Therefore, the major objective of this maize seed production technique manual is to improve the knowledge to farmers about technical and management activities, including increment in production of quality seed of maize. The maize plant, though not originally from zimbabwe is a crop of great importance in the country forming its staple food. While potassium is not part of any organic compound within the plant, it is important in. Monitoring and evaluation of need for nitrogen fertilizer topdressing. This species probably originated in a wild state in the tropical south america. Effect of nitrogen fertilizer on yield component of maize. In groundnuts it promotes production of pods while in maize it provides support to prevent lodging. Under zimbabwean conditions, maize generally requires 67 kg nha, 30 kg p 2 o 5 ha and 11 kg. Introduction maize zea mays l is the most important and most widely distributed cereal in the world after wheat and rice. After 23 weeks or or when the crop is about 45cm high, top dress your maize with calcium ammonium nitrate can or urea at the rate of 50 kg per acre if you are farming in a low rainfall area. Production using conservation farming practices is recommended. Maize is one of the most important food crops in the world and, together with rice and wheat, provides at least 30% of the food calories to more than 4. The production of sweet maize has intensified in market gardens in the country due mainly to increasing demand. Pdf nitrogen and potassium topdressing in maize intercropped.
Soil preparation and planting i seed preparation ii planting and population density 7. The use of fertilizers in maize production is economic only where improved varieties. Of course, any fertilizer could be applied, but virtually all fertilizer used on maize in zambia 99% is one of these two. For green maize production in particular and increased grain yield, apply 3. The treatment of three splits of n fertilizer at a total rate of 140 kg ha1 applied through fertigation at planting, v4 and v6 stages significantly increased number of leaves per. Importance of maize as multipurpose crop present scenario 1. In andes its cultivation goes back to prehistoric time. Weeding when done manually, first weeding is done within the 3 rd week after planting or depending on the growth of weed in the area. After 23 weeks or or when the crop is about 45cm high, topdress your maize with calcium. Green maize, fresh on the cob, is eaten roasted or boiled separately or mixed with legumes. Introduction hoe conservation farming cf method in zambia is an aggregate of best practice extended from brian oldrieves work in zimbabwe oldreive, 1993.
But top dressing may be a stopgap measure when growing hungry vegetables. You may consider using hoof and horn if you garden over poor soil. If you are planting the maize in areas with high rainfall, apply the fertilizer in two splits. Wrong application of fertilizer leads to low maize yields and losses to the farmer. Kenyans consume maize in a wide variety of ways ugali, porridges and beer. Agriculture notes agriculture study notes and revision. Pour the top dressing from the cup onto the soil surface on the upper side of the slope about 5cm to 7cm from the plant.
Nr iv has the largest area under maize but its yields are lower than those in nrs ii and iii. The main function of urea fertilizer is to provide the plants with nitrogen to promote green leafy growth. Regional workshop on an integrated policy approach to commercializing smallholder maize production. The success and subsequent abundance of maize in the topproducing countries can be attributed to the genetic modification of the plant. It can make the plants look lush, and its necessary for the photosynthesis of plants. Crop occupies the third position next to rice and wheat in area and production. In some countries where equipment and application techniques are not developed or available, all of the top dressing fertilizer for maize is applied at around the 34 leaf stage with a broadcaster, leaving the nitrogen vulnerable to leaching when the crop does not require it.
Importance of maize as multipurpose crop biotech articles. Nafziger encyclopedia of life support systems eolss 1. The next important field where maize finds extensive use is for livestock feeds viz, cattle poultry and piggery both in the form of seeds and fodder. Unesco eolss sample chapters soils, plant growth and crop production vol. The agricultural production systems in india are based upon mixed farming i. In notillage farming, nitrogen losses are mainly related to microbial activity, such as n. Effects of organic fertilizers on growth, yield, quality. Determination of proper basal fertilisation and top dressing doses is more and more important not only environmentally, but economically as well. South african maize is a best suited variety for fodder. Manual weeding was done twice at 2 and 5 was by hand pulling and hoeing. Fertilizeruse recommendations food and agriculture. Maize production, productivity and profitability are crucial for food insecurity alleviation both at household and national level. Sugar bean should be grown in rotation with a cereal and care should be taken to avoid planting in lands where atrazine has been used. It is designed to senre as a basic reference document for.
The importance of cereal grains in human nutrition is widely recognized, as. Its estimated 86 percent of us maize production is genetically modified. Maize is one of the important foods, green forage and industrial crops of the world. Nitrogen is one of the most important nutrients for the crops, since it is in the makeup of. Monitoring and evaluation of need for nitrogen fertilizer topdressing for maize leaf chlorophyll. To facilitate the production of many seedlings in a small area. This means that if theres rain, the fertiliser will be washed towards the plant rather than away from it. Maize production, economic analysis, peasant farmers. Maize is also a key ingredient in animal feed and is used extensively in industrial products, including the. Of course the answer is to build fertility with bulky organic matter. Top dressing may be done to the soil or to the foliage. History of kenyan maize production, marketing and policies. Top dressing is done when the soils are moist, apply 1 teaspoonful of fertilizer at the base of each plant in a ringapproximately 15 cm radius or along the row 15 cm away from the plant.
It is now universally admitted that maize or indian com is a native of america. The top dressing should be applied when the maize at 3. Usa, china, brazil, mexico, india, romania, philippines, indonesia are some of important countries. Phosphate fertilizers should be applied in the planting holes in the time of sowing while nitrogen fertilizers should be top dressed when maize is knee high 4560 cm high. Livestock production is the backbone of indian agriculture and a source of employment and ultimate livelihood for 70% of. There is a need for locationspecific maize production technologies, especially for lowland winter maize, marginal upland maize production system, and resource poor farmers. The use of fertilizers in maize production is economic only where improved varieties are used. Ngae 1 1kenya agricultural research institute, muguga south p. Split application of nitrogen and potassium is done throughout the cropping period to increase the fertilizer use efficiency. The contents are provided free for noncommercial purpose such as teaching, training, research, extension and self learning. History of kenyan maize production, marketing and policies lilian kirimi. Care must be taken in top dressing that the fertilizer is not applied when the leaves are wet or it may burn or scorch the leaves.
Pdf maize has been intercropped with different forage species. It is the application of manures and fertilizers to the established crop within crop duration. Soil fertility is amongst the factors that determine the rate at which this crop develops and it is largely through the right fertility that this is achieved. Picture showing a maize plant, b maize corn seeds and c corn silk conclusion from the literature study it was eventualized that the corn is worthwhile not only as food or medicine but even its waste after use has a number of unique importance for animals as well as industries. Understanding fertilizer adoption and effectiveness on. Thus, from the very start of hybrid seed production, the identity. High quality leaves are also important for corn maize to produce good crop yields. Finally, the study concluded by advocating adequate market with good stable prices for maize farmers products that would enhance maize production in the study area and the country at large. The study used the stochastic efficiency frontier model. Manual for maize productionbydennis owusu boateng technical officerbunso cocoa college cocobod 2. Planting on ridges helps prevent waterlogging which damages the.
Top dressing in high rainfall areas the fertilizer is applied in two splits. Urea applied as a maize top dress fertilizer will result in higher yields and profitha when applied at the same. A maximum of 3 usually is ideal basal fertilisers which contains zinc are recommended for application every two to three years on sandy soils. Physiology of maize chapter 5 maize cudtivation chapter chapter chapter. This article explains why when to apply urea fertilizer to maize or any top dressing fertilizer depends on understanding the key growth stages of maize crop.
Urea fertilizer can provide only nitrogen, no phosphorus or potassium, so its primarily used for bloom growth and vertical height may not be desired. Pdf fertilizer recommendations for maize production in the south. The term side dressing refers to the fertilizer placed beside the rows of a crop widely spaced like maize or cotton. South african maize corn description 5 south africa is the main maize producer in the sacu, with an average production of approximately 10 to 12 million tons per annum over the past ten years. It is important that before any fertilizer application, nutrient requirements of the soil be.
The crop is cultivated in all five nrs, nrs ii and iii accounting for about 84 percent of total maize production. Due to the reduction of leaching it is necessary to divide nitrogen fertilizers. In parts of africa and mesoamerica, maize alone contributes over 20% of food calories. However, a farmer can manipulate the environment by managing factors such as cultivar choice, soil tillage, crop rotation, fertilisation, irrigation and pest control. Top dressing fertilizer for maize works best when it is applied at the correct crop growth stage and at the recommended rate. Maize is a staple crop in zimbabwe and hence bears important implications for poverty alleviation and food security attainment. If you are facing any problem than fill form contact us. O box 3014800100 nairobi, kenya abstract a baseline survey to document farmers perception and application of sustainable agricultural. Harvesting took place at two stages milk or soft dough stage green harvest and fully mature stage. If he understands the principles of maize growth and development, he will be able to apply. Hybrid maize seed production involves deliberately crossing a female parent population with a male parent in isolated fields.
Maize or makka or corn crop cultivation guide maize. Nutritional, medicinal and economical importance of corn. Effects of number and rate of goat manure application on. Basal is meant to be applied at the time of planting or earlier, while top dressing is best applied after plants have germinated and begun to grow. The green fodder can be fed to milch cattle to boost the milk production of a considerable extent. If using urea, cover it with a little soil, because it evaporates much more easily than lan. The importance of small scale maize production to the development of ghana is quiet clear however very little is known about their profit efficiency and its determinants. Fertiliser application for maize crops back to technical insights. Successful maize production depends on the correct application of production inputs that will sustain the environment as well as agricultural production. An experiment was conducted in a lath house at the horticulture farm, luyengo campus of the university of swaziland to assess the effects of organic fertilizers on yield and quality of lettuce grown in river sand. Broad fertilizer recommendations for maize growing areas in kenya.
A multistage random sampling method was used to obtain 144 small scale maize farmers across northern ghana. In a very wet season, where heavy rain may leach away some of the fertiliser, split your top dressing into two applications one at two to three weeks and the second before tasselling. Top dressing splits may be recommended in sandy to sandy loam soils. Importance of nitrogen in maize production total reserve of n in the soil does not represen t the nutrient availability to the plants amado et a l. Proper fertilizer use in maize farmup connect egerton university. Material and methods in order to study the effect of nitrogen fertilizer on yield component of maize an experiment was carried out at at research station of islamic azad university of miandoab in 2012. Side dressing should occur when the plants are between calf and knee high. In dry years you can apply all the top dressing in one dose. Maize production, productivity and profitability are crucial for. Introduction maize is a tropical grass that is well adapted to many climates and hence has wideranging maturities from 70 days to 210 days. The maize plant depends largely on nature to shape its growth, development and yield. It is now grown in all countries except antarctica and under a more varied range of climates than any other cereal crops.
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