After measuring the fields in spring this year, Agrocentrum, led by Helena Stanko sowed maize on a total of 3.5 ha in Becej, Serbia on April 28, 2017. It is developing well, only a few weed sprays and two insect sprays were necessary due to an attack of maize leaf weevil - Tanymecus dilaticollis.
Some plots in Agrocentrum’s field were treated with atoxigenic Aspergillus strains that were identified by Prof. Ferenc Bagi’s team from PFNS in 2016. Such atoxigenic strains could be used for outcompeting toxigenic strains in the field. The treated plots were marked with a T, while the non-treated plots were marked as NT. These marks allow identifying the dissipated seeds with spores of atoxic Aspergillus.
After the inter-row cultivation the number of plants per plot will be counted, on which estimates of yield per hectare and other harvesting data will be based on.