Breeding progress of grain and forage maize in long-term variety trials compared to on-farm yield development.

ABSTRACT:

Key message

Yield gaps between variety trials and on-farm yields show diverging trends for grain versus forage maize in Germany in 1987-2023. The yield gap between variety trials and on-farm reduced for grain yield from 30% (1987) to 23% (2023), while for forage maize dry matter yield increased from 15% (1987) to 32% (2023). In variety trials during the same period starch yield in forage maize showed a moderate increase of 14%, while digestibility and starch content did not change over time. N use efficiency in variety trials was improved by 35%, 27% and 18% for grain, dry matter and starch yield, respectively, while N yield in dry matter did not change over time. Maize cultivation increased significantly in Germany over the past 25 years. With a share of over 20% of arable land, m

SUBMITTER: Laidig F 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12612010 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature