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UPLB scientists identify months for planting corn, maximize yields
by Joeven C. Calasagsag - Friday, 17 December 2010, 09:52 AM
 
balita, December 17, 2010 3:15 am

LOS BANOS, LAGUNA, Dec. 16 -– A study conducted by scientists of the Institute of Statistics (Instat) of the University of the Philippines here has determined the best months and dates for the planting of corn in two provinces of the country known as the largest corn producing areas.

The study, funded by the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Forestry and Natural Resources Research and Development (PCARRD), was aimed at finding how corn growing in the provinces of Isabela and Bukidnon could overcome weather conditions and the best season to plant corn.

Led by Dr. Felino P. Lansigan of Instat, UPLB, the study focused on corn, the country’s second most important cereal next to rice, because it is most sensitive to climatic aberrations with resulting reduction in yields.

He said his team analyzed potential corn production systems strategies that could help corn producers overcome climatic variability and explore the use of advanced seasonal climate information in crop forecasting to determine the best months and dates dates for the planting of corn in the two provinces.

Dr. Lansigan said they used the CERES-Maize model and SIMMETEO to simulate the effects of climate variability on corn grown in the two provinces. Through CERES, corn yield is simulated on the basis of the combined effects of crop phenotype, soil and weather as well as crop management system, with SIMMETEO simulating weather based on monthly observed data, he said.

The models were used to predict possible yields for IPB 911 corn variety under three planting scenarios in the two provinces, such as normal year (average year), dry year (El Nino year) and wet year (La Nina year), he added.

Dr. Lansigan said the scientists found that climate variability affected crop yield in the two provinces differently, with the climate system in Isabela different under the wet and dry scenarios, resulting in varying crop yields.

There were no significant variations in corn yields in Bukidnon since El Niño did not affect the province.
Through the mean variance analysis, the researchers determined optimum planting dates for the normal, wet and dry years.

Dr. Lansigan said that corn is planted in Isabela from June to July for the wet season (WS) cropping and from November to December during the dry season (DS), adding that the best planting date in a normal year during the wet season is July 9, based on risk analysis, with a mean projected yield of 2. 831 tons per hectare.

During La Niña year, the most risk-efficient planting date is May 20, with mean yield of 3.5 tons per hectare, he said.

For dry season cropping under normal and El Niño years, the best planting date is November 12, with a mean projected yield of 2.6 tons per hectare and 1.4 tons per hectare, respectively, Lansigan said.

Under a La Niña year, it is best to plant corn on November 22, which would potentially result in a mean yield of 2.8 tons per hectare, the Instat scientist said.

Lansigan said that in Bukidnon, corn is planted during August to September for the wet season cropping and February to March for the dry season cropping. During the WS cropping, August 28 is the best planting date under a normal year, with a mean yield of 4.3 tons per hectare. It also is best to plant corn on September 17 under an El Niño year, producing a mean yield of 4.1 tons a hectare, he added.

The UPLB official said that during the dry season, it is most risk-efficient to plant on January 23 under a normal year with a mean yield of 4.2 tons a hectare. Under an El Niño year, the best planting date is on March 4, with mean yield of 4.8 tons per hectare. For a wet year, it is best that the corn be planted on March 14, with mean yield of 4.5 tons a hectare.

Dr. Lansigan said that in assessing the risk due to climatic variability in corn production systems in Isabela and Bukidnon, his team coordinated with UPLB-School of Environmental Science and Management (SESAM), using climate simulation and weather prediction systems.

Dr. Lansigan said that “mean variance” analysis assumes that risk is measured by variance, and that the standard should be to minimize the variance given expected return, or to maximize expected return for a given variance.

Planting dates were determined based on dates that give the highest possible yield with the lowest possible variance, he stressed. [(PNA) LOR/FMB]

Source: UPLB scientists identify months for planting corn, maximize yields


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