Department of Plant Sciences

Globally distributed research is of ever increasing interest. The International Plant Nutrition Institute (IPNI) has initiated a project in fourteen major maize growing areas of the world which investigates the yield gap between what is ecologically attainable and what is actually achieved. This research relies on a common experimental design that is rigorous enough to be statistically analyzed across many locations and years, yet robust enough to allow local flexibility in management practices. Combined with this common design are standard protocols for data collection as well as commonly agreed upon performance indicators. The Hybrid Maize crop growth model is being run at each location to estimate attainable yield. Comparing these simulated yields to observed yields provides an estimate of the yield gap. This project is in its initial year and many hurdles have been overcome, yet many remain. Acceptance of the standard design has been mixed and not all practices have yet been standardized. Realizing the vision of a highly coordinated and completely standardized project is an evolutionary process requiring iterative steps that begin with the processes in place locally and progress toward common, universal practices. Language, culture, and funding are highly influential in determining the pace at which such a goal is met.