Maize ( Zea mays)

Scientific classification• Kingdom: Plantae• Order: Poales• Family: Poaceae• Subfamily: Panicoideae• Genus: Zea• Species: Z. mays

ORIGIN & History• Corn plant is indigenous to America and principle food grain

of native Americans • It was domesticated 8000 years ago • For western civilization, the story of corn began in 1492 when

Columbus's men discovered this new grain in Cuba.• Archeological evidence of corn's early presence in the

western hemisphere was identified from corn pollen grain considered to be 80,000 years old obtained from drill cores 200 feet below Mexico City

Lance Gibson and Garren Benson, Iowa State University, Department of Agronomy Revised January 2002.

INTRODUCTION

• Highest yielding cereal crop in the world • 3rd most grown crop in world • 3rd largest grown cereal crop in Pakistan • 4th largest crop grown crop in Pakistan • Rich source of starch, vitamins, proteins

and minerals

INTRODUCTION

World production 600 million metric tonsWorld area 118 million hectare Total Pakistan area 1 million hectare Total production 3.5 million metric tons

Contribution of different provinces to total area

1. Punjab 39%2. KPK 56%3. Sindh 5%4. Balochistan 3%

Uses of maize

• Making breads • Noodles• Confectionery

Its flour is used For• Custards (thinking agent)• Jellies (thinking agent)

•Edible oil•Levulinic acid (used as ingredient in anti freeze)• plastic and fabrics are made from corn stocks•Ethanol used as biomass fuel •Corn silk used as herbal supplements

An unleavened bread called makki di roti is a popular bread eaten in the Punjab region of India and Pakistan.

Production Technology

Soil and climate

• Maize is adapted to wild variety of soil and climate

• Well drain heavy soils with high organic matter content and good water holding capacity.

• pH 6.5—7.5• Tem. For flowering more than 10 c°

Seed bed preparation

• Fine and compact bed needed

• Land is loosened 20 to 25 cm deep through ploughing or disking 2–3 times

• Planking

Sowing time

Maize is planted in two seasons

1.Autumn First weak of February up to first week of March

2.Spring Last week of July to mid of august

Seed rate and verities 12—15 kg per acre (for drill sowing)8—10 kg per acre (for bed sowing)

• Hybrid verities • Corn—8288 • NK—8001 • X—2276 • Monsanto– 6525

Sowing method

• Maize can be sown on flat soil as well as ridgesFor ridge sowing

75 cm apart ridges are made with ridger Choka method or manual sowing is practiced

For flat sowingAutomatic tractor drawn drill or hand drill with 75

cm distance between rows is used Thining is done after 10—15 days of emergence

Sowing method

Plant to plant distance 20—25 cm Plant population should be 70—75 thousand per

hectare

Fertilizer NPK @ 150—100—100 kg per hectare respectivelyAll phosphorus & potassium and half Nitrogen side

dressed N is added in two splits first at knee height second at

tasseling

Irrigation

• Requires frequent irrigation• Irrigation 10—15 days intervals• Drought will reduce yield • Moisture stress at critical stages can reduce

yield up to 40%• Total irrigations

6—9

Plant protection measures

Maize crop faces serious threat after emergence Shoot fly Stem borer

SolutionFuradan powder should be dropped into shoots @

20 kg/hectare

Plant protection measures

Harvest & storage

• Harvested when moisture content of grains are 20—25 %

• Hand operated or powered maize shellers can be used

• Store at moisture content 15% • Temperature for storage 20—25 c°• Humidity 30—50 %

Yield

• Hybrid has potential 125—130 mounds per acre