An acre can produce 5 – 25 bags of maize (100kg bags of dry maize grains). The number of bags an acre of farmland can produce varies. There are a lot of factors that can impact the level of production from an acre of maize farmland.
A maize farmer that implements good agronomic practices is likely to get 25 or more bags of maize from an acre. Most farmers in Nigeria get lower than 5 bags of maize from one acre of farmland in Nigeria because of poor farming practices.
The factors that impact the number of bags of maize that can be harvested from an acre of maize include types of maize seeds planted, level of fertilization and soil fertility etc.
Factors determining the number of bags of maize a 1 acre farmland can produce
The following are the factors that determine the number of bags of maize a 1 acre farmland can produce:
The fertility of the soil
The fertility of your soil can impact the yield of maize that will be gotten from the farmland. A soil that is very fertile can produce a high number of bags of maize while a soil low in nutrients can only support the harvest of a low number of bags of maize.
If you want to get a high number of bags of maize grains from your maize farming business, you have to make your soil fertile.
Type of maize seeds planted
The type of maize seeds planted can determine the number of bags of maize you can harvest from your maize farm. Hybrid maize seeds like pioneer maize seeds and Dekalb maize seeds are high yielding while open pollinated maize seeds are not as high yielding as hybrid maize seeds.
It should be noted that for hybrid maize seeds to produce a high number of bags of maize, you need to apply a lot of fertilizers and water.
Water and Irrigation
Like other crops, water is needed in maize farming. If you plant your maize without water, you will not harvest any bag of maize from your farm. For rain fed farmers, maize should be planted when the rains have stabilized.
Irrigation facility like drip irrigation system can be used to grow maize all year round. Drip irrigation can significantly increase the number of bags of maize that can be harvested from a farmland.
Pests and Diseases
The level of pests and diseases in your maize farm can impact the number of bags of maize your farm can produce. A pest like army worm can lead to zero yield in maize farming.
Pesticides should be used to address the issue of pests and diseases in maize farming.
Weeds
The intensity of weeds can affect the number of bags of maize that can be harvested from a farm. Weeds can reduce the yield of a crop by as much as 90%.
Herbicides can be used to address weeds problem.
Poor Agricultural Practices
To get a good yield from maize farming, Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) should be implemented.
If poor agronomic agricultural practices are implemented, the number of bags of maize to be harvested from a maize farm may be low.
How many bags of maize does your farm produce? Kindly share the answer in the comments’ section.
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