Maize
Maize
Common Name :- Maize
Botanical Name :- -----
Origin :- abcdefgh
Type Of Crop :- Cerals
- Understanding about crop: Maize, a staple crop globally, is valued for its versatility, high yield potential, and adaptability to diverse growing conditions. Its nutrient composition includes carbohydrates, proteins, fiber, vitamins, and minerals. With significant genetic diversity, maize offers various hybrids tailored to specific needs. Economically important, maize contributes to livelihoods and industries worldwide. Its nutritional value addresses food security challenges, making it vital for global nutrition.
- Key features:
- Soil and climate:
- Climate: Maize is a crop that can adapt to various climates, including warm, temperate, and cold regions. The optimal temperature for maize growth and development is 25 to 30 degrees Celsius. However, in areas with mild temperatures (20 to 25 degrees Celsius), maize can be cultivated year-round.
- Soil Selection: For both grain and fodder maize, medium to heavy, deep, sandy loam soils with good drainage, high organic matter, and good water retention capacity are ideal. The soil pH should be between 6.5 and 7.5.
- Land preparation:
- For application of FYM or compost, evenly spread 12.5 t/ha on the unploughed field along with 10 packets of Azospirillum (2000 g/ha) and incorporate into the soil. Field preparation involves ploughing once with a disc plough followed by two cultivator ploughings until a fine tilth is achieved. Create ridges and furrows with sufficient irrigation channels, with ridges 6 m long and 60 cm apart. Alternatively, form beds of 10 m2 or 20 m2 depending on water availability, using a bund former or ridge plough to reduce production costs.
- Seed treatment:
- Step 1: Use pelleted seeds treated with insecticides for stem borer control. Treat one kg of seeds with Chlorpyriphos 20EC or Phosalone 35 EC at a rate of 4 ml + 0.5 gram gum in 20 ml of water. Alternatively, use imidacloprid 70 WS at 10 g/kg of seeds.
- Step 2: Treat seeds with Metalaxyl or Thiram at a rate of 2 g/kg of seed for downy mildew and crazy top control.
- Step 3: After fungicide treatment, apply three packets (600 g/ha) of Azospirillum to the seeds before sowing.
- Seed and sowing:
- Select good quality seeds and adopt the seed rate of 20 kg/ha for CO 1 and CO 6 and 25 kg /ha for COBC 1.
- Adopt a spacing of 25 cm between plants in the rows which are 60 cm apart.
- Population: For varieties and hybrids 6 – 7 plants / sq. m. and For baby corn, 8 – 9 plants / sq. m.
- Dibble the seeds at a depth of 4 cm along the furrow in which fertilizers are placed and cover with soil. Put one seed per hole if the germination is assured otherwise put two seeds per hole
- Irrigation management:
- Maize crop is sensitive to both moisture stress and excessive moisture, hence regulate irrigation according to the requirement. Ensure optimum moisture availability during the most critical phase (45 to 65 days after sowing); otherwise yield will be reduced by a considerable extent.
- Regulate irrigation according to the following growth phase of the crop.
- Germination & establishment phase 1 to 14 days
- Vegetative phase 15 to 39 days
- Flowering phase 40 to 65 days
- Maturity phase 66 to 95 days
- Nutrient management:
- Apply NPK fertilizers based on soil test recommendations whenever possible. In the absence of soil test results, use a blanket recommendation of 135:62.5:50 NPK kg/ha.
- Administer one-quarter of the N dose, and the full doses of P2O and K2O, as a basal application before sowing.
- For ridge-planted crops, create a furrow 6 cm deep along the side of the ridge, positioned at two-thirds the distance from the top. Evenly apply the fertilizer mixture along the furrows and cover with soil to a depth of 4 cm.
- If using a bed system for planting, open furrows 6 cm deep at intervals of 60 cm. Apply the fertilizer mixture evenly along the furrows and cover with soil to a depth of 4 cm.
- Intercultural operations:
- Thinning and Gap Filling:- Remove one seedling per hole, leaving only the healthiest and most vigorous one, 12-15 days after sowing. For ungerminated seeds, dibble presoaked seeds at 2 per hole and immediately irrigate.
- Hoeing, Hand-Weeding, and Earthing Up:- Hoe and hand-weed on the 30th day after sowing. Earth up and form new ridges so that plants are positioned directly on top for additional anchorage.
- Top Dressing with N:- Apply half of the N dose evenly along furrows on the 25th day after sowing and cover with soil. Apply the remaining quarter of N on the 45th day after sowing.
- disease management:
- Bacterial Stalk Rot: This disease occurs in many states including Telangana where high temperatures coupled with high humidity develop during the pre-flowering stage of the crop. Use of disease resistance varieties, While no absolute resistance has been identified so far, Hybrids Ganga Safed-2, DHM 103, show significantly less disease incidence than other hybrids. Avoid waterlogging and poor drainage.
- Common Rust: This disease is prevalent in cooler parts of the country but its destructiveness is more apparent in rabi maize,
- Plant hybrids like Deccan, Ganga-5, Deccan Hybrid Makka-103 and DHM – 1 which are resistant to this disease to minimise the disease intensity
- Spray Mancozeb 2.5g/lit or Dithane M-45 spray can be taken (0.4%) as soon as first symptoms are observed and it can be repeated at 10 days interval till flowering.
- Pest management :
- Stem Borer (Busseola fusca, Sesamia calamistis, Eldana saccharina): These insects are transmitted to maize plants by butterflies that lay eggs on the corn during the dry season. The damage caused by these insects is evident from the holes they create in the seeds, the completely eaten leaves, and the galleries they form in the stems, all of which are surrounded by the insects’ excrement. The following measures are recommended to fight against the disease: early planting, rotation of crops, pile up the stems in compost or apply Dursban 48%.1, 5l/Ha or beta-cyfluthrine 2,5% in 10 l of water /acre.
- Stem borer: spray 30EC Diamethoate 1.2 ml / lit water
- American ball worm:
- In the early stages of larval growth (1 to 3 stages), spray Neem extract 1500 PPM 5 ml or Neem seed kernel extract 5% at the rate of per liter of water. Alternatively,
- Spray Chlorantraniliprole 18.5% SC 40 grams per hectare or Emamectin Benzoate 5% SG 8 grams per liter of water. Alternatively,
- Spray Spinosad 11.7% SC insecticide at the rate of 0.5 ml per liter of water.
- Harvesting and yield:
- For grain maize, harvesting should be done when the husks on the cobs turn yellowish-white and become firm. Do not cut the stalks; instead, first remove the cobs by stripping them off. Sun-dry the stripped cobs for 2 to 3 days.
- After that, shell the maize using a maize shelling machine. Ensure the kernels are sun-dried until their moisture content is reduced to 10-12%. This drying process is essential to prevent pest infestations during storage.
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