General knowledge for Maize Cultivation in Nepal

Introduction

Maize is second main food crops after paddy in terms of production among three major food crops in Nepal. Especially in hilly area, maize is considered as the important source of food. Maize is known as a traditional cereal crop in Nepal. It has higher genetic yield potential than others cereals because it has C4 photosynthetic pathway in which the LSP is higher than C3 plants. So, maize is known as “Queen of cereals” Due to it’s great role in food and nutritional security, it is also called opportunity grain in western region of Nepal. Maize is the staple food crop of hilly region of Nepal with 80% of total maize area (70% in Mid Hills and 10% in High Hills) in Nepal.

Major reasons behind low production are lack of proper preparation of land, use of less quality seed and lack of proper use of organic and other fertilizers. Hence , there is great potential for increasing the maize production in Nepal if proper quality seeds and cultivation techniques are applied.

Basic knowledge for Maize Cultivation

1.Various stages of Maize plant

Seedling stage : It is the initial stage of Maize plant with 2-4 leaves after the emergence. It takes 1-2 weeks time after the seed plantation.

Growth stage of maize: Major growth stage of maize is to certain height equal to knee-length height. It takes 35-40 days time period. First top dressing is done in this stage. Likewise, first top dressing, last weeding wed hoeing are also done in this stage.

Tasseling stage: This stage is also called stage of male flower emergence (pollen formation). The Tassel formed after 14th and 15th leaves in maize plant and final top dressing should be done during this stage for good yields.

Silking stage: This stage is also called as cob formation stage. In this stage, Gynoecia are developed. Generally, cob also emerges between 7th to 11th leaves.

Milking stage: The development of blisters/ Kernels starts after the completion of pollination and silks emerge at the upper end of the cob ear. The outer husk is also green, and the blisters appear to be milky. This is the best period to eat green corn/ maize.

2.Selection of soil

• Soil should be fertile with optimum organic matter content.
• Soil should be deep with good water holding capacity.
• Maize can be cultivated in pH range 5.5 to 7.5 however, best pH range is 6.5 to 7.5.
• Maize is sensitive to water lodging (causing yellowing or chlorosis), So proper drainage facility is most essential.

3.Crop rotation for reducing disease and pest

• For the controlling of disease and pest, same family crop should not be continuously cultivated every year in same plot, and crop rotation should be adopted in every 3 years.
• If farmers cultivate the maize every year in the same plot, virus and other soil borne diseases will be increased gradually.
• The crop rotation can be adopted as given below:

  -First of all, farmers should divide their field into 3 plots.

  -In the 1st year, cultivate the Maize in 1st plot, cultivate potato in 2nd plot and if possible cultivate legume in 3rd plot.

  -In the 2nd year, continue the same procedure following same time and season but rotate the crops like maize will be in 2nd plot, potato in 3rd plot and legume or vegetable will be in 1st plot.

  -In 3rd year, do same as before by rotating the crop.

  -This way, every three years, there will be changing the crops in farmer’s field which will help to control and eradicate the disease and pest in the crop production field.

4. Germination test of commercial seed from Agro-vet

• If possible, it would be better to use of certified and disease free seed to prevent seed born disease, otherwise there is risk of low production.
• Among received seeds from market, the warranty tag of the seed bag should be checked whether that is the right variety or not. After that, germination test of the seed should be done.

5. Treatment of seed before sowing

Maize seeds should be treated by fungicides for controlling damping-off of plant in initial stage. Processes for seed treatment are as follows:

• For seed treatment, 1.5 gm of Captan or Thiram fungicide is needed for per kg seed. 1.5 kg of Maize seed to cultivate the Maize for 1 Ropani and 2.25 gm of Captan or Thiram fungicides is enough to treat that much of seed.
• Mix the fungicides with Maize seeds in an air tight pot or container with lead cover, and stir it vigorously for 8-10 minutes.

The following cautions should be considered while treating seeds with fungicide:

• Windy place must be avoided as it can sweep away powder.
• Use masks, gloves and spectacles while treating the seeds.
• Wear the clothes that cover the whole body.
• Use only the pesticide of proper quality.
• Wash thoroughly with soap water when fungicide touches skin directly.

6. Land preparation and sowing of maize

(A)Field sanitation before cultivation

In the residues of earlier crops remain in the field, the larva of the pest and disease of the previous crops stay alive in soil, and attack the new crops as well. Therefore, field should be cleaned after harvesting.

(B)Application of FYM (Farm yard manure)

• Around 50-60 bamboo baskets of well-fermented FYM per Ropani of land should be applied during the land preparation or first plowing (1-2 month earlier of cultivation).
• Use of unfermented FYM (farm yard manure) can increase pest such as white grubs, cut worms and other worms.
• In case, heaps of FYM put in the field for long time, the nutrients in the FYM will be lost and insect may lay eggs in the heaps also. So, it should be better spread the manure and plow the field immediately.

(C) First ploughing

• 1-2 month before planting, during Dec-Jan, first plowing should be done.
• Plowing should be done after putting the well fermented FYM (50-60 DOKO/Ropani) as organic fertilizer on the field.
• Plough the field two times, which will make the soil loose, and make easy for aeration and root growth. In the first time, plough the field the filed 5-8 cm deep and second time 10-15 cm deep should be done.
• In case, there is big size of soil clods present in the field after first plowing, the breaking of those clods should be done manually with the help of spade or other equipment before those clods become hard.

(D)Second plowing and sowing of maize

• The field should be ploughed second time just before seed sowing in line with the application of basal dose of chemical fertilizers. Apply 2.6 kg of Urea, 3 kg of DAP, 2.5 kg of Potash per Ropani as a basal dose of fertilizer.
• Line sowing has an advantage over broadcasting as it requires less seed, facilitates easy weed control.
• Just after sowing of seeds, we should press the soil, which will conserve the moisture and will help for easy germination.

(E) Sowing

1.Time of Maize sowing and harvesting according to different region

For the Maize cultivation, Average temperature of 24 hours should be at least 10°C.

2.Methods of sowing seeds

• Seeds will be soaked for 1 night in water, and dry it slightly in shadow before sowing.
• Field needs to have adequate moisture (when the condition of the surface of the field soil become somehow brownish, and when we take the soil on palm and tight it with fingers, it will slowly break after releasing the fingers) during sowing time for using water soaked seeds.
• 2-3 maize seeds should be sown in each spot with 3-5 cm deep in rows.
• Seeds should be sown in the spacing of 20-24 cm from seed to seed and 60-68 cm from line to line.

Advantage of line sowing:

• Save amount of seed for sowing.
• Easy for weeding the field.
• Easy for covering the plant but soil, and making good drainage way or irrigation in the field.
• Easy for top dressing on the plants.

3.Application of chemical fertilizer

The half dose of Urea, full dose of DAP and full dose of potash should be applied in line and plow the field, then sow seeds in same line.