Maize can be grown throughout the year at altitude ranging from sea level to about 300 m. Maize grows best in areas with rainfall of 600-900 mm. It requires fertile, well-drained soil with a pH ranging from 5.5-8.0, but pH 6.0-7.0 is optimum.
Season
As a rainfed crop, maize is grown in June-July or August-September. The irrigated crop is raised in January-February.
Varieties
Hybrids: Ganga Hybrid-1, Ganga Hybrid-101, Deccan hybrid, Renjit, Hi-Starch.
Composite varieties: Kissan Composite, Amber, Vijay, Vikram, Sona, Jawahar.
Seeds and sowing
Seed rate: 20 kg ha-1
Plough the land three times and prepare ridges and furrows. Dibble one seed per hole at a spacing of 60 cm x 23 cm for the rainy season crop. For irrigated crop, beds are prepared. Here, seeds are sown in lines and earthed up later in to small ridges to form furrows when the crop reaches knee height.
Manuring
Apply FYM/ compost @ 25 t ha-1 at the time of preparation of land. The recommended fertilizer dose is 135 kg nitrogen, 65 kg phosphorus and 15 kg potash per ha. Apply full dose of phosphorus and potash and 1/3 dose of nitrogen as basal. Apply 1/3 nitrogen, 30-40 days and the rest 60-70 days after sowing.
Aftercultivation
Hand hoeing and weeding on the 21st and 45th day after sowing.
Irrigation
Irrigate the crop on the day of sowing and on third day. Subsequent irrigations may be given at 10-15 days intervals.
Plant protection
Need based application of carbaryl is recommended for control of pests
