WELCOME

QUALITY SEED

PRODUCTION IN MAIZE

DEPARTMENT OF AGRONOMY

Presented By

Shantanu Jadhav

Registration No.

AKN-2011/37

Prof. Incharge

Prof. S. Sonawane

Credit Distribution of Experiential Learning Programme AEL-AGRO-4813

Sr . NO. Name of the Discipline

Allotted Credit Teacher Name

1. Agronomy Prof. Sonawane S. V.

2. Agril Botany Prof. Bornare S.

3. Agril Engg

4. Agril Entomology Prof. Ugale T. B

5. Plant Pathology Prof Deshmukh H.V.

6. Agril Econ

7. Extension Education Prof Hadole S.M.

INTRODUCTION

Scientific Name – Zea mays Family – PoaceaeMaize is one of the important cereal crop in the

world grown over an area of 132 Mha with a production of 570 m.t. It is the crop with the highest productivity.

Maize is serving as staple food for vulnerable segment of the population as feed crop and also important source of raw material used in numerous industrial material.

Maize is cultivated during June – July, September- October and January - February seasons

Sowing during November – December is suitable for seed production, since seed maturity stage will not coincide with rainfall

During early stage of this crop, water stagnation should be avoided.

Isolation Distance

Since maize is a cross pollinated crop, it is necessary to isolate seed field from maize crops of any other variety.

The seed field must be isolated at least by 400 meters for foundation seed class, and 200 metres for certified class seed from seed of other varieties of maize

Field Preparation

After pre-sowing irrigation, prepare the land as soon as it is ploughable to a good tilth.

Usually one ploughing , two to three harrowings followed by leveling, is sufficient to prepare the field to the desired tilth.

Sowing operation

Time of Sowing The best time for sowing maize is two

weeks prior to the onset of the monsoon. Maize is usually sown from the second week of June to mid- July.

Source of seed Obtain nucleus/breeders/foundation seed

from a source by a seed certification agency.

Method of Sowing Maize is sown in rows with the help of a maize

planter, or is dibbed by hand in furrows. The depth of seeding should be from five to six cm.

Spacing Row to row 60to 75 cm, plant to plant 20to 22.5

cm

Seed rate 16 to 18 kg per hectare

Seed treatment

To control the fungal disease treat the seed with thiram at 2g/kg seed.

One day after treat the seeds with 600 g of Azospirillum and shade dry for 15 minutes.

SowingSow the seeds at 1/3rd of ridge from the bottomAdopt a spacing of 10 cm from plant to plant and

sow two seeds per hill.

Irrigation

Up to 30 days, less irrigation is given.

Then it is necessary to irrigate once in 10 days.

Smooth silk will emerge out from the cob after fertilization.

Fertilizer application

Apply 25 tonnes of FYM per ha.

At time of sowing apply 40 kg N, 60 kg P and 40 kg K per ha as basal dose.

After 40-45 days of sowing apply 40 kg N per ha.

Micronutrient deficiency

Zn and Mg deficiency occurs - leaves.

Apply ZnSO4 @ 20 kg/ha as basal fertilizer.

Apply micronutrient mixture @ 62.5/ha mixed with 40 kg sand, after sowing the seeds.

Weed management

Take two hand weedings on 25 and 45 days after sowing.

After weeding, apply fertilizer as top dressing and do the earthing up operation.

Herbicides can also be applied. Spraying of Atrazin 500 g mixed in 1000 lit water and life irrigation on third day controls the weeds in maize fields..

ROUGINGGenerally rouging is done three times in maize. First rouging should be done during vegetative stage,

based on the height of the plant, colour of petiole and colour of leaf.

During flowering stage, second rouging is done based on colour of tassel and silk.

Finally, before harvest, based on colour of seed and cob characteristics, rouging can be done.

During drying of the cobs, rouging of cob based on seed colour and seed row will maintain the genetic purity.

Plant Protection

Insect Control

Disease Control

Insect Control

Shoot fly - 2ml of endosulphan in 1l of H2O.

Stem Borer - carbofuran granules @ 7.5 kg per acre @ 2 granules per plant

Shoot fly – 2ml of endosulphan in 1 liter of water.

Stem Borer – carbofuran granules @ 7.5 kg per acre @ 2 granules per plant

Disease Control

Downy Mildew: Metalaxyl 72 WP @ 1 kg/ha, or Mancozeb 1

kg ha-1 20 days after sowing.

Leaf Spot: Spray Mancozeb or Captan 1 kg/ha.

Downy mildew Leaf spot

HARVESTING OF MAIZE EARS

Maize ears can be harvested at relatively high moisture content (30 -35%) if the facilities for artificial heated air drying are available .

If such facilities are not available the harvesting has to be delayed until the seed moisture contend has been reduced to 15%.

An early harvest prevent loss in the field due to the bird damage, stalk breakage, ear rots, etc.

Sorting and drying of Maize Ears

After harvest, sort out all off type maize ears , particularly thoes showing different colour and texture, and diseased ears, before placing them in bin to dry.

A good sorting at this time considerably reduced task of sorting after the maize ears have been dried to the desired extent (10-12%moisture content )

SHELLINGSeeds can be separated by mechanical means. For

this operation, moisture content should be around 15 per cent for seed and 25 per cent for cob

By maintaining the moisture at this level, mechanical damage can be avoided. Seeds can also be separated from cob by beating with sticks

If the seeds are not in appropriate moisture content, occurrence of mechanical damage may occur to an extent of 48 per cent. Seeds with mechanical damage may invite fungal attack.

SEED DRYING

Reducing the moisture content To retain their viability Moisture content – 7% Temperature – 40° C Avoid - Drying under hot sun

SEED GRADING

To maintain the quality from one season to the next * Other crop seeds * Weed seeds (especially herbicide resistant

weeds) * Straw, soil dust and other inert material. * Immature, shriveled, damaged, cracked,

undersized or oversized seedYield = 1500 Kg /ha

SEED STORAGE

Dry the seeds to 12% moisture content and treat with Captan or Thiram 75 per cent wettable powder @ 70g per 100 kg seeds mixed in 500 ml of water

Treated seed packed in cloth bag can be stored for more than one year. Seeds dried up to 8 per cent moisture, treated with above chemicals and packed in moisture vapour proof polyethylene bag can be stored for 1½ years

Instead of toxic chemicals, you can also use nontoxic chemicals like halogen mixture for seed treatment. This will reduce the environmental pollution and ensures safety to the person engaged in seed treatment.

SEED CERTIFICATION

Genetic purity: Seed gives rise to a plant of the same varietal

characteristics

Physical purity: Seed is free from stones, broken seeds, straw bits

and leaf bits etc.,

Physiological purity: Germination and vigour

SEED STANDARDSFACTOR MAXIMUM PERMITTED (%)

Physical purity 98%Inert matter 2%Other crop seeds 10/KgGermination (minimum) 80%MoistureFor moisture vapor pervious

12%

For moisture vapour proof containers 8%

FIELD STANDARDS

FACTOR MAXIMUM PERMITTED(%)Off types (%) maximum 0.5%Shedding tassel (%) maximum 1.0%

THANK YOU

SHANTANU JADH

AV