Bioscience Methods 2025, Vol.16, No.1, 11-22 http://bioscipublisher.com/index.php/bm 19 fertilizers has been shown to improve soil quality and crop yield, but the challenge remains in balancing these practices with sustainable soil management (Zhou et al., 2022). Additionally, water scarcity exacerbated by climate change necessitates efficient water management strategies to maintain maize productivity (El-Syed et al., 2023). 9.2 Technical dissemination and limitations of small-scale farming Small-scale farmers face bottlenecks in adopting new cultivation measures due to limited access to technology and resources. The dissemination of optimized fertilization and planting practices is crucial for improving yield, yet small-scale farmers often lack the infrastructure and knowledge to implement these strategies effectively (Piao et al., 2016; Li et al., 2022). The adoption of advanced techniques, such as zigzag planting and deep nitrogen fertilization, which have been shown to significantly increase maize yield, is hindered by the lack of technical support and financial resources (Zheng et al., 2023). Moreover, the complexity of integrating new technologies into existing farming systems poses additional challenges for small-scale farmers (Capo et al., 2023). 9.3 Future development directions To address these challenges, future development should focus on integrating smart technologies and precision management into maize cultivation systems. The use of models like CERES-Maize can help optimize genotype-environment-management interactions, enhancing yield and eco-efficiency (Zhang et al., 2020). Developing high-yield, high-quality cultivation models tailored to different regions is essential. For example, optimizing planting density and fertilization rates can significantly improve yield and resource use efficiency (Xin and Tao, 2019). Promoting sustainable development and green agriculture practices, such as the use of biochar and organic amendments, can enhance soil health and crop resilience to environmental stresses (El-Syed et al., 2023). These strategies will be crucial in ensuring the sustainability and productivity of maize cultivation in the face of ongoing environmental changes. Acknowledgments I am deeply grateful to Professor R.X. Cai for his multiple reviews of this paper and for his constructive revision suggestions. Thank you to the peer reviewers for their suggestions on revisions and improvements to this study. Conflict of Interest Disclosure The author affirms that this research was conducted without any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest. References Busch A., Douglas M., Malcolm G., Karsten H., and Tooker J., 2020, A high-diversity/IPM cropping system fosters beneficial arthropod populations, limits invertebrate pests, and produces competitive maize yields, Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment, 292: 106812. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agee.2019.106812 Capo L., Sopegno A., Reyneri A., Ujvári G., Agnolucci M., and Blandino M., 2023, Agronomic strategies to enhance the early vigor and yield of maize part II: the role of seed applied biostimulant, hybrid, and starter fertilization on crop performance, Frontiers in Plant Science, 14: 1240313. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2023.1240313 Dermail A., Fuengtee A., Lertrat K., Suwarno W., Lübberstedt T., and Suriharn K., 2021, Simultaneous selection of sweet-waxy corn ideotypes appealing to hybrid seed producers, growers, and consumers in Thailand, Agronomy, 12(1): 87. https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy12010087 Duan M., Zhang X., Wei Z., Chen X., and Zhang B., 2024, Effect of maize canopy structure on light interception and radiation use efficiency at different canopy layers, Agronomy, 14(7): 1511. https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy14071511 El-Syed N., Helmy A., Fouda S., Nabil M., Abdullah T., Alhag S., Al-Shuraym L., Syaad K., Ayyoub A., Mahmood M., and Elrys A., 2023, Biochar with organic and inorganic fertilizers improves defenses, nitrogen use efficiency, and yield of maize plants subjected to water deficit in an alkaline soil, Sustainability, 15(16): 12223. https://doi.org/10.3390/su151612223 Feng W., Xue W., Zhao Z., Wang H., Shi Z., Wang W., Chen B., Qiu P., Xue J., and Sun M., 2024, Nitrogen level impacts the dynamic changes in nitrogen metabolism, and carbohydrate and anthocyanin biosynthesis improves the kernel nutritional quality of purple waxy maize, Plants, 13(20): 2882. https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13202882 Furlan L., Vasileiadis V., Chiarini F., Huiting H., Leskovšek R., Razinger J., Holb I., Sartori E., Urek G., Verschwele A., Benvegnù I., and Sattin M., 2017, Risk assessment of soil-pest damage to grain maize in Europe within the framework of integrated pest management, Crop Protection, 97: 52-59. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.CROPRO.2016.11.029
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