Maize Genomics and Genetics 2025, Vol.16, No.4, 167-181 http://cropscipublisher.com/index.php/mgg 167 Research Insight Open Access Insights into Environmental Factors Affecting Maize Growth Keli Wang 1,2 1 Village Committee of Wushanxia Village, Wangzhai Town, Wuyi County, Wuyi, 321205, Zhejiang, China 2 Zhejiang Agronomist College, Hangzhou, 310021, Zhejiang, China Corresponding author: 15067045559@139.com Maize Genomics and Genetics, 2025, Vol.16, No.4 doi: 10.5376/mgg.2025.16.0016 Received: 02 May, 2025 Accepted: 17 Jun., 2025 Published: 05 Jul., 2025 Copyright © 2025 Wang, This is an open access article published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. Preferred citation for this article: Wang K.L., 2025, Insights into environmental factors affecting maize growth, Maize Genomics and Genetics, 16(4): 167-181 (doi: 10.5376/mgg.2025.16.0016) Abstract This study systematically explores the impact of various environmental factors on maize growth, focusing on the roles of climate, soil characteristics, and biotic interactions in maize yield and health. The findings indicate that temperature fluctuations and changes in precipitation patterns due to climate change, particularly heat and drought stress, pose significant challenges to maize growth. Additionally, soil nutrient content and pH directly affect root development and water-use efficiency, impacting crop health and productivity. Biotic factors, such as pests, diseases, and beneficial microbes, also have a substantial influence on maize growth. A practical case study from Wushanxia Village, Zhejiang Province, demonstrates that integrating high-quality fresh maize varieties with advanced irrigation, fertilization, and conservation tillage practices can not only stabilize yields and improve product quality but also significantly enhance farmers’ income. This research provides both a theoretical foundation and practical insights for optimizing maize management strategies to support global food security. Keywords Maize growth; Environmental factors; Climate impact; Sustainable agriculture; Soil management 1 Introduction Maize (Zea mays L.), as one of the world's major staple crops, plays a crucial role in food security and agricultural sustainability, particularly in developing regions where it serves as a primary food source and an essential component of human and animal nutrition (Tanumihardjo et al., 2020). Globally, maize also supports economic development through its applications in food, animal feed, and biofuel industries, underlining its importance beyond nutrition. Understanding the environmental factors that affect maize growth is vital to ensuring its productivity and stability, given its dependence on various climatic, soil, and biotic conditions. Maize yields are vulnerable to environmental stressors such as climate change, drought, soil nutrient depletion, and pest pressures, which threaten its productivity and thus global food security. The significance of studying environmental impacts on maize growth lies in the potential for developing adaptive strategies that can mitigate yield losses and enhance resilience. As climate change introduces increased temperature fluctuations, altered rainfall patterns, and more frequent extreme weather events, understanding these effects on maize production is essential for sustaining crop yields and supporting agricultural policy and planning (Andrea et al., 2019). By identifying key environmental challenges and their impact on growth, researchers and farmers can adopt practices that optimize productivity and align with sustainable development goals. This study will comprehensively analyze the environmental factors influencing maize growth, including direct environmental stresses and socioeconomic influences. In addition to reviewing global literature, it incorporates a real-world example from Wushanxia Village, Zhejiang Province, where the adoption of high-quality fresh maize varieties, coupled with precision irrigation, balanced fertilization, and conservation tillage, has not only stabilized grain production but also achieved high market value, thereby demonstrating the synergy between environmental adaptation and rural economic development. 2 Climatic Factors Influencing Maize Growth 2.1 Temperature and its impact on maize growth Temperature is a critical climatic factor that directly affects maize growth and physiological processes. The optimal temperature range for maize growth is generally between 24 ℃-30 ℃, within which photosynthetic
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