Proceedings of the Fifth Asian Regional Maize Workshop - Search ...

and mid altitude for mixed and sequential cropping systems.
Table 2.
Agronomical features of recommended varieties.
Varieties Av. yield Maturity Pl. ht Grain Recommended
(t/ha) days (cm) color Year Area
Rampur yellow (Com- 3-4 105 220 Yellow 1966 Terai &
posite J-1)
foot hi 11s
Khumal Yellow (Antiqua 3-4.5 130 220 Orange 1966 Mid-hi 11s
Gp.2D x Guatemala)
Kakani Yellow (Antigua 3-4 180 230 Orange 1966 High hi 11s
Gp 2 x Guatemala)
Hetauda Comp. (Exotic 3-4 120 220 Yellow 1972 Terai, foot
x local landraces)
hi 11s
2. Agronomi c management
An improved variety Q§L se is not sufficient for producing high yields unless it is grown
under proper cultural practices. Agronomic research is a necessary component to develop a
package of recommendations to increase productivity. The agronomic studies emphasized to date
are in the areas of planting date, optimum population density for varieties from the different
maturity groups, intercropping, crop sequences, fertilizer requirements, tillage practices,
effect of planting in furrow against planting in flat, and crop water requirements.
NMRP could not standardize its techniques and recommended available general agronomic practices
due to many constraints including the lack of genetically broad based varieties, variation
in the climatic conditions, soil types, fertilizer uses, drought, soil erosion, marginal land
crop, insect pests and diseases, unpredictable monsoon rains, economic constraints of hill
people, and the poorly organized market for farmers to dispose of the product at a reasonable
price.
NMRP has conducted many trials relevant to the problems present at the different locations
(Agric. Res. Stations (Table 3) and farmer's fields) to develop production practices that are
economically and ecologically feasible to farmers. The agronomical production practices usually
followed by farmers in maize cultivation differ from lower to high elevations. With this view,
the National Agric. Res. Council has the mandate to conduct in future location specific (regional
problem oriented-research) trials at different farms and station (Table 3).
The results of some of the agronomy trials with emphasis on germplasm conducted in the
different locations are tabulated in Tables 4, 5, 6 and 7. The results are inconsistent between
the various locations due to one or several of the factors already described.
The general recommendation made by NMRP on fertilizer level is 90:45:45 kg/N, P 2
0 5
and K 2
0
for winter crop and 45:30:30 kg/ha N, P 2
0 5
and K 2
0 for monsoon crop. The row to row and plant to
plant distances are 75 em and 25 em, respectively. The spraying of both herbicides Atrazine and
Lasso at the rate of 1.5 kg a.i. in 800 lt of water before emergence has shown satisfactory
results. The use of herbicides by farmers is nil. Weeds are controlled either by hand-hoeing or
less commonly, with ox-drawn wooden cultivator/plough in terai.
The farmyard manure (FYM) collected by the farmers is extensively applied in spring/summer
maize cultivation. In general, the use of inorganic fertilizers in high and mid-hills ;s very
low to negligible. Hence, fertilizer recommendations need to be developed for specific cropping
patterns and land types. The present tendency toward a blanket general recommendation on
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