Effect of production factors on maize yield and yield stability

Different long-term experiments were carried on chernozem (Debrecen) and loamy (Hajdúböszörmény) soils. They included the most important agrotechnical, biological (hybrid) and agroecological (crop year, soil) factors in maize production. This paper evaluated the results of polyfactorial long-term experiments. For the maize the most favourable crop rotation was winter wheat (in a tri-culture) with an N 60–120, P2O5 60–70, K2O and 90–110 kg ha−1, and a density of 75–90,000 plants ha−1. The different input levels of maize crop management systems can modify an adaptive capacity to ecological conditions and the resilience of agro-ecosystems. The optimalization of agrotechnical elements reduces the harmful climatic effects. The yields of maize varied between 2–11 t ha−1 in extensive and 10–15 t ha−1 in intensive crop management systems, respectively