Potential maize yields in a Mediterranean environment depend on conditions around flowering

Abstract : Understanding the effects of different combinations of sowing dates and cultivars on maize yield is essential to develop appropriate climate change adaptation strategies. Thus, modelling ability in reproducing the observed response of maize yield to sowing dates and cultivars needs to be assessed. In particular, whether crop conditions around flowering can entirely explain the variability of potential yields across sowing dates and cultivars in climatic conditions such as the Mediterranean ones (where high temperatures may occur during the grain filling period) needs to be explored. Otherwise, also assimilation during grain filling and its duration should be taken into account.