Maize: Improved technologies for boosting yield

By Our Agriculture Correspondent

THE IMPROVED package of farming techniques and nutrient application based on soil-testing results have significantly contributed to the high yield of the hybrid maize in my farm, explains Mr. R. Madhavan, an enterprising young farmer of Karumbakkam village, 9 km from Chengalpattu town in Tamil Nadu.

Mr. Madhavan raised ``Pusa Early Makka Hybrid-2'' in 0.4 hectare of heavy black soil in his 3.6 hectare-farm. This farmer has been provided with sound technical advice by National Agro Foundation (NAF), which was founded last year by C. Subramaniam, former Union Minister of Agriculture and an architect of the Green Revolution in the country. NAF is equipped with a state-of-the- art soil testing laboratory, and it has a team of agricultural experts to support the farmers with farming technology. Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam is the chairman of NAF- Governing Council.

``The technology package focussed mainly on the application of nutrients based on soil testing results, and in multiple splits to meet the nutrient demand of the crop at critical phases of development. It also envisaged the deep ploughing of the heavy black soil using a sub-soil plough. This helped in breaking the soil crust and facilitated better drainage.The deep ploughing to a depth of about 45 cm helped in good aeration of the root zone, and the turning up of the soil brought all the nutrients from the bottom to the surface making them readily available for the current crop to use,'' points out Mr. S.S. Rajsekar, Managing Trustee of NAF.

``I sowed the maize during the second week of March. The field was thrown into ridges and furrows 60 cm apart. The seeds were sown at a spacing of 22.5 cm apart on the ridges. The nutrients were applied as per the recommendations of NAF. The soil testing results revealed that the soil was alkaline (pH 9.0), and it also indicated zinc and manganese deficiency. Suitable measures were taken to remedy them, and the crop grew luxuriantly,'' says Mr. Madhavan.

About 125 kg ammonium sulphate was added to neutralize the soil alkalinity, and 125 kg diammonium phosphate and 100 kg muriate of potash were applied as basal dressing in the 0.4 hectare plot. The field was routinely irrigated, and on the 30 th day, when the first weeding was taken up, about 50 kg each of urea and ammonium sulphate were applied before earthing up, according to the farmer.

Another round of 50 kg urea was applied on the 65 th day, when the tassels sprang up, and a final dose of 50 kg urea was added on the 75 th day of sowing. Since the crop was grown in the hot weather period, there were no major pests and diseases. The crop was harvested on June 11, and the crop recorded a high yield of 2.5 tonnes of grains and good volume of stalks, according to Mr. Madhavan. ``NAF helped me to market the produce directly to a poultry farmer in Dindivanam, and it helped in maximizing my returns,'' says the farmer.

The total cost of cultivation was Rs. 6500, and the gross returns was Rs. 16,250. It left a good profit of Rs. 9,750, according to Mr. Madhavan. In addition, high quality stalks ideal for feeding livestock was in abundance, according to him.

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