estimated, while over the next six years, the productivity of hard yellow corn is projected to increase by 3.0 % annually. Seed is one of the most important components of agricultural production, and its production costs are an indicator of the rural environment. The supply is limited in the Andean region: projections indicate an annual increase of 5.8 % over the next five years. In the coastal region, the supply and demand for seed is covered by private companies, and there is no deficit for this important component of production. One of the types of corn that will have higher demand is black corn, due to its high nutritional value. The profitability estimates for the production of quality seed of this type of corn, with a benefit/cost ratio between 1.58 and 1.70, indicate that the production of black amylaceous corn seed is profitable.

  DOI: https://doi.org/10.18272/aci.v16i2.3401

• Astrid Racancoj Coyoy, Glenda Edelmira Perez, Johny Fernando Patal Gomez

  Prospection of corn tar spot complex at central highlands of Guatemala

  Tar spot complex (TSC)  is a corn disease associated with the presence of three fungi: the first two pathogens being Phyllachora maydis and Monographella maydis, and the hyperparasite of the stromas of P. maydis known as Coniothyrium phyllachorae. This disease affects the yield of the crop, which can sometimes lead to total loss. It has predominated in tropical areas, characterized by high temperatures and high relative humidity. However, since 2015, there have been reports in the United States, Mexico and Ecuador of the presence of P. maydis in temperate to cold corn production areas. In this context, to determine the presence of pathogens associated with TSC in temperate climate areas, 48 corn fields in the department of Chimaltenango were evaluated during the second half of 2022.  In each field, the incidence and degree of infection were evaluated. In 13 locations of Chimaltenango, the presence of P. maydis stromas (shiny black spots scattered on the leaf) was detected, as well as the formation of “fish eyes”. The incidence ranged between 10 and 100 %, with a degree of infection between moderate and strong, according to the scale used. It was  confirmed that at least one of the pathogens associated with the TSC , P. maydis, is present  in the corn production areas of the central highlands of Guatemala.

  DOI: https://doi.org/10.18272/aci.v16i2.3340

• Liliana Atencio Solano, Jos´é Tapia Coronado, W Barragán Hernández, Emiro Suárez Paternina, Abelsardo Tulio Diaz Cabadiaz , Iván Javier Pastrana Vargas

  Evaluation of some physical and physiological quality attributes of sweet corn (Zea mays sacharata) seeds under different storage conditions and harvesting season

  In Colombia, sweet corn (Zea mays saccharate) is of great importance for producers and consumers of fresh grain. Agrosavia has developed a new variety of sweet corn for small producers in the Caribbean region who can produce their own seed. The study aimed to evaluate the physiological quality of sweet corn seed under different storage, packaging and harvesting conditions. Two experiments, cold storage and environmental conditions, were established at the Analytical Chemistry Laboratory of AGROSAVIA, where the effect of packaging and harvest time on germination, viability, temperature and humidity of sweet corn seeds was evaluated. The seed germination and viability under cold storage conditions (10 °C and 60 RH) were higher (P<0.05) when stored in plastic packaging (81.9 %) compared to paper (76.3 %). For environmental temperature conditions (28 °C and 85 RH), the highest germination percentage (P<0.05) was presented in the plastic packaging from 60 to 120 days of storage in seed harvested at 90 days. According to this study, sweet corn seed can be harvested at physiological maturity (90 days) and packaged in plastic containers preserving the quality for up to 120 days. Paper bag treatment germination can be drastically reduced after 60 days of storage. 

  DOI: https://doi.org/10.18272/aci.v16i2.3295

• Luciana Ayelen Galizia, Fátima Nair Palifermo, María Elena Otegui

  Maize drought tolerance improvement in a public breeding program

  World maize production is mainly carried out in rainfed systems in which the main limitation to grain yield is usually water availability. In maize, the anthesis-silking interval (ASI, in days) is proved to be a useful secondary trait as it is highly correlated with improved grain yield in drought-prone environments, has high heritability and can be fast and accurately measured in the field. The objective of this work was to characterize and select a set of inbred lines for their tolerance to water stress. To achieve this, 240 inbred lines of the INTA Pergamino Temperate Maize Breeding Program were field grown during the 2019-20 season at high planting density (16 pl.m^-2) in a randomized complete block design with 2 replicates. A subset of 50 inbreds was sown in the same site during the dry 2020-21 growing season. Inbreds were characterized for ASI and defensive traits, such as root and stalk lodging. High stand density promoted the expression of significant genotypic differences in ASI (p < 0.05, mean: 2.3 d, range: -3 to +9 d), root (p < 0.05, mean: 26.5%, range: 0 to 100%) and stalk lodging (p < 0.05, mean: 5.3%, range: 0 to 80%). Heritabilities values were 63, 51 and 64 for ASI, root and stalk lodging, respectively. In 2020-21, the 50 inbreds with the lowest ASI values (mean = 0.52), and with less than 20% and 5% root and stalk lodging, respectively were evaluated again, finding significant differences between inbreds (for ASI: p<0.05, mean: 1.8, range: -3 to +6 days). Based on the data obtained in both years, a set of inbreds representative of the different heterotic groups of the breeding program was selected to make biparental crosses and develop new inbreds with shorter ASI, and therefore, with better performance under stressful conditions. For this, the inbreeding from the S0 generation and the evaluation of inbreds in hybrid combination will be carried out at high planting density (16 pl.m^-2). This selection method will allow the development of stress-tolerant germplasm.

  DOI: https://doi.org/10.18272/aci.v16i2.3305

• Carlos Alberto Sangoquiza Caiza, José L. Zambrano-Mendoza, Cristian R. Subía-García, Victoria López-Guerrero, Marcelo Racines-Jaramillo, Ana Pincay-Verdezoto, Chang Hwan Park

  Effect of the plastic mulch planting system on the agronomic behavior and profitability of four varieties of corn in the Sierra del Ecuador

  In the Andean region of Ecuador, the predominant agricultural sector is largely managed by  small-scale  farmers  who  lack  access  to  modern  technologies.  Consequently,  their  crop yields remain low, rendering their production systems vulnerable to various factors such  as  drought,  cold  weather,  and  labor  shortages  caused  by  significant  migration.  Introducing  plastic  mulching  in  agriculture  offers  a  promising  solution  to  enhance  yields by optimizing water and nutrient utilization, accelerating harvests, and improving product  quality.  Moreover,  it  reduces  the  labor  burden,  which  is  increasingly  scarce  and costly in rural areas. This study aimed to assess the impact of plastic mulch on the agronomic  performance  and  profitability  of  four  different  open  pollinated  varieties  of  maize:  INIAP-101  (floury  white),  INIAP-122  (floury  yellow),  INIAP-193  (floury  black),  and  INIAP-199  (chulpi-sweet).  Four  independent  experiments  were  conducted  using  a  randomized block design with three replications at two locations within the region. Two treatments were compared: (T1) plastic mulching and (T2) conventional management (without  mulching).  The  results  revealed  significant  improvements  in  plant  height,  increasing from 1.55 to 2.01 m, and a remarkable 85 % boost in average maize yield under the  mulching  system,  rising  from  2.91  t  ha-1  to  4.95  t  ha-1  compared  to  conventional  management (T2). However, the benefit-to-cost ratio (B/C) was higher for the mulched system (2.55) compared to the conventional system (2.14). The unit production cost was also lower in the mulched system, averaging at 0.67 USD per kilogram, in contrast to the conventional  system’s  average  of  0.77  USD  per  kilogram.  These  findings  suggest  that  adopting plastic mulch for planting and cultivation could offer a sustainable means to intensify maize production in the Andean region while enhancing producers’ incomes.

  DOI: https://doi.org/10.18272/aci.v16i2.3290

• Luis A. Narro León, Alexander Chávez Cabrera, Peter C. Piña Díaz, Fernando Escobal Valencia, Alicia E. Medina Hoyos, Teodoro P. Narro León, Roberto Alvarado Rodríguez, Kryss A. Vargas Gutiérrez, Fabian C. Velásquez Leveaú, Mercedes Escalante Vega, Gilberto A. García Pando, Pedro Carrillo Zavala, Raihil Rengifo Sánchez , Elizabeth Ricse Belen , Demetrio Flores Mendoza, Willian M. Huamanchay Rodriguez, Ronal Otiniano Villanueva

  Maize with high anthocyanin, biofortified with zinc, provitamin A, and quality protein in Peru

  “Hidden hunger” is a serious problem affecting over 2000 million people in developing countries. In Peru, it has increased from 17.7 to 19.6, between 2021 and 2022. This problem is caused by deficiencies in micronutrients and vitamins in humans. Crop biofortification for zinc (Zn), iron (Fe), and provitamin A (ProA) has emerged as an initiative to help solve this problem using conventional breeding (no transgenics). Research in Peru shows the feasibility of promoting biofortified maize with high Zn, high ProA and also high grain yield potential. For purple maize, which contains anthocyanins, a chemical with beneficial effects for humans, studies on varietal adaptation and anthocyanins content are being conducted in Peru. Preliminary results show clear differences among varieties for grain yield potential and high anthocyanin content in the cob, husk, and grain. Purple maize production has increased fourfold in the last twenty years due to increased local consumption and exports. However, its contribution to Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is minimal, less than 1 %. Consequently, this presents a big challenge and an opportunity for research and technology development to increase maize production and link purple maize producers with global consumers. For quality protein maize, available hybrids with high grain yield potential and wide adaptation must be promoted in Peru.

  DOI: https://doi.org/10.18272/aci.v16i2.3277

• Lauro José Moreira Guimarães, Frederico Ozanan Machado Durães, Maria Marta Pastina, Roberto Willians Noda, Sidney Netto Parentoni, Paulo Evaristo Oliveira Guimarães, Roberto dos Santos Trindade; José Luis Zambrano

  Technological milestones that changed Brazil's role in corn production: 30 years of growth to become an important player on the world stage, a review

  Corn has experienced a true revolution in Brazil in the last 30 years (agricultural harvests from 1991/92 to 2021/2022). Currently, the country has established itself as the third producer and second exporter worldwide of this cereal, with a production of more than 100 million tons of this grain per agricultural year. In this period, soybean cultivation stands out as the great driver of technological advances, leading corn and other crops to more prominent positions and transforming grain production systems; previously monoculture or rotation, to more intensified systems, with two (or more) agricultural crops per year in the same area. The Brazilian Cerrado region, previously considered unsuitable for agriculture, is today the great barn of grain production in Brazil. In these three decades of escalation in corn production, some legal and technological milestones stand out, such as the Law for the Protection of Cultivars and its regulations (since 1997), the direct sowing system, the cultivation of corn in the second harvest (after soybean), and the use of biotechnologies. These factors were decisive for the growth of maize production to exceed by more than 3.6 times the volume of the 1991/92 agricultural season, while the area devoted to maize cultivation increased only 1.5 times. Increases in productivity are linked to technologies and knowledge applied to the management of production systems, soybean-corn, and not only in an isolated crop; allowing greater advances in the gross production of both grains (recent yields in the corn harvest are about 2.5 times higher than 30 years ago). This article shows data and facts that allowed Brazil to get out of a position of vulnerability, in terms of corn supply, to become an important player in the production and marketing of this cereal worldwide.

  DOI: https://doi.org/10.18272/aci.v14i1.2605

• Mario Caviedes-Cepeda, Francisco Carvajal-Larenas, Jose Luis Zambrano-Mendoza

  Generation of technologies for the cultivation of corn (Zea mays. L) in Ecuador

  The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) reports a corn harvested area in Ecuador of 365,334 ha, with a yield of 4.58 tons per hectare (t ha-1), and a production of 1,479,700 tons (t). These data demonstrate the importance of corn cultivation in the country, whose production is mainly oriented towards human consumption and animal feed. In Ecuador, research related to plant breeding, plant nutrition, plant pathology, and entomology plays an important role; while the use of biotechnology and its applications to increase crop productivity is incipient. Advances in plant breeding have been one of the most important factors to improve crop productivity in the two most important corn-producing regions of the country (Costa and Sierra). The objective of this article is to describe the contribution of science and technology generated in the country for a profitable and sustainable corn production.

  DOI: https://doi.org/10.18272/aci.v14i1.2588

• Orsy Franklin Chávez Martinez

  Maize cultivation in Guatemala: main limitations

  Corn (Zea mays L.) is the most important crop in Guatemala because it has an important role in the diet of the population. The production does not cover the national demand, especially yellow corn, seeing the need to import this cereal. Currently, the productivity of the crop is quite low, due to a series of limitations faced by small producers. The national average yield is 2,154 kg ha^-1, which is lower than other corn producers in the region. Corn is usually planted under the rainy regime, however, the negative effect of the weather affects national production. Pests and diseases are another problem faced by producers, who often have limited access to the most important production inputs such as fertilizers, seeds, and pesticides. The use of improved seeds is the key to increase productivity. The Institute of Agricultural Science and Technology (ICTA) has generated varieties and hybrids of corn adapted to the productive systems of the country. Unfortunately, these technologies have not been disseminated to most farmers due to the lack of a promotion and adoption strategy, despite significant efforts being made in the country. ICTA has made new hybrids available to the public, such as ICTA HB-17^TMA (white grain) and ICTA Grano de Oro (yellow grain). These cultivars have resistance to the Tar Spot Complex. Besides, the Institute has released ICTA HB-18^{ACP + Zn}, the first biofortified hybrid in the world, which has high quality protein and high zinc content.

  DOI: https://doi.org/10.18272/aci.v14i1.2596

• Jose Jaime Tapia Coronado, Liliana Margarita Atencio Solano, Julio Ramirez Duran, Karen Viviana Osorio Guerrero, Javier Castillo Sierra, Sergio Mejía Kerguelén

  Current situation and technological advances to improve the productivity of maize (Zea mays L.) in Colombia

  The high volumes of corn imports that are reported annually for Colombia place it in seventh place worldwide in this business year, causing high dependence on international markets that can be easily altered by global events such as the one that occurred due to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. The importance of corn as a raw material and as a vital food for the Colombian family basket justifies great regulatory, political, institutional and technical efforts in search of increasing in a competitive and sustainable way the more than 393,000 hectares reported in 2019 and the yields in the traditional and technified production systems that range between 2.3 t.ha-1 and 5.4 t.ha-1 respectively. Currently, in Colombia multiple institutions of a trade union, national and even international offer technologies that allow for production models for the various existing socioeconomic contexts, however, finding new technological developments in terms of: efficient use of natural resources to exploit competitive advantages and new offers of planting materials for both varieties and hybrids, have become one of the main lines of work to meet the transversal technological demands in the country. Likewise, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, as head of the agricultural sector, leads the formulation and execution of programs and/or projects that leverage the integration of the corn chain and its growth or resurgence to reduce imports and achieve autonomy of this species for Colombia.

  DOI: https://doi.org/10.18272/aci.v14i1.2585

• Alexander Chávez, Luis A. Narro León, Teófilo W. Jara Calvo, Teodoro P. Narro León, Alicia E. Medina Hoyos, Isaac Cieza Ruiz, Percy Díaz Chuquisuta, Roberto Alvarado Rodríguez, Fernando Escobal Valencia

  Technologies available to increase corn production in Peru

  Maize area planted to maize in Peru is 500,000 ha, approximately 50% of each, hard yellow maize (MAD) and highland maize (MA); MAD is used by the animal feed industry and the MA for human consumption. Average area planted by farmers is less than 1.5 ha in both cases. Maize production has been increased in the last 60 years however the demand has not been satisfied for MAD, which has been covered by importing more than 3 million tons of corn / year, worth one billion dollars. There is a 5% surplus of MA for export.  MAD imports is higher than 70% of the demand, which means a problem for national food security; on the other hand, there are more than 500,000 farming units that are planting maize and therefore need to be included in country development policies to improve their livelihoods. A way to increase income for farmers planting MA is linking to the national and international market in order to increase the demand by producing transformed products based on corn as raw material, the increase in purple corn exports in recent years is a good indicator. For MAD a strategy to increase maize production is needed that may include all public and private members of the maize chain aimed to increase maize production according with national, regional, and local requirements. In both cases, suitable technologies and government policies are essential to increase maize productivity and profitability.  A training strategy must be developed for succeeding the maize Peruvian plan aimed to increase maize production. 

  DOI: https://doi.org/10.18272/aci.v14i1.2507

• Gabriela Albán

  Generation of technologies in the cultivation of corn in Ibero-America

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  DOI: https://doi.org/10.18272/aci.v14i1.2625

• Ricardo Ernesto Preciado-Ortiz, María Gricelda Vázquez-Carrillo

  Generation of specialized maize to improve health and nutrition in Mexico

  Due to the great maize genetic diversity, over the time selection have been practiced to obtain textures, flavors, aromas for specific uses. At present, this selection is still valid by farmers and also by researchers who take advantage of new technological advances to efficiently assist selection, and to identify maize with specific characteristics, so it is possible "to tailored" bio-fortified, specialty and quality maize varieties according to the main forms of uses, consumption, and exploitation, that provide greater value added, and that allow the development of bio-active compounds and functional foods. Likewise, for the selection of maize with greater digestibility that impact and make more efficient livestock production. The interdisciplinary interaction between maize breeding programs with researcher groups specialized in disciplines related to food technology, can generate bio-fortified specialty maize which contain bio-active and nutraceutical compounds. INIFAP's maize program at Bajío region in Mexico, has implemented strategies to generate improved bio-fortified, bio-active and functional maize varieties, which have an impact on the health and nutrition of consumers. With a view to influencing the strategies described above, emphasis has been placed on maize germplasm development, focused on implementing research lines to generate: high oil content maize; white kernel maize with nixtamalera-tortillera quality; yellow kernel maize; high-quality protein maize (QPM); pigmented (such blue maize); popcorn; forage quality; fusarium and Aflatoxin contamination resistance; among others. This paper presents the advances and achievements obtained in these research lines. Based on the presented information, it is possible to say that we are at the forefront of great challenges and opportunities in interdisciplinary maize research in Latin America. That will allow us to develop genetic materials that, in addition to face imminent production risks, we can select specialty bio-fortified maize varieties, with value added, which allow the development of bio-active components, functional foods and also development of new industrial products.

  DOI: https://doi.org/10.18272/aci.v14i1.2489

• Daniel Alberto Presello, Fernando J. Giménez, Facundo J. Ferraguti

  Maize production in Argentina

  Maize (Zea mays L.) is one of the most relevant crops in Argentina. Most of grain production is exported and about one third of the grain is used domestically as forage or destined to the industries of milling and ethanol production. The area cultivated with maize has consistently increased in the past ten years reaching a sowing area of 7,4 million hectares in 2020/2021, with a grain production of 60,5 million tons. Sustainable grain production might be intensified by tackling major yield constrains such as, crop nutrition, planting quality to achieve an efficient canopy, deficiencies in crop protection, cultivar choice, harvest time and harvest technology and, deficiencies in grain transportation and storage, among others. New government politics and better consolidation of the research and development networks are needed to achieve higher sustainable production with lower contamination levels.

  DOI: https://doi.org/10.18272/aci.v14i1.2573

• Jose Luis Gabriel, Diana Martín-Lammerding, Raúl Allende-Montalbán, María del Mar Delgado, José Antonio Rodríguez-Martín

  Analysis of the maize production in Spain

  This study aims to summarize the current situation of maize production in Spain in relation to the world situation. At present, the two main constraints to increasing the area cultivated with maize and increasing its yield in Spain are the availability of water and economic profitability. For this reason, this work summarizes the progress achieved to date, but also the potential improvements that could improve their economic performance without increasing (or even decreasing) their environmental impact. These techniques require inevitably an improvement of the use efficiency of the agronomic inputs (fertilizers, diesel, pesticides"¦), as well as, the improvement of water use. Therefore, farmers who wish to continue growing maize in Spain, in addition to being able to improve their yields and reduce their environmental impact, must, above all, improve their production margins.

  DOI: https://doi.org/10.18272/aci.v14i1.2468