CORN CULTIVATION VOLUMES AND YIELD AND PROSPECTS FOR THE APPLICATION OF ANTI-STRESS BIOSTIMULATORS UNDER CLIMATE CHANGE

Abstract

The article provides a comprehensive analysis of current production volumes and fluctuations in corn (Zea mays L.) productivity in Ukraine and the world. The impact of global climate change, in particular prolonged droughts, shifts in agroclimatic zones and temperature anomalies, on the ontogenesis and physiological state of the crop is considered. Statistical data on corn production in the world and in Ukraine are substantiated. The sown areas and gross yields of this crop in recent years are characterized. Corn traditionally occupies a strategic place in the agro-industrial complex of Ukraine, demonstrating a stable expansion of the geography of cultivation in all natural and climatic zones, regardless of the scale of management. Intensification of grain production is a priority vector for the development of the country's modern agricultural sector. The systematic growth of internal and external demand for food and feed grain makes research in this area relevant in the context of strengthening national food security. Due to its higher productivity compared to other grain and fodder crops, corn is able to provide stable yields at the level of 60-70 c/ha. At the same time, empirical data indicate significant spatial and temporal variability of this indicator within agricultural enterprises. Such differentiation of yields, on the one hand, indicates the presence of significant unused bioresource potential of the crop, and on the other hand, creates economic risks for commodity producers and destabilizes the raw material base of livestock farming and the grain market in general. The maximum realization of the productivity potential of corn is possible only under the condition of a synergistic combination of the biological properties of the crop, genetic features of hybrids, adaptive agrotechnologies and favorable hydrothermal conditions. Each macroregion of cultivation is characterized by a specific regime of moistening, aeration and heat supply, which directly determines the processes of ontogenesis and the formation of plant biomass. Despite the regional specificity, there is a complex of universal technological solutions, the use of which guarantees high crop productivity. For a systematic understanding of the current state and problems of development of this industry, a comprehensive analysis of scientific and methodological literature and statistical sources was carried out in the work. The conducted study confirms that the production of corn grain is characterized by a high level of profitability. It is this economic factor that determines the steady trend towards an increase in sown areas, an increase in gross yields and diversification of the directions of final use of products in accordance with modern market needs.