Proceedings of the Fifth Asian Regional Maize Workshop - Search ...
Proceedings of the Fifth Asian Regional Maize Workshop - Search ...
Proceedings of the Fifth Asian Regional Maize Workshop - Search ...
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ad-hoc projects. After <strong>the</strong> inception <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Coordinated Project <strong>the</strong> physical research facilities<br />
available in <strong>the</strong>se stations were consolidated. To start with, only a few maize breeders were<br />
associated with this project and <strong>the</strong>y had <strong>the</strong> specific objective <strong>of</strong> developing high yielding<br />
maize hybrids. However, <strong>the</strong>y also carried out some investigations on agronomic aspects.<br />
Table 1. Area, production and productiVity <strong>of</strong> maize in <strong>the</strong> <strong>Asian</strong> region (1989-91).<br />
Countries<br />
Area harvested<br />
(000 hal<br />
Yield<br />
(t/ha)<br />
Production<br />
(000 t)<br />
MIDDLE EAST<br />
Afghanistan<br />
Turkey<br />
Iran<br />
Iraq<br />
saudi Arabia<br />
Syria<br />
SQ1TH ASIA<br />
Bhutan<br />
Burma (Myanmar)<br />
India<br />
Nepal<br />
Pakistan<br />
SQ1TH EAST ASIA<br />
Indonesia<br />
Phil ippines<br />
Thailand<br />
Vietnam<br />
EAST ASIA<br />
China<br />
North Korea<br />
SOUth Korea<br />
Taiwan<br />
264 1.6 436<br />
513 4.0 2,067<br />
3 0.9 40<br />
42 2.9 121<br />
02<br />
59 2.7 158<br />
52 1.5 81<br />
124 1.5 190<br />
5,856 1.5 8,975<br />
760 1.6 1,222<br />
856 1.4 1,185<br />
3,037 2.1 6,445<br />
3,699 1.3 4,677<br />
1,644 2.5 4,035<br />
484 1.5 720<br />
20,804 4.3 89,922<br />
710 6.3 4,450<br />
24 4.3 105<br />
84 4.0 332<br />
The Coordinated <strong>Maize</strong> Breeding Project was fur<strong>the</strong>r streng<strong>the</strong>ned in <strong>the</strong> year 1963-64 by<br />
adding to it <strong>the</strong> disciplines <strong>of</strong> agronomy, entomology, and pathology. Though <strong>the</strong>se disciplines<br />
were financially supported by PL-480, for technical purposes <strong>the</strong> staff functioning under <strong>the</strong>m was<br />
an integral part <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> project. In <strong>the</strong> year 1964, after <strong>the</strong> addition <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> above disciplines,<br />
<strong>the</strong> project was redesignated as All India Coordinated <strong>Maize</strong> Improvement Project (AICMIP), as it<br />
exists today.<br />
Soon after <strong>the</strong> inception <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> AICMIP, a large number <strong>of</strong> inbred lines and hybrids were<br />
introduced from USA and <strong>the</strong> caribbean region. These hybrids along with Punjab hybrids and top<br />
crosses involving about 100 inbred lines were put into trials. OUt <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>se, 28 promising inbred<br />
lines were picked up for subsequent use. In 1958, several hybrids from sou<strong>the</strong>rn USA, partiCUlarly<br />
NC-27, Texas-26 and Dixie-18 performed very well under Indian conditions. However, <strong>the</strong>se<br />
hybrids could not become popular among Indian farmers as <strong>the</strong>y possessed dent grain type and<br />
farmers had a preference for flint grain type. Keeping this objective in mind <strong>the</strong> breeders also<br />
collected indigenous genotypes having yellav fl int grain type and used <strong>the</strong>m along with exotic<br />
germplasm. During this process, emphasis was placed on - development/selection <strong>of</strong> elite<br />
43