EFFECT OF RAINFALL ON GROWTH PARAMETERS AND YIELD OF FOUR VARIETIES OF MAIZE (ZEA MAYS), GROWN IN KORHOGO COMMUNE, NORTHERN COTE D’IVOIRE

Description

In Côte d’Ivoire, the agricultural sector employs about two thirds of the labour force. Maize stands out as one of the most important and cultivated cereals, and especially in the northern part of the country. Its demand is increasing, day by day, as various food products, livestock fodder, and poultry feed and raw materials for the industry are required. However, agriculture is therefore affected by climate variations, particularly those related to rainfall. Agriculture is an economic activity that is highly dependent on weather conditions, such as: rain, temperature, and therefore climate change. Maize is a water-intensive plant, while its cultivation is essentially rain-fed. Finding solutions to the negative consequences of climate change on rained agriculture remains a major concern for all agricultural stakeholders. As a result, research is increasingly focused on the development of genotypes adapted to climatic constraints or at least the substitution of unsuitable crops.