Stress environments and agronomic programs for corn production in the Philippines.
1990
Samonte H.P. | Ocampo A.M.
Corn has recently become the most widely cultivated crop in the Philippines. Total area planted to maize has increased from 3.38 m ha in 1982, to 3.69 m ha in 1989. Although production increased for the same period, it was not sufficient to meet the demands for food, feeds, seeds, manufacturing and other uses. The occurrence of stress environments, e.g., typhoons and/or floods, drought, pests, diseases, rats and other rodents, acidity and low soil fertility has greatly contributed to lower productivity. These major stress conditions affected 125 370 ha in 1986 causing a production loss of 75 600 t. In 1989, the affected area covered 8 965 ha resulting in a loss of 10 243 t. The short term government action program has initially been anchored on the use of certified seeds of high yielding open pollinated varieties (OPVs) and hybrids and use of fertilizer. The research and development component focuses on the following inter alia: a) development of OPVs and hybrids with higher yields and greater resistance to pests, diseases, adverse soil and other environmental conditions; b) integrated pest management c) efficient use of soil and water resources; d) improvement of corn based cropping system. There is still a great need to develop more effective technologies to overcome or effectively control/minimize the environmental constraints to corn production and at the same time sustain the efficient utilization and conservation of resources needed for the production of this important crop.
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