Assessing the impact of climate variability on maize yields in the different regions of Ghana—A machine learning perspective

temperature of 27.53˚C and a precipitation total of 1262.70 mm. This region clearly benefits from higher precipitation, as it is a significant factor for achieving higher yields. In the Upper East region (Fig 3i), maize yield increases with average temperatures between 28.98˚C and 29.03˚C and precipitation amounts ranging from 1124.53 mm to 1142.28 mm. The optimal maize yield is observed when the average temperature is 28.98˚C, and the precipitation mea- sures 1142.28 mm. Similarly, in the Upper West region (Fig 3j), maize yield increases with average temperatures ranging from 28.68˚C to 28.92˚C and precipitation between 1168.38 mm and 1242.41 mm. The optimal maize yield in the region is achieved at an average tempera- ture of 28.68˚C and a precipitation total of 1242.41 mm. In the Northern region (Fig 3h), a maximum maize yield is produced with average temperatures ranging from 28.58˚C to 28.79˚C and precipitation ranging from 1030.30 mm to 1166.60 mm. The data in Fig 3h clearly Fig 2. Trend of maize yield in each of the regions of Ghana. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0305762.g002 PLOS ONE Impact of climate variability on maize yields in Ghana PLOS ONE | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0305762 June 25, 2024 14 / 24