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Evaluation of smart parameters of FAO 520 maize hybrid (Zea mays L.) in drip irrigation long-term experiments
65-79Views:37Climate change poses increasing challenges for maize production. Climate change is particularly noticeable in Hungary. When growing maize hybrids, special attention must be paid to nutrient and water supply. Irrigation development and the installation of irrigation systems are key elements of precision maize cultivation. One such intensive technology is drip irrigation, which ensures efficient crop production in a planned and controlled manner. This precision irrigation technique delivers water directly to the root zone, optimising water supply. The movement of nitrogen in the soil, which is necessary for yield formation, is highly dependent on irrigation. Monitoring the nitrogen supply of plants provides important information. The most commonly used methods for this are the SPAD and NDVI indices, which have a wide range of applications.
The tests were carried out at the Látókép Experimental Station of the University of Debrecen, where all the conditions are in place to carry out important analyses by comparing accurate measurement data collected over many years. This time, the subject of the study was the FAO520 maize hybrid. Based on the long-term experiment results, the H520 maize hybrid has good phenotypic characteristics, a stable structure, high yield potential, good adaptability, and fast water release dynamics. The yield of the H520 maize hybrid is excellent in irrigated cultivation (21.41 t/ha). The dry matter accumulation dynamics of the hybrid are outstanding. The grain moisture content at harvest was very favorable, at 13.9%. -
The international and domestic situation of peanut production, challenges and opportunities in Hungarian agriculture
105-120Views:46Peanuts are one of the most widely consumed oilseeds in the world, with the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) reporting that 50.48 million tonnes of peanuts were produced worldwide in 2024 (Agrocrops 2024, USDA 2025)
Peanuts are used in a variety of ways – as a key ingredient in many snacks, confectionery and peanut butter, and as a protein-rich feed for livestock. Similarly, peanut oil is used for frying, peanut flour for cooking and peanut shells for heating.
Peanut cultivation could open a new era in domestic agriculture. As is well known, the cultivation of peanuts is becoming increasingly important in world agriculture, as they are a popular crop worldwide for their nutritional value and versatility. Demand for peanuts on the international market continues to grow, especially among health-conscious consumers.
China produces the highest annual volume of peanuts. According to market statistics, the best quality crops come from farms in Argentina and the USA, and large quantities are grown in Asia (Agrocrops 2024).
Peanuts were first introduced to Europe in 1840 by Jaubert, from the Cap Verde Islands to Marseilles. It was also used at one time to make coffee grounds In 1925, the seed, separated into two leaves and roasted, was marketed in the German Reich and Switzerland under the name of African walnut coffee (Agrártudományi Közlemények 09/1957). According to König, however, the peeled, defatted and roasted groundnut was marketed as Austria coffee (MTA Urania 1923, Ortutay 1977).
In Hungary, in the 1930s, the Agricultural Experimental Institute of the Hungarian Great Plain was involved in experiments on peanut cultivation In the 1950s, under the direction of János Bruder, 300 hectares of peanuts were cultivated in the vicinity of Mezőhegyes and Medgyesegyháza (MTA Urania 1923, Tétényi 1951, Karakasevich 1957). Although peanuts, which occupy a prominent place in world agriculture, entered the domestic cultivation sector at the beginning of the last century, they did not become a significant crop in Hungary despite their initial success. Today, Hungarian peanuts are the winner of climate change, based on the experience of recent years (Balla 2021). -
Possibilities for reducing drought stress in potatoes (Solanum tuberosum) through various foliar treatments
57-80Views:19Abiotic stress factors, especially drought and heat stress, which are becoming more frequent and intense due to climate change, pose significant challenges to potato production. The aim of this research was to examine the effects of different irrigation schemes and foliar treatments – salicylic acid, silicon, hydrogen peroxide, and microelements – on the physiological parameters, yield, and quality characteristics of potatoes under drought conditions. In a field experiment conducted in Sonkád (Hungary) during the 2024 growing season, a medium-late Manitou variety was used. During the study, two irrigation doses and four types of foliar treatments were tested in a split-plot design. Based on the results, full and 50% irrigation significantly increased stomatal conductance, NDVI, leaf area index, and yield. Among the foliar treatments, silicon and hydrogen peroxide had a positive effect on relative chlorophyll content and NDVI, but did not result in a significant increase in yield. Treatments with salicylic acid, microcomplex, silicon, and the total dose significantly increased starch content, while the application of silicon increased the amount of reducing sugar content. The results of the first year of experiments indicate that foliar treatments applied without irrigation can only occasionally mitigate the negative physiological effects of water deficiency, but irrigation is essential to achieve significant improvements in yield and quality. The research may contribute to technological developments aimed at increasing drought tolerance in potato production, but further experiments are needed. -
Agrometeorological characteristics of the extreme drought of 2022 in Debrecen-Látókép
5-18Views:40A large part of Hungary, including the Debrecen area, was facing a very severe drought in 2022. Our research examined the weather conditions that led to maize yield losses on a scale not seen in decades.
In the winter before the growing season, deeper soil layers were not able to replenish water, and the spring water availability of maize was particularly low. April was cool with average rainfall. Thereafter, the weather was warm or very warm, sunny and extremely dry practically until the second half of August. Monthly mean temperatures in all three summer months were relatively uniformly 2–3 ºC above the multi-year average, with 44 heat days. In total, only 56 mm of rain fell during the summer, with only two daily rainfall events above 10 mm, which did not contribute significantly to the water supply of the maize due to the very high evaporation capacity of the air. From the beginning of the summer, soil drought severely limited water uptake and transpiration, and maize growth was very poor. The drought (a combination of soil and atmospheric drought), which worsened during the critical phenological phases (flowering and yield formation), left most maize plants infertile.
The exceptional nature of the drought of 2022 is due to the combination of very hot summer weather, with virtually no precipitation during the main periods, and very low initial soil water availability. In our region, we can expect an increase in drought risk as a result of climate change. -
Prospectives of grass pea (Lathyrus sativus L.) production in the context of its drought and salt tolerance
121-137Views:18Unfavourable climatic and soil conditions, as well as climate change, force us to grow crops that are inherently resistant to abiotic stresses, thus ensuring the maintenance of food security. Legumes are the second most important food source after cereals. Legumes are preferred not only for their nutritional (mainly high protein content) and health (bioactive compounds) value but also for their economic (cheap meat replacement, especially in poorer regions) and ecological (nitrogen fixation) advantages. This study is intended to analyse the significance of grass pea (Lathyrus sativus L.), with special regard to its drought and salt tolerance. Grass pea is a plant with a short growth cycle, which has excellent adaptability to adverse environmental factors. Thanks to its drought, cold, and moderate salt tolerance, grass pea can be grown in diverse climatic and soil conditions, even in places where other cultivated plants cannot. The production and breeding of drought- and salt-tolerant grass pea varieties should be considered in many places to adapt to abiotic environmental stress factors and maintain production capacity. -
Analysis of agricultural land use of Hungary (2000–2020)
119-137Views:36Hungarian agriculture has undergone significant changes between 2000 and 2020. Only 25% of the 965 000 farms active in agriculture in 2000 were in operation in 2020. The number of farms engaged in crop production (273 thousand) has fallen dramatically, by almost half. Within this, fewer farms were engaged in arable crops and plantations and more in horticulture.
In 2000, there were 2883 crop production organisations and 270 736 individual holdings. In the following years, the number of economic organisations increased and the number of individual farmers decreased significantly. Both for economic organisations and individual holdings, arable crops dominate. However, the share of arable crops was higher in the case of the economic organisations, while horticulture and plantations played an important role in the case of individual farmers.
The common farm sizes of between 1 and 5 hectares were replaced by medium farm sizes, and these holdings accounted for 57% of the total agricultural area.
The share of arable land decreased from 83% of the country's area (7.7 million hectares) to 78.7%. The share of agricultural land decreased, the share of domestic forest increased and the share of reed and fish ponds remained substantially unchanged. The share of arable land increased, the share of orchards remained similar, while the share of kitchen gardens, vines and grassland decreased.
The area sown to wheat and maize is stable (1–1.2 million hectares), but in some years the area sown has fallen below 1 million hectares. The importance of both crops is shown by the fact that, despite fluctuations in area in recent years, a significant proportion of the arable land in Hungary is under wheat (22–23%) and maize (24–26%). The sowing area of sunflower has more than doubled and that of rapeseed has almost tripled. The share of these two oilseeds in the arable crop sector has increased significantly, with sunflower growing from 6.6% in 2000 to 15.2% in 2020 and rapeseed from 2.6% to 7.7%. The area under fruit crops and vines has declined sharply. Vegetables have experienced a similar decline as fruit crops.
The volume of crops increased steadily, with wheat and maize growing by 41.7% and 71.4% respectively compared with 2000. Sunflowers more than tripled and rapeseed increased almost fivefold. At the same time, weather extremes caused by climate change have become a growing problem in recent years, leading to an increase in the average yield per hectare. It ranged from 2.6 to 5.4 t/ha for wheat, 3.7 to 8.6 t/ha for maize, 1.6 to 3.0 t/ha for sunflower and 1.5 to 3.6 t/ha for rape. -
Artificial Intelligence (AI) in precision agriculture
87-104Views:12Artificial Intelligence (AI) is opening a new era in agriculture, particularly in the field of precision farming. This paper aims to provide an insightful overview of how AI technologies can be applied to yield prediction, crop health monitoring, and early pest and disease detection. Findings from international research clearly indicate that those countries and producers who adopt these tools early will gain a long-term competitive advantage.
The Hungarian agricultural sector faces increasing challenges: climate change, labor shortages, and market pressure. AI-based tools offer solutions through automation, precision, and cost efficiency. However, implementation requires not only access to technology but also a clear understanding, practical examples, and local case studies that demonstrate how AI works under Hungarian conditions and supports Hungarian farmers.
The future lies not only in technology but in its comprehension. Therefore, review articles like this one play a key role in bridging the gap between science and farm-level decision-making. The methods and models discussed here provide a foundation for developing domestic case studies and decision-support systems that directly benefit farmers in their everyday operations. -
Effect of the year on yield, grain moisture, and quality parameters of maize (Zea mays L.) (2020–2023)
51-68Views:41Maize (Zea mays L.) is one of the most important arable crops in Hungary, whose yield stability and quality have increasingly depended on annual and climatic conditions in recent years. The period between 2020 and 2023 clearly illustrates that variability in temperature and precipitation patterns fundamentally determines yield performance, grain moisture content, and quality parameters. While in 2020 balanced heat and water availability ensured high yields, favorable starch content, and an extended ripening period, in 2022 the extreme drought and record-high temperatures resulted in a drastic yield reduction, low grain moisture, and moderate starch content.
During critical phenological phases – particularly flowering and grain filling – heat stress and water shortage greatly influenced pollination success, dry matter accumulation, and thus overall crop quality. In unfavorable years, an increase in protein and oil content at the expense of starch was often observed, indicating an inverse relationship between quantitative and qualitative parameters. Although lower grain moisture at harvest can offer technological advantages, rapid water loss may lead to structural damage and an increased risk of mycotoxin contamination.
The results of the examined period highlight that extreme weather factors caused by climate change—heatwaves, drought periods, and precipitation deficits—not only limit yield potential but also alter quality traits. Therefore, in the future, adapting to year-to-year variations will play a key role: the use of stress-tolerant hybrids, optimization of sowing dates, adoption of water-conserving tillage practices, and targeted irrigation strategies can collectively enhance the stability of maize production under changing agroclimatic conditions. -
Effect of precision drip irrigation on the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index, Leaf Area Index and SPAD readings of sweet maize (Zea mays conv. saccharata Koern) in a field experiment
107-122Views:39Nowadays, growing sweet maize is difficult due to increasing climate change. This research was carried out under irrigated and non-irrigated conditions at the University of Debrecen, Böszörményi út Campus Demonstration Garden. The examined sweet maize hybrids were SF1379 and Honey. Precision instruments were used to monitor the development of the sweet maize population. Leaf area index (LAI), SPAD values and Normalized Differential Vegetation Index (NDVI) were measured in two phenological stages. The evolution of dry matter production of husk, cob and grain was measured before and at harvest. The obtained experiment results showed that LAI, SPAD, NDVI and dry matter values increased significantly with irrigation.
We can provide practical results for sweet maize growers to raise awareness on the use of precision irrigation. Sweet maize production requires optimal, precise technology and is efficient and profitable under irrigated conditions. -
The growing importance of short-rotation willow plantations in today’s changing agriculture
5-19Views:33Today’s experience clearly shows that crop production plays a key role in solving many of the challenges our world is facing. The effects of climate change are undeniable, as they influence yield stability in unpredictable ways and therefore also the profitability of growing crops. Growing environmental awareness is also changing the expectations towards crop production technologies. Plants remain important in renewable energy production, even though solar and nuclear energy are the main focus of current developments. Reducing the use of chemicals is also an important part of producing healthy food. The question is whether agriculture can introduce innovative technologies that help to meet these expectations.
The aim of this study is to explain why the cultivation of improved short-rotation willow (Salix sp.) deserves more attention in addressing today’s problems. We show how precision breeding can help to increase the biogas yield of energy tree plantations, which supports the wider use of willow as a raw material. On saline soils, planting salt-tolerant willow genotypes can provide several environmental benefits. Nowadays, the use of plant biostimulants is becoming more common. Aqueous extracts made from willow shoots can stimulate the growth and grain yield of maize plants.
The many possible ways of using willow confirm that Hungarian farmers should give more priority to establishing willow plantations on marginal lands.
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