Climatic constraints and potential corn production in Saudi Arabia —A study in agroclimate

A parametric crop yield model YIELD, which was developed by Prof. W. Terjung and his team at UCLA, was applied to calculate yield and water consumption for corn in Saudi Arabia. The model employs climatic and environmental data in order to simulate yield for several crops in different places all over the world. A network of 22 stations provided climatic data averaged over a period of 17 years (1967–1983). The nonclimatic data was derived from the FAO soil map of the world and the writer's personal experience. The main objectives of this paper are: 1] to determine suitable places and times for planting corn, under rainfed and irrigated conditions in Saudi Arabia; 2] to contrast irrigation water for corn in each province; and 3] to assess the potential yield for corn in the country in a year. This study concluded that highest yields of corn under fully-irrigated conditions (primary growing season) occurred in the mountainous region in SW Saudi Arabia (about 12,000 kg/ha, and more than 18,000 in Nimas) while lowest yields occurred in Tabuk and Al-Khawsh (about 4,000 kg/ha). Yields in most of the other stations were (5,000–8,000 kg/ha). Under rainfed conditions crop failed in all regions except in the SW region in which yields range between 2,000 kg/ha in Al-Khawsh and — 6,000 kg/ha as in Nimas. According to the findings of this study, the most suitable months for corn sowing in Saudi Arabia are December and January.