Maize is the most important cereal crop in Venezuela, both as the principal source of dietary energy for the population and for its contribution to the national economy. Approximately 450,000 ha are harvested annually, of which 75% are in the Western and Central Plains and the Yaracuy River Valley. These three regions have notably different edaphoclimatic conditions: the landscape in the Central Plains is eroded hills, in the Yaracuy River Valley foothills, and alluvial plains in the Western Plains. These are subject to erosion and have marked variations in the quantity and distribution of rainfall from one year to the next. The principal objective of genetic improvement work has been yield and certain biometic traits, rarely taking into account selection of materials with tolerance to factors that limit production: water stress, low soil fertility, oxygen deficit, acidic soils, etc. With a sustainable agriculture focus in maize production, work is under way on conservation tillage - but genetic materials are for low-input agriculture, although some have been developed that possess tolerance to oxygen deficit and to the fall armyworm. Several criteria are suggested which highlight the importance of formulating a program of research and genetic improvement to produce materials with drought tolerance in a maize-rotation crop production system in the regions noted.

Spanish

9801|AGRIS 9702

Jose Juan Caballero

CIMMYT Publications Collection