Global Maize Project in Mexico: Celaya, Guanajuato

This experiment is part of the Global Maize Project that aims at identifying sustainably intensive technological options for maize.

IPNI-2009-MEX-GM28

08 Apr 2011

2010 Annual Interpretive Summary


The central region of México known as “Bajío” has been historically very important due to its environmental conditions that favor high agricultural productivity. The dominant Vertisols present management challenges related to their limited internal drainage that reflects in the efficiency of utilization of N and appropriate soil aeration conditions for the crop. Planting two rows on top of 0.8 m beds has been growing as a standard practice among maize farmers in the area.

The study was started in 2009 in Celaya, Guanajuato State, at 1,830 meters above sea level. The treatment design includes a combination of two plant populations (farmer practice and a population 10% higher than farmer practice) and three N fertilization regimes (no N, 300 kg N/ha applied 2 out of 3 years, and 300 kg N/ha applied every year).

In 2010, the six treatments were: 1) 119,000 seeds/ha + no N; 2) 119,000 seeds/ha + 300 kg N/ha (No N in 2009); 3) 119,000 seeds/ha + 300 kg N/ha (300 kg N/ha applied in 2009); 4) 109,000 seeds/ha + no N; 5) 109,000 seeds/ha + 300 kg N/ha (No N in 2009); 6) 109,000 seeds/ha + 300 kg N/ha (300 kg N/ha applied in 2009).

The effects of the plant population factor could not be measured properly due to high stand variability. Grain yield without N averaged 4.1 t/ha, which was 24% of the top yield (17.1 t/ha) that was produced with the farmer plant population and 300 kg N/ha both in 2009 and 2010. Yields under treatments #2, #3, and #5 did not differ statistically (P=0.05) among themselves, averaging 14.1 t/ha, but were statistically lower than yield from treatment #6. IPNI-28