CHARACTERIZATION OF CORN CULTIVATION IN THE MUNICIPALITY OF FRANCISCO LEÓN, CHIAPAS, MEXICO

• DOI: https://doi.org/10.22533/at.ed.973572529104

• Palavras-chave: Zea mays, factors, productivity, systems, farmers.

• Keywords: Zea mays, factors, productivity, systems, farmers.

• Abstract:

  Corn (Zea mays L.) is the staple food of the inhabitants of Francisco León. The purpose of this research was to determine the technical and socioeconomic factors that limit the advancement of corn cultivation and its growers in the municipality of Francisco León, Chiapas, Mexico. The town has 1,109 producers, so the sample size was 33. In 2015, a survey of 116 questions related to the aforementioned factors was conducted. The frequencies of the particular variables were calculated, and several were associated, in pairs and/or triads, using SPSS software (2016). 
  The results identified various factors that limit the development of the crop and its producers. Their ages range from 21 to 85. 39.4% are illiterate and 36.4% have only completed primary school; their main source of income is subsistence corn farming (78.8%), on communal land (57.6%) and communal land (21.2%); 100% plant native corn manually during the rainy season; 48.4% of them plant 40,000 seeds ha(-1); 87.8% apply herbicides for weeds; 51.5% apply one to eight bags ha(-1)of urea and 45.5% do not apply any; there was damage from corn earworm (72.7%) and corn rootworm (60.6%) with timely control (18.2%) and untimely control (33.3%); no soil analysis is performed (100%) nor is the soil improved even though there was erosion (33.3%); the Plant Health Subdelegation does not function; the crop was profitable (39.4%), without financing (100%); 100% use the grain for self-consumption; support arrived incomplete (33.3%) and untimely (33.3%); 60.6% want new varieties; 15.2% indicated that all tasks benefit production; there was no community impact from support (60.6%); production systems consisted of single-crop maize (18.2%) and maize associated with beans (81.8%); people do not cooperate in common tasks (48.4%); finally, 77.4% are willing to receive technical assistance for all crop activities, but only 6.1% are willing to pay. Therefore, it is suggested that a comprehensive technical assistance system be developed, which will be applied starting with three main variables: introducing improved varieties, as well as varying planting dates and plant population densities per hectare of corn on farmers' land, in collaboration with the City Council and technicians from different institutions and disciplines.