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Long-Term Effects of Fertilizers with Regional Climate Variability on Yield Trends of Sweet Corn

Author

Listed:
  • Ping-Fu Hou

    (Kaohsiung District Agricultural Research and Extension Station, Pingtung 90846, Taiwan
    Department of Life Sciences, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 70101, Taiwan)

  • Yao-Tsung Chang

    (Kaohsiung District Agricultural Research and Extension Station, Pingtung 90846, Taiwan)

  • Jung-Mao Lai

    (Kaohsiung District Agricultural Research and Extension Station, Pingtung 90846, Taiwan)

  • Kuo-Lung Chou

    (Kaohsiung District Agricultural Research and Extension Station, Pingtung 90846, Taiwan)

  • Shun-Fa Tai

    (Kaohsiung District Agricultural Research and Extension Station, Pingtung 90846, Taiwan)

  • Kuan-Chieh Tseng

    (Department of Life Sciences, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 70101, Taiwan)

  • Chi-Nga Chow

    (College of Biosciences and Biotechnology, NCKU-AS Graduate Program in Translational Agricultural Sciences, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 70101, Taiwan)

  • Shuen-Lin Jeng

    (Department of Statistics and Center for Innovative FinTech Business Models, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 70101, Taiwan)

  • Hao-Jen Huang

    (Department of Life Sciences, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 70101, Taiwan
    Institute of Tropical Plant Sciences and Microbiology, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 70101, Taiwan)

  • Wen-Chi Chang

    (Department of Life Sciences, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 70101, Taiwan
    College of Biosciences and Biotechnology, NCKU-AS Graduate Program in Translational Agricultural Sciences, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 70101, Taiwan
    Institute of Tropical Plant Sciences and Microbiology, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 70101, Taiwan)

Abstract

Climate change affects global crop production year after year. Exploring the impact of different fertilization methods on crop yield stability has become an extremely important topic in sustainable agriculture. The objective of this study is to explore the effects of various fertilization regimes with climate variability on yield stability for sweet corn production in southern Taiwan. Three fertilization treatments composed of chemical fertilizer only (CF), integrated fertilizer (half organic/half chemical fertilizer) (IF), and organic fertilizer only (OF) were implemented from 2009 to 2018 based on the well-maintained soils since 1988. While the same amounts of these fertilizers were applied during the period, we found that different fertilization changed the marketable yields of fresh fruit (ear), which slightly increased for organic fertilizer, but substantially decreased for both chemical ( p = 0.0001) and integrated ( p = 0.0061) fertilizer. Thus, based on these 10 years of observation, yields among fertilization treatments were analyzed with weather and soil parameters to determine the possible factors involved. Both multiple linear regression equation ( p < 0.0001, adj. R 2 > 0.57) and regression tree analysis illustrated significantly negative correlations between average ear weight and relative humidity under the chemical fertilizer treatment. In this study, we show for the first time that chemical fertilizer had the lowest yield resilience in response to regional relative humidity change compared to organic and integrated fertilizers. Our results also indicate that specific soil microbes have the potential to help sweet corn face environmental vulnerability in subtropical regions.

Suggested Citation

  • Ping-Fu Hou & Yao-Tsung Chang & Jung-Mao Lai & Kuo-Lung Chou & Shun-Fa Tai & Kuan-Chieh Tseng & Chi-Nga Chow & Shuen-Lin Jeng & Hao-Jen Huang & Wen-Chi Chang, 2020. "Long-Term Effects of Fertilizers with Regional Climate Variability on Yield Trends of Sweet Corn," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(9), pages 1-17, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:12:y:2020:i:9:p:3528-:d:350548
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Sarker, Md. Abdur Rashid & Alam, Khorshed & Gow, Jeff, 2012. "Exploring the relationship between climate change and rice yield in Bangladesh: An analysis of time series data," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 112(C), pages 11-16.
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    Cited by:

    1. Dilys S. MacCarthy & Myriam Adam & Bright S. Freduah & Benedicta Yayra Fosu-Mensah & Peter A. Y. Ampim & Mouhamed Ly & Pierre S. Traore & Samuel G. K. Adiku, 2021. "Climate Change Impact and Variability on Cereal Productivity among Smallholder Farmers under Future Production Systems in West Africa," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(9), pages 1-22, May.
    2. Dardonville, Manon & Bockstaller, Christian & Villerd, Jean & Therond, Olivier, 2022. "Resilience of agricultural systems: biodiversity-based systems are stable, while intensified ones are resistant and high-yielding," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 197(C).

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