Hi, welcome to this blog on the Cultural practices of Maize in agriculture.
Table Of Contents
- Meaning Of Maize
- Cultural practices of Maize
- Varieties of Maize.
- Storage
- Harvesting
- Processing
- Pests and diseases of Maize
- Uses of maizs
WHAT IS MAIZE
Meaning: Maize, also known as corn is a member of the grass family. (Gramineae). It is a cereal crop which produces grains that can be used as food by human beings as well as livestock. The seed/fruit of maize is a caryopsis, that is, it has it’s epicarp fused with mesocarp.
Cultural Practices Of Maize
1. LAND PREPARATION: This is done by clearing the land or bush with cutlass, making ridges or heaps manually with hoe or mechanically by ploughing, harrowing and ridging.
VARITIES OF MAIZE
The varieties of maize includes:
- Dent maize.
- Flint corn.
- Flour corn.
- Pop corn
- Sweet corn.
- Pod corn.
2. Climatic and Soil Requirement
Maize requires a temperature of 26°C to 30°C, rainfall of between 70cm to 150cm per annum and it drained sandy loamy soil of pH 6 to 7.
Method of Propagation: Maize is propagated by seeds, the Maize seed can be planted manually by stick or cutlass or mechanically by planter.
3. PLANTING DATE:
Early Maize is planted between March and April and late maize is July to August. Maize (early or late) is also planted depending on location and rainfall.
4. SEED RATE IN CULTURAL PRACTICES OF MAIZE
The quantity of seeds required to plant one hectares of land is 25kg – 30kg/ hectare. Two to three seeds are also recommended per hole. Quantity of seeds usually depends on the person or plant population desired.
5. SPACING IN CULTURAL PRACTICES OF MAIZE
90cm x 30cm at one seed per hole or 75cm x 25cm at two seed per hole.
6. PLANTING IN CULTURAL PRACTICES OF MAIZE
Planting can be done manually usually cutlass or mechanically by planters at two to three seeds per hole at 2 – 4cm deep. Germination occurs four to seven Days later.
7. MATURITY PERIOD
This takes up to two or Three months (60 to 90days) for wet maize three to four months (90 to 120 days) for dry maize after planting.
8. HARVESTING IN CULTURAL PRACTICES OF MAIZE
Maize can be harvested by hand, sickle or corn picker by combine harvester. Harvesting is 90 to 120 days after planting. It is harvested either green or dry. It is mostly harvested green for consumption when the silk drives and turns Brown. Maize is harvested by plucking the cobs on a small scale and by machine.
9. PROCESSING AND USES
Maize can be eaten either boiled or roasted or process into corn flour, corn flakes or used for cornmeal, baking flour and livestock feed.
10. STORAGE CULTURAL PRACTICES OF MAIZE
Dried maize cob can be stored either in cribs, rhombus or in a fireplace, on a small scale or in silos, on a large scale.
CULTURAL PRACTICES
- Supplying: replanting of seeds to replace those seeds that did not germinate.
- Thinning: Remover of weak plants from a stand to give rise to one or two vigorous crop plants.
- Fertilizer Application: Apply N.K.P 15:15:15 (200kg/ha) (four bags) at planting. Also apply 250kg (five bags) or 150kg (three bags) of urea per Hectare, five to six weeks after planting. Farmyard manure, Poultry droppings/organic manure can also be applied as side dressing or by broadcast method.
- Weeding: This is done three to four times at regular intervals. Within can be done manually by hoeing, cutlassing, etc or chemically with the use of specified herbicides or mechanically with machine.
- Control of pests and diseases: This is done anytime at regular intervals or prevent its completely, using appropriate chemicals.
PESTS OF MAIZE
1. Stem borers: The larvae bore into into young stems and destroy the tissue leading to low it or death of the plants.
Contro method: Spray with insecticide like vetox 85, and practice Crop rotation
2. Grasshopper: They eat up the leaves and other soft vegetative parts of the plants.
Control method: Spray with appropriate chemicals such as DDT.
3. Maize Weevils: This is a field to store pests. Adults and larvae bore hole into grains and reduce them to powder.
Control method: Fumigate the store with BHC powder or phostoxin tablets and Early Harvesting.
DISEASE OF MAIZE
1. Corn smut: It is caused by fungus (ustilago maydis) which spread by wind.
Symptoms: Symptoms include galls on ears, leaves and tassels which later turn black.
CONTROL
- Destroy diseased plants.
- Use resistant varieties.
- Treat seed before planting.
2. Maize Rust: It is caused by a fungus (puccinia polysora). They cause red spots on leaves which eventually die.
CONTROL:
- Use resistant varieties.
- practise crop rotation .
- practise early planting.
3. Leaf Spot: It is caused by Fungus (physoderma spp) Which is spread by wind.
Symptoms: These include the death of the parts of the leaves.
CONTROL:
- Use resistant varieties.
- Apply the appropriate fungicide.
4. Maize Streaks: It is caused by a virus which is transmitted by a piercing and sucking insect (leaves Hopper).
Symptoms: Symptoms include yellow streaking of leaves followed by Stunting or deformation.
CONTROL
1. Spray with insecticide to vector.
2. Uproot and burn infested plants.
3. Practise early planting.
USES OF MAIZE
Below are the uses of Maize in Agriculture:
- Food Consumption
- Livestock Feed
- Industrial Products
- Human Food Products
- Textile Industries
- Alcohol Production
- Decorative and Ornamental Uses
- Pharmaceutical uses
- Soil Erosion Control
- Silage for Animal Feed.
- Traditional and Cultural Practices
- Food Additives
- Fodder for Animals
- Medical and Scientific Research
- Horticulture and Landscaping
In summary, maize’s versatility and widespread cultivation make it a vital crop with diverse applications, impacting food security, economies, and various industries globally.
Revision Questions
- What is Maize?
- What are the common cultural practices of Maize in agriculture?
- List the six varieties of Maize.
- State the pests and diseases of Maize and control methods.
- State ten uses of maize in agriculture.