Lentil genotypes Selection for freezing tolerance by fluorescence chlorophyllEstimating the potential and yield gap of forage maize in Iran based on the Global Yield Gap Atlas Protocol

Maize (Zea mays L.) is the most important silage plants in the world because of its high yield, high energy and quality forage and low fibr. Due to the severe water shortage in Iran and the high water demand of corn crop, the only way to increase corn production is to increase the yield per unit area and reduce the yield gap by optimizing production management. Therefore, this study was aimed to estimate the potential yield and yield gap in the main forage maize production areas in Iran. For this purpose GYGA protocol method was used. Yield potential based on the data from a 15-year period (2001-2015) was calculated using the SSM-iCrop simulation model. Before use, parameterization and evaluation of the simulation model for the studied plant were performed using data from all over the country. In the major maize production regions of Iran, 27 reference weather stations (RWS) and 11 main climatic zones (CZ) were selected. The average Ya and Yp of maize in Iran was estimated at 49.3 and 85.6 ton ha-1, respectively. Furthermore, in the major climatic zones was 9.9 ton ha-1 yield gap in the country. In fact, forage yield and production in Iran can be increased from current 49 ton ha-1 and 11.2 million ton to 68 ton ha-1 and 15.6 million ton through optimized management and elimination of exploitable yield gap.