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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Stoneville, Mississippi » Pollinator Health in Southern Crop Ecosystems Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #390635
Research Project: Ecological Assessment and Mitigation Strategies to Reduce the Risks of Bees to Stressors in Southern Crop Ecosystems

Location: Pollinator Health in Southern Crop Ecosystems Research

Title: Climate change effects on irrigated corn growth in the Lower Mississippi Delta

Author
item Kannan, Narayanan
item Anapalli, Saseendran

Submitted to: Journal of Applied Meteorology and Climatology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/3/2023
Publication Date: 3/13/2023
Citation: Kannan, N., Anapalli, S.S. 2023. Climate change effects on irrigated corn growth in the Lower Mississippi Delta. Journal of Applied Meteorology and Climatology. 62(3):377-392. https://doi.org/10.1175/JAMC-D-22-0107.1.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1175/JAMC-D-22-0107.1

Interpretive Summary: In recent years, growing corn, and soybeans instead of cotton has been gaining popularity in the Lower Mississippi Delta (LMD) region. Our study is aimed to understand how the climate change has affected irrigated corn production in the LMD. This will help us better understand the expected consequences of the future climate. We used observations of daily weather data from 1960-2018, and corn yield, and water balance and crop yield results from Root Zone Water Quality Model (RZWQM) designed to mimic corn production. Trend analysis tools available in ‘R’ were used to analyze trends and patterns in the data and results. Our analysis pointed out significant changes in weather, water balance, and yield decline for irrigated corn in the LMD. If the observed trend in climate and yield reductions continue in the region, it could be challenging to profitably growing the irrigated corn crop in the LMD.

Technical Abstract: In this study, the possible climate change impacts on irrigated corn production in the lower Mississippi delta (LMD) region were analyzed. The observed daily maximum and minimum air temperature, wind speed, relative humidity (RH), and precipitation from 1960 to 2018 were used in the analysis. The length of the growing season, evapotranspiration (ET), and crop yield estimates from the precalibrated Root Zone Water Quality Model (RZWQM) were also used. Trend analyses were performed on growing-season averages for temperature, RH, and wind speed; growing-season totals for precipitation and ET; daily values of minimum and maximum temperature; and averages of RH and wind speed at critical corn growth stages. The last day of spring freezing (LDSF) and days with an average daily air temperature Ta of more than 35°C during corn silking were also included in the analysis. The trend analysis was performed using the modified Mann–Kendall test, Pettitt test, and Sen’s slope at a significance level of p = 0.05. The results from our study pointed out increases in minimum Ta , increases in the number of days with Ta exceeding 35°C during the corn silking stage, increases in RH and decreases in ET, advancement of the LDSF by 2 weeks, and 8% reductions in corn yield that could be attributed to changes in climate. If the observed trends in climate (climate variability and change) and yield reductions continue in the region, it could be challenging to grow the corn crop in the LMD profitably.