Global Maize Project in Argentina: Oro Verde, Entre Ríos
IPNI-2010-ARG-GM25
16 Mar 2010
2009 Annual Interpretive Summary
A long-term field experiment was established at Oro Verde (Entre Ríos) in the 2009/10 growing season. The crop rotation was maize-wheat/doublecropped soybean, with both crop phases occurring each year. Soil samples were collected during site establishment to characterize initial conditions, especially soil carbon content in the whole soil profile. Treatments included current farmer practice (FP) and ecological intensification practice (EI). Treatments differed in either cultivar, planting date, pest and weed control, or nutrient management practices.
Wheat crops in the 2009/10 season developed under excellent climatic conditions at Oro Verde. Wheat yields were 4,613 kg/ha for FP and 4,456 kg/ha for EI and were not significantly different. Maize was planted in October and November for the FP and EI treatments, respectively. Doublecropped soybean was planted immediately after the wheat harvest in January. Emissions of nitrous oxide (N2O) and CO2, as well as nitrate (NO3-) leaching will be measured in the 2010/11 growing season. Ancillary field experiments were established to examine various factors of ecological intensification including: the interaction of N with maize plant population, N use efficiency for maize hybrids released in recent years, and an evaluation of cover crops as a source of carbon and N for a subsequent maize crop. IPNI-25