Global Maize Project in Brazil: Ponta Grossa, Paraná

Cropping system intensification will be necessary to meet the future demands for corn. The proposed system of Ecological Intensification (EI) seeks cereal production systems that satisfy these future demands while developing cultivation practices with minimum interference to the surrounding environment. A Global Maize Project site was established to identify gaps in yield between current technology and improved technology aimed at achieving EI. The experiment was first established at Ponta Grossa, Paraná, in May 2011, by seeding winter crops to respective treatment plots. The soil in the area is an Oxisol that has been in a no-till system for six years. The experiment had a split-plot design with the main plots involving three types of management systems, and the sub plots being three application rates of N input plus a control. Different management systems used were: farmer practice (FP) involving a 2-year complete crop rotation cycle of black oats, corn, wheat, and soybean; FP + silage production; and EI of black oats + forage peas, corn, black oats, and soybean. The EI treatment is planned to occur twice, alternating the crop rotation initiation point to permit the production of corn every summer. The levels of N application for the corn were 70, 140 and 210 kg N/ha, plus a control with no N added.

Results for 2014 showed quadratic response of maize yield to N rates applied, when maize was cultivated after white or black oat. Grain yields of maize cultivated after forage peas showed no response to N rates applied and were significantly higher. At higher N rates, total grain yield averaged 12.3 t/ha.