Irrigated Maize

Field Preparation

                    

Application of Fertilizer

• Fertilizer dose: 250:75:75 kg N: P₂O₅: K₂O/ha.
• Apply quarter of the dose of N (136 kg urea/ha); full dose of P₂O (469 kg SSP) and K₂O (125 kg MoP) basally before sowing.
• Place half of the dose of N (272 kg urea/ha) on the 25th day of sowing and remaining quarter of N (136 kg urea/ha) on the 45th day of sowing.
• Apply TNAU MN mixture @ 30 kg/ha as enriched FYM (Prepare enriched FYM at 1:10 ratio and incubate for one month under shade).

Zinc
• Apply 50 kg FeSO₄ along with FYM for calcareous soils.
• Apply 12.5 kg of micronutrient mixture formulated by the Department of Agriculture, Tamil Nadu mixed with 37.5 kg of sand.
• Apply 50 kg FeSO₄ + 12.5 t FYM ha-1 along with 40 kg of elemental sulphur for calcareous soils.

Iron
• Maize is milled by a dry or wet process. In both processes, the germ is separated from the grain in order to extract and recover germ oil. The germ oil is a valuable product, but if allowed to remain a constituent of maize meal would lead to the development of rancidity.

Boron
• Apply 10 kg borax along with FYM for specific respective nutrient deficiency in soils.

                    

Sowing

• Dibble the seeds at a depth of 4 cm along the furrow in which fertilizers are placed and cover with soil.
• Put one seed per hole if the germination is assured otherwise put two seeds per hole

                    

Weed management

• Application of atrazine @ 0.50 to 0.75 kg/ha as pre emergence on 3 DAS using Backpack/ Knapsack/ Rocker sprayer fitted with a flat fan nozzle using 500 litres of water/ha followed by one hand weeding on 30-35 DAS.
• Early post emergence herbicides application with Tembotrione 34.4 SC @ 125 g ai/ha and Topramezone 33.6 SC @ 30 g ai/ha at 25 DAS.
• In maize + pulse intercropping, apply pendimethalin @ 0.75 kg/ha as pre emergence on 3 DAS against atrazine.
• Apply herbicide when there is sufficient moisture in the soil.
• Do not disturb the soil after herbicide application.

                    

After Cultivation

Thinning and Gap Filling

• Sow two seeds/hill
• Thinning and gap filling should be done on 12-15 days after sowing.
• Retain single healthy seedling/hill and remove others.
• Dibble presoaked seeds @ 1 seeds per hole where there is a gap and irrigated immediately.

Hoeing, Hand-Weeding and Earthing Up

• Hoeing and hand-weeding should be done on the 30th day of sowing followed by earthing up for better anchorage.

Water Management

• Maize is sensitive to both moisture stress and excessive moisture.
• Ensure optimum moisture availability during critical stage (45 to 65 days after sowing).

Regulate irrigation according to the following growth phase of maize. Germination & establishment phase 1 to 14 days Vegetative phase 15 to 39 days Flowering phase 40 to 65 days Maturity phase 66 to 95 days

                    

Stage	No. of irrigation
	Heavy soils	Light soils
Germination & establishment
	3 (after sowing, - 4th day as life irrigation,12th day)	3 (after sowing, - 4th day as life irrigation,12th day)
Vegetative	2 (25th, 36th day)	3 (22nd, 32nd & 40th day)
Flowering (Irrigate copiously)	2 (48th, 60th day)	3 (50th ,60th & 72nd day)
Maturity phase (Control irrigation)	2 (72nd, 85th day)	2 (85th, 95th day)

Harvesting

Stage of Harvest

• Crop is ready for harvest when cob sheath turns yellow in colour and seeds become hard and dry.

Threshing the Cobs

• Use mechanical threshers or by running the tractor over dried cobs to separate the grains from the shank.
• Clean the grains, collect and store the dry grains in gunnies.

 

Updated on May 2023