The document discusses the status and potential of maize production in India, emphasizing its significance as the third most important cereal crop and the increasing demand driven by the poultry and livestock sectors. It highlights advancements in single cross hybrid technology, challenges in production due to climatic fluctuations, and the importance of quality seed production through public-private partnerships. The document concludes by advocating for sustainable agricultural practices and research to improve maize yield and production efficiency.

1. Improving the
maize productivity
in India: Progress,
challenges and
opportunities
R. Sai Kumar
DMR, INDIA

2. Status of Maize
Maize ranks as 3rd most important cereal in India
Maize area has slowly expanded over the past few
years from 6.6 mha to 8.6 mha (2002-2011)
During the same period the productivity is also
increasing gradually (1.6 t/ha to 2.6 t/ha)
Maize demand will continue to increase in view of
increasing demand in poultry and livestock sectors
in the country
Maize is a promising option for diversifying
agriculture due to its resilience to changing climate

3. Utilization Pattern of Maize in India
INDIA
Brewery 1 %
Starch 11 %
Food 24 %
Cattle Feed 11 %
Seed 1 %
Poultyr Feed 52 %

4. Growth Rate- Maize Vs other cereals (1995 to 2010)
Area
6
5 4.7
Production
Growth Rate %
4 3.2
3 2.4
2 1.2
1 0.7
0.2
0
-1 -0.3
Rice Wheat Maize Sorghum -0.4
Bajra
-2
-3 -2.7
-4 -3.5

5. Adoption of Single Cross Hybrid Technology

6. Factors for Increased Maize Production
The low yield during the one and half decades back was mainly due
to the cultivation of OPV’s and F2 seed, where the farmers were
unable to purchase the F1 seed
The increase in maize area during last one and a half decades could
be due to assured realization of crop yields, low pest and disease
incidence and an assured price to the farmers
The increase in production is due to the spread of the maize in non-
traditional areas
The productivity increase can be ascertained due to cultivation of
promising single cross hybrids under assured irrigation particularly
during winter
The fluctuations and low production and productivity in certain years
during last one decade was mainly due to drought and erratic rainfall
where the crop suffered during flowering and post flowering stages

7. Technologies for Improving Productivity
Closing Gap Ideas
USA
?% 9.0
20%
15%
China
India50-75% 5.00
2.6
Avg. Yield Insect& Weed Drought Developing Developed
(Mt/Ha) SCH Disease
Protection
Control Tolerance Countries
(Mt/Ha)
Countries
(Mt/Ha)
Integration of Irrigation, nutrient and post harvest
management practices to sustain the productivity
7

8. Strategies to Further Increase Maize
Production and Productivity
Development of long, medium and short duration
single cross hybrids
Development of high yielding QPM single cross
hybrids
Development of super sweet corn (sh-2) single cross
hybrids
Development of popcorn single cross hybrids with
high popping quality
Development of single cross hybrids with high oil
content (>6.0%)
Development of single cross baby corn hybrids

9. Short Term Strategy
Facilitate immediate disposal of SCH to target
environments
Screening of available elite germplasms for different
traits
Testing in high density planting
Classifying male and female parents
Making cross combination
Developing Single Cross Hybrid suitable to particular
region
Grouping them based on Extra early, Early, Medium
and Late duration

10. Long Term Strategy
Development of hybrid oriented germplasm
Long term screening for abiotic stress tolerant
germplasm
Developing Base materials which are tolerant to
stress like drought, water logging, temperature,
salinity
Grouping of Germplasm based on genetic potentials

11. Broadening Genetic Bases of source materials in
long term vision
Identification of suitable material subject to
particular location specific stress
Making cross combinations and production of
ideal hybrids
Target sustainable production and productivity of
maize

12. Biotechnological tools for Maize Improvements
Marker Aided Selection (MAS)
Screening for Disease resistance
Drought tolerance, High Yield
Conversion of normal maize to QPM, β Carotene
Transgenic technology
Pest and Disease resistance
Improved drought tolerance
Herbicide Tolerance
Low Phytase maize
Doubled Haploid Production through Haploid Inducers
Rapid production of inbred lines
High success rate of Induction
Development of Inbreds as vigor as Hybrids

13. Potential for Crop Diversification
Andhra Pradesh Winter Rice
Karnataka Cotton, Rice
Maharashtra Sorghum, Cotton

14. Targeting the Non-traditional Areas
Expanding area under SCH in
Eastern, North Eastern states.
Result demonstration of SCH
in tradition land race growing
areas of Jammu and Kashmir
region
High productivity of SCH Maize
during Rabi season (9-10t/ha)
Potential for further enhance of
Maize
Dissemination of quality SCH
seeds through PPP mode is a
strong link for increasing the
maize production

15. New Conservation Practices
Maize on Permanent Beds
Zero till Maize after Rice after Wheat

16. Resource Conservation Technology (RCT)
Higher yield and profit
15 to 20 % low Cost
Save fuel and water
Improve soil health

17. Promotion of Mechanization

18. Seed Village Concept
Andhra Pradesh & West Bengal farmers get benefited in different
ways:
1. Exposure to modern agronomic practices
2. It imparts safety consciousness to seed farmers
3. Agriculture is weaned away from traditional to streamlined
enterprise
4. Guaranteed buy back of produce by seed companies
5. Ancillary enterprise development like transport operators,
godown and container facility services etc
6. Good infrastructure development like road, transportation,
power availability etc
7. Employment Opportunity
8. Improve social facilities like school, Hospitals etc

19. Alternate Sites for SCH Seed Production
 Eastern India: West Bengal-
Midnapur, KrishnaNagar; Bihar-
Muzafurpur, Begusarai
 Western India: Gujarat-Himatnagar;
Rajasthan- Udaipur
 Central India: Madhya Pradesh-
Chindwada, Indore, Ratlam ;
Maharashtra-Aurangabad,
Ahmednagar
 Southern India: Karnataka-Bellary,
Raichur, Shimoga; TN-Salem; AP-
Guntur
 Northern India: Punjab-Haryana-
Eastern UP in Rabi, Uttarakhand in
spring

20. Production and Distribution of Quality Seeds
Area under SCH is keep on Increasing, there is a need to produce
quality seeds of SCH
Involvement of KVKs for Parental Seed Production by
Imparting training to KVKs for SCH seed Production
Public Private Partnership(PPP) - Public sector hybrids are
easily disseminated by entering Memorandum Of
Understanding(MOU) with Private seed industries
Example:
Green Gold Seed Ltd. of Aurangabad signed MoU with CCS
HAU for seed production of HQPM 1 and HM 4
Vikky Agro. Tech., Sampurna Seeds & AB Seeds Ltd, Hyderabad
entered MoU with ANGRAU for seed production and
marketing of DHM 117

21. Maize in Poultry Industries
India is 3rd largest egg producer and 5th largest poultry
meat producer in the world
Maize accounts for most of the energy in the feed and
poultry feed provides the link between maize and
poultry sectors
8-10mt of maize is required for poultry feed every year
and it is over 50% of total annual production
Poultry industry have buy back mechanism with
maize farmers
Maize farmers have assured market and reasonably
reliable income
Poultry industry is more concentrated in Peninsular
India and employs about two million people
Private sector controls roughly 80% of total poultry
production in the country

22. Promotion of Quality Protein Maize
Solution to Food
&
Nutritional Security

23. Biological value of different cereals
80
70
Biological value (%)
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
QPM Normal maize Wheat Rice
Cereals

24. Impact of QPM on Human Being
Low cost quality protein compared to milk
Meet the energy and protein needs of infants
and children
Improve growth rates in young children
Protein requirements of adults
Prevent and cure protein deficiency diseases,
Kwashierkor, in young children

25. Impact of QPM on Poultry and Piggery
Poultry Piggery
• Gains in body weight Piglets grew 3.5 times
• Feed efficiency Improved faster on opaque-2
• Low cost feed than on normal maize
• Less feed required
QPM -- 3.5 : 1
Normal -- 8.2 : 1

26. Role of maize in furthering farmer’s livelihood
High yielding hybrids of specialty corn increase output and
thereby Income levels
Increased income levels provide economic surplus for
increased standard of living
Economic sufficiency paves the way for appreciating and
implementing newer farm technologies/ agronomic
practices hereby starting a profitable corn cropping trend
This trend has a multiplicative effect in that other
neighboring farmers too follow suit
All in all it ends up in a win-win situation for farmers and
seed industry

27. Specialty Corn – for Livelihood Security

28. Prospects & Potential of Baby corn
Grown round the year
Check rural-urban migration
Employment generation-work to every hand
More income in shortest possible time
Quality fodder for livestock promotion
No additional land for green fodder
Export potential due to Low cost Production
Value addition & intercropping - increase profitability

29. Maize Intercropping-System
20 high value crops
Pea, Potato, Colecrops, Fenugreek, Coriander, Beetroot,
Spinach, Gladiolus etc. intercropped with BC.
Rs6750-78750/ha Additional income
Recommended Fertilizer of both the crops
Maize yield was not affected

30. Maize + Pigeon Pea Maize + Cotton
Maize + Radish Maize + Cauliflower

31. Profitability of Baby Corn Intercropping Systems
Profitability (Rs/ha)
BC + Pea
BC + Potato
BC + Knolkhol
BC + Radish
BC + Fenugreek
BC Sole

32. Potential for Increasing the Profitability of
Peri Urban Agriculture
SWEET CORN & POP CORN
Internal and External Consumptions
High Profitability

33. Transfer of Technology
Imparting trainings to KVKs for Parental Seed
Production
Training To Farmers for Single Cross Hybrids Seed
Production
Front Line Demonstrations (FLDs)
Result Demonstration of SCH in non traditional areas
like J&K, Tribal belts of Gujarat, MP,CG
Adoption of Model Villages e.g. Baby corn Village of
Atterna, Haryana
Promotion of Value added Products of QPM
Promotion of Sweet corn, Pop corn cultivation for
high income
Development of Community Village for Seed
marketing and Buy back arrangements

34. Creation of Self Help Groups (SHG’s)
For marketing and Procurement of maize seed
Generation of income by procuring maize
Ensuring minimum support price
The women got kudos from the World Bank for their
bold endeavor in agri-marketing
Procured 8.62 lakh Quintal (Rs 46.5 crores) through
90 Procurement centre in Three months
Earned Rs 45 Lakhs Commission by selling maize to
Andhra Pradesh Market Federation in Telangana
Region (Deccan Chronicle, dt: 13-3-06)

35. Success Story of Women Self Help Group (SHG)
(Deccan Chronicle, dt: 13-3-06)

36. Legacy of New Single Cross Hybrid – Late Maturity
PMH 1

37. Medium Maturity Single Cross Hybrid
HM 9

38. Single Cross Hybrids - Quality Protein Maize
HQPM 5 HQPM 1
HQPM 7

39. Conclusion
To realize genetic potential yield of maize the single cross
hybrid technology is the solution
It is an appropriate technology for sustainable agriculture
and deserves to be promoted on large scale by both public
and private sector
Identification of productive seed parent as female to
minimize cost of seed production
Identification of suitable male parent with dense tassel with
longevity of pollen shedding
Development of stress tolerant germplsam
Early maturing single cross hybrids for drought/ excess water

40. Seed technology research for new products
Agronomic packages for rain fed situations
Strengthen research on hybrid technology for unfavorable
environments
More emphasis for seed production under marginal areas
Total yield increased resulting from genetic and non genetic
causes