A Study on the Impacts of Corn cultivation (Zea mays (L.) Family – Poaceae) on the properties of Soil

Abstract- Maize or Corn (Zea mays L.) is the most important cereal in the world after wheat and rice. It possesses high nutritive value and is important as a coarse grain. In Sri Lanka, this crop has cultivated, around 30,000ha and local consumption is around 200,000mt annually. Further, Maize is an easily grown crop and the cultivation has been popular among farmers as a cost effective crop with limited fertilizers. This Crop earns a reasonable foreign exchange as it is used as infant foods. Maize has a higher leafy mass and higher vegetative growth within shorter period of time than the other monoculture crops. Therefore, like for many other cereal crops, it is worthwhile in studying the environmental impacts due to this plant. Many researchers have shown that soil is the most affected environment due to monoculture plants. But no proper studies on soil quality changes due to this maize crop have been conducte