Technical recommendations

Selection of Hybrids

Select the best and High yielding Rabi Hybrid suitable for respective location.

Selection of Lands and Preparation

• Select the leveled suitable heavy or light soil with good water holding capacity and proper drainage to avoid excess of water stagnation.


• Follow the sowing method either Flat bed (Bihar) or ridge and furrow (Odisha, West Bengal, Chhattisgarh) or line sowing / Zero tillage (Coastal AP) based on respective local practice.


• Space recommendation for Bihar : row to row 50cm and plant to plant 18cm


• Space recommendation for Andhra & Telangana :


• For Zero tillage : row to row 60cm and plant to plant 20cm-22.5cm


• For line sowing : row to row 60cm and plant to plant 20cm

Application of Organic Fertilizers:

• Application of farm yard manure at 6-8 ton per acre

Sowing and Spacing

• Sowing will plan between November to December


• Always take shallow depth sowing depth for good germination but sandy soil needs to increase the depth of sowing.


• Maintain Good moisture level for better seed gemination.

Note:

• Application of Zinc sulphate should not be mix with DAP or any other fertilizer. 5Kg of Zinc sulphate should be mix with 15-20Kg of soil and apply for 1 acre of field.


• Application of Micronutrients is essential if soil was deficient of micronutrients

Weeds Management and Inter cultivation:

• Application of Pre-emergent Herbicide is essential to protect from weeds at early stage: Atrazine (50% WP) @ 400-800 gms/acre based on the weed intensity


• Atrazine & Surfactant spray can be applied as per specific company instruction.


• Need to protect the crop by manual weeding followed by earthing up for better protection from weeds.


• If there is a difficulty in Manual weeding, then go for post emergent herbicide: Tembotrione (Laudis) @ 150ml/Acre or Topramezone (Tynzer) @ 30ml/acre (Use the instruction recommended by the specific company).

Critical stages for Irrigations:

• Seedling stage


• Knee-height stage


• Flowering stage


• Grain filling stage


• Hardening stage


• Note: In case if the soils are heavy, irrigation should be light & frequent. However, adjust the number of irrigations based on environmental conditions.


• Avoid excessive irrigation or water stagnation in the field up to 30-35 days.

Pest Management: (Major pest: Fall Armyworm (FAW) & Stem Borer)

• For control of Fall Armyworm: Spray of Spinetoram (Delegate) @ 200 ml per acre in 200 L of water. For better control of FAW always spray the chemical to Whorl of maize plants.


• Stemborer: Thiamethoxam 12.60% +Lambda-Cyhalothrin 09.5% ZC (Alika 247 ZC), Dosage to be as per company instruction.

Harvesting:

• Check the black layer formation in grain before harvest and harvest at 12-15 % moisture level in grains


• Harvest at less than 25% moisture in grain and later dry at proper condition to reduce the grain moisture level.