Global Maize Project in Argentina: Balcarce, Buenos Aires

IPNI-2010-ARG-GM24

16 Mar 2010

2009 Annual Interpretive Summary


A long-term field experiment was established at Balcarce (Buenos Aires) 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 include 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 a lack of precipitation, which adversely affected crop development and tillering. Wheat yields at Balcarce were 4,129 kg/ha for FP and 4,497 kg/ha for EI, with significant differences between treatments. Maize was planted in October and November for the FP and EI treatments, respectively. Double cropped 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-24