Maize
After wheat and rice, maize is the most significant cereal crop in the world. Maize’s relevance stems from its numerous industrial applications in addition to its use as a human food and animal feed. It is the most adaptable crop in a variety of agro-ecologies, and it has the best genetic yield potential of all the food grain crops. Because of the numerous uses of maize in the food, feed, and industrial sectors, we need to produce more with the same or even fewer resources. New production technologies hold a lot of promise for enhancing productivity and meeting global consumer demands. Corn farmers have been striving for constant development and increased efficiency for decades.
Methods of Sowing:
- Because maize is a highly lime-responsive crop, proper soil testing is needed before applying lime.
- During field preparation, apply 5 tonnes of FYM or compost per hectare, as well as 120, 60, and 40 kg of N, P, and K per hectare. The entire P&K dose, as well as 1/3 of the N, should be applied at the time of sowing. Because maize is prone to Zn deficiency, using 25 kg of ZnSO4 during sowing is also suggested. At the knee-high and tasselling phases, rest-divided dosages of N should be administered.
- The flowering period (15-20 days), which includes tasselling, silking, and pollination, is the most essential stage for irrigation in Rabi Maize. Water shortages during these phases cause the greatest decline in grain output, owing to the fall in grain number of cobs. Ensure appropriate watering during the Rabi Maize phases.