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

HYBRID MAIZE DEVELOPMENT IN PAKISTAN
M. Saleem 1{ M. Aslam Yand H. Nawaz Y
Abstract
In Pakistan, maize is used for animal feed and for human consumption. At present, yields
are low due to extensive use of local varieties, traditional tillage practices, and low inputs.
Preference is for early semiflint varieties that can tolerate high densities and low inputs.
Originally US hybrids were tested in 1951-1968 but did not succeed due to late maturity, dented
yellow grain, and problems associated with seed production and high cost of seed. In general,
high yielding hybrids continue to have these same limitations and hence the low adaption of
hybrids in the country. For successful hybrid utilization and expansion of area, hybrids are
required to have early maturity, flint semiflint kernels, resistant to foliar diseases and stalk
rots, and easily and cheaply produced. Main limitation of utilization of hybrid seed in Pakistan
is the seed availability. It is recommended that the development and establishment of a seed
industry should be following scientific lines.
Maize is potentially one of the highest yielding cereals·and is of great importanGe to the
rural farming community of Pakistan. It is produced over a wide range of agroecological zones,
for a variety of purposes, and within both market and subsistence oriented farming systems.
Maize is gaining an increasingly important position due to recent changes in Government policy
regarding expansion in the textile industry, poultry feed, maize products, etc. Besides, maize
is also used as human food in many maize based farming systems of Pakistan. An increasing trend
for its demand has been observed for the last several years. To meet this challenge, we can not
expect a major shift in cropping patterns or expansion in the area. Therefore, there is a need
to improve maize production vertically rather than horizontally. No doubt, there has been some
progress in the use of improved synthetics or open-pollinated varieties, but seed production has
always remained a serious problem in the way of yield improvement per hectare on the whole. One
of the major reasons being the disinterest of private seed companies in the seed multiplication
of open-pollinated varieties.
Presently, maize yield per unit area is low primarily due to the use of local varieties,
traditional tillage practices, and use of low inputs. Growers generally prefer early maturing or
semi flint cultivars/hybrids that can tolerate high plant density, with response to low input
utilization, poor weed control, and which can still give good grain and stalk yield. More
importantly, a cultivar or hybrid is accepted by farmers only when it properly fits in their
cropping pattern and can tolerate environmental stresses in which that cultivar is grown.
Therefore, the breeder needs to remember that he is operating in a stressful environment and
hence should develop widely adapted hybrid cultivars that must match the growing conditions of
subsistence farmers.
Some exotic hybrids such as US 13, Indiana 909, and US 523, were tested during 1958-68 and
earlier, but had limited adoption in Pakistan due to the following reasons (Saleem, et aT.,
1993) :
1) They were late maturing and could not fit into the prevailing cropping pattern. 2) They
possessed dent grains while growers prefer flint types. 3) US 13 hybrid and some other ones
lJ Associate Professor, Plant Breeding and Genetics Dept. NWFP Agric. Univ., Peshawar,
Pakistan.
1/, lVMaize Coordinator and Senior Scientific Officer, respectively, NARC, Islamabad, Pakistan.
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