Page 57 - Introduction to Agriculture by: Aqleem Abbas

Introduction to Agriculture Notes prepared by: Aqleem Abbas

30 kg per hectare seed gives us 6000 to 70000 plants per hectare. Similarly plant to plant distance is 20
cm and row to row distance is 70 to 75 cm for grain maize and maintained via thinning.

Method of sowing

Maize is dual purpose crop either it is grown for grain or fodder. If it is used for grain we can use two
methods

Plain bed or line

Ridges

If we use for fodder, we use only plain bed method (broadcast)

Weeding

Three to four times weeding is essential for higher products. Weeds can be controlled or either chemically
or mechanically (seeding)

Hand hoeing
Weeds must be controlled before tassel formation. Weeds are higher in summer crops than winter crops
due to favorable conditions. Thus must be controlled for improved productivity.

Irrigation

Maize is very responsive to water stress. Six to seven irrigation at ten to fifteen days interval. Most
critical stages of water supply.

Tassel formation

Silking

Cob-development

Forty percent yield reduction occurs if water stress is imposed at tassel formation stage.

Harvesting

Crops are harvested when

1. Leaves turn out dry.
2. Silk becomes brown or dark
3. Stalk of plant turn yellow
Moisture content at harvesting stage is twenty percent. Kept in plot, when
moisture reduce to 12 to15 percent, than cobs are removed and threshed after de
husking of cob.
Cobs……….ear plus leaves.
Ear…………grain portion without leaves.
Storage