ICAR- Indian Institute of Maize Research, PAU Campus, Ludhiana, Punjab 141 004, India Under “Promotion of improved technology of maize production in NEH region”. Productivity per unit of maize in Meghalaya lags behind India's national average. In this regard, the discovery of the Opaque-2 (O2) and floral-2 (F2) mutant had opened enormous possibilities for the improvement of the protein quality of maize, which later led to the development of “Quality Protein Maize (QPM).
Therefore, maize sowing/planting should be planned so that heavy rainfall does not coincide with the flowering stage because it causes diseases and pests of the maize crop, leading to fewer grains in the cob. Corn planting depth is from 5 to 10 cm, depending on the type of soil and the date of planting. The choice of variety in a particular location is a key determinant for increased productivity and profitability of maize.
Yield characteristics and yields of different maize varieties were significantly affected under the organic production system (Table 2).
Raised bed (ridge) and furrow sowing
Crop rooting depends on seed interaction, seeding depth, soil moisture dynamics, seeding method, fertilization, water management, etc., but seeding/planting method plays a key role in better crop establishment under certain growing conditions. The furrows facilitate the removal of excess water and the crop can be saved from stress due to excessive soil moisture. To exploit the full potential of bed planting technology, permanent beds are recommended in mid-slope areas where sowing can be done in one pass without any preparatory tillage.
Zero-till sowing
No-till with plants in raised beds (NT-RB) – plots should be conventionally plowed, but the planting area should be raised about 6 inches above the ground in the previous season and repaired during the planting season to maintain no-till condition .
Nutrient management
Inorganic nutrient management: 60-80 kg N+40 kg P2O5+ 40 kg K2O/ha along with 25 kg ZnSO4/ha should be applied to corn grain, however, a 25% higher dose is recommended for baby corn production high N. The total total dose of phosphorus and potassium and half of the nitrogen dose should be applied as a P band at 5 cm to the side and 5 cm below the seed.
Water management
Weed management
Productivity of rainfed monoculture systems in Meghalaya is very low and high risk economic activity. Therefore, ICAR Research Complex for NEH Region, Umiam, Meghalaya has designed series of resource efficient cropping systems along with innovative management practices. Multiple crops (intercrop, relay crop and mixed crop) with multi-crown structure provides continuous vegetative cover throughout the year, improves farm productivity besides reducing soil erosion.
Therefore, sustainable intensification is necessary to increase farm productivity in hilly regions. Sustainable intensification is an agricultural production strategy that seeks to maximize and optimize the benefits that can be obtained through better use of available natural resources. The following maize-based cropping systems are proposed for higher income, employment and better soil health in the hill terraces of Meghalaya.
Crop residue management (CRM) in maize based cropping systems
Agricultural options should always be considered in context, taking full account of the factors and interactions of time and space, so that field operations can be carried out at the right time, with the land surface optimally occupied by crop in system mode. Straw/crop residues can be used as mulch which increases infiltration by reducing surface clogging and reducing runoff velocity. Decomposition of straw and residues begins after a certain period of time and can have both positive and negative effects on plant production and the environment.
Crop residues serve as a habitat for insect pests and disease pathogens, which is considered a major constraint of crop residue management (CRM). Therefore, to increase the positive effect of CRM with a minimal negative effect on the environment, plant residues and straw should be well managed. Leaving the vegetative cover in the field through straw and plant residues helps to "sew" the soil and protect it from water erosion.
These plant residues act as food for microorganisms, thus increasing biological activity which plays an important role in nutrient cycling. Composts from plant waste and animal manure added to the soil along with integrated biological pest and weed management, crop rotation and mechanical cultivation also help maintain and increase soil productivity and fertility without the use of fertilizers. synthetic N and pesticides.
Maize based intercropping systems in Meghalaya
At high altitudes, corn + soybeans (two rows of soybeans between two rows of corn) are a very good intercropping practice for the region. Intercropping requires planting in pair rows (row ratio 2:2) by adjusting the distance between the corn crops. The following maize-based intercropping systems are proposed to improve land and water productivity in Meghalaya.
If necessary, sowing practices would be slightly modified to accommodate composite crops in such a way as to impose less competition on the main crop. The catch crop can be sown together with the main crop or it can be changed according to the needs of the crop. If the component crop is a legume, the fertilizer required for the main crop is generally sufficient.
Inclusion of at least one leguminous crop in crop rotation to fix the atmospheric nitrogen in the soil. Cover crops such as peanuts should be planted between cropping seasons to bind and conserve nutrients, as opposed to continuously planting the corn and not planting any cover crops. Application of manure, organic waste-based manure and incorporation of other by-products into the soil must follow in nutrient management plan.
The timing of nutrient application to tailor feeding to meet plant growth needs is important, for example split application of nitrogen fertilizer as opposed to single application before planting. Adoption of conservation efficient crop management practices like modified tillage and organic farming practices etc. Land development to increase maize productivity and reduce soil erosion Sloping land comprises the largest area in the Meghalaya Plateau and is vulnerable to various.
Land development for enhancing maize productivity and reducing soil erosion Slopping land comprises the major area in Meghalaya plateau and vulnerable to different
Techniques of hybrid maize seed production
- Steps for development of a commercial corn hybrid
- Precautions to be taken while detasseling
- Nicking
- Mechanical admixtures
- Rouging
- Physiological maturity of the crop
- Seed rate and spacing
Double cross hybrids and three-way cross hybrids are not popular because they are not commercially viable compared to single cross hybrids. Single cross High High variation Three-way cross Inbreeding line Single cross High Low variation Varietal cross Open pollinated. When a single-cross hybrid is allowed to pollinate (such as in a farmer's field), about half of the hybrid vigor is lost.
A crop produced from open-pollinated seed produced from a single-cross hybrid will not be as productive as the original single-cross. This ensures that the spikes on the male plant (which were supposedly fertilized with pollen from the male really) are not picked. The crop should be harvested at the appropriate stage of maturity to minimize quality losses.
The moisture content of seed should be 35% and the pod should turn straw yellow in colour. This is also the stage in which the single-cross hybrid for the three-way or double-cross hybrids will be produced. Enough seed from the parents must be produced to produce the hybrid seed.
For three-way crosses, vigorous inbred lines with good pollen production should be used as the male line while the single cross is used as the female parent. Since the hybrid seeds are harvested from the female parent, it should be more number of female rows. The male rows must be planted so that effective pollination can be ensured and thus we can get better seed set.
Insect pests and diseases of maize and their management a. Important insect pest and their management
The Fall Armyworm (FAW) is the most devastating pest of many economically important crops native to the tropical and subtropical regions of the Americas. Recently, a severe incidence of FAW in maize crop has also been observed in Mizoram, Nagaland, Tripura, Manipur, Sikkim, Meghalaya and Arunachal Pradesh in Northeast India. Shortly after hatching, small larvae disperse from the group and reach the epidermal layer of the young and begin to scrape the leaf surface.
The larvae then enter the interior of the whorl and feed on the central stem and nearby tissues. Monitoring: Installation of pheromone traps @ 5/acre in actual and potential spread area in cropping season and off season. In the mid to late rolling stage (5-7 weeks after emergence) - action can be taken if 10.
Interweaving of maize with appropriate leguminous crops of each region. e.g. Corn+. pigeon pea/black gram/green gram). NSKE or azadirachtin 1500 ppm as soon as the trap crop shows symptoms of FAW damage. Application of dry sand to the rings of affected maize plants shortly after FAW is observed in the field.
Biopesticides: Suitable for 5% damage in seedling to early whorl stage and 10% ear damage with entomopathogenic fungi and bacteria. All sprays should be directed towards the vortex and either in the early hours of the day or in the evening. Application and timely plant protection measures to avoid the spread of the insect from the abandoned crop.
Stem Borer (Chilo partellus)
The borer is one of the important pests of corn, as it causes large indirect losses than through actual feeding. The adult female lays 70-80 eggs individually at the bottom of the cone between the two envelopes of the cone. Newly hatched larvae pierce the cob and excrement on the cob is a clear sign of cob injury.
Pupation occurs within the ear or between the cob and the pupal period is 6-8 days. Early sowing of maize in March/April to overcome the attack of cobs. Spraying of chemical pesticides should be avoided, as ear damage is generally higher during the mature stages.
Deep plowing in the month of March/April reveals the larval/swelling stages of the worms.
Aphids (Rhopalosiphum maidis)
Termites (Microterms obesi)
Destruction of termite colonies near the field provides protection against termites.
Cutworms (Agrotis ipsilon)
Field crickets (Brachytrypes protentosus)
Turcicum leaf blight (TLB) (Helminthosporium turcicum)
Banded leaf and sheath blight (BLSB)
Common rust (CR) (Puccinia sorghi)
Downy mildews (DM)
Yield
Effect of tillage and crop establishment techniques on productivity, profitability and soil health under maize (Zea mays)–maize–pea (Pisum sativum) cropping system.
ICAR Research Complex for NEH Region, Umiam, Meghalaya-793 103
