Maize in India: Production Systems, Constraints - AgEcon Search

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25 western regions. Alleviating production constraints for spring and rainy season maize in the eastern region had the lowest priority. Research and development agendas by region are described below and presented in Table 24. 5.1.1 Central and western region The central and western region is characterized as a low yielding maize environment, where mostly local/ traditional varieties are cultivated mainly for household food security. Based on average annual rainfall, the region was divided into two sub-regions: (1) the low rainfall (less than 500 mm per year) sub-region covering most of Rajasthan; and (2) the medium- tohigh-rainfall (500-900 mm per year) sub-region covering the whole of Madhya Pradesh and parts of central and western Uttar Pradesh. In the low-rainfall sub-region, moisture stress was the key constraint to maize production, and aggressive breeding efforts to overcome the drought problem are needed, as they are thought to be more relevant than water-saving or water management technologies. The use of biotechnology to develop transgenic maize for drought management would benefit poor and resource-scarce farming communities in the low rainfall sub-region. Other key research priorities in this sub-region are inadequate availability of quality seed, lack of early maturing varieties (needed for drought management), and broadleaf and grassy weeds. In the medium-to-high rainfall sub-region, key research priorities are similar to those in the low rainfall region: inadequate availability of quality seed, moisture stress, unbalanced fertilizer use, lack of early maturing varieties, and broadleaf and grassy weeds. Public and private seed sectors are weak in both subregions. Most farmers in these sub-regions are resource poor and cannot afford to buy improved seed, even if available. Under such a scenario, the agricultural research institutions and state agricultural universities based in the sub-regions may initiate seed multiplication programs and sell at reasonable prices, and hence pass on the benefits of research to farmers confronted with poverty and water scarcity. Given the poverty level and low yields, the region needs to prioritize maize research. The research environment is difficult, however, and may require higher research outlays than are needed in favorable environments. The research lag may be high with a low probability of success because the production environment is risky, fragile, and under stress. A focused and completely revamped research strategy to address the key research priorities could generate technologies suited to farmers’ resources and production environments. 5.1.2 Eastern Uttar Pradesh and Bihar In this region, maize production is gradually shifting from the rainy to the winter season, when the crop is grown mainly under irrigation, so that yield levels are higher and unit costs are lower. Lack of quality seed, inappropriate crop establishment, and a lack of balanced use of nutrients during the winter season were the top three researchable issues in this region. A strong policy research analysis, assessing the reasons for nonavailability of improved seed and developing appropriate strategies to overcome this constraint, would allow further expansion of the area under winter maize. Similarly, diagnostic surveys to understand the reasons for inappropriate crop establishment and lack of balanced use of nutrients would provide deeper insights for undertaking in-depth research programs. Other problems in the easter n region for winter and irrigated maize (minimization of post-harvest losses, management of Turcicum leaf blight, and post-flowering stalk rot) would also benefit from research efforts. Inter-cropping with maize and transplanting maize under late sown conditions are other high-priority research issues for which public and private sector research is in progress. In the high and medium rainfall regions of Eastern Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, the priority constraints are related to appropriate variety development. The development of medium- and full-season cultivars for high rainfall regions and of extra-early or early cultivars for medium rainfall regions are the highest priority. Researchable issues are more or less the same within the eastern region but their ranking varies depending on the location’s rainfall regime. For example, weeds have a higher priority in high rainfall regions than in the medium rainfall areas. Development of drought-escape varieties along with appropriate management practices may be the best research strategy. 5.1.3 Southern region This non-traditional maize growing region encompasses Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka, and is characterized as high yielding. Maize is grown for commercial purposes, mainly to meet the growing demand for poultry feed. It is grown in varying rainfall regimes (or sub-regions) in this region: low (750 mm). Among the three rainfall regimes, the high rainfall area is the most important, and the low rainfall sub-region is the least important for maize production.
26 Table 24. Top 10 priority constraints for maize research by region and rainfall regime, India, 2001. Traditional maize growing areas (Northern India) Non-traditional maize growing areas (Southern India) Rainfall Central and Western Uttar Pradesh, regime Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan Eastern Uttar Pradesh and Bihar Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh Low Moisture stress (drought) Drought Inadequate availability of quality seed Lack of quality seed Lack of early maturing varieties Post-flowering stalk rot Unbalanced/improper use of fertilizers Stem borers Broadleaf and grassy weeds Turcicum leaf blight Post-flowering stalk rot Improper nutrient management Chilo partellus (stem borers) Zinc deficiency Brown stripe downy mildew (BSDM) Storage pests Termites Improper maize-based intercropping system Medium Lack of extra early & early varieties with quality seed Turcicum leaf blight Occasional drought Post-flowering stalk rot Inadequate crop establishment method Lack of quality seed Post-harvest losses Stem borers Inadequate use of fertilizers (low N) Water management (irrigated environment) Weed problems Waterlogging (irrigated environment) Stem borers Micronutrient deficiency Maydis leaf blight Weed management Bacterial stalk rot Storage pests Mixed cropping Early maturing hybrids (irrigated environment) Medium Inadequate availability of quality seed to high Moisture stress (drought) Unbalanced/improper use of fertilizers Lack of early maturing varieties Broadleaf and grassy weeds Chilo partellus (stem borers) Post-flowering stalk rot Lack of location-specific transfer of technology for rainfed conditions, especially for farm women Maydis leaf blight Banded leaf and sheath blight (BLSB) High Lack of appropriate medium, full-season seed Drought (AP) Inadequate crop establishment method Lack of quality seed Inadequate use of fertilizers Post-flowering stalk rot Weed problems Brown stripe downy mildew (KAR-Kharif) Stem borers Turcicum leaf blight Excess water (waterlogging) Stem borers Postharvest losses Banded leaf and sheath blight Maydis leaf blight Weed management Bacterial stalk rot Storage pests Mixed cropping Spring Lack of quality seed of early maturing varieties for spring season Stem borers Inappropriate crop establishment Unbalanced fertilizer use Post-harvest losses Maydis leaf blight Promotion of intercropping Winter Lack of quality seed (irrigated) Inappropriate crop establishment Unbalanced fertilizer use Post-harvest losses Turcicum leaf blight Post-flowering stalk rot Promotion of intercropping Transplanting maize under late sown conditions Source: IFAD-CIMMYT-India RRA Surveys, 2001.
Page 1 and 2: P.K. Joshi N.P. Singh N.N. Singh R.
Page 3 and 4: CIMMYT® (www.cimmyt.org) is an int
Page 5 and 6: iv Tables Page No. Table 1. Socio-e
Page 7 and 8: vi Acknowledgments This project was
Page 9 and 10: 2 Table 1. Socio-economic and infra
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Page 25 and 26: 18 3. Maize Production Constraints
Page 27 and 28: 20 3.2.2 Markets As in other develo
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Page 31: 24 5. Agenda for Maize Research and
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Page 39 and 40: 32 References Centre for Monitoring
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