Maize popularly known as “corn” is one of the most versatile emerging cash crops having wider adaptability under varied climatic conditions. It is called queen of cereals globally. In Nigeria, maize or corn is the third most important food cash crops after wheat & rice.
The maize is grown throughout the year in most part of the country for various purposes including sweet corn, food grain, baby corn, fodder for animals, green cobs, and pop corn. Corn flour is consumed widely in Nigeria cooking.
Maize or corn serves as a basic raw material to thousands of industrial products that may include oil, starch, alcoholic beverages, alcoholic beverages, pharmaceutical, food sweeteners, food cereals, cosmetic, and film, gum, textile, package and paper industries.
Local Names of Maize in Nigeria
Maka (Hindi, Marathi, Oriya),Bhutta (Bengali), Makai (Gujarati), Makaa’y (Kashmiri), Musikinu jola (Kannada), Cholam (Malayalam), Makka Cholam (Tamil), Mokka jonnalu (Telugu).
Soil Requirements for Maize Farming
Maize or Corn can be cultivated successfully in variety of soils ranging from clay loam to sand loamy to black cotton soil. For better yield of maize, one should consider soils with good organic matter content having high water holding capacity. Well drained soils with pH of 5.5 to 7.0 are preferred for maize farming. Soil test is recommended to find out deficiency of any nutrient values in the soil, any deficiency can be covered by adding good organic matter or compost at the time of land preparation.
Sowing Season for Maize crop
Maize crop is usually cultivated in Nigeria, during June to July, Sept to Oct and Jan to Feb seasons. For seed production, sowing during Nov to Dec is suitable since seed maturity will not coincide with rainy season.
Land Selection and Field Preparation in Maize Farming
The selected field should be free of volunteer maize plants.
What are volunteer plants?
volunteer plants are basically unwanted plants that are grown from previous maize crop. These maize plants may be different variety, so there is chance that genetic contamination may occur.
Ploughing should be done to get fine tilth, it may take 6 or 7 ploughs. At least 13 to 14 tons of Farm Yard Manure per hectare (F.M.Y) should be spread across the field or composted coir pith and apply 10 Azospirillum packets in the field. Prepare furrows and ridges with 45 cm to 50 cm spacing to save the irrigated water.
Irrigation in Maize Farming
As soon as sowing is done, immediate irrigation is required in the field. Subsequently give life irrigation on third or fourth day and based on the soil type and season. (It may not required in rainy season). Usually for maize crop, up to 25 to 30 days, less number of irrigation are recommended, afterwards, it is required to irrigate once in a week. During early stage of this crop, water stagnation should be avoided and should have good drainage.
Weed control/Inter culture operations in Maize Farming
It requires at least 2 hand weeding in maize crop, one is on 20 to 25 days and another is on 40 to 45 days after sowing. Should apply fertilizer as top dressing & do the earthling up operation after weeding is completed. Spray Atrazin 500 grams mixed in 1000 liters of water and life irrigation on 3rd or 4th day controls the weeds in maize field.