Plant maize post paddy harvest advice given
Source: The Sangai Express / Ng Liklaileima Arambam

Imphal, October 07 2022: Scientists at Central Agricultural University (CAU), Imphal have offered suggestions to plant mustard and maize after harvesting rice to increase the income of farmers threefold and improve soil fertility.

CAU, Imphal has been providing seeds of mustard and maize for oil extraction purposes to select farmers free of cost under the scheme NEH Component of All India Coordinated Research Project on Rapeseed-Mustard and Maize.

Speaking to The Sangai Express, scientist of AICRP on Rapeseed-Maize Dr Nabakishore said that planting mustard and maize on a rotational basis after harvesting rice would improve the earning of farmers substantially, apart from making the paddy field more fertile.

Plant maize post paddy harvest advice given

"Such a practice of planting different types of crops will also help in keeping pests and diseases away from paddy fields ," he added.

Continuing that maize is traditionally grown in Kharif season and it can be planted three times a year, Dr Nabakishore said that maize is being planted more in hill districts such as Ukhrul, Churachandpur and Chandel and in some valley districts-Imphal West, Imphal East, Thoubal and Kakching under the scheme taken up by CAU.

He further stated that maize is being planted in 250 hectare of arable land in Manipur.

Saying that farmers in valley districts prefer rice plantation over maize, he maintained that farmers, however, can engage themselves in multiple cropping and plant mustard and maize after harvesting rice to make their fields more productive throughout the year.

Saying that maize can even withstand drought unlike many other crops, the scientist explained that some farmers in Imphal East successfully planted maize when the State was facing drought in 2019 at Poirou Pat Loukon at Huikap.

Dr Nabakishore continued that maize can also be used as feed for livestock and it is a good source of nutrition.

CAU, Imphal has been providing seeds of hybrid maize to farmers under AICRP on Rapeseed and Maize scheme to select farmers free of cost, he added.

The Sangai Express also interacted with Scientist (Entomology) of CAU, Imphal Jeti Konsam.

Jeti said that a farmer can produce 2.5 tonnes of maize while planting the crop on one hectare using traditional methods but the production can be increased to 4 tonnes if scientific method is applied.

Plantation of varieties of sweet corn such as golden cob and honey max have already started at Leirmaram, Thoubal and Andro since 2019, he said and added that about 10,000 plants of sweet corn can be planted in a land measuring one sangam.

He further said that three bags of urea, eight bags of Super (fertilizer) and three bags of Potash (fertilizers) are needed to cultivate maize on land measuring one pari.

Saying that urea has to be sprayed three times during the plantation period-initial stage, mid stage and flowering period, he added that Potash and Super have to be used while laying the seeds.

On infestations, Jeti stated that it is fall armyworm which mainly attacks maize plants and the pest is more active in the night.

To prevent from fall armyworm, farmers may use Emamectin Benzoate which is extracted from a neem tree as a bio pesticide, the scientist informed and explained that .04 gram of Emamectin Benzoate has to be mixed with a litre of water and sprayed on maize plants.

If the fall armyworm attack becomes more severe then the farmers may spray Chlorantraniliprole using a pump, he added.

The news story is written under the Media Fellowship Programme of Public Relation and Media Management Cell, CAU on Scientific Journalism in Application of Science in Agriculture.

For further information, one may contact Dr Indira Thounaojam through [email protected] .