Prof. dr. János Nagy

Present assignment:

University of Debrecn, Center for Agricultural Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture

According to economical forecasts, a persistent, long term increase in the demand for maize can be expected both on European and world markets. For decades, maize has been playing an important role in Hungarian plant cultivation. It still ensures 70-75% (450000 t) of the energy source for our national livestock and provides 40% of protein source for forages. The average chemical content of its grain yield (70-80% starch, 7-9% protein, 4-6% oil, 2-3% fiber) justifies its use as a biological energy source. At the same it is also an important source of industrial raw material (430-460 thousand t/year). It is a stock for the milling industry, for starch- and alcohol production, for the oil industry as well as for textile-, cosmetic and pharmaceutical companies. 300-350000 tons are used for iso-sugar production. Milling consumption makes up 150000 tons annually.

The climatic and soil conditions of the country provide favorable conditions in general. At the same time, extreme weather conditions (frost-bite, drought, excess water) significantly threaten yield safety. Biotic stress factors (virus-, bacteria-, fungus) do not only cause loss in yield, but also make chemical plant protection necessary thus generating expenses and environmental problems. One of the most effective tools of improving yield safety and quality is plant breeding, when optimizing the performance of the plants is achieved by establishing the most favorable combinations. As a result of effective Hungarian maize breeding, primarily Hungarian maize types are being cultivated nationwide. In order to preserve this economic treasure and to enhance competitiveness, we wish to establish a research and development consortium to coordinate the concentration of existing stress-physiological, breed-productive, breed-evaluative, cultivation-technological and economical capacities.

Primary aim is the enlargement of research and developmental background in the breed productive activity of the two most important maize breeding centers (HAS Agricultural Research Institute, Martonvásár; Crop Cultivation Research Non-profit Organization, Szeged) while involving partners that participate in the consortium. Developing such unique intellectual background would ensure competitive conditions in improving basic characteristics of resistance towards abiotic and biotic stress, which fundamentally influences the yield safety of maize. As a result of implementing the project, new improved breeding materials, breed nominees will be produced that can be marketed after breed qualification. The results of the co-operational activity will be the new scientific results, in publicized form, the reinforcement of research personnel and active participation in Doctorate Schools. The methodical developments will directly serve the interest of increasing efficiency in plant breeding.

In Hungary, the two climatic elements that limit the increase of yield averages of maize are precipitation and temperature. Temperature, primarily in the beginning of vegetative season, at the time of sowing, germination and maybe at the time of growing in the case of young plants lags behind the optimal values for maize. Our target countries for seed export of maize are even more unfavorable. In the Northern countries the spring warming up is slow and the cold period following sowing can last for several weeks. All these make it necessary, to examine and improve the resistance towards cold in the germinative and young phase of maize plants as well as breeding and cultivating hybrids that can adapt to local climatic conditions. The quantity and especially the distribution of precipitation are unfavorable in the vegetative phase. In the most sensitive phenophase of maize, frequent drought following blooming, which coupled with temperatures of over 30°C, decreases yield that can be predicted on the bases of the assimilative surface. The unfavorable climatic changes of the past decades have stressed the endurance of drought and cold even more. Farmers have to cultivate in conditions where the average temperature is higher and precipitation is less while nutrient supplies are typically lower nationwide.

An important challenge of breeding is the change of technology. Compared to the relative stability of weather conditions, soil characteristics, the sudden change of – nutrient supply, plant density, the use of herbicides etc. – requires changing the direction in breeding. Even the "sudden" change is often too late, the expected changes have to be forecasted and the aims of breeding have to be modified accordingly. Not only the ecological conditions but also the technological standard of cultivation is extreme. The most modern technology and peasant farming of the 50’s are both present in our national agriculture. With such ecological and technological conditions only those maize genotypes can be effective tools of production, which bear the qualities of high stress tolerance and adaptability while also have the abilities of excellent yield capacity and water-loss.

Industrial development and the urbanization following it can mean new challenges to plant cultivation. One important element of challenge is the quantitative increase of certain heavy metal ions. These elements derive primarily from motorization and partly from the application phosphorus fertilizers. One of the best methods to neutralize heavy metal ions in plants is the synthesized phytochelatins of plants.

One of the aims of researches, involved in stress physiology, is to examine the metabolism of such compounds, which can – to some extent - increase the protective mechanism of plants and thus reducing the unfavorable effects of abiotic stress. Salicylic acid and its derivatives, as well as S-metilmetionin are compounds that decrease abiotic stress (low and high temperature etc.). The results of climatic chambers show that the previously mentioned compounds – supplemented with further phitotronic and small parcel, outdoor experiments – can serve as bases for technologies enhancing adaptation against certain abiotic stress factors. Our aim is to establish the scientific development of maize production by uncovering and controlling the ecological and agronomical reactions of maize hybrids, as well as improving sustainability and yield stability of maize cultivation. Understanding the environmental and agronomical reactions of maize hybrids will serve as a base, for developing the necessary methods of increasing efficiency. Increasing the efficiency of cultivation is necessary in order to sustain profitability, increase the sustainability of plant cultivation and to contribute to healthy environment.

In the past decades radical changes have been suggested in cultivation methods. For example "organic" methods have been suggested, when only natural materials are used as an input, which are less harmful for the biosphere. Few methods of organic farming, such as rational crop rotation, as well as associating divisions of plant cultivation and animal husbandry, will significantly contribute to the sustainability of the agro-ecosystems. Developing the most effective and sustainable methods make the synthesis of organic and present day farming methods necessary.

Continuous research, covering different years, is necessary to understand the environmental and agronomical reactions of plants. The reactions of maize hybrids can be examined on different levels of biological organization, including plant stocks, individual plants, plant organs, as well as on cellular and molecular levels. Research is necessary, in order to understand the effects of changes in breeds or cultivation technologies on the productivity of plants or on other factors of the plant stock, such as competitiveness against weeds and sustainability of the system. Functions at a plant stock level determine if the productivity of a plant increases or not with the changes of agrotechnics. Examining the limiting factors of productivity is equally important, since these can indicate the factors of productivity increase. In those cases, when the productivity of a plant is limited by many factors, it is important to know what interaction they are in.

The experimental approach can influence, the validity of forecasts relating to plant reactions in cultivation practices. These problems can be reduced in ways, which we can examine, environmental reactions of plants in different experimental conditions: different outdoor environment, different locations, years, different controlled environments, greenhouses and phitotrons.

We are examining the agronomical and environmental reactions of maize hybrids in two- and multi-factorial experiments in Debrecen and Martonvásár. Our researches have verified that all genotypes possess an optimum range (sowing time, plant density, nutrient) that can be well defined, for achieving maximum yield. We are examining the agronomical reactions of maize hybrids on plant stock level (yield, yield components), on the level of individual plants, plant organs (the reactions can be measured in periods of days or weeks and we examine the interaction of genotype x developmental phase).

The aim of the research is to determine the optimal range of agronomical reactions and expected yield levels, while examining those factors, which are responsible for the formation of differences in yields. The agronomical reactions of genotypes will be examined for several years because the year-effect is significant. Within the project, we are planning to examine the following agronomical reactions of maize hybrids: sowing-time reaction, plant density reaction, N-fertilizer-reaction, irrigation reaction. We are examining the sowing-time reaction of maize hybrids in three-factorial, split, split-plot experiments. The N-fertilizer reaction of maize hybrids will be examined in maize monocultures and crop rotation. Beyond yield and yield components, we will determine the differences in genotype wit regards to efficiency in N-uptake and N-utilization. We are examining the plant density reaction of maize hybrids in a so-called continuous densification experiment in the range of 20 000 and 100 000 plants/ha plant density range, with a 10 000 plants/ha of treatment difference.

With respect to the fact that the agronomical reactions of genotypes are independent from each other and yield increase in the future mainly comes from the effects of synergist interactions, we will examine the interactions among the most important factors in maize cultivation. The most important from these: NPK-fertilizer x Plant density x Genotype, N-fertilizer x Sowing time x Genotype, N-fertilizer x Plant density x Genotype.

In our research, we are stressing the agro-ecological approach, which does not only concentrate on production but also the on the sustainability of the cultivation system. Sustainable can be characterized by: (a) non-decreasing trend in yield and in the productivity of all production factors, (b) appropriate yield stability, (c) indicators of agro-ecosystems remain at an appropriate level. In our research we are examining the sustainability of maize cultivation in long-term experiments. Appropriate indicators about the sustainability of cultivation can only be gained from long-term experiments and thus these serve as forecasting-systems. We characterize the sustainability of cultivation with stability analysis. Measuring yield stability in time includes the connection between yield and environment, the average yield and variability of yield. In our previous research we could reliably characterize the stability of different experimental treatments in long-term experiments. When evaluating the sustainability of production we are putting the response of crop into focus.

Internationally, we are among the first to use growth analysis to measure the long-term effects of experimental treatments. In long-term experiments – according to our scientific results – growth dynamics and indicators express the sustainability of cultivation accurately. We consider planned eco-physiological measure taking (chlorophyll content, measuring the efficiency of photosynthesis in plant stocks) a similarly new approach to examine agronomical reactions and to determine sustainability.

The internationally acknowledged R+D capacities, represented by the members of the consortium, touch upon such operational fields that complement each other. The planned research areas:

1. Exploring and efficiently using new genetic sources.
2. Determining the breeding-, agronomic- and economic values and utilizing maize hybrids.
3. Examining the adaptability and developing the cultivation technologies of new maize hybrids.
4. Industrial testing and consultation for new maize hybrids.
5. Quality testing of maize hybrids.
6. Utilization of maize hybrids for human purposes.
7. Marketing, selling and consultation for maize seed.

HAS Agricultural Research Institute, Martonvásár

Maize Breeding Department

Crop Production Department

Department of Plant Cell Biology and Physiology

Cereal Research Non-Profit Company, Szeged