Maize: General characteristics, importance and challenges for its production in the state of Hidalgo Mexico

Abstract

The corn production is one of the most important agricultural activities in the world, because it is one of the cereals destined for human and animal consumption, its value has influence at economic, social and cultural level. Its life cycle is divided into vegetative and reproductive, with approximately 232 days of duration. In Mexico during spring-summer and autumn-winter periods is produced, under the temporal and irrigation modalities. In the state of Hidalgo, the Mezquital Valley is the zone with higher production, in where the blackwater and high productivity hybrids are used, however, it is important to mention that the temporal production include a large extension of agricultural soils, in where its main objective is to supply this product locally. As happens at worldwide level, the corn intensive production and other crops, is made by the utilization of chemical supplies, practice used since of the green revolution, which has caused the physicochemical a biological agricultural soil degradation. The aim of this review is described the corn general characteristics and its importance in the Hidalgo Mexico state, as well as analyze the challenges to its production of the sustainable way.